New Testament Texts on Greek Amulets from Late Antiquity and Their Relevance for Textual ...

261 Pages·2015·14.31 MB·English

New Testament Texts on Greek Amulets
from Late Antiquity and Their Relevance for Textual Criticism

Brice C. Jones

A Thesis
In the Department of Religion

Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
For the Degree of
Doctor of Philosophy (Religion) at
Concordia University
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

April 2015

© Brice C. Jones, 2015
CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

This is to certify that the thesis prepared

By: Brice C. Jones

Entitled: New Testament Texts on Greek Amulets from Late Antiquity and
Their Relevance for Textual Criticism

and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (Religion)

complies with the regulations of the University and meets the accepted standards with respect to
originality and quality.

Signed by the final examining committee:

Chair
Dr. Greg LeBlanc

External Examiner
Dr. Amy S. Anderson

External to Program
Dr. Stephen Yeager

Examiner
Dr. Lorenzo DiTommaso

Examiner
Dr. Carly Daniel-Hughes

Thesis Supervisor
Dr. André Gagné

Approved by
Dr. Leslie Orr, Graduate Program Director

March 30, 2015
Dr. André Roy, Dean
Faculty of Arts and Science

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ABSTRACT

New Testament Texts on Greek Amulets from Late Antiquity and Their Relevance for
Textual Criticism

Brice C. Jones
Concordia University, 2015

This dissertation examines New Testament citations on all Greek papyrus and parchment amulets
from late antique Egypt. Since New Testament textual criticism does not allow for the inclusion
of non-continuous manuscripts (of which amulets are a part) in the official catalogue of
manuscripts, a large body of textual evidence has fallen outside the purview of scholars. This
dissertation, which constitutes the first systematic treatment of non-continuous manuscripts,
seeks to remedy the situation in part by determining the ways in which New Testament texts on
amulets may be useful for textual criticism.
This dissertation has three main objectives. The first objective is to define more closely
the categories of continuous and non-continuous by formulating criteria for the identification of
the latter. The second objective is to propose a method for analyzing the texts of non-continuous
artifacts in terms of their text-critical value. The third objective is to establish a comprehensive
database of one category of non-continuous artifacts (amulets) and provide a detailed analysis of
both their texts and containers (i.e., physical manuscripts).
By analyzing a largely untapped source of New Testament textual data, this project
contributes to a methodological question in textual criticism concerning its categories and
provides a wealth of source material for the study of the reception of the Bible in early
Christianity. Thus, while the study is targeted at textual critics, it contributes to a conversation
about early Christianity that is much larger than the project, as these texts demonstrate the
various ways in which early Christians used scripture.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This dissertation has its genesis in a Q&A session at the Annual Meeting of the Society of
Biblical Literature in New Orleans, 2009. Geoffrey Smith had just announced a new papyrus
amulet from Oxyrhynchus containing a citation of Mark 1:1-2, when Michael Theophilos raised
his hand and asked: “As a rule, this amulet will not be listed in the official list of New Testament
manuscripts. So what will be its significance to the field overall?” A “rule”? “Why could it not
be catalogued with other manuscripts?,” I thought. And so began the journey. The amulet in
question is P.Oxy. 76.5073 and is featured below (no. 16).
A project like this would not have been possible without the help and support of many
individuals. In particular, I thank my doctoral supervisor, André Gagné, who has gone above and
beyond in helping me become the scholar that I am today. He has informed my scholarship and
thinking in many ways, and I will always be indebted to him for his contributions, both
professionally and personally. I am also grateful to the other members of my doctoral examining
committee: Lorenzo DiTommaso, Carly Daniel-Hughes, Amy S. Anderson, and Stephen Yeager.
Special thanks goes to Adela Yarbro Collins, who kindly agreed to direct a seminar in
papyrology and textual criticism in 2010 during my Masters studies at Yale University. Our visit
to the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library to see and handle papyri was infectious and
served as the stimulus for my fascination with the wonderful field of papyrology.
Many of the publications consulted in the research stages of the dissertation appeared
long ago in obscure, and often defunct, periodicals and books. I am thankful to the following
colleagues for securing scans of obscure but necessary publications that were not easily
accessible to me: Tyler Smith, Hany Takla, Lorne Zelyck, Peter Malik, Brian Larsen Wells, and
Sonja Anderson. Several other scholars have kindly assisted me at various stages of the project.
In particular, I am grateful to the following people for answering questions and offering
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suggestions about specific amulets: Theodore de Bruyn, Roy Kotansky, Hans Förster, Tommy
Wasserman, Lorne Zelyck, Joseph E. Sanzo, and AnneMarie Luijendijk. I kindly thank Marius
Gerhardt (Ägyptisches Museum und Papyrussammlung) for providing me with an image of BKT
6.7.1, which was otherwise not available, during my research on this amulet. Graphic designer
and personal friend Kyle Newton traced the letters and drawings found in the figures, which
provide much visual clarification of complicated descriptions.
I owe great thanks to Michael Theophilos and Joesph Sanzo, who read an earlier,
complete draft of the dissertation and provided a wealth of helpful comments and suggestions. I
am indebted to them for their assistance and excellent scholarship that I hope to model in some
way or another.
I have been fortunate enough to have a close network of international scholars, whose
constant support and constructive ideas were invaluable to me throughout my Masters and
Doctoral studies. In particular, I thank: Malcolm Choat, Sofía Torallas Tovar, Klaas Worp,
Tommy Wasserman, Juan Hernández, Jr., Dan Wallace, David Eastman, and Jeremy Hultin.
Thank you all for the lessons you have taught me. I thank also my Lee University “family,” who
instilled in me a thirst for knowledge that remains unquenchable to this day: Michael E. Fuller,
Emerson B. Powery, Donald Bowdle†, William A. Simmons, and Ted Ray Gee.
Finally, and above all, I thank my precious family for their immeasurable sacrifices that
they have had to make throughout this long journey. In particular, my wife Meghan, and my two
daughters, Hadley and Leighton, have been a constant source of support, love, humor, joy,
strength, and inspiration. For all that you are and for all that you have done—thank you.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... ix
List of Tables ....................................................................................................................... x
List of Abbreviations .......................................................................................................... xi
Editorial Conventions ....................................................................................................... xvi
Chapter 1: Introduction and Survey of Scholarship ............................................................ 1
1.1 Project Summary ....................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Classifying Greek New Testament Manuscripts: The Liste ...................................... 8
1.3 Survey of Research on Non-Continuous Text Manuscripts .................................... 14
1.3.1 Stuart R. Pickering ......................................................................................... 14
1.3.2 Stanley E. Porter ............................................................................................ 17
1.3.3 Peter M. Head ................................................................................................ 20
1.4 Project Limitations and Outline .............................................................................. 23
1.4.1 Project Limitations ......................................................................................... 23
1.4.2 Outline ............................................................................................................ 25
1.5 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 27
Chapter 2: Terminology and Criteria ................................................................................ 28
2.1 Defining Non-Continuous ....................................................................................... 28
2.2 Criteria for Identifying Non-Continuous Artifacts ................................................. 29
2.2.1 Criterion #1: Textual Continuity between Recto and Verso .......................... 29
2.2.2 Criterion #2: The Use of Amulets .................................................................. 31
2.2.3 Criterion #3: Presence of the Word ἑρμηνεία ............................................... 38
2.2.4 Criterion #4: Context of Citation ................................................................... 41
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2.2.5 Criterion #5: Specific Content of New Testament Citation ........................... 43
2.3 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 46
Chapter 3: Method of Textual Analysis ............................................................................ 47
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................. 47
3.2 A Prolegomenon: The Analogy of Patristic Citations ............................................ 47
3.3 Method of Textual Analysis Adopted in the Study ................................................. 57
3.4 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 61
Chapter 4: Amulets and Their Texts ................................................................................. 64
4.1 Editorial Procedure ................................................................................................. 64
4.1.1 Transcriptions, Headings, and Images ........................................................... 64
4.1.2 Paratextual Features and Historical Function ................................................ 65
4.1.3 Palaeography .................................................................................................. 66
4.2 Amulets and Their Texts ......................................................................................... 67
Chapter 5: Conclusions and Results ................................................................................ 192
5.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................... 192
5.2 Patterns and Results of Textual Evaluation .......................................................... 193
5.2.1 Patterns ......................................................................................................... 193
5.2.2 Results of Textual Evaluation ...................................................................... 198
5.3 Suggestions for Further Research ......................................................................... 201
Bibliography .................................................................................................................... 203
Appendix 1: Cataloguing the Evidence ........................................................................... 233
Appendix 2: Von Dobschütz Numbers ............................................................................ 241

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List of Figures

Figure 1 .............................................................................................................................. 71

Figure 2 ............................................................................................................................ 101

Figure 3 ............................................................................................................................ 150

Figure 4 ............................................................................................................................ 160
Figure 5 ............................................................................................................................ 163
Figure 6 ............................................................................................................................ 182
Figure 7 ............................................................................................................................ 182
Figure 8 ............................................................................................................................ 237
Figure 9 ............................................................................................................................ 238
Figure 10 .......................................................................................................................... 238
Figure 11 .......................................................................................................................... 239

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List of Tables

Table 1 ............................................................................................................................. 198

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

Aland, Repertorium Aland, Kurt. Repertorium der griechischen christlichen Papyri I:
Biblische Papyri, Altes Testament, Neues Testament, Varia,
Apokryphen. PTS 18; Berlin: W. de Gruyter, 1976.
AnBoll Analecta Bollandiana
ANF The Ante-Nicene Fathers, ed. Alexander Roberts and James
Donaldson. 1885-1887. 10 vols. Repr. Peabody, Mass., Hendrickson,
1994.
ANRW Aufstieg und Niedergang der römischen Welt
ANTF Arbeiten zur neutestamentliche Textforschung
APF Archiv für Papyrusforschung
ASP American Studies in Papyrology
BAC Bible in Ancient Christianity
BASP Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists
BETL Bibliotheca Ephemeridum Theologicarum Lovaniensium
Bib Biblica
BICSSupp Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies Supplement
BKT Berliner Klassikertexte
BSAC Bulletin de la Société d’archéologie copte
BZ Biblische Zeitschrift
CBET Contributions to Biblical Exegesis and Theology
CBNTS Coniectanea biblica: New Testament series
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