Papyrus 37

In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of Papyrus 37, addressing its importance, impact and relevance in multiple areas. From its origins to its current evolution, Papyrus 37 has been the subject of numerous studies and debates that have contributed to expanding our understanding of this topic. Throughout these pages, we will immerse ourselves in its history, analyze its implications in contemporary society and reflect on its future. Likewise, we will examine how Papyrus 37 has transformed and continues to transform various areas, from science and technology to art and culture, offering a comprehensive and multidisciplinary vision to understand its complexity and scope. Join us on this exciting tour of Papyrus 37!

Papyrus 𝔓37
New Testament manuscript
recto Matt 26:19-37
recto Matt 26:19-37
TextMatthew 26:19-52
Date~ 260 CE; 3rd/4th century
FoundUnknown, bought in Cairo in 1924
Now atUniversity of Michigan
CiteH. A. Sanders, An Early Papyrus Fragment of the Gospel of Matthew in the Michigan Collection, HTR. vol. 19. 1926, pp. 215-226.
Size1 leaf; 12 x 22 cm; 33 lines/page
TypeFree, mostly Western, Egyptian
CategoryI
Handdocumentary

Papyrus 37 designated by 𝔓37 (in the Gregory-Aland numbering) is an early copy of a small part of the New Testament in Greek. It is a papyrus manuscript of the Gospel of Matthew dated to the 3rd century, about 250–260 CE, because of its affinities with 𝔓53 (dated to 260 CE), The correspondence of Heroninos (dated shortly before or after 260 CE) and a letter by Kopres (P. Greco-Egizi 208, dated 256 CE).[1][2]

Description

It is housed at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Library (inventory #1570), and was purchased in Cairo, Egypt, in 1924. Its origin is unknown, but it probably came from Egypt. The manuscript is a fragment of a single leaf, consisting of one column of 33 lines (40 to 50 characters per line), about 12.1 cm by 22.4 cm. The fragment is damaged on all sides, with considerable lacunae, and probably was originally 15 cm by 25.5 cm. The surviving text is of Matthew 26:19–52, which describes the Last Supper, the betrayal by Judas, and the beginning of the Arrest of Jesus.

Matthew 26:38-52 on verso side

The papyrus uses a legible, cursive-like script with irregular character linking. The cursive letters resemble the cursive that was common between the years 200 and 350. There are many variations in the letters, which makes a precise dating based on paleography difficult. The writer was most likely literate and educated because the letters do not appear crude or imitative, but the irregularities suggest the writer was not an experienced scribe. The handwriting is similar to personal letters and documents from the mid 3rd century.

Certain nomina sacra (ΚΕ ΙΗΣ ΠΝΑ ΙΗΣΥ) are employed in the text. There are no punctuation or accent marks. There are, however, dots that appear in irregular intervals, placed in the text by a later hand, apparently to help reading. This suggests that the manuscript was used at one point in church. Because the manuscript is so short, it is difficult to gauge the regularity of the dots, or their purpose for certain.

The text-type mostly follows Western readings. By Sander's count, there are 85 extant variants in this portion of Matthew. 18 of those readings are supported by nearly all manuscripts. 11 are unique to the manuscript. The remaining 56 fall within Western, Alexandrian, and Caesarean text-types. The text has to be reconstructed in places of lacuna by comparing the amount of space missing to the number of letters in various readings. Based on the reading variations, the text most likely originated in Egypt.

Aland placed this manuscript in Category I.[3]

See also

References

  1. ^ Philip W Comfort and David P Barrett. The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts. Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers Incorporated, 2001, pp. 141, 369.
  2. ^ "Liste Handschriften". Münster: Institute for New Testament Textual Research. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
  3. ^ Aland, Kurt; Aland, Barbara (1995). The Text of the New Testament: An Introduction to the Critical Editions and to the Theory and Practice of Modern Textual Criticism. Erroll F. Rhodes (trans.). Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. p. 98. ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Papyrus 37.

University of Michigan Library entry, with scanned images: