Introduction: The Importance of Early Matthew Papyri
The papyrus fragments catalogued as P77 and P103 (formerly P. Oxy. 2683 + 4405 and P. Oxy. 4403 respectively) offer an invaluable glimpse into the textual transmission of the Gospel of Matthew during the early to mid-second century C.E. Their early date (125–150 C.E.), well within living memory of the apostolic era, along with their elegant script and proto-Alexandrian textual character, position them among the earliest and most important witnesses to the Gospel tradition. Recovered from Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, these manuscripts—particularly due to their probable shared origin—demand careful study in textual criticism, scribal practice, and early Christian manuscript culture.
This exhaustive treatment will examine the physical features, paleographic dating, scribal characteristics, textual content, and textual character of P77 and P103, and provide a comprehensive verse-by-verse comparative analysis against major Alexandrian witnesses—especially Codex Vaticanus (B) and Codex Sinaiticus (א)—with reference to second-century papyri where applicable.
Physical and Paleographic Description
P77 and P103 were both recovered from Oxyrhynchus and are now housed in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford. P77 consists of two fragments (P. Oxy. 2683 and 4405) published in 1968 and 1997 respectively. They fit together seamlessly as parts of one leaf, showing congruence in letter formation, line length (25–27 letters), punctuation (midpoints), breathing marks (rough and diaeresis), and overall formatting. Originally, the written area measured 7 cm × 11 cm on an 11 cm × 16 cm codex leaf with approximately 20 lines per page.
P103 (P. Oxy. 4403), though not joined physically, exhibits identical scribal features: line length, orthographic traits, punctuation, and diaeresis marks. While P103 is slightly less bilinear, the similarity in specific letter formations—particularly the kappa, phi, and various upsilon styles—points strongly to either the same scribe or at minimum the same scribal tradition. The only divergence is the formation of ξ, which may reflect either scribal variance or chronological drift within the same scribe’s career. It is highly probable that both fragments belonged to the same codex.
Paleographic Dating
P77 was originally dated to the late second century by P. Parsons due to its similarity to P. Oxy. 1082 and 2663. However, it more closely resembles P. Oxy. 1622, which contains a Thucydides text datable to before 148 C.E. due to its documentary content. Given this stronger correlation, P77 (and thus P103 by association) is best dated to 125–150 C.E., a date compatible with other early Christian papyri like P64+67 (Magdalen/Barcelona fragments) and P4 (all traditionally dated to c. 125–150 C.E.).
This places P77/P103 among the oldest extant witnesses of the Gospel of Matthew—significantly predating the great uncials and positioning them within a critical formative period of textual transmission.
Scribal Quality and Format
Contrary to the Alands’ claim that P77 represents a “normal text, by a careless scribe,” the manuscript reflects deliberate and skilled scribal production. Roberts rightly counters this mischaracterization by noting the elegant script, clear punctuation, and what appears to be a standardized form of chapter division. The consistent use of midpoints for punctuation, breathing marks, and diaereses indicate formal scribal training. This is reinforced by the balance of lines, uniformity of letter size, and lack of significant corrections or erasures.
The manuscript was clearly intended for reading, possibly liturgical use, and reflects what was or would soon become a standard presentation style for Christian codices.
P77 (P. Oxy. 2683 + 4405) Matt. 23:30–39
Textual Character and Affiliations
P77/P103 falls squarely within the proto-Alexandrian tradition, closely aligned with Codex Sinaiticus (א). It agrees more often with א than with Codex Vaticanus (B), though the variation is minimal and within expectations for early proto-Alexandrian transmission. The presence of Alexandrian features confirms an early, stable transmission line extending back at least to the early second century, a crucial counterpoint to the theory of an Alexandrian recension in the third or fourth century. These fragments reinforce that the so-called Alexandrian text type is not a later ecclesiastical redaction but an early and accurate form of the original New Testament text.
P103 (P. Oxy. 4403) Matt. 13:55–57; 14:3–5
The textual affiliations also align with other early Alexandrian papyri such as P75 (Bodmer XIV-XV, c. 175–225 C.E.), which shows striking agreement with Codex Vaticanus. Like P75, P77/P103 demonstrates a high degree of textual integrity and consistency. The tendency toward shorter readings, lack of harmonizations, and syntactical smoothness all mark P77/P103 as Alexandrian in style and content, though their age positions them as an early stage—thus, “proto-Alexandrian” is a fitting designation.
Content of P77 (Matthew 23:30–39)
The P77 fragment covers a portion of Jesus’ lament over Jerusalem and the denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees. Its alignment with Alexandrian readings is particularly strong in this passage. Notably, its treatment of Matthew 23:37 (“Jerusalem, Jerusalem…”) confirms the early establishment of the passage’s structure and vocabulary, including the vivid metaphor of the hen gathering her chicks—an image also preserved without elaboration or harmonization.
Textual variants in this portion are minor and include matters such as spelling and word order, all of which conform to patterns seen in Alexandrian witnesses. The orthographic consistency and lack of additions or expansions support the thesis that this manuscript preserves an early and careful transmission.
Content of P103 (Matthew 13:55–57; 14:3–5)
This fragment addresses Jesus’ identity and rejection in His hometown (Matthew 13) and the imprisonment of John the Baptist by Herod (Matthew 14). It notably includes the reference to Jesus’ brothers by name—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas—as well as His unnamed sisters. This section is crucial for historical theology as it affirms the biological family of Jesus in plain terms, in line with all early manuscripts. P103 preserves this without alteration or doctrinal modification, countering any postulated editorial influence from later ecclesiastical tradition.
In Matthew 14, the account of John’s denunciation of Herod for marrying Philip’s wife is preserved with clarity. The Alexandrian reading is confirmed in these verses, as the wording matches the more concise style found in א and B.
Comparative Textual Analysis with א and B
P77 and P103 share stronger textual alignment with Codex Sinaiticus (א) than with Vaticanus (B), though the variance is not doctrinally or substantially significant. Where differences exist, they are generally minor—spelling variations, conjunctions, or word order.
For example, in Matthew 23:38, P77 reads: “ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος” (“look, your house is left to you desolate”)—a reading consistent with both א and B, confirming the preservation of this severe warning in all major early witnesses. This reinforces the reliability of the proto-Alexandrian text.
In Matthew 13:55–56, P103 includes all four brothers and explicitly mentions the sisters of Jesus—a reading preserved in the Alexandrian manuscripts without attempt at allegorization or euphemism. This is particularly important against any theological bias in later scribes; here we see the transparency of the early text.
Implications for the Transmission of Matthew
The early dating, physical consistency, and high-quality Alexandrian text of P77/P103 reinforce the conclusion that the Gospel of Matthew was widely circulated and accurately copied by the early second century. The stability of the text across distant witnesses—P75 (John and Luke), P66 (John), and now P77/P103 (Matthew)—shows that the canonical Gospels were preserved with considerable fidelity by Christian scribes who valued textual precision.
Far from being the product of evolving tradition, these early fragments show that the text of the New Testament was stable, structured, and established within a few generations of its composition. The scribal professionalism of P77/P103, evident in punctuation, layout, and script, also speaks to a level of reverence and diligence not always acknowledged in liberal scholarship.
Conclusion: Textual Integrity Affirmed
P77 and P103, likely from the same codex, stand as monumental witnesses to the early and accurate transmission of the Gospel of Matthew. They affirm the textual reliability of the Alexandrian tradition and dispel critical myths of chaotic early Christian copying practices. These fragments not only provide textual data but also offer a window into the devotional and scholarly world of second-century Egyptian Christianity—preserving with care the inspired words of the Evangelist Matthew.
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).
SCROLL THROUGH THE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BELOW
BIBLE TRANSLATION AND TEXTUAL CRITICISM
BIBLICAL STUDIES / BIBLE BACKGROUND / HISTORY OF THE BIBLE/ INTERPRETATION
