Public and Private: Second- and Third-Century Gospel Manuscripts

Abstract

Early gospel MSS were used in two general settings - publicly in corporate worship, and privately by individuals. It will be shown that the majority of 'second-century' gospel manuscripts (MSS) can be designated 'public', in the sense that they were intentionally produced to be read aloud by lectors in Christian meetings. Rightly dividing the continuous lines of letters in ancient texts ('scriptio continua') in order to break through to the underlying meaning was not easy. In a public setting where immediacy was called for, punctuation, lectional aids and various kinds of sense breaks in the text could greatly assist the task of the lector ('avayvwotns'). This seems to be why such 'reader's aids' are found in most secondcentury gospel MSS. In contrast, sense breaks, punctuation and lectional aids are not present in many 'third-century' gospel MSS. This may be because in private settings where MSS were read by individuals or where 'private' readings for family or friends were conducted, there was more leisurely interaction with the text and the need for reader's aids was less pressing. But a more likely explanation is to be found in the different kinds of settings in which gospel MSS were copied/produced.