Please Support the Bible Translation Work of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV)

$5.00

The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Introduction

Papyrus 77 (P77) and Papyrus 103 (P103) are early Greek manuscripts of the Gospel of Matthew, dated to approximately 125–150 CE. P77 consists of two fragments (P. Oxy. 2683 and P. Oxy. 4405) containing Matthew 23:30–39, while P103 (P. Oxy. 4403) preserves Matthew 13:55–57 and 14:3–5. Discovered in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, and housed at the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, England, these fragments are significant for their early date and textual character. This article examines their discovery, physical features, textual classification, and scholarly updates, incorporating insights from research done in 2025.

P77 (P. Oxy. 2683 + 4405) Matt. 23:30–39

P103 (P. Oxy. 4403) Matt. 13:55–57; 14:3–5

Discovery and Provenance

Papyrus 77 and Papyrus 103 were excavated at Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, a site known for yielding numerous ancient documents due to its dry climate. The first fragment of P77 (P. Oxy. 2683) was published in 1968 by P. Parsons in Oxyrhynchus Papyri volume 34, followed by the second fragment (P. Oxy. 4405) in 1997 by J. D. Thomas in volume 64. P103 (P. Oxy. 4403) was also published by J. D. Thomas in 1997 in the same volume. These fragments likely originated from a single codex or closely related scribal efforts, reflecting the copying practices of early Christian communities in Egypt during the 2nd century CE.

Date and Paleographical Analysis

Paleographical analysis dates P77 and P103 to 125–150 CE. Parsons initially suggested a late 2nd-century date for P77 based on similarities to P. Oxy. 1082 and P. Oxy. 2663. However, stronger parallels with P. Oxy. 1622—a manuscript dated before 148 CE due to documentary text on its verso—support an earlier mid-2nd-century date. Comfort, in his 2019 update, agrees with this range of 125-150 CE, noting the script’s elegance and consistency with other early papyri like P. Oxy. 1622, reinforcing the 125–150 CE dating.

Physical Description

P77 (P. Oxy. 2683 + 4405): Comprises two fragments from one leaf, fitting side by side. The original codex page measured 11 cm x 16 cm, with text occupying 7 cm x 11 cm, written in 20 lines per page. Each line averages 25–27 letters. Features include midpoints for punctuation, rough breathing marks, and diaeresis, indicating a professional scribe’s work.
P103 (P. Oxy. 4403): A separate fragment, likely from the same codex, with similar dimensions and 20 lines per page, averaging 25–27 letters per line. It shares punctuation (midpoints) and breathing marks (diaeresis) with P77, though it is slightly less bilinear.

The close similarity in letter formation—particularly kappa, phi, and upsilon (the latter with a long shaft and shallow bowl)—suggests a shared scribal hand. The only notable difference is the formation of xi (ξ), but this is minor. J. D. Thomas, editor of P103, posits it belongs to the same codex as P77, a view supported by Comfort in 2019, who finds the evidence compelling though not conclusive.

Content

P77: Contains Matthew 23:30–39, part of Jésus’ discourse against the scribes and Pharisees. Key textual features include:
- 23:30: Rearranges “αυτων κοινωνοι” (their partners) to “κοινωνοι αυτων” (partners of them).
- 23:37: Uses variant spelling “ορνιξ” for “ορνις” (hen) and originally omits “και” (and).
- 23:38: Debate exists over “ερημος” (desolate)—Comfort and Barrett include it, while Münster’s transcription omits it.
P103: Preserves Matthew 13:55–57 (Jésus’ family) and 14:3–5 (John the Baptist’s imprisonment). In 13:55, the name of Jésus’ second brother is fragmentary (“[…]ης”), allowing either “Ἰωάννης” (John) or “Ἰωσῆς” (Joses).

Textual Character

Both P77 and P103 are classified as proto-Alexandrian, a precursor to the Alexandrian text-type. Parsons notes P77’s closest affinity with Codex Sinaiticus (א), showing more agreement with it than with Codex Vaticanus (B). The Alands categorize it as “at least normal text” and place it in Category I, indicating reliability despite minor scribal errors. Comfort’s 2019 analysis confirms this proto-Alexandrian character, emphasizing its early attestation of readings aligned with א. P103 shares this profile, supporting the hypothesis of a shared codex.

Scholarly Insights and Updates

Original Assessment (2000): The fragments were recognized as a literary production by a trained scribe, with elegant handwriting, chapter divisions, punctuation, and breathing marks, per C.H. Roberts. The proto-Alexandrian nature was affirmed, with a probable mid-late 2nd-century date.
2025 Update: A small refinement in this analysis. We now support the 125–150 CE dating, based on paleographical comparisons, and agrees that P77 and P103 likely belong to the same codex. Comfort highlights their value as early witnesses to Matthew’s text, and notes their alignment with Codex Sinaiticus over Vaticanus.

Significance in Textual Criticism

P77 and P103 are important early witnesses to the Gospel of Matthew, predating major codices like Sinaiticus and Vaticanus by over 150 years. Their proto-Alexandrian text offers a glimpse into the transmission of the New Testament in the 2nd century CE, reflecting a careful scribal tradition. While not as extensive as P75 (which spans Luke and John), their preservation of specific readings—e.g., the variant in Matthew 23:37—contributes to understanding textual variants. Their Oxyrhynchus provenance underscores Egypt’s role in early Christian manuscript production.

Conclusion

Papyrus 77 and Papyrus 103, dated to 125–150 CE, are modest but significant fragments of Matthew’s Gospel. Likely from the same codex, they exhibit a proto-Alexandrian text, aligning closely with Codex Sinaiticus. Housed at the Ashmolean Museum, these fragments, published across Oxyrhynchus Papyri volumes 34 and 64, provide a narrow but clear window into early Christian scribal practices.

You May Also Enjoy

How Are Digital Advancements Transforming New Testament Textual Criticism?

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).