Experts have successfully deciphered an ancient manuscript that is now believed to be the oldest surviving copy of a gospel about the childhood of Jesus.
This manuscript, written on a fragment of papyrus—a paper-like material used in ancient times—was stored at the Carl von Ossietzky State and University Library in Hamburg, Germany. For years, the fragment went unnoticed and was not considered significant.
Recently, two researchers identified the text on the papyrus fragment as part of the Infancy Gospel of Thomas (IGT). This gospel, which is not included in the Bible, contains stories about the early life of Jesus.
Although the IGT is not part of the official biblical canon recognized by most Christian denominations, it was widely known and read during ancient and medieval times.
Prior to this discovery, the oldest known Greek version of the IGT was an 11th-century manuscript.
However, the researchers, Lajos Berkes from Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Gabriel Nocchi Macedo from the University of Liège in Belgium, dated the Hamburg papyrus fragment to the 4th or 5th century, making it the earliest known copy of the IGT.
Their findings were published in the journal Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik.
Berkes emphasized the significance of the discovery, noting that the fragment not only provides the earliest known version of the text but also offers new insights into how the gospel was transmitted over time. The researchers managed to decipher the Greek text, which is spread across 13 lines, each containing about 10 letters.
The papyrus fragment had previously been overlooked because its clumsy handwriting led experts to believe it was part of a mundane document, like a personal letter or a shopping list.
However, Berkes and Macedo made the discovery by accident while reviewing online images of papyri stored at the Hamburg library.
Upon noticing the word “Jesus” in the text, they compared the fragment with other ancient Greek manuscripts and realized it was much more significant than previously thought.
Further analysis confirmed that the text matched the IGT, and the researchers concluded that this fragment is indeed the earliest known copy of the gospel. The Hamburg papyrus supports the idea that the Infancy Gospel of Thomas was originally written in Greek.
Macedo suggested that this particular fragment may have been produced in a school or monastery as a writing exercise, given the uneven lines and awkward handwriting.
Johnny specializes in content related to Jesus, the Bible, and religious topics. With a profound understanding of spirituality, Johnny’s articles are both insightful and inspiring, guiding readers through the complexities of faith.
