I. THEOLOGICAL TEXTS

4009. GOSPEL OF PETER?

6B.82/C(1-3)a

Second century

A scrap from a papyrus codex. For convenience, we refer to the side on which the writing runs parallel with the fibres as ‘recto’, and the other as ‘verso’; there is no telling which precedes which.

A column of writing held at least 21 lines, each line (to judge from the plausible supplements in R 5–8) had 18–21 letters: written height at least 8 cm, written width (reconstructed) c. 4.7 cm. Surviving lower margins of 0.8 cm; surviving right-hand margin 0.5 cm (R), left-hand margin 0.8 cm (V). If there was only one column to the page, we have a miniature codex, with a page width of (say) 7 cm. For similar books, see E. G. Turner, Typology of the Early Codex 22 (papyrus) and 30 (parchment). In that case, the original page height may have been no more than 10 cm, so that relatively little text would be lost at the top. But it remains possible that we have here one of the rare examples of a two-column papyrus codex (Turner 36), so that the extent of text lost would be much greater.

Paragraphing by blank line-end (R 10) and perhaps by ecthesis starting a line further to the left (V 10); punctuation by middle stop R 4?, 11, 15?, by blank space R 3, 9, 14?, 17. Nomen sacrum ke Lord (abbreviation for Kyrios) V 13. The correction at V 8 seems to be by the original scribe.

The text is written in a small round informal hand with a tendency to lean to the left. There are many ligatures (note especially R 11 legeimoi he says to me); the cursive touch shows also in the letter forms—looped a; m x y in one movement. Note e with the upper loop nearly closed, wide k, low-bellied m, n with a right side that does not touch the line, p with strongly curved right side, s flattened with extended cap, wide t, o in two movements. Ornament takes the form of hooks at the head and foot of uprights. With an informal hand, and a small sample, dating presents particular problems. For datable parallels see: Schubart, Pal. Abb. 81 (PLond I p. 132 ff., horoscopes later than the death of Titus); Norsa, Scritt. Doc. XVc (Edict of Petronius Mamertinus AD 133/7); Schubart, PGB 22B (135?) and 24 (148). For similar scripts in literary texts see PGB 28; 31 (Theaetetus Commentary); Norsa, Scritt. Lett. 9D (Menander, Theophoroumene); Roberts, GLH 13b (BM Hyperides)—all normally assigned to the second century. These parallels suggest, at least, that 4009 might be dated to the second century rather than to the third.

The nomen sacrum identifies this as a Christian text; and R 4 ff. preserve key-words of four logia sayings of Jesus. In fact, R can be reconstructed in detail from synoptic and non-synoptic parallels. We have not found any similar basis for reconstructing V.

We have two clues to the precise provenance. (i) R 11 suggests a first person narrative. (ii) R 9 ff., the logion of the wolves and the lambs, shows an extended text