Corpus-Paul

["David Inglis" <david AT colonialcommerce.com>]

In 2 Cor Paul makes reference to an earlier 'severe', 'sorrowful', or
'tearful' letter (which for the purpose of this post I am calling 1.5 Cor),
and as far as I can tell there are 3 main theories regarding its existence:

a)      1.5 Cor is actually 1 Cor
b)      1.5 Cor is lost (for some unknown reason)
c)      1.5 Cor became attached to 2 Cor, and is actually vv. 10:1 - 13:10 of 
2
Cor

As I understand it, the main problem for theory c) is that there is no MS
evidence suggesting that copies of 2 Cor ever circulated without these
verses.  However, I would like to examine the possibility that negative
evidence does in fact exist.  So, which (if any) defective MSS that include
2 Cor do *not* include any of vv. 10:1 - 13:10, and is there any pattern
that can found in these MSS?  For example, do they all contain the same
text-type, do they all come from the same area, etc.

Finally, are there any other viable theories as to why we do not have 1.5
Cor, or theories that we do have it, but just don't recognize it?

Dave Inglis
david AT colonialcommerce.com
3538 O'Connor Drive
Lafayette, CA, USA