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The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Introduction to Papyrus 53

Papyrus 53, designated as P53 in the Gregory-Aland numbering, is an early papyrus manuscript of the New Testament, containing portions of the Gospel of Matthew and the Acts of the Apostles. Specifically, it preserves Matthew 26:29-40 and Acts 9:33-10:1. P53 is a significant witness to the early text of the New Testament, particularly because it represents a proto-Alexandrian text type. This fragmentary manuscript was acquired by the University of Michigan in 1934, where it remains housed under the inventory number 6652. The provenance of this manuscript traces back to Egypt, acquired through the British Museum from an Egyptian dealer. The manuscript is particularly notable for its age, dating to the mid-third century, making it an essential artifact for textual critics and scholars aiming to reconstruct the earliest form of the New Testament text.

Date of Papyrus 53

The dating of Papyrus 53 has been established through paleographic analysis, which involves the study of ancient handwriting. Sanders, a leading scholar in the field, placed P53 around 260 C.E. after comparing it with documentary papyri from the second volume of the Florentine Papyri. These comparisons were drawn with the correspondence of Heroninos, dated to shortly before or after 260 C.E. Sanders’ dating is corroborated by the textual similarities found in P37, another early papyrus manuscript. This placement in the third century C.E. is significant because it situates P53 within a critical period of textual transmission, where the text of the New Testament was still in the process of being standardized.

Content of Papyrus 53

Papyrus 53 contains fragments from two distinct parts of the New Testament: Matthew 26:29-40 and Acts 9:33-10:1. These fragments are part of a larger codex, which, according to Sanders and H. I. Bell, likely contained either all four Gospels and Acts or just the Gospel of Matthew and Acts. The codex format itself is important, as it reflects the early Christian preference for the codex over the scroll, a shift that had implications for how the New Testament texts were transmitted and used in early Christian communities. The specific passages preserved in P53 include key moments in both Matthew and Acts. For example, Matthew 26:29-40 encompasses part of the Last Supper and Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane, while Acts 9:33-10:1 includes the healing of Aeneas by Peter and the beginning of the account of Cornelius, a pivotal narrative in the spread of the early Christian message to Gentiles.

Physical Features of Papyrus 53

The physical condition of Papyrus 53 is highly fragmentary, with portions of the text missing due to damage sustained over the centuries. The manuscript is written on papyrus, a common writing material in the ancient world made from the pith of the papyrus plant. The script is Greek, and the handwriting is consistent with other manuscripts from the mid-third century. The surviving text is written in a fairly uniform, uncial script, characterized by its majuscule letters. The use of uncial script during this period is typical, and the style of writing in P53 is comparable to other contemporary papyri, reinforcing its dating to the mid-third century. The fragmentary nature of the manuscript does pose challenges for textual reconstruction, but the portions that survive are crucial for understanding the early transmission of the New Testament text.

Textual Character of Papyrus 53

Textually, Papyrus 53 is aligned with the Alexandrian text type, often considered the most reliable and closest to the original autographs. The Alexandrian text type, known for its brevity and lack of later interpolations, is represented by other significant manuscripts such as P45, P46, P66, and P75. Matthew, P53 presents an independent text that is not closely aligned with any specific manuscript but reflects the textual characteristics associated with the Alexandrian tradition. This suggests that while it belongs to the broader Alexandrian family, it may also preserve unique readings or a localized text form.

In Acts, P53 exhibits clear affinities with the Alexandrian manuscripts, including P45, P74, Codex Sinaiticus (א), Codex Vaticanus (B), and Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (C). This alignment with the Alexandrian text in Acts further underscores the importance of P53 in reconstructing the early text of the New Testament. The textual agreement with these significant Alexandrian witnesses supports the view that P53 represents a relatively pure form of the New Testament text, free from the later expansions and alterations that characterize the Byzantine text type.

The inclusion of P53 in Category I by Kurt and Barbara Aland reflects its textual significance. Category I manuscripts are considered the most important for establishing the original text, as they are typically free from significant later alterations and are closely aligned with the earliest known forms of the New Testament text. P53’s placement in this category is a testament to its value in the field of New Testament textual criticism.

The unique textual features of P53, particularly its alignment with the Alexandrian tradition, make it a valuable manuscript for scholars seeking to understand the development and transmission of the New Testament text. Its age, textual character, and alignment with other key Alexandrian manuscripts place it among the most important papyri for reconstructing the early New Testament text.

Conclusion

Papyrus 53 (P53) stands as a significant witness to the early New Testament text. Its mid-third century dating, Alexandrian textual character, and preservation of key passages from Matthew and Acts make it an invaluable resource for textual critics. While fragmentary, P53 provides crucial insights into the early transmission and preservation of the New Testament, underscoring the importance of the Alexandrian text type in the quest to reconstruct the original text of the New Testament.

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).