Date
Many scholars (Frederic G. Kenyon, H. I. Bell, Adolf
Deissmann, and W. H. P. Hatch) have confirmed the dating of P52. Deissman was
convinced that it was written at least during the reign of Hadrian (A.D.
117-138) and perhaps even during the reign of Trajah (A.D. 98-117). Deissmann
wrote an article on this, “Ein Evangelienblatt aus den Tagen Hadrians,” which
was translated in the British Weekly. (12 Dec. 1935, p. 219)
This dating is derived from comparing P52 to
manuscripts such as P. Fayum 110 (A.D. 94), the Egerton Gospel (A.D. 130-150),
P. Oslo (A>D. 127), P. London 2078 (reign of Domitian, A.D. 81-96), and P.
Berolinenses 6845 (c. A.D. 100). Though each of these manuscripts bears
significant resemblance to P52, P. Berolinenses 6845 is the closest parallel,
in Robert’s opinion. Another manuscript shares many similarities with P52, P.
Oxy. 2533. The editors of P. Oxy. 2533 said that its handwriting could be
paralleled with first-century documents, but since it had the appearance of
being second century, they assigned it to a second-century date. Thus, both P.
Oxy. 2533 and P52 can safely be dated to A.D. 100-125. However, its
comparability to manuscripts of an even earlier period (especially P. Fayum 110
and P. London 2078), pushes the date closer to A.D. 100, plus or minus a few
years. This is extremely remarkable, especially if we accept the consensus
dating for the composition of the Fourth Gospel: A.D. 80-95. This would mean
that P52 may be only twenty years removed from the original. (Philip Wesley Comfort
and David P. Barrett, The Text of the Earliest New Testament Greek
Manuscripts [3d ed.; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Kregel Academic, 2019], 1:337-38)