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.
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 ).
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]
Source: [1]
English meaning | Greek word | Nominative (Subject) | Genitive (Possessive) |
---|---|---|---|
God | Θεός, Theos | ΘΣ | ΘΥ |
Lord | Κύριος, Kyrios | ΚΣ, ΚΣ | ΚΥ, ΚΥ |
Jesus | Ἰησοῦς, Iēsous | ΙΣ, ΙΗΣ | ΙΥ, ΙΗΥ |
Christ/Messiah | Χριστός, Christos | ΧΣ, ΧΡΣ | ΧΥ, ΧΡΥ |
Son | Υἱός, Huios | ΥΣ | ΥΥ |
Spirit | Πνεῦμα, Pneuma | ΠΝΑ | ΠΣ, ΠΝΣ, ΠΝΟΣ |
David | Δαυίδ, Dauid | ΔΑΔ | |
Cross | Σταυρός, Stauros | ΣΤΣ | ΣΤΥ |
Mother | Μήτηρ, Mētēr | ΜΗΡ, ΜΡ | ΜΡΣ |
Father | Πατήρ, Patēr | ΠΗΡ, ΠΡ | ΠΡΣ |
Israel | Ἰσραήλ, Israēl | ΙΗΛ | |
Savior | Σωτήρ, Sōtēr | ΣΗΡ | ΣΡΣ |
Human | Ἄνθρωπος, Anthrōpos | ΑΝΟΣ | ΑΝΟΥ |
Jerusalem | Ἱερουσαλήμ, Ierousalēm | ΙΛΗΜ | |
Heaven/Heavens | Οὐρανός, Ouranos | ΟΥΝΟΣ | ΟΥΝΟΥ |
Greek manuscript identification has the main Gregory-Aland siglum first, with the shelf number at the respective papyri locations in brackets. [9]
Greek manuscript | Manuscript date | Nomina 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 |
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.