The New Testament& Ancient Writings

SCTR 19 – Felix Just, S.J.

New Testament OverviewNT Content: 27 “books” (incl. many letters) All originally written in Greek Later translations: Latin, etc.

Composition History: Jesus’ Life/Death/Resurr. (ca. 30) Apostolic Preaching: Oral Traditions Early Written Sources (30’s? 50’s?) Letters/Epistles (50’s – 110’s?) Full Gospels (late 60’s – 90’s?) Collections (1st – 3rd Cent.) Canonization (late 4th Cent.)

NT Structure & GenresFour “Gospels” (Euangelion, lit. “good news”) Canonical Order: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John (but Mark is oldest)

One “Acts” of the Apostles Vol. 2 of Luke’s work (traveling companion of Paul?)

Twenty-One “Letters” or “Epistles” “Pauline Letters” – attributed to Paul of Tarsus

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

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 Why not? – written later; different theology; used by heretical groups? 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 Why not? – not “apostolic” (i.e., written later, but theology acceptable) More “Letters/Epistles”: by Barnabas, Clement, Ignatius of Antioch, etc. More “Homilies/Sermons”: by later bishops & teachers Other Genres: Biblical commentaries; theological treatises; etc. 4th & 5th Cent. “Creeds”: summary statements of Christian beliefs

Ancient Writing MaterialsPapyrus (reed plant) Cut in strips, flattened Less expensive, durable www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/papyrus.html

Vellum / Parchment Animal skins, prepared More expensive, durable www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/parchment.html

Other Materials: Stone, Clay, Wood, etc.

Ancient Writing Format

Scroll Rolled, sealed on outside Written on one side only Papyrus or Vellum www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/roll.html

Codex Sheets stacked, bound Written on both sides Papyrus or Vellum www.earlham.edu/~seidti/iam/codex.html

Ancient Scrolls

Pompeii: Wall Painting Prior to AD 79 (when

Pompeii was buried by lava from Mt. Vesuvius)

Girl reading a scroll (a letter or short book).

Seated woman with a scroll in her left hand.

Ancient Writing

Ancient Wall Painting Woman holding a book

and a writing stylus

Biblical TextsPre-Constantine Era (1st – 3rd Cent.) Christians were poor, persecuted, minority NT texts: only few papyrus scraps survive

Emperor Constantine Edict of Milan (312 C.E.)

Imperial support of Christianity Construction of Churches Full Bible Codices on Vellum

some survive from 4th / 5th Cent.: Codex Sinaiticus Codex Vaticanus Codex Alexandrinus, etc.

Writing StylesManuscripts Lit. “hand-written” Majuscule (ALLCAPSNOSPACES) Minuscule (lower case, punctuation)

Printing First: carved wood blocks Moveable type: ~1453

Johannes Gutenberg

P52 - Oldest NT fragment

Ca. 125 – 150 C.E. (now in John Rylands Library, Manchester) kchanson.com/ANCDOCS/greek/johnpap.html

front: John 18:31-33 back: John 18:37-38

P75

Papyrus Bodmer XV Ca. 175 – 225 C.E. End of Luke & Start of John;

both on same page!(so Luke/Acts separated)

P46

Oldest manuscript of the Pauline letters.Originally part of the

Chester Beatty Papyri

Written ca. AD 200

Total of 104 pages, but several are now missing

Included at least ten of the Pauline letters

This image shows the text of 2 Cor 11:33–12:9