Nomina sacra

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Two nomina sacra
are highlighted, IU and ThU, representing of/from Jesus and of/from God (as these are genitives) respectively, in this passage from John 1 in Codex Vaticanus (B), 4th century. Nomina Sacra in Codex Vaticanus John 1.jpg
Two nomina sacra are highlighted, ΙΥ and ΘΥ, representing of/from Jesus and of/from God (as these are genitives) respectively, in this passage from John 1 in Codex Vaticanus (B), 4th century.

In Christian scribal practice, nomina sacra (singular: nomen sacrum, Latin for 'sacred name') is the abbreviation of several frequently occurring divine names or titles, especially in Greek manuscripts of the Bible. A nomen sacrum consists of two or more letters from the original word spanned by an overline.

Contents

Biblical scholar and textual critic Bruce M. Metzger lists 15 such words treated as nomina sacra from Greek papyri: the Greek counterparts of God, Lord, Jesus, Christ, Son, Spirit, David, Cross, Mother, Father, Israel, Savior, Man, Jerusalem, and Heaven. [1] :36–37 These nomina sacra are all found in Greek manuscripts of the 3rd century and earlier, except Mother, which appears in the 4th. All 15 occur in Greek manuscripts later than the 4th century. [2]

Nomina sacra also occur in some form in Latin, Coptic, Armenian (indicated by the pativ ), Gothic, Old Nubian, Old Irish and Cyrillic (indicated by the titlo ).

Origin and development

Nomina sacra
I[?] Kh[?], from the Greek IESOUS KhRISTOS
(Jesus Christ -- the letter [?] on the icon being koine Greek S
). Detail from an icon at the Troyan Monastery in Bulgaria. See complete icon Nomina sacra IC XC 2.jpg
Nomina sacra ΙϹ ΧϹ, from the Greek ΙΗΣΟΥΣ ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ (Jesus Christ — the letter Ϲ on the icon being koine Greek Σ). Detail from an icon at the Troyan Monastery in Bulgaria. See complete icon

Nomina sacra are consistently observed in even the earliest extant Christian writings, along with the codex form rather than the roll, implying that when these were written, in approximately the second century, the practice had already been established for some time. However, it is not known precisely when and how the nomina sacra first arose.

The initial system of nomina sacra apparently consisted of just four or five words, called nomina divina: the Greek words for Jesus, Christ, Lord, God, and possibly Spirit. The practice quickly expanded to a number of other words regarded as sacred. [3]

In the system of nomina sacra that came to prevail, abbreviation is by contraction, meaning that the first and last letter (at least) of each word are used. In a few early cases, an alternate practice is seen of abbreviation by suspension, meaning that the initial two letters (at least) of the word are used; e.g., the opening verses of Revelation in 𝔓18 write Ἰησοῦς Χριστός (Jesus Christ) as ΙΗΧΡ. Contraction, however, offered the practical advantage of indicating the case of the abbreviated noun.

It is evident that the use of nomina sacra was an act of reverence rather than a purely practical space-saving device, [4] :100, 104-106 as they were employed even where well-established abbreviations of far more frequent words such as and were avoided, [4] :101 and the nomen sacrum itself was written with generous spacing. [4] :100 Furthermore, early scribes often distinguished between mundane and sacred occurrences of the same word, e.g. a spirit vs. the Spirit, and applied nomina sacra only to the latter (at times necessarily revealing an exegetical choice), although later scribes would mechanically abbreviate all occurrences.

Scholars have advanced a number of theories on the origin of the nomina sacra. Biblical scholar Larry Hurtado has suggested Greek numerals as the origin of the overline spanning the nomen sacrum, with ΙΗ, the ordinary way of writing "18", being taken as reminiscent of a suspended form of ΙΗΣΟΥΣ (Jesus). [5] :128-131 In some Greek Scripture manuscripts the Hebrew tetragrammaton (transliterated as YHWH) is found unabbreviated in the Greek text. The Septuagint manuscript Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1007 even uses an abbreviated form of the tetragrammaton: two Greek zetas with a horizontal line through the middle, imitating two Paleo-Hebrew yodhs (𐤉‬𐤉). [4] [6]

Greek culture also employed a number of ways of abbreviating even proper names, though none in quite the same form as the nomina sacra. Inspiration for the contracted forms (using the first and last letter) has also been seen in Revelation, where Jesus speaks of himself as "the beginning and the end" and "the first and the last" as well "the Alpha and the Omega". [7]

Linguist George Howard argues that κς (κύριος) and θς (θεός) were the initial nomina sacra, created by non-Jewish Christian scribes who "found no traditional reasons to preserve the tetragrammaton" in copies of the Septuagint. Hurtado, following Colin Roberts, rejects that claim in favour of the theory that the first was ιη (Ἰησοῦς), as suggested in the Epistle of Barnabas, followed by the analogous χρ (Χριστός), and later by κς and θς, at about the time when the contracted forms ις and χς were adopted for the first two. [5]

Cilliers Breytenbach and Christiane Zimmermann report that by the end of the 2nd century nomina sacra occur even in Christian tomb inscriptions in Greek in Lycaonia (modern central Turkey). [8]

List of Greek nomina sacra

Source: [1]

Papyrus 111 (3rd century AD), with the nomen sacrum IEU (indicating genitive 'of Jesus', Iesou) visible at bottom P111-Luk-17 11-13-POxy4495-III.jpg
Papyrus 111 (3rd century AD), with the nomen sacrumΙΗΥ (indicating genitive 'of Jesus', Ἰησοῦ) visible at bottom
English meaningGreek wordNominative (Subject)Genitive (Possessive)
GodΘεός, TheosΘΣΘΥ
LordΚύριος, KyriosΚΣ, ΚΣΚΥ, ΚΥ
JesusἸησοῦς, IēsousΙΣ, ΙΗΣΙΥ, ΙΗΥ
Christ/MessiahΧριστός, ChristosΧΣ, ΧΡΣΧΥ, ΧΡΥ
SonΥἱός, HuiosΥΣΥΥ
SpiritΠνεῦμα, PneumaΠΝΑΠΣ, ΠΝΣ, ΠΝΟΣ
DavidΔαυίδ, DauidΔΑΔ
CrossΣταυρός, StaurosΣΤΣΣΤΥ
MotherΜήτηρ, MētērΜΗΡ, ΜΡΜΡΣ
FatherΠατήρ, PatērΠΗΡ, ΠΡΠΡΣ
IsraelἸσραήλ, IsraēlΙΗΛ
SaviorΣωτήρ, SōtērΣΗΡΣΡΣ
HumanἌνθρωπος, AnthrōposΑΝΟΣΑΝΟΥ
JerusalemἹερουσαλήμ, IerousalēmΙΛΗΜ
Heaven/HeavensΟὐρανός, OuranosΟΥΝΟΣΟΥΝΟΥ

New Testament Greek manuscripts containing nomina sacra (before 300 CE)

Greek manuscript identification has the main Gregory-Aland siglum first, with the shelf number at the respective papyri locations in brackets. [9]

Greek manuscriptManuscript dateNomina sacra used
𝔓1 (P. Oxy. 2)
~250
ΙΥΙΣΧΥΥΥΚΥΠΝΣ
𝔓4 (Suppl. Gr. 1120)
150–225
ΘΣΘΥΚΥΚΣΠΝΙΠΝΟΣΠΝΑΧΣΙΥΙΣ
𝔓5 (P. Oxy. 208 + 1781)
~250
ΙΗΝΙΗΣΠΡΠΡΑΠΡΣΘΥ
𝔓9 (P. Oxy. 402)
~250
ΘΣΧΡΣ
𝔓12 (P. Amherst. 3b)
~285
ΘΣ
𝔓13 (P. Oxy. 657 + PSI 1292)
225–250
ΘΣΘΝΘΥΘΩΙΣΙΝΙΥΚΣΚΥ
𝔓15 (P. Oxy. 1008)
200–300
ΚΩΚΥΧΥΑΝΩΝΑΝΩΠΝΑΘΝΚΜΟΥ
𝔓16 (P. Oxy. 1009)
250–300
ΘΥΙΥΧΩ
𝔓17 (P. Oxy. 1078)
~300
ΘΩΠΝΣ
𝔓18 (P. Oxy. 1079)
250–300
ΙΗΧΡΘΩ
𝔓20 (P. Oxy. 1171)
200–250
ΠΝΣΚΝΘΥ
𝔓22 (P. Oxy. 1228)
200–250
ΠΣΠΝΑΠΡΣΠΡΑΙΗΣΑΝΟΣ
𝔓24 (P. Oxy. 1230)
~300
ΠΝΑΘΥ
𝔓27 (P. Oxy. 1395)
200–250
ΘΥΚΩ
𝔓28 (P. Oxy. 1596)
255–300
ΙΣΙΝ
𝔓29 (P. Oxy. 1597)
200–250
ΘΣΘΝ
𝔓30 (P. Oxy. 1598)
200–250
ΚΥΚΝΘΩΙΗΥ
𝔓32 (P. Rylands 5)
150–200
ΘΥ
𝔓35 (PSI 1)
~300
ΚΣΚΥ
𝔓37 (P. Mich. Inv. 1570)
~260
ΚΕΙΗΣΠΝΑΙΗΣΥ
𝔓38 (P. Mich. Inv. 1571)
~225
ΧΡΝΠΝΑΚΥΙΗΝΙΗΥΠΝΤΑ
𝔓39 (P. Oxy. 1780)
200–300
ΠΗΡΠΡΑΙΗΣ
𝔓40 (P. Heidelberg G. 645)
200–300
ΘΣΘΥΘΝΙΥΧΩΧΥ
𝔓45 (P. Chester Beatty I)
~250
ΚΕΚΣΚΝΚΥΙΗΙΥΙΗΣΠΡΠΡΣΠΡΑΠΡΙΘΥΘΝΘΩΘΣ
ΠΝΙΠΝΣΠΝΑΥΝΥΕΥΣΥΩΣ⳨ΝΣ⳨ΝΑΙΧΥ
𝔓46 (P. Chester Beatty II
+ P. Mich. Inv. 6238)
175–225
ΚΕΚΝΚΥΚΩΚΣΧΡΩΧΡΥΧΡΝΧΝΧΣΧΩΧΥΧΡΣΙΗΥΙΗΝΙΗΣΘΩΘΥΘΝΘΣ

ΠΝΑΠΝΙΠΝΣΥΙΥΥΙΝΥΙΣΥΝΣΤΡΕΣΣΤΡΝΣΤΡΩΣΤΡΟΣΣΤΡΟΥΕΣΤΡΟΝΕΣΤΡΑΙ

ΕΣΤΑΝΣΤΟΥΑΙΜΑΑΝΟΥΑΝΟΝΑΝΟΣΑΝΩΝΑΝΟΙΣΠΡΙΠΗΡΠΡΑΠΡΣΙΥ

𝔓47 (P. Chester Beatty III)
200–300
ΘΥΘΣΘΝΘΩΑΘΝΚΣΚΕΚΥΕΣΤΡΩΠΝΑΧΥΠΡΣ
𝔓48 (PSI 1165)
200–300
ΥΣ
𝔓49 (P. Yale 415 + 531)
200–300
ΚΩΘΥΘΣΙΥΠΝΧΣΧΥΧΩ
𝔓50 (P. Yal 1543)
~300
ΙΛΗΜΠΝΑΑΝΟΣΘΣΘΥ
𝔓53 (P. Mich. inv. 6652)
~250
ΠΡΣΙΗΣΠΕΡΚΝ
𝔓64 (Gr. 17)
~150
ΙΣΚΕ
𝔓65 (PSI XIV 1373)
~250
ΧΥΘΣ
𝔓66 (P. Bodmer II +
Inv. Nr. 4274/4298)
150–200
ΚΣΚΥΚΕΘΣΘΝΘΥΘΩΙΣΙΝΙΥΧΣΧΝΧΥΥΣΥΝΥΩΠΝΑΠΝΙΠΝΣ

ΠΗΡΠΡΑΠΡΣΠΡΙΠΕΡΠΡΕΣΑΝΟΣΑΝΟΝΑΝΟΥΑΝΩΝΑΝΩΑΝΟΙΣΑΝΟΥΣΣ⳨ΩΣ⳨ΟΝΣ⳨ΟΥΣ⳨ΘΗΣ⳨ΑΤΕΣ⳨ΩΣΩΕΣ⳨ΑΝΕΣ⳨ΘΗ

𝔓69 (P. Oxy. 2383)
~200
ΙΗΝ
𝔓70 (P. Oxy. 2384 +
PSI Inv. CNR 419, 420)
250–300
ΥΝΙΣΠΗΡ
𝔓72 (P. Bodmer VII and VIII)
200–300
ΙΥΙΗΥΙΗΝΧΡΥΧΡΝΧΡΣΧΡΩΘΥΘΣΘΝΘΩΠΡΣΠΑΡΠΤΡΑΠΡΙΠΝΣ

ΠΝΑΠΝΑΙΠΝΙΠΝΤΙΚΥΚΣΚΝΚΩΑΝΟΙ

𝔓75 (P. Bodmer XIV and XV)
175–225
ΙΣΙΗΣΙΥΙΗΥΙΝΙΗΝΘΣΘΝΘΥΘΩΚΣΚΝΚΥΚΩΚΕΧΣΧΝΧΥ

ΠΝΑΠΝΣΠΝΙΠΝΟΣΠΝΤΑΠΝΑΣΙΠΝΑΤΩΝΠΡΣΠΗΡΠΡΑΠΡΙΠΡΟΣΠΡ

ΥΣΥΝΥΥΙΗΛΙΛΗΜΣ⳨ΟΝΣΤ⳨ΟΝΣ⳨ΩΘΗΝΑΙ

ΑΝΟΣΑΝΟΝΑΝΟΥΑΝΟΙΑΝΩΝΑΝΩΑΝΟΥΣΑΝΟΙΣΑΝΕ

𝔓78 (P. Oxy 2684)
250–300
ΚΝΙΗΝΙΗΝΧΡΝ
𝔓90 (P. Oxy 3523)
150–200
ΙΗΣ
𝔓91 (P. Mil. Vogl. Inv. 1224 + P. Macquarie Inv. 360)
~250
ΘΥΘΣΠΡΣΧΡΝΙΗΝ
𝔓92 (P. Narmuthis 69.39a + 69.229a)
~300
ΧΡΩΚΥΘΥ
𝔓100 (P. Oxy 4449)
~300
ΚΥΚΣ
𝔓101 (P. Oxy 4401)
200–300
ΥΣΠΝΑΠΝΙ
𝔓106 (P. Oxy 4445)
200–250
ΠΝΑΠΝΙΧΡΣΙΗΝΙΗΣ
𝔓108 (P. Oxy 4447)
175–225
ΙΗΣΙΗΝ
𝔓110 (P. Oxy. 4494)
~300
ΚΣ
𝔓111 (P. Oxy 4495)
200–250
ΙΗΥ
𝔓113 (P. Oxy. 4497)
200–250
ΠΝΙ
𝔓114 (P. Oxy. 4498)
200–250
ΘΣ
𝔓115 (P. Oxy. 4499)
225–275
ΙΗΛΑΥΤΟΥΠΡΣΘΩΘΥΑΝΩΝΠΝΑΟΥΝΟΥΟΥΝΟΝΚΥΘΝΑΝΟΥΟΥΝΩ
𝔓121 (P. Oxy. 4805)
~250
ΙΣΜΗΙ
𝔓137 (P. Oxy. 5345)
100-200
ΠΝΙ
0162 (P. Oxy 847)
~300
ΙΗΣΙΣΠΡΣ
0171 (PSI 2.124)
~300
ΚΣΙΗΣ
0189 (P. Berlin 11765)
~200
ΑΝΟΣΠΝΑΚΥΚΩΙΛΗΜΘΩΙΣΗΛ
0220 (MS 113)
~300
ΚΝΙΥΙΝΧΥΘΥ

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Metzger, Bruce Manning (1981). Manuscripts of the Greek Bible: An Introduction to Palaeography. London: Oxford University Press. p. 36. ISBN   978-0-19-536532-0. In the developed Byzantine usage the fifteen nomina sacra in their nominative and genitive forms are as follows: [...] Scholars differ in accounting for the origin and development of the system of nomina sacra.
  2. Comfort, Philip Wesley; Barrett, David (2001). Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts (2 ed.). Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers. pp. 34–35. ISBN   0-8423-5265-1.
  3. Charlesworth, S. D. (2006). "Consensus standardization in the systematic approach to nomina sacra in second- and third-century gospel manuscripts". Aegyptus. 86: 37–38.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Hurtado, Larry Weir (2006). The Earliest Christian Artifacts: Manuscripts and Christian Origins. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. ISBN   0802828957.
  5. 1 2 Larry W. Hurtado (2017). "The Origin of the Nomina Sacra". Texts and Artefacts: Selected Essays on Textual Criticism and Early Christian Manuscripts, The Library of New Testament Studies. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 127. ISBN   978-0567677709.
  6. Wilkinson, Robert J. (2015). Tetragrammaton: Western Christians and the Hebrew Name of God: From the Beginnings to the Seventeenth Century. Netherlands: Brill. p. 55. ISBN   978-90-04-28817-1.
  7. Roberts, Colin Henderson (1979). Manuscript, Society, and Belief in Early Christian Egypt. London: Oxford University Press. p. 37. ISBN   0-19-725982-0.
  8. Breytenbach, Cilliers; Zimmermann, Christiane (2018). Early Christianity in Lycaonia and Adjacent Areas: From Paul to Amphilochius of Iconium. Leiden: Brill. p. 14. ISBN   9789004352520.
  9. All nomina sacra and dates of manuscripts taken from Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek Manuscripts - Philip Comfort and David Barrett (2001).

Further reading