Introduction to P138

Papyrus 138, designated 𝔓138 in the Gregory-Aland cataloging system and also known as P. Oxy. 5346, is a fragmentary papyrus manuscript of the Gospel of Luke, preserving parts of Luke 13:12–17 on the recto and Luke 13:25–30 on the verso. It represents a valuable third-century witness to the Alexandrian textual tradition and offers key data for reconstructing the early text of the Gospel of Luke. The manuscript was discovered at Oxyrhynchus and is currently housed in the Sackler Library, University of Oxford, as part of the Oxyrhynchus Papyri Collection.

𝔓138 is particularly significant because it contributes to the ongoing scholarly efforts to track the early textual history of the Gospel of Luke and to verify the consistency of Alexandrian readings in the early centuries of Christianity. Though fragmentary, its alignment with known Alexandrian witnesses, especially 𝔓75, affirms the textual stability of this tradition as early as the mid-third century.

Date of P138

𝔓138 has been paleographically dated to between 200 and 250 C.E., placing it squarely within the early third century. This dating is based on comparison with other dated papyri, particularly the form and structure of the Greek uncial script. The script exhibits characteristics of a literary hand: rounded, consistent uncials without ornamental or cursive deviations. The form is comparable to other well-dated manuscripts such as 𝔓75 (c. 175–225 C.E.) and 𝔓66 (c. 175–200 C.E.), both foundational witnesses to the early Alexandrian tradition.

The consistency of the handwriting, the shape of the letters (especially epsilon, theta, and omicron), and the use of scriptio continua (no spacing between words) confirm the dating. There is no evidence of later stylistic flourishes or Byzantine scribal habits, reinforcing the manuscript’s placement in the early third century.

Content of P138

𝔓138 preserves two narrative units from Luke 13, both with theological and eschatological significance:

Luke 13:12–17 (Recto):
This section recounts Jesus healing a woman bent over for eighteen years, performed on the Sabbath. It includes His rebuke of the synagogue leader and His declaration that setting a suffering woman free from bondage is entirely appropriate, even on the Sabbath. This miracle narrative reinforces Luke’s portrait of Jesus as the liberating Savior who prioritizes mercy over legalism.

Luke 13:25–30 (Verso):
This eschatological warning includes Jesus’ teaching about the narrow door and the future judgment, where many who believe themselves secure will be left outside. It culminates in the reversal statement: “And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last” (v. 30). This is a theological anchor within Lukan soteriology, emphasizing repentance, humility, and divine reversal.

Though fragmentary, the preserved text includes partial lines and words across these verses, allowing for meaningful textual comparisons and variant analysis.

Physical Features of P138

The surviving fragments of 𝔓138 derive from the edge of a single leaf of a papyrus codex. The layout shows writing on both sides, indicating its use in a codex format, consistent with Christian manuscript practice by the early third century. The codex format had by then largely replaced the scroll, especially among Christian communities, due to its convenience, portability, and symbolic break from Jewish textual traditions.

Material and Layout:

• Written on papyrus with vertical and horizontal fibers visible.

• Lines are straight and mostly parallel, suggesting ruled guidelines.

• Surviving margins are narrow but confirm consistent line lengths.

Script:

• The script is an early biblical majuscule, rounded and deliberate.

• There is no punctuation, no separation of words, and no use of accent marks, all of which are typical for manuscripts of this period.

• The scribe uses nomina sacra (sacred name abbreviations), such as ΙΣ (for Jesus), ΧΣ (for Christ), and ΘΣ (for God), all marked with a horizontal overline.

The physical characteristics reflect professional but not ornate production—typical of a manuscript copied for community or personal Christian use rather than for ceremonial display.

Textual Character of P138

𝔓138 aligns with the Alexandrian text-type, the most ancient and textually reliable tradition recognized in New Testament textual criticism. This tradition is typified by its brevity, precision, and lack of later harmonizing or smoothing common in the Byzantine text. In the passages preserved in P138, it shares several readings with 𝔓75 and Codex Vaticanus (03), both pillars of the Alexandrian textual family.

One notable textual variant is found in Luke 13:29:

Luke 13:29 — απο before beginning of βορρα (from the north):
𝔓138 includes ἀπὸ βορρᾶ καὶ νότου… (from the north and south…), with ἀπὸ appearing immediately before βορρᾶ. This matches the Alexandrian witnesses 𝔓75 and 070, which maintain this word order. However, according to the reconstruction by Peter Parsons based on line length and spacing in the fragment, 𝔓138 does not contain the conjunction καὶ (“and”) before ἀπὸ, which is typically expected in most manuscripts, including Vaticanus.

This results in a reading without καὶ, rendering the phrase:
“They will come from east and west, from north and south…”, instead of the fuller:
“They will come from east and west, and from north and south…”

This shorter form, if original to P138, exhibits a hallmark Alexandrian tendency: brevity and omission of redundancies, consistent with editorial practices aimed at preserving the original text rather than expanding for stylistic clarity.

Additionally, the readings in Luke 13:12–17—though fragmentary—show verbal agreement with P75 and B in the usage of verbs and pronouns, supporting an early textual form. For example:

• The form ἀπολελυμένη (having been set free) in v. 12 is consistent with the earliest Alexandrian readings.

• Jesus’ address “Woman, you are freed from your weakness” is preserved with lexical matches to 𝔓75 and Vaticanus.

No distinctly Byzantine or Western interpolations are present in the fragment, further confirming its alignment with the Alexandrian tradition.

Significance for Textual Criticism

Though limited in extent, 𝔓138 is important for several reasons:

1. Early Alexandrian Witness:
   It stands within the crucial third-century period alongside 𝔓75 and 𝔓66, confirming that the Alexandrian tradition was not only early but textually stable in its transmission of Luke.

2. Unique Variant in Luke 13:29:
   The omission of καὶ before ἀπὸ suggests that some early Alexandrian manuscripts may have preserved a shorter original reading, not expanded for stylistic symmetry.

3. Manuscript Format:
   Its use of a codex at an early date reinforces the established trend of Christian adoption of the codex format by the early third century.

4. Affirmation of Alexandrian Priority:
   The textual character of P138 aligns with Codex Vaticanus and 𝔓75, two of the most highly regarded manuscripts for reconstructing the original New Testament text. Its agreement with these sources in both content and word order supports the continued documentary approach to textual criticism, emphasizing external manuscript evidence over internal conjecture.

5. Continuity of Luke’s Text:
   In combination with other early Luke fragments such as 𝔓4, 𝔓75, and 𝔓45, 𝔓138 helps confirm that Luke’s Gospel circulated in a well-established and minimally altered form by the middle of the third century C.E.

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