Word play in aramaic and syriac

[Thirdwoe]

Additionally, why would any scribe choose to go with /rbwly/ ("chief shepherd") when the clarifying context was right there in the sentence ("teacher")? That would have resolved it immediately if the length of the letter's stem was unclear, even (I conjecture) if the scribe were half-asleep. The transmission of the Peshitta was not this sloppy.

Just to note: The Curetonian and the Sinaitic do not have the interpretation of "teacher" in their text, and has "Rabbuli", as does both the Eastern Peshitta and the Western Peshitto.

Shlama,
Chuck