Magdalen papyrus
Encyclopedia
The "Magdalen" papyrus was purchased in Luxor
, Egypt in 1901 by Reverend Charles Bousfield Huleatt
(1863–1908), who identified the Greek fragments as portions of the Gospel of Matthew
(Chapter 26:23 and 31) and presented them to Magdalen College
, Oxford, where they are cataloged as P. Magdalen Greek 17 (Gregory-Aland
64) and whence they have their name. When the fragments were finally published by Colin H. Roberts in 1953, illustrated with a photograph, the hand was characterized as "an early predecessor of the so-called 'Biblical Uncial'" which began to emerge towards the end of the 2nd century. The uncial style is epitomised by the later biblical Codex Vaticanus and Codex Sinaiticus
. Comparative paleographical analysis
has remained the methodological key for dating the manuscript: the consensus is ca AD 200.
The fragments are written on both sides, conclusive proof that they came from a codex
rather than a scroll. More fragments, published in 1956 by Ramon Roca-Puig, cataloged as P. Barc. Inv. 1 (Gregory-Aland
67), were determined by Roca-Puig and Roberts to come from the same codex as the Magdalen fragments, a view which has remained the scholarly consensus.
64 was originally given a 3rd century date by Charles Huleatt, the one who donated the Manuscript to Magdalen College, and then papyrologist A. S. Hunt studied the manuscript and dated it to the early 4th century. But in reaction to what he thought was far too late a dating for the manuscript, Colin Roberts published the manuscript and gave it a dating of ca. 200, which was confirmed by three other leading papyrologists: Harold Bell, T. C. Skeat and E. G. Turner
, and this has been the general accepted date of
64 since.
But in late 1994, considerable publicity surrounded Carsten Peter Thiede
's redating of the Magdalen papyrus to the last third of the 1st century, optimistically interpreted by journalists. His official article appeared in Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik the following year. The text for the layman was cowritten with Matthew d'Ancona
and presented as The Jesus Papyrus, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1996. (also published as: Eyewitness to Jesus, 1996, New York: Doubleday). Thiede's re-dating has generally been viewed with skepticism by established Biblical scholars.
Philip Comfort and David Barret in their book Text of the Earliest NT Greek Manuscripts argue for a more general date of 150–175 for the manuscript, and also for
4
and
67, which they argue came from the same codex. 
4 was used as stuffing for the binding of “a codex of Philo, written in the later third century and found in a jar which had been walled up in a house at Coptos [in 250].” If 
4 was part of this codex, then the codex may have been written roughly 100 years prior or earlier. Comfort and Barret also show that this 
4/64/67 has affinities with a number of the late 2nd century papyri.
Comfort and Barret "tend to claim an earlier date for many manuscripts included in their volume than might be allowed by other palaeographers." The Novum Testamentum Graece
, a standard reference for the Greek witnesses, lists
4
and
64/67 separately, giving the former a date of the 3rd century, while the latter is assigned ca. 200. Most recently Charlesworth has concluded 'that 
64+67 and 
4, though written by the same scribe, are not from the same ... codex.'
Luxor
Luxor is a city in Upper Egypt and the capital of Luxor Governorate. The population numbers 487,896 , with an area of approximately . As the site of the Ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, Luxor has frequently been characterized as the "world's greatest open air museum", as the ruins of the temple...
, Egypt in 1901 by Reverend Charles Bousfield Huleatt
Charles Bousfield Huleatt
Charles Bousfield Huleatt also known under the pseudonym of Caulifield, was an Anglican priest born in Folkestone, England. He is the man who discovered the Magdalen papyrus and was also an early football player-manager of Messina Football Club.-Discovery of the Magdalen Papyrus:Huleatt travelled...
(1863–1908), who identified the Greek fragments as portions of the Gospel of Matthew
Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
(Chapter 26:23 and 31) and presented them to Magdalen College
Magdalen College, Oxford
Magdalen College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. As of 2006 the college had an estimated financial endowment of £153 million. Magdalen is currently top of the Norrington Table after over half of its 2010 finalists received first-class degrees, a record...
, Oxford, where they are cataloged as P. Magdalen Greek 17 (Gregory-Aland
64) and whence they have their name. When the fragments were finally published by Colin H. Roberts in 1953, illustrated with a photograph, the hand was characterized as "an early predecessor of the so-called 'Biblical Uncial'" which began to emerge towards the end of the 2nd century. The uncial style is epitomised by the later biblical Codex Vaticanus and Codex SinaiticusCodex Sinaiticus
Codex Sinaiticus is one of the four great uncial codices, an ancient, handwritten copy of the Greek Bible. It is an Alexandrian text-type manuscript written in the 4th century in uncial letters on parchment. Current scholarship considers the Codex Sinaiticus to be one of the best Greek texts of...
. Comparative paleographical analysis
Palaeography
Palaeography, also spelt paleography is the study of ancient writing. Included in the discipline is the practice of deciphering, reading, and dating historical manuscripts, and the cultural context of writing, including the methods with which writing and books were produced, and the history of...
has remained the methodological key for dating the manuscript: the consensus is ca AD 200.
The fragments are written on both sides, conclusive proof that they came from a codex
Codex
A codex is a book in the format used for modern books, with multiple quires or gatherings typically bound together and given a cover.Developed by the Romans from wooden writing tablets, its gradual replacement...
rather than a scroll. More fragments, published in 1956 by Ramon Roca-Puig, cataloged as P. Barc. Inv. 1 (Gregory-Aland
67), were determined by Roca-Puig and Roberts to come from the same codex as the Magdalen fragments, a view which has remained the scholarly consensus.Date
64 was originally given a 3rd century date by Charles Huleatt, the one who donated the Manuscript to Magdalen College, and then papyrologist A. S. Hunt studied the manuscript and dated it to the early 4th century. But in reaction to what he thought was far too late a dating for the manuscript, Colin Roberts published the manuscript and gave it a dating of ca. 200, which was confirmed by three other leading papyrologists: Harold Bell, T. C. Skeat and E. G. TurnerEric Gardner Turner
Sir Eric Gardner Turner CBE was an English papyrologist and classicist.Turner was born in Broomhill, Sheffield. He was educated at King Edward VII School and Magdalen College, Oxford and taught classics at the University of Aberdeen from 1936 to 1948, although from 1941 to 1945 he served in the...
, and this has been the general accepted date of
64 since.But in late 1994, considerable publicity surrounded Carsten Peter Thiede
Carsten Peter Thiede
Carsten Peter Thiede was a German archaeologist and New Testament scholar. He was also a member of PEN and a Knight of Justice in the Order of St John. Thiede often advanced theories that conflicted with the consensus of academic and theological scholarship...
's redating of the Magdalen papyrus to the last third of the 1st century, optimistically interpreted by journalists. His official article appeared in Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik the following year. The text for the layman was cowritten with Matthew d'Ancona
Matthew d'Ancona
Matthew d'Ancona is a British journalist. A former deputy editor of The Sunday Telegraph, he was appointed editor of The Spectator in February 2006, a post he retained until August 2009.-Early life:...
and presented as The Jesus Papyrus, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, London, 1996. (also published as: Eyewitness to Jesus, 1996, New York: Doubleday). Thiede's re-dating has generally been viewed with skepticism by established Biblical scholars.
Philip Comfort and David Barret in their book Text of the Earliest NT Greek Manuscripts argue for a more general date of 150–175 for the manuscript, and also for
4Papyrus 4
Papyrus 4 is an early New Testament papyri of the Gospel of Luke in Greek. It is dated as being a late 2nd/early 3rd century manuscript.- Description :...
and
67, which they argue came from the same codex. 4 was used as stuffing for the binding of “a codex of Philo, written in the later third century and found in a jar which had been walled up in a house at Coptos [in 250].” If 4 was part of this codex, then the codex may have been written roughly 100 years prior or earlier. Comfort and Barret also show that this 4/64/67 has affinities with a number of the late 2nd century papyri.Comfort and Barret "tend to claim an earlier date for many manuscripts included in their volume than might be allowed by other palaeographers." The Novum Testamentum Graece
Novum Testamentum Graece
Novum Testamentum Graece is the Latin name editions of the original Greek-language version of the New Testament.The first printed edition was the Complutensian Polyglot Bible by Cardinal Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros, printed in 1514, but not published until 1520...
, a standard reference for the Greek witnesses, lists
4Papyrus 4
Papyrus 4 is an early New Testament papyri of the Gospel of Luke in Greek. It is dated as being a late 2nd/early 3rd century manuscript.- Description :...
and
64/67 separately, giving the former a date of the 3rd century, while the latter is assigned ca. 200. Most recently Charlesworth has concluded 'that 64+67 and 4, though written by the same scribe, are not from the same ... codex.'Images
- p64 verso
- http://chrles.multiply.com/photos/album/64/Bible_Papyrus_p64#3
External links
- Peter M. Head, "The date of the Magdalen Papyrus of Matthew: A Response to C.P. Thiede": published in Tyndale BulletinTyndale BulletinThe Tyndale Bulletin is an academic journal published by Tyndale House in Cambridge....
46 (1995) p. 251-285; the article suggests that he has both over-estimated the amount of stylistic similarity between P64 and several Palestinian Greek manuscripts and under-estimated the strength of the scholarly consensus of a date around AD 200. - University of Münster, New Testament Transcripts Prototype. Select P64/67 from 'manuscript descriptions' box
- T. C. Skeat, The Oldest Manuscript of the Four Gospels?, in: T. C. Skeat and J. K. Elliott, The collected biblical writings of T. C. Skeat, Brill 2004, pp. 158–179.