Ancient Christian Writings: Overview and Manuscripts

1. The New Testament& Ancient Writings SCTR 19 – Felix Just, S.J.

2. New Testament Overview • NT Content: • 27 “books” (incl. many letters) • All originally written in Greek • Later translations: Latin, etc. • Composition History: • Jesus’ Life/Death/Resurr. (ca. 30) • Apostolic Preaching: Oral Traditions • Early Written Sources (30’s? 50’s?) • Letters/Epistles (50’s – 110’s?) • Full Gospels (late 60’s – 90’s?) • Collections (1st – 3rd Cent.) • Canonization (late 4th Cent.)

3. NT Structure & Genres • Four “Gospels” (Euangelion, lit. “good news”) • Canonical Order: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John (but Mark is oldest) • One “Acts” of the Apostles • Vol. 2 of Luke’s work (traveling companion of Paul?) • Twenty-One “Letters” or “Epistles” • “Pauline Letters” – attributed to Paul of Tarsus • Named after Communities & Individuals TO WHOM written • 7 “Undisputed” & 6 “Disputed” • Hebrews – vaguely Pauline; not really a “letter” but a sermon • “Catholic/General Epistles” – attribute to other apostles • James; 1 Peter; 2 Peter; 1 John; 2 John; 3 John; Jude • One “Apocalypse” = Book of Revelation (singular!)

4. Non-canonical Christian Writings • “Apocryphal” works – not accepted into NT Canon • Why not? – written later; different theology;used by heretical groups? • More “Gospels”: Gosp. of Thomas, of Peter, of Judas, etc. • More “Acts”: Acts of Paul, of Peter, of Thomas, etc. • More “Apocalypses”: Apoc. of John, of Peter, etc. • “Patristic” works – also not in NT, but different reasons • Why not? – not “apostolic” (i.e., written later, but theology acceptable) • More “Letters/Epistles”: by Barnabas, Clement, Ignatius of Antioch, etc. • More “Homilies/Sermons”: by later bishops & teachers • Other Genres: Biblical commentaries; theological treatises; etc. • 4th & 5th Cent. “Creeds”: summary statements of Christian beliefs

5. Papyrus (reed plant) Cut in strips, flattened Less expensive, durable www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/papyrus.html Vellum / Parchment Animal skins, prepared More expensive, durable www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/parchment.html Ancient Writing Materials • Other Materials: Stone, Clay, Wood, etc.

6. Scroll Rolled, sealed on outside Written on one side only Papyrus or Vellum www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/roll.html Codex Sheets stacked, bound Written on both sides Papyrus or Vellum www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/codex.html Ancient Writing Format

7. Ancient Scrolls • Pompeii: Wall Painting • Prior to AD 79 (when Pompeii was buried by lava from Mt. Vesuvius) • Girl reading a scroll (a letter or short book). • Seated woman with a scroll in her left hand.

8. Ancient Writing • Ancient Wall Painting • Woman holding a book and a writing stylus

9. Biblical Texts • Pre-Constantine Era (1st – 3rd Cent.) • Christians were poor, persecuted, minority • NT texts: only few papyrus scraps survive • Emperor Constantine • Edict of Milan (312 C.E.) • Imperial support of Christianity • Construction of Churches • Full Bible Codices on Vellumsome survive from 4th / 5th Cent.: • Codex Sinaiticus • Codex Vaticanus • Codex Alexandrinus, etc.

10. Manuscripts Lit. “hand-written” Majuscule (ALLCAPSNOSPACES) Minuscule (lower case, punctuation) Printing First: carved wood blocks Moveable type: ~1453Johannes Gutenberg Writing Styles

11. P52 - Oldest NT fragment • Ca. 125 – 150C.E.(now in John Rylands Library, Manchester) • kchanson.com/ANCDOCS/greek/johnpap.html • front: John 18:31-33 back: John 18:37-38

12. P75 • Papyrus Bodmer XV • Ca. 175 – 225 C.E. • End of Luke & Start of John;both on same page!(so Luke/Acts separated)

13. P46 • Oldest manuscript of the Pauline letters. • Originally part of the Chester Beatty Papyri • Written ca. AD 200 • Total of 104 pages, but several are now missing • Included at least ten of the Pauline letters • This image shows the text of 2 Cor 11:33–12:9