The textual origin of the O.T. citations in Hebrews has long been an enigma. From the time the texts of the two principal witnesses to the LXX, LXXA and LXXB, became available in the early part of the nineteenth century, it has been observed that the text of the citations in Hebrews does not exactly correspond to either. F. Bleek, who was evidently the first to make a systematic textual study of these citations, concluded that the author of Hebrews used a recension closely related to LXXA. Most commentators since have concluded that some text of the LXX was used, variously explaining variations from it as due to citation from memory, intentional adaptations by the author, and errors of transcription in his manuscript. Others have suggested that the citations were taken from a lost version of the Greek O.T. or from liturgical sources.

In a recent Short Study I suggested that St Paul was not discussing virginity in I Cor. vii but dealing with the subject of second marriages and, more specifically in υυ. 36 ff., with levirate marriage. The present article is an examination of early patristic exegesis of I Cor. vii to show that consecrated virginity was not a customary way of life in the most primitive Christian communities. I have given special attention to the Jewish background of Montanism and Tertullian's exegesis during his Montanist period which seems to provide the most substantial evidence that the recipients of St Paul's letter were not posing questions concerning celibacy and perhaps had no conception of this practice for women.

Après son séjour à Sychar de Samarie (Jean iv. 5), Jésus ‘partit de là pour la Galilée’ (iv. 43), nous dit l'évangéliste, qui explique alors: ‘car (γάρ) Jésus avait déclaré lui-même qu'un prophéte ne jouit d'aucun égard dans sa propre patrie (πατρí;ς)’ (iv. 44). Puis il enchaî;ne: ‘A son arrivée en Galilée, les Galiléens lui firent bon accueil: ils avaient vu tout ce qu'il avait fait à Jérusalem lors de la fête; car eux aussi étaient allés à la fête’ (iv. 45).