The New Testament Ancient Writings SCTR 19 Felix

The New Testament & Ancient Writings SCTR 19 – Felix Just, S. J.

New Testament Overview NT Content: l l l 27 “books” (incl. many letters) All originally written in Greek Later translations: Latin, etc. Composition History: l Jesus’ Life/Death/Resurr. (ca. 30) l l Apostolic Preaching: Oral Traditions Early Written Sources (30’s? 50’s? ) l l Letters/Epistles (50’s – 110’s? ) Full Gospels (late 60’s – 90’s? )

NT Structure & Genres Four “Gospels” (Euangelion, lit. “good news”) l Canonical Order: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John (but Mark is oldest) One “Acts” of the Apostles l Vol. 2 of Luke’s work (traveling companion of Paul? ) Twenty-One “Letters” or “Epistles” l “Pauline Letters” – attributed to Paul of Tarsus l l Named after Communities & Individuals TO WHOM written 7 “Undisputed” & 6 “Disputed” Hebrews – vaguely Pauline; not really a “letter” but a sermon “Catholic/General Epistles” – attribute to other apostles l James; 1 Peter; 2 Peter; 1 John; 2 John; 3 John; Jude One “Apocalypse” = Book of Revelation (singular!)

Non-canonical Christian Writings “Apocryphal” works – not accepted into NT Canon l Why not? – written later; different theology; used by heretical groups? l l l More “Gospels”: Gosp. of Thomas, of Peter, of Judas, etc. More “Acts”: Acts of Paul, of Peter, of Thomas, etc. More “Apocalypses”: Apoc. of John, of Peter, etc. “Patristic” works – also not in NT, but different reasons l Why not? – not “apostolic” (i. e. , written later, but theology acceptable) l More “Letters/Epistles”: by Barnabas, Clement, Ignatius of Antioch, etc. l l More “Homilies/Sermons”: by later bishops & teachers Other Genres: Biblical commentaries; theological treatises; etc.

Ancient Writing Materials Papyrus (reed plant) l l l Cut in strips, flattened Less expensive, durable www. earlham. edu/~seidti/iam/papyr us. html Vellum / Parchment l l l Animal skins, prepared More expensive, durable www. earlham. edu/~seidti/iam/parchme nt. html Other Materials: Stone, Clay,

Ancient Writing Format Scroll l l Rolled, sealed on outside Written on one side only Papyrus or Vellum www. earlham. edu/~seidti/iam/roll. ht ml Codex l l Sheets stacked, bound Written on both sides Papyrus or Vellum www. earlham. edu/~seidti/iam/codex. html

Ancient Scrolls Pompeii: Wall Painting l Prior to AD 79 (when Pompeii was buried by lava from Mt. Vesuvius) l Girl reading a scroll (a letter or short book). l Seated woman with a scroll in her left

Ancient Writing Ancient Wall Painting l Woman holding a book and a writing stylus

Biblical Texts Pre-Constantine Era (1 st – 3 rd Cent. ) l l Christians were poor, persecuted, minority NT texts: only few papyrus scraps survive Emperor Constantine l l Edict of Milan (312 C. E. ) Imperial support of Christianity Construction of Churches Full Bible Codices on Vellum some survive from 4 th / 5 th Cent. : l Codex Sinaiticus l Codex Vaticanus

Writing Styles Manuscripts l l l Printing Lit. “hand-written” Majuscule l (ALLCAPSNOSPACES) l Minuscule (lower case, punctuation) First: carved wood blocks Moveable type: ~1453 Johannes Gutenberg

P 52 - Oldest NT fragment Ca. 125 – 150 C. E. (now in John Rylands Library, Manchester) l kchanson. com/ANCDOCS/greek/johnpap. html l front: John 18: 31 -33 back: John 18: 37 -38

P 75 Papyrus Bodmer XV l l Ca. 175 – 225 C. E. End of Luke & Start of John; both on same page! (so Luke/Acts separated)

P 46 Oldest manuscript of the Pauline letters. l Originally part of the Chester Beatty Papyri l Written ca. AD 200 l Total of 104 pages, but several are now missing l Included at least ten of the Pauline letters