Consensus standardization in the systematic approach to 'nomina sacra' in second- and third-century gospel manuscripts

Abstract

One of the distinguishing features of early Christian manuscripts (MSS) is the unique written format of certain sacred names and related words. Only about 11 of 300 verifiably Christian Greek MSS dated before AD 300 lack 'nomina sacra'. The Latin term derives from the title of the first major study on the subject published in 1907 by Ludwig Traube. He examined the 93 texts then published, comprising around 50 fragmentary Greek papyri plus continuous MSS and a very small number of inscriptions and ostraca. Abbreviations in Greek ostraca and inscriptions were subsequently studied by Rudberg and Nachmanson. Paap then published a supplement to Traube in 1959 in which 421 texts of the first five centuries were examined, including P. Bodmer 2 (P⁶⁶) and a number of the Chester Beatty papyrus codices of the New Testament.