P105 (P. Oxy. 4406): A Textual Analysis of Matthew 27:62–64; 28:2–5 in the Alexandrian Tradition

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Introduction to P105 and Its Significance in New Testament Textual Studies

Papyrus 105, known formally as P105 (P. Oxy. 4406), is a Greek manuscript fragment of the New Testament containing Matthew 27:62–64 and 28:2–5. The manuscript was discovered in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, and has been palaeographically dated to the 4th or 5th century C.E., situating it within a critical period for the consolidation and transmission of the New Testament text. The importance of P105 lies in its affiliation with the Alexandrian text-type, which has been demonstrated to be both early and reliable, making this fragment a crucial witness in evaluating the text of Matthew’s Gospel, especially in the post-crucifixion and resurrection narratives.

Housed today at the Sackler Library, Oxford (Papyrology Rooms, P. Oxy. 4406), this papyrus is cataloged under Category I of the Aland classification system, indicating its alignment with a very early and carefully preserved text, most likely reflecting the form of the New Testament close to its original autographs.

Physical Description and Condition

The manuscript consists of one leaf, originally measuring approximately 14 cm x 25 cm, with 31 lines per page. The writing is visibly preserved on one side, with only faint traces on the reverse, indicating significant wear and possibly sustained exposure before burial or storage. The relatively large dimensions of the original leaf suggest it may have belonged to a codex used for public or liturgical reading, rather than personal use. This codicological feature supports its early dating and provides insight into its functional role within a Christian community in Oxyrhynchus.

The scribal hand of P105 is consistent with documentary hands of the late 4th century C.E., indicating a scribe familiar with formal Greek literary style. The fragment’s textual alignment confirms it as part of the Alexandrian tradition, the most respected family of manuscripts within conservative evangelical textual criticism due to its consistent accuracy and early attestation.

The Text of Matthew 27:62–64 and Its Witness in P105

The first portion of the manuscript preserves Matthew 27:62–64, which recounts the Pharisees’ meeting with Pilate the day after Jesus’ crucifixion. They express concern that Jesus’ disciples may steal His body and claim He has risen, referencing His prophecy about rising after three days.

The fragment includes:

Matthew 27:62–64
“The next day, which is after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, ‘Sir, we remember how that deceiver said, while he was still alive, “After three days I will rise.” Therefore, order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, “He has risen from the dead,” and the last deception will be worse than the first.'”

P105’s witness here is essential because this narrative appears only in Matthew’s Gospel. The wording preserved in the fragment corresponds closely with Codex Vaticanus (B) and Codex Sinaiticus (א), both early Alexandrian witnesses. There are no significant divergences from these two codices in the preserved lines, suggesting a high fidelity to the Alexandrian textual tradition.

The phrase “μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας” (“after three days”) is clearly attested, matching Vaticanus rather than some Western and Byzantine witnesses which occasionally paraphrase or shift this timeline. Such agreement further solidifies the textual stability of the Alexandrian text-type and supports its priority in reconstructing the original form of Matthew’s Gospel.

The Resurrection Account in Matthew 28:2–5 in P105

The second preserved passage, Matthew 28:2–5, includes the dramatic angelic appearance at the tomb and the initial announcement to the women that Jesus has risen. The content is highly theologically significant and often scrutinized for textual variants that might affect resurrection accounts.

Matthew 28:2–5
“And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.'”

The Greek in P105 supports the wording found in the Alexandrian stream, particularly aligning with P75, Codex Vaticanus (B), and Codex Sinaiticus (א). Specifically, the use of ἰδοὺ σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγας (“behold, there was a great earthquake”) and ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου (“the angel of the Lord”) reflects exact or near-exact correspondence with Vaticanus and Sinaiticus, excluding expanded or paraphrased forms sometimes found in the Byzantine tradition.

Additionally, P105 confirms the verb ἀπεκρίθη (used by the angel when speaking to the women) as the authentic reading, standing against less supported variants in later textual traditions. The consistency in this account, including verbal forms and angelic description (ἡ εἶδος αὐτοῦ ὡς ἀστραπή – “his appearance was like lightning”), highlights the textual stability and theological clarity preserved in the Alexandrian text.

Textual Character and Classification

The textual character of P105 is unequivocally Alexandrian. As classified in Category I by Kurt and Barbara Aland, it represents manuscripts of very special quality, typically reflecting the early and reliable Alexandrian text-type. This classification places P105 in the same textual family as P1, P4, P64+67, P75, א, B, C, and other early, well-respected papyri and uncials.

This textual character stands in contrast to the Western and Byzantine traditions. The Western text-type, often paraphrastic and expansive, shows a tendency toward editorial embellishment, which P105 avoids. The Byzantine tradition, characteristic of the Textus Receptus and later Greek manuscripts, frequently includes liturgical glosses and harmonizations that are absent in P105.

The fragment’s alignment with early Alexandrian witnesses confirms its value in textual criticism, especially for establishing a text of Matthew that is free from later interpolations and smoothing. The documentary evidence in P105 thus outweighs internal subjective arguments often used in reasoned eclecticism and points clearly to the primacy of the Alexandrian form in these passages.

The Reading Culture of Early Christianity

Relationship to Other Manuscripts

P105 is notably aligned with P75 and Codex Vaticanus (B), which agree with each other at an 83% rate in Luke and John. While P75 does not contain Matthew, its value as a textual twin of B suggests a strong Alexandrian textual stream preserved across multiple Gospels. The agreement of P105 with Codex B in Matthew, particularly in word order, vocabulary, and syntactical features, suggests a shared archetype or close textual ancestry.

This evidence refutes the idea of an “Alexandrian recension” and instead affirms the early stability and geographical breadth of this text type. Given that P105 was found in Egypt and Codex B was likely produced in Egypt or nearby, this supports the claim that Egypt served as a textual preservation hub, rather than merely a source of editorial innovation.

Moreover, the manuscript differs from later Byzantine codices (such as Codex Alexandrinus or the Majority Text) in minor but consistent ways that reflect theological simplicity and early readings. Byzantine texts tend to expand the resurrection narrative, including harmonizing features drawn from the other Synoptic accounts, whereas P105 retains the more restrained and original form seen in early Alexandrian witnesses.

Palaeographical Dating and Codicology

The dating of P105 to the 4th or 5th century C.E. is based on paleographical comparisons with secular and biblical manuscripts of the same era. The script exhibits upright, rounded letters common to other Oxyrhynchus papyri dated to this time. There is no use of nomina sacra in the visible lines, though this may be due to the preserved portions not containing any standard formulae.

The large size of the leaf (14 cm x 25 cm) and the high line count (31 lines per page) suggest an economical use of space, which is characteristic of early Christian book production. This layout is consistent with other codices from the Oxyrhynchus site, suggesting local scriptorium activity or at least common stylistic standards.

Conclusion: P105 and the Alexandrian Transmission of Matthew

P105 (P. Oxy. 4406) stands as an authoritative witness to the early Alexandrian text of Matthew 27:62–64 and 28:2–5, confirming the textual stability of the resurrection narrative as preserved in the earliest Greek manuscripts. Its alignment with the Alexandrian tradition supports the trustworthiness of that text-type as the closest to the original autographs of the New Testament. The absence of Byzantine expansions and the consistency with Codex Vaticanus reinforces the position that the Alexandrian text is not an editorial construct but an early, geographically widespread, and faithful transmission of the Gospel of Matthew.

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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).