OK, we have been looking at Sinaiticus and Vaticanus on Jude 1. Now we look at the oldest copy of Jude, p72, dating to 300AD or a bit earlier. It is a challenge because the scribe was not as skilled as those two large codices. Perhaps it would be good to compare the text with the more familiar Greek font in an earlier post. Then follow along with my attempt to help you read p72. Image courtesy of CSNTM. Sorry if it is not clear. The manuscript isn't either.
- Yes, I should not have assumed the "recognizability" of the uncial upsilon which looks so much like the English Y. Thanks for pointing this out! And yes, that is the definition of "itacism" that I am using.
- Just want to say thank for the observations, Dr Varner and Mahlon Smith. I am following along, and I hope to get better at these observations. This helps me understand the scribal work behind the text, and the textual history.
- Permit a theological observation. All three terms which Jude uses to describe his readers can be viewed as coming from Isaiah's Servant Songs. There Israel is described as called, loved and kept by God (called: Isa 41:9; 42:6; 48:12, 15; 49:1; 54:6; loved: 42:1; 43:4; cf. 44:2 LXX; kept: 42:6; 49:8). As we think about textuality, let us not forget inter-textuality! And also not forget the LXX!
