In this weeks episode, part 2 of 2, I defend the thesis that Christians were people of the Bible in accordance with their historical and cultural context. While recognizing that Christians most likely didn’t have access to their own physical copy of the complete Bible, Christians certainly had access to the contents of the scriptures and relied heavily upon them for faith, life, and practice while devoting themselves to the instructions of the book.

In part 2 we discuss: 

Jewish Communities and the Book

Christian Communities

The Distribution of Manuscripts

Early Christian Statements on Scripture

Conclusion

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Resources/Further Reading from these Episodes:

Brian Wright, Ancient Literacy in New Testament Research: Incorporating a Few More Lines of Enquiry

Donald Redford, “Literacy,” The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt, vol. 2.

Witherington III, Education in the Greco-Roman World, from The World of the New Testament

Hellerman, Embracing Shared Ministry: Power and Status in the Early Church and Why it Matters Today

Brian Wright, Communal Reading in the Time of Jesus: A Window into Early Christian Reading Practices

Meade and Gurry, Scribes and Scripture: The Amazing Story of How We Got the Bible

Porter and Pitts, “Paul’s Bible, His Education and His Access to the Scriptures of Israel.”

T.C. Skeat, “Was Papyrus Regarded as cheap or expensive in the Ancient World?”

Easterling and Knox, “Books and Readers”

Kenyon, “Books and Readers”

White, “Bookshops in the Literary Culture of Rome” (Ancient Literacies)

Ben Witherington, “Graffiti at the SBL“

Myths and Mistakes in New Testament Textual Criticism

Metzger and Erhman, The Text of the New Testament

Comfort, Encountering the Manuscripts

Gregg Allison, Historial Theology

Highlighted Resource:

Brian Wright, Communal Reading in the Time of Jesus: A Window into Early Christian Reading Practices

Music Featured:

“Turn your Eyes,” Original words (V1) and music by Helen H. Lemmel. Add. words (V2-4) by George Romanacce, Nathan Stiff, Nic Trout, and Kevin Winebarger. Chorus by George Romanacce, Nathan Stiff, Nic Trout, and Kevin Winebarger. © 2019 Sovereign Grace Worship/ASCAP, Sovereign Grace Praise/BMI, Sovereign Grace Songs/SESAC (adm. by Integrity Music). Sovereign Grace Music, a division of Sovereign Grace Churches. Used by permission. www.SovereignGraceMusic.org