The papyrus is so broken that we cannot hope to recover this saying in its entirety, but it is clear that it differed from the others in having an introductory clause which gave the occasion when it was uttered.
Judgments have differed as to whether all these sayings are really sayings of Jesus. That there were sayings of his known in ancient times that are not recorded in our Gospels is shown by Acts 20:35. Some, at least, of these sayings are so like those of Jesus that it is not difficult to believe them his. But whether they are his or not, these papyri make clear to us what Luke meant when he said “many have taken in hand to draw up a narrative.”
CHAPTER XXVI
ARCHÆOLOGICAL LIGHT ON THE ENROLMENT OF QUIRINIUS
Translation of a Papyrus Showing that in the Second Century Enrolment was made Every Fourteen Years. Comments. Translation Referring to an Enrolment in the Reign of Nero. Fragment from the Reign of Tiberius. Enrolments Probably Inaugurated by Augustus. Document Showing that People Went to their Own Towns for Enrolment. Inscription Supposed to Refer to Quirinius. Inscription from Asia Minor Referring to Quirinius. Discussion. Conclusions.
Archæological research has recently thrown much light upon the census of Quirinius mentioned in Luke 2:1-5. The evidence has come in part from ancient records on papyri which have been dug up in Egypt, some of which are herewith translated.
The following extract from a large papyrus establishes the fact that a census or an assessment-list was made in the Roman empire every fourteen years.
1. Papyrus Showing Enrolment Every Fourteen Years.[607]