In my last post, I mentioned I was watching a set of DVDs that documented the series of lectures that accompanied the “Passages” exhibition of the Green Collection. One of the Green Collection papyri that is mentioned in the lectures in these DVDs is perhaps the same papyrus that is mentioned as number 22 in a 2013 lecture by Scott Carroll:
Item number 22 is described as “Gospel of Mt c. 140.” A papyrus with a somewhat similar description comes up during the “Passages” lectures in Oklahoma City in 2011. In his closing remarks after a talk by the British Library’s Scot McKendrick, Scott Carroll announced the discovery of a new manuscript:
“I had a great afternoon. I was looking at papyri, and, discovered . . . a second century text of the Sermon on the Mount in the Green Collection. Hallelujah! I love studying ancient texts!”
Carroll was apparently not the only one talking about this papyrus in 2011. During his talk in the “Passages” series, Jerry Pattengale nonchalantly pulled a papyrus of a very similar description out of his coat pocket:
Jerry Pattengale with a papyrus of the Gospel According to Matthew in the Green Collection
Pattengale described the papyrus:
“Scott [Carroll] in a research, recently–this is the end of Matthew 6. It’s the twenty-sixth known. And it’s verses 25-27. You know what that says? That your life’s gonna be okay. Don’t worry. God’s gonna take care of you. . . . My friends, this is 200 years earlier than a lot of the texts that are much in the sensational news today. This is part of that list that supports the canon. When you talk about accuracy and authenticity–this has been dated to about 140 to 160. It’s early. And you have in the room a couple people, um, that can do that. And then Dr. Obbink as well.”
It is interesting to see Dirk Obbink invoked as one of the authorities for dating the papyrus. And it is also interesting that the papyrus, like so many others in the Green Collection, just happens to be assigned to the second century. But again, no further information is given on the provenance of this papyrus, and it is not clear whether it remains in the Green Collection or has been “donated” to the Museum of the Bible. Nor have I read or heard anything else about this papyrus in other venues. I am curious to see if it ever resurfaces.
Variant Readings 
Reblogged this on Talmidimblogging.
Or perhaps #23 on Carroll’s list? Daniel Wallace was working on publishing a text of Matthew 6 for the Green Scholars Initiative: Papyrus Series. Have you seen the Feb. 7, 2012 Passages lectures from Atlanta? Here Carroll mentions several second century texts within the Green collection, including Romans, John, Matthew, and some Pauline texts. Here he also mentions P. Oxy. 5345 and P. Oxy. 5346 (although he obviously doesn’t call them by these designations) as being “with our research scope.”
Yes, number 23 is possible, too. No, I have not seen the Atlanta lectures yet, but I think you just scheduled this evening’s viewing program! I wondered if some of these Oxyrhynchus texts might show up in Scott Carroll’s comments. How much of the DVD content have you been through?
I have previewed all of the Carroll appearances, and slowly working through the rest of the content. You may also want to watch March 23, 2012 from Atlanta. Carroll pulls out the Sappho fragments. Do you also have the Springfield DVD’s?
Yes, I did get the Springfield collection, although I was disappointed to see that the Pattengale/Obbink lecture was apparently not included. I have only watched a few of the Oklahoma City lectures so far. It’s pretty incredible.
Pingback: The Green Collection Sappho Papyrus: Some New Details | Variant Readings
Was the Matthew fragment specifically claimed to be a Greek fragment, or might it be one and the same as the small Coptic fragment (said to have text from Mt. 6 and 7) which is pictured beside the entry for Aug. 13, 2013 at
http://www.thetextofthegospels.com/2015/01/the-first-century-fragment-of-mark-this.html ?
Well, he says it’s the “26th known,” and there are 25 papyri containing Matthew on the Liste, so I was assuming he meant Greek, and I don’t think anyone would date a Coptic papyrus to the middle of the second century.
Pingback: More Early Christian Greek and Coptic Papyri in the Green Collection? | Variant Readings
Pingback: More of Scott Carroll’s Papyri? | Variant Readings
Pingback: Jerry Pattengale on Dirk Obbink and the Mark Fragment | Variant Readings
Pingback: The Antiquities Trade in Michigan | Variant Readings
Pingback: The Date of the New Oxyrhynchus Sayings of Jesus P.Oxy. 87.5575 | Variant Readings