The Oxyrhynchus Papyri, Part 4

654. THEOLOGICAL FRAGMENTS

are parallel to Matt. x. 26: "For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known," original: "οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστιν κεκαλυμμένον ὃ οὐκ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται καὶ κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ γνωσθήσεται" and Luke xii. 2: "But there is nothing covered up, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known," original: "οὐδὲν δὲ συγκεκαλυμμένον ἐστὶν ὃ οὐκ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται καὶ κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ γνωσθήσεται"; cf. Mark iv. 22: "For there is nothing hid, save that it should be manifested; neither was anything made secret, but that it should come to light," original: "οὐ γάρ ἐστιν κρυπτὸν ἐὰν μὴ ἵνα φανερωθῇ οὐδὲ ἐγένετο ἀπόκρυφον ἀλλ' ἵνα ἔλθῃ εἰς φανερόν". In general arrangement, the papyrus agrees with Matthew and Luke perhaps more than with Mark; but the language of the first half of the sentence is much closer to that of Mark (whose expression "save that it should be manifested" original: "ἐὰν μὴ ἵνα φανερωθῇ" instead of the more pointed "which shall not be manifested" original: "ὃ οὐ φανερώθησεται" suggests the hand of an editor), while that of the second half diverges from all three. "Buried" original: "τεθαμμένον" makes a more forcible contrast to "hidden" original: "κρυπτόν" than the corresponding word in the Synoptists, which is merely a synonym. Instead of "shall be raised" original: "ἐγερθήσεται" a more general word such as "shall be known" original: "γνωσθήσεται" can be supplied; but this detracts from the picturesqueness of what is in any case a striking variation of a well-known Saying.

Fifth Saying. lines 32–42.

[His] disciples question him and

say: How shall we fast and how shall we . . .

. . . and how . . .

35 . . . and what shall we keep . . .

. . .? Jesus saith: . . .

. . . do not . . .

. . . of truth . . .

. . . hidden . . .

40 . . . blessed is he . . .

. . . is . . .

. . . . . .

"His disciples question him and say, How shall we fast and how shall we (pray?) . . . and what (commandment) shall we keep . . . Jesus saith, . . . do not . . . blessed is he . . ."

A faint circular institutional stamp in purple ink appears in the center of the bottom paragraph, partially obscuring the words "this papyrus" and "the occasion".

Though this Saying is broken beyond hope of recovery, its general drift may be caught. It clearly differed from the other Sayings, both in this papyrus and the first series of Logia Sayings (of Jesus), in having a preliminary paragraph giving the occasion, which seems to be a question put by the disciples; cf. p. 15. For exetazein to examine/question in reference to them cf. John xxi. 12: "And none of the disciples durst inquire of him, Who art thou? knowing that it is the Lord." "His" original: "αὐτοῦ" in line 32 is not very satisfactory, but something more than "disciples" original: "μαθηταί" is required, and cf. 655. 17–8. "Pharisees" original: "Φαρισαῖοι" is not likely in the light of what follows. The question clearly consisted of a number of short sentences, each beginning with "how" original: "πῶς" or "what" original: "τί", and so far as can be judged, they were concerned with the outward forms of religion: fasting, prayer (shall we pray? original: "προσευξόμεθα?"), and almsgiving. How far, it is probably asked, are existing Jewish ordinances to be kept? The answer of Jesus appears to have been a series of short commandments insisting on the inner side of religion as the pursuit of virtue and truth, and very likely concluding in line 40 with the promise "Blessed is he who doeth these things." If this explanation is on the right lines, there is a general parallelism between this Saying and