from an early Greek Papyrus, discovered &c. by B. P. Grenfell and A. S. Bunt.
As some desire a brief and reliable account of this discovery, let it suffice to say that it consists of a single leaf from a book (not roll) containing a professing series of our Lord's sayings, found with a considerable number of others in the rubbish-heaps of Oxyrhynchus, the chief town of a nome similarly designated in lower Egypt. Strabo (xvii.), C. Ptol. (iv. 5, § 59), and others of less note speak of the place; which derived its Greek name from a fish of the sturgeon species worshipped in a temple there dedicated to it. The present village of Bekneseh is on part of its site.
The document no more approaches the inspired character than other treatises of the second, third, or later centuries. The interest that attaches to this leaf is that it bears sufficient evidence of being written, perhaps as early as A.D. 200, improbably later than A D. 300. Even this single page (Verso and Recto) is not without gaps which hinder its entire and unequivocal sense.
It does not pretend to be such “narrations” as Luke refers to in his chap. 1:1, though they were but human and therefore without divine authority, even if authentic in the main and ever so well meant. It gives no account concerning those matters which have been fully established, or believed, among Christians. It is simply a collection of sayings attributed to the Savior.
Of these the first (as far as here appears, for it lacks the introductory clause) is the least exceptionable. That which remains appears to be a citation from Luke 6:4242Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother's eye. (Luke 6:42), as Lachmann edits and Text. Rec. according to à A C D, a dozen more uncials, most cursives, and seemingly most ancient versions. But the Vatican with 13, 69, 124, 346 has ἐκβαλεῖν at the end; and so edit Alford, Tiscbendorf, Westcott and Hort. Here only we have no longer λέγει, these words being now gone. Yet the saying here given is the only one that is fairly correct according to scripture, if the introductory words once extant did not clog or alienate them.
The next is an absurdity, but it would seem in accord with the ascetic tendency then in vogue with some, as others leaned to lax ways; for the enemy avails himself of opposites to annul the truth of God. The “saying” is “Except ye fast to (or, probably, abstain from) the world, ye shall in no wise find the kingdom of God; and except ye keep the sabbath, ye shall not see the Father.” The construction of the first is not harsher grammatically than the doctrine is unsound and anti-evangelical. The second is if possible more outrageous, as it openly judaises. Neither a literal nor a metaphorical sense can redeem it.
The third does not contradict fundamental truth, but is wholly unworthy of our Lord and unlike His unique simplicity and depth, though suited to a rhetorical moralist. “Jesus saith, I stood in the midst of the world, and in the flesh was seen of them, and I found all drunken and none found I athirst among them; and my soul grieveth over the sons of men, because they are blind in their heart...”
Still stranger is the fourth.” Jesus saith, Wherever are... and one alone, I am with him. Raise the stone, and there thou shalt find me, split the wood and there am I.” Assuming this to be the sense, what mystical jargon! Eph. 4:66One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:6), which the learned editors cite, refers to the Father: if they had alleged ver. 10, it might be more plausible perhaps. It seems nonsense, and assuredly was never uttered by our Lord.
The fifth refers to Luke 4:2424And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. (Luke 4:24), eked out not by citing verse 23, but so varying it as to be no longer true, still less inspired. “Jesus saith, A prophet is not acceptable in his own country, nor doth a physician work cures on those that know him.”
Nor is the sixth more than true in part. “Jesus saith, A city built on a high hill's top, and established, can neither fall nor be hid.” It certainly can fall.
The seventh is only a beginning, so that we can say nothing definitely.