APPENDIX 5
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There are many manuscripts of the New Testament which vary in their detail; the study of textual criticism is the discipline that attempts to discover the most likely original form based on the age of the manuscript and its comparisons to other manuscripts. In this appendix, we show the places in the New Testament where Maria (Greek) and Mariam (Aramaic) are used for the name translated ‘Mary’ in English, drawing on ancient manuscripts.
Mark, who prefers Maria, only includes the lists at the cross, burial, and tomb (plus the one other place at 6.3 where Mary is named in passing). Matthew, Luke, and John follow Mark’s usage Maria for the lists at the cross, burial, and tomb but prefer Mariam for the story narratives. [There is an exception: the three evangelists use the Greek Marias for the genitive case while Mariam is used in the nominative, vocative, and accusative cases; the genitive case is also used in Mark 6.3: ‘son of Mary’.] This leads us to the overall argument that Maria is predominantly used in the gospels for the lists of women at the cross, burial, and tomb, and Mariam for the longer stories in Matthew, Luke, and John which feature a person called Mary.
Here is the detail, using the standard text book for comparing manuscript variants of the New Testament, the Nestle-Aland Novum Testament Graece (28th revised edition, edited by B. and K. Aland, J. Karavidopoulos, C.M. Martini and B.M. Metzger, Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2012).
Matthew
The conception and birth of Jesus: Mary is mentioned at 1.16, 1.18, 1.20, 2.11. These are all in the genitive (Marias) except 1.20, which is accusative. Nestle-Aland prefers the Greek Marian at this point, but there are many ancient manuscripts which give the Aramaic Mariam.
Jesus in Nazareth: 13.55 (parallel to Mark 6.3). Here Matthew uses Mariam and there are no given textual alternatives.
The cross and tomb: 27.56 (twice), 27.61 (twice), 28.1 (twice). Nestle-Aland gives Maria for four of the six instances and Mariam for two mentions of Mary Magdalene at 27.61 and 28.1. However, there are several manuscripts which prefer Maria in these latter two places. Given the proximity of these references, it is difficult to imagine that the original will have alternated between two ways of writing the name. Therefore, Maria is likely for all six.
Mark
Jesus in Nazareth: 6.3. It is genitive, Marias.
The cross and tomb: 15.40 (twice), 15.47 (twice), 16.1 (twice). Nestle-Aland gives Maria for all these instances. Manuscripts giving the alternative Mariam are few.
The longer ending: 16.9. Also, Maria.
Luke
The conception, birth, and childhood of Jesus: 1.27, 1.30, 1.34, 1.38, 1.39, 1.41, 1.46, 1.56, 2.5, 2.16, 2.19, 2.34. These are all Mariam without any variants, except for 1.41, which is genitive, and there are a few manuscripts which give Maria at 2.19 but Nestle-Aland stays with Mariam.
Introducing Mary Magdalene: 8.2. This is Maria without any manuscripts giving the alternative, but this does not contradict the argument, as this is a list and clearly prepares the reader for the tomb story at 24.10.
Mary and Martha: 10.39, 10.42. Nestle-Aland gives Mariam, despite some manuscripts which have Maria.
The tomb: 24.10. Maria without the alternative reading.
Acts
Mary after the Ascension: 1.14. Again, Mariam but with the alternative reading in some cases.
Mary mother of John Mark: 12.12. Marias, genitive.
John
The raising of Lazarus with Martha and Mary at Bethany: 11.1, 11.2, 11.19, 11.20, 11.28, 11.31, 11.32, 11.45, 12.3. Nestle-Aland gives Mariam in all these verses, except for 11.2, which is genitive. There are instances of manuscripts reading Maria in all cases, however.
The cross: 19.25 (twice). Nestle-Aland prefers Maria, although there are a few manuscripts which give Mariam.
Mary Magdalene in the garden: 20.1, 20.11, 20.16, 20.18. This is confusing, as Nestle-Aland gives Maria for the first two verses and Mariam for the second two. However, there are many manuscripts, including quite ancient ones, which prefer Mariam throughout. One could see the version Maria as a scribal attempt to be consistent with 19.25, perhaps.
Romans
The only other instance of the name Mary is at Romans 16.6. Nestle-Aland suggests Maria but there are many manuscripts which have Mariam. This is immaterial to the argument, but it provides another example of the way in which manuscripts vary between the two versions of the name.