Gospel Fragments (Oxford Early Christian Gospel Texts) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book, which is aimed at scholars, should also be of interest to anyone intrigued by early Christianity.
P. Egerton 2, for example, caused a sensation when it was published in 1935 as the earliest Christian gospel fragment. Only a few months later it lost its place as the earliest fragment when P. Ryl.457 fragments of John's gospel, were "dated...to the reign of Hadrian" (p 12).
Nicklas argues that "The text is...interested in the relationship between Jesus and Moses" (p 37). It shows correspondences between John's gospel, but how? "Today the existence of possible sources (besides the synoptic gospels) of the Gospel of John is regarded as more and more unlikely" ( p 39). In the end, Nicklas decides the evidence shows that, while the author of P. Egerton 2 may have heard John's gospel, clearly, he did not have the gospel on hand.
Kruger investigates P.Oxy.840. This has been a frequently overlooked fragment. "Much of the neglect of P.Oxy. 840 can be attributed to the doubts raised by some scholars about the historical accuracy of some of its descriptions of the temple and its associated rituals" (p 125). Clearly, it was written by someone who was not a professional scribe.
Although some of the historical questions about this fragment seem unresolvable now, there are many fascinating questions about it. One is the use "of the term 'Savior' for Jesus" (p 159) as opposed to the canonical gospels.
Also, it clearly "lacks any obvious heterodox of 'heretical' agenda" (p 161). Could this be because it stems from early Jewish Christianity?
Each fragment discussed has a photograph of the fragment. There is also a complete Greek version of the fragment, as well as an English translation. The work of other scholars is discussed, as well as current theories about the date, origin, and meaning of the fragment.
Among the dozens of intriguing questions in this book that that beg to be answered: why are "98 percent of the non-Christian manuscripts....before 200 AD scrolls, (while) almost all extant Christian fragments of this time come from codices" (p 150). There are many theories as to why Christians used the codex. But so far, no firm answers.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Gospel Fragments (Oxford Early Christian Gospel Texts)

Click here for more information about Gospel Fragments (Oxford Early Christian Gospel Texts)