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The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Introduction to P45: A Foundational Witness

Papyrus 45 (P45), also referred to as P. Chester Beatty I, is a vital early manuscript for understanding the textual tradition of the New Testament. Dated paleographically to approximately 175–225 C.E., P45 is part of the Chester Beatty Papyri collection and contains portions of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) and the Acts of the Apostles. Despite its fragmentary state, this manuscript holds tremendous significance due to its content, text-type affiliations, and the insights it offers into the scribal practices and textual variations of the early Christian era.

Housed primarily in the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, Ireland, with one leaf located in the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna, P45 provides a rare glimpse into the codex format of early Christian writings and demonstrates the textual diversity present within early New Testament manuscripts. By examining the physical features, textual character, and significant variants of P45, scholars can better understand the early transmission of the New Testament text and the theological and practical considerations that influenced its development.

The Dating of P45: Evidence for Its Early Origins

The dating of P45 has been established through paleographic analysis, which examines the script’s style and characteristics. Noted scholars such as Sir Frederic G. Kenyon, W. Schubart, and H. I. Bell assigned the manuscript to the early third century, specifically between 175–225 C.E.

Features Supporting the Early Date

Letter Forms
The individual letters in P45 exhibit simplicity characteristic of the Roman period. For instance, the curves of the epsilon and sigma are not exaggerated, and the upsilon and phi maintain a conservative form.
Sloping Appearance
The overall slant of the script and the small omicron point to the early third century. Comparable manuscripts, such as P. Egerton 3 and P. Oxy. 1012, further corroborate this date.
Codex Format
P45’s use of the codex format, as opposed to a scroll, underscores the transition to book-like manuscripts for Christian scripture during this period. This format allowed for easier navigation between texts, which was particularly useful for ecclesiastical reading.

Content of P45: A Fragmentary Yet Diverse Compilation

Surviving Texts

P45 originally comprised a single codex with an estimated 220 pages, of which only 30 pages survive. These include:

Matthew 20–21 and 25–26
Mark 4–9 and 11–12
Luke 6–7 and 9–14
John 4–5 and 10–11
Acts 4–17

Unique Features of Content

Unlike other manuscripts from the same period, which typically contained only one section of the New Testament (e.g., the Gospels or Pauline Epistles), P45 encompassed both the Gospels and Acts. This combination suggests that P45 might have been intended for communal or liturgical use, aligning with the early church’s need for a comprehensive text.

Physical Features of P45: Insights from Materiality

Size and Condition

The original pages measured approximately 10 inches by 8 inches, though all extant pages are damaged, with lacunae (gaps) and incomplete lines. The leaves containing texts from Matthew and John are the smallest and most fragmented.

Codex Structure

P45 was constructed with two-leaf gatherings, which deviated from the single-quire format seen in some other early codices. This innovation may reflect practical considerations for durability and usability.

Textual Character of P45: Analyzing Its Unique Contributions

P45’s textual character is marked by a significant degree of variation, making it a challenging yet rewarding manuscript for textual critics.

Scribal Practices: A Scribe with Freedom

The scribe of P45 exercised notable freedom in reproducing the text, as described by E. C. Colwell:

“As an editor, the scribe of P45 wielded a sharp axe. The most striking aspect of his style is its conciseness. The dispensable word is dispensed with. He omits adverbs, adjectives, nouns, participles, verbs, [and] personal pronouns—without any compensating habit of addition.”

This tendency toward brevity is observed across multiple books, such as Mark 6:40, where the scribe omitted details about the 5,000 men sitting down “by hundreds and by fifties.” Similarly, in John 11:25, Jesus’ declaration, “I am the resurrection and the life,” was shortened to “I am the resurrection.”

Harmonization and Abbreviation

The scribe frequently harmonized passages to other Gospel accounts or omitted redundant expressions. This practice suggests that the scribe may have aimed for a more readable and coherent text rather than a verbatim reproduction of his Vorlage (exemplar).

Notable Textual Variants in P45

P45’s textual variants illuminate the manuscript’s affiliation with certain text types and its scribe’s editorial tendencies. Below are a few significant examples:

Mark 6:40

Text in P45: Omission of “by hundreds and by fifties”
Included in Other Witnesses: Found in most Alexandrian and Byzantine texts.

John 11:25

Text in P45: “I am the resurrection.”
Included in Other Witnesses: “I am the resurrection and the life.”

Luke 6:48

Text in P45: Omission of “because it had been well built.”
Included in Other Witnesses: Found in P75, א, B, L, and others.

These omissions highlight the scribe’s intentional pruning of material, likely to enhance the text’s focus or to harmonize details across accounts.

Text-Type Affiliation: Where Does P45 Fit?

The textual affiliation of P45 varies across the books it contains. Unlike manuscripts that consistently align with a single text type, P45 demonstrates mixed characteristics:

Mark: Early studies suggested a Caesarean text type, but subsequent research has questioned this categorization.
Acts: Strong affinities with the Alexandrian text (e.g., Codices א, A, B, C).
Matthew, Luke, and John: A midway position between Alexandrian and Western text types.

Theological and Historical Implications of P45

The diversity of textual characteristics in P45 highlights the early fluidity of the New Testament text. The scribe’s editorial approach, particularly his tendency toward abbreviation and harmonization, reflects a time when the textual tradition had not yet solidified into the well-defined text types of later centuries.

Conclusion: The Value of P45 in Textual Criticism

P45 serves as a crucial witness to the early transmission of the New Testament, offering insights into the scribal habits, codex structure, and textual variations of the third century. Its fragmentary nature, while challenging, provides invaluable data for understanding the text-critical landscape of the early church. By analyzing P45, textual scholars can better discern the reliability of modern New Testament translations and the historical processes that shaped the scriptural canon.

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About the author

EDWARD D. ANDREWS (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 220+ books. In addition, Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).