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The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Key Points

Research suggests P87, a second-century papyrus, supports the Alexandrian text of Philemon, aligning with early manuscripts like Codex Vaticanus and Sinaiticus.
It seems likely that P87’s text, dated 125-150 C.E., offers reliable insights into Paul’s letter, given its early date and “normal” classification by scholars.
The evidence leans toward P87’s reformed documentary hand reflecting careful scribal work, enhancing its textual value, though some debate exists over its exact dating.

Understanding P87’s Textual Significance

P87, a papyrus manuscript from the middle second century (125-150 C.E.), contains parts of Philemon 13-15 and 24-25. This early date makes it a valuable witness to the New Testament text, particularly for the Epistle to Philemon, written around 60 C.E. during Paul’s imprisonment. The manuscript, housed in Cologne, Germany, at the Institut für Altertumskunde der Universität zu Köln, is written in a reformed documentary hand, indicating a scribe who took care in copying a literary work.

The text of P87 aligns with the Alexandrian tradition, prioritized by conservative scholars like Edward D. Andrews and Philip W. Comfort, who favor early papyri and codices like Vaticanus and Sinaiticus. Its “normal” classification by the Alands suggests it lacks significant deviations, supporting the reliability of the Alexandrian text for Philemon.

Comparing Handwriting and Dating

P87’s handwriting is similar to P46 and P. Oxy. 841 (120-130 C.E.), supporting a second-century date. Originally dated to the early third century due to its resemblance to P46, recent comparisons suggest an earlier date, around 125-150 C.E., aligning with other early papyri. This dating is crucial, as it places P87 among the earliest New Testament manuscripts, enhancing its textual authority.

Textual Variants and Implications

Examining the transcription, P87 includes:

Philemon 13-15: “that on your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel: without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed might not be by compulsion but of your own free will. For perhaps he was separated from you for a while, that you might have him back forever.”
Philemon 24-25: “Luke, my fellow worker, and the grace of the Lord be with your spirit.”

Comparing with the Updated American Standard Version (UASV):

Philemon 13: “whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my prison bonds for the gospel.”
Philemon 14: “but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by necessity but of your own free will.”
Philemon 15: “For perhaps he was therefore parted from you for a while, that you would have him forever.”
Philemon 24: “and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers.”
Philemon 25: “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”

P87 omits some details, like “my imprisonment” in verse 13 and parts of verse 24, but these omissions are likely due to its fragmentary nature rather than textual variants. The preserved text aligns closely with the Alexandrian tradition, reinforcing its reliability.

Survey Note: Detailed Analysis of P87 in Greek New Testament Commentary

This section provides an exhaustive examination of P87 (Inv. Nr. 12), a papyrus manuscript containing parts of Philemon 13-15 and 24-25, reflecting the conservative evangelical approach of scholars such as Edward D. Andrews and Philip W. Comfort, who prioritize the Alexandrian text, especially the papyri, Codex Vaticanus, and Codex Sinaiticus, turning to other textual traditions like Western, Byzantine, and Caesarean, as well as versions, lectionaries, and patristic quotations only when textual evidence demands it with a heavy burden of proof. The analysis adheres to a literal Bible chronology, presents with unwavering certainty, avoids liberal skepticism, and ensures precision and authority rooted in conservative evangelical textual criticism.

Introduction to P87

P87, dated to the middle second century (125-150 C.E.), is a significant early witness to the text of Philemon, a letter written by the Apostle Paul around 60 C.E. during his imprisonment, likely in Rome. The manuscript, housed at the Institut für Altertumskunde der Universität zu Köln in Cologne, Germany, consists of one leaf, originally 15 cm x 20 cm, with 24 lines per page, written in a reformed documentary hand. Its early date and alignment with the Alexandrian text tradition make it a crucial artifact for understanding the transmission of the New Testament text.

Physical and Textual Features

P87’s physical features include its single leaf format, with an uncertain location for the upper and lower margins, as noted in the transcription:

[Recto]: Contains Philemon 13-15, with verses 16-23 missing.
[Verso]: Contains Philemon 24-25.

The handwriting is described as a reformed documentary hand, a style indicating a scribe accustomed to document writing but taking greater care for a literary work, as opposed to a common hand (indicative of limited Greek-writing skills) or a professional bookhand (seen in manuscripts like P4+64+67). This suggests P87 was copied with attention to detail, enhancing its textual reliability.

The Alands classify P87 as having a “normal” text, meaning it does not exhibit significant deviations or affiliations with particular textual families, aligning with the Alexandrian tradition’s emphasis on early, careful transmission.

Dating and Provenance

Originally, editors dated P87 to the early third century due to its handwriting similarity to P46, traditionally dated to the beginning of the third century. However, recent comparisons, such as with P. Oxy. 841 (second hand, 120-130 C.E.), support a middle second-century date (125-150 C.E.). This dating is crucial, as it places P87 among the earliest New Testament papyri, alongside manuscripts like P46 and P52, dated around the same period. The provenance is unknown, but its location in Cologne provides a modern context for study.

Textual Comparison with Alexandrian Tradition

As conservative scholars, we prioritize the Alexandrian text, represented by early papyri and codices like Vaticanus and Sinaiticus. P87’s text, as transcribed, includes:

Philemon 13: “that on your behalf he might minister to me in the bonds of the gospel.”
Philemon 14: “without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your good deed might not be by compulsion but of your own free will.”
Philemon 15: “For perhaps he was separated from you for a while, that you might have him back forever.”
Philemon 24: “Luke, my fellow worker.”
Philemon 25: “and the grace of the Lord be with your spirit.”

Comparing with the UASV:

Philemon 13: “whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my prison bonds for the gospel.”
Philemon 14: Matches closely, with “without your consent” aligning.
Philemon 15: Matches, with “parted from you for a while” consistent.
Philemon 24: UASV includes “so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas,” which P87 omits, likely due to fragmentation.
Philemon 25: Matches, with “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”

The omissions in P87, such as “my imprisonment” in verse 13 and parts of verse 24, are attributable to its fragmentary nature rather than textual variants. The preserved text aligns with the Alexandrian tradition, supporting its reliability as a witness to Paul’s original letter.

Examination of Scribal Skills and Implications

The reformed documentary hand of P87 indicates a scribe who, while accustomed to document writing, took care in copying a literary text. This is distinct from:

Common hand: Often shows limited Greek-writing skills, with uneven lettering.
Documentary hand: Characterized by non-uniform lettering, with larger initial letters per line.
Professional bookhand: Seen in manuscripts like P4+64+67, with well-crafted calligraphy and punctuation.

P87’s careful copying suggests a high degree of accuracy, reinforcing its value in textual criticism. The Alands’ “normal” classification further supports its alignment with the Alexandrian text, lacking significant deviations that would require consulting other traditions like Western or Byzantine.

Justification for Textual Preference

As conservative evangelical scholars, we prioritize the Alexandrian text unless a heavy burden of proof demands otherwise. P87’s early date, alignment with Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, and lack of significant variants meet this standard. While other traditions, such as the Byzantine, might offer readings, they are later and less reliable, dated from the fourth century onward. P87’s text, dated 125-150 C.E., provides a window into the second-century transmission, ensuring fidelity to Paul’s original intent.

Table of Textual Witnesses for Philemon 13-15, 24-25

Manuscript	Date	Textual Tradition	Key Features
P87	125-150 C.E.	Alexandrian	Fragmentary, reformed documentary hand, “normal” text
Codex Vaticanus	4th century	Alexandrian	Complete, high accuracy, early codex
Codex Sinaiticus	4th century	Alexandrian	Complete, early codex, aligns with P87
Byzantine Texts	4th century+	Byzantine	Later, less reliable for early text

This table highlights P87’s alignment with the Alexandrian tradition, supporting its textual authority.

Conclusion

P87, dated around 125-150 C.E., is a vital early witness to Philemon, aligning with the Alexandrian text and supporting the reliability of early papyri like Vaticanus and Sinaiticus. Its reformed documentary hand and “normal” classification ensure its value in textual criticism, offering insights into Paul’s letter from the second century. This approach maintains a conservative, authoritative commentary rooted in evangelical principles, avoiding liberal skepticism and ensuring textual integrity.

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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).