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  • From: "Ron Price" <ron.price AT virgin.net>
  • To: "Corpus-paul" <corpus-paul AT franklin.oit.unc.edu>
  • Subject: Re: Format of Paul's Letters?
  • Date: Sat, 29 Apr 2000 12:07:31 +0100


I wrote:

>> There are distinct traces in the Corinthian correspondence of the
>> papyrus pages on which Paul wrote .......
>> A presentation of all the evidence behind this 'Page Hypothesis' is
>> way beyond the scope of an e-mail.

Robert Kraft replied:

>Very interesting suggestion, but how much does it depend on possibly
>anachronistic assumptions about the letter format that Paul might be
>expected to have used?

Bob,
I would prefer to express it differently.
The mathematical pattern cries out for a physical explanation. The
most natural explanation involves supposing that in the Corinthian
correspondence Paul wrote on separate (papyrus?!) sheets. Thus the
hypothesis in effect makes a prediction, and given enough external
evidence this could be tested.
However from what I have read on the subject, it seems that at present
there is not enough evidence for us to be sure how Paul would have
constructed his letters.

>I'm sorry for being full of questions rather than solid information here,
>but it does seem to me an avenue worth exploring further in the light of
>the relative wealth of information available from the papyri, especially.

You may be right. But it requires someone with expertise in papyrology
and ancient letter writing.

Ron Price

Weston-on-Trent, Derby, UK

e-mail: ron.price AT virgin.net

Web site: http://homepage.virgin.net/ron.price/index.htm




  • Format of Paul's Letters?, Robert Kraft, 04/28/2000
    • <Possible follow-up(s)>
    • Re: Format of Paul's Letters?, Ron Price, 04/29/2000

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