I have discussed John 19:30 and the meaning of τετελεσται in some length at:
Full
Refutation of the Protestant Interpretation of John 19:30
While I am critical of some of his (often social and
moral) ‘takes’ on the Bible, Dan McClellan has a very good and brief discussion
of this word in the following video:
He references recent
work on the papyri, and how the word that is abbreviated for “paid in full” on
papyri contemporary with the New Testament is not τετελεσται but a different
word: τετελώνηται (which were collected by a τελώναι, a tax-collector).
A good overview of this can be found in the article:
Gary Manning Jr., “Paid
in Full”? The Meaning of τετελεσται
(Tetelestai) in Jesus’ Final Words, The Good Book Blog, April 20,
2022
To quote a relevant portion of the article:
It turns out that all of these receipts have the abbreviation τετελ
(tetel), not a complete word. Here’s the problem: there are at least five
different Greek words that could begin with the letters τετελ. One of those
words is τετελώνηται (tetelōnētai), “taxed” or “paid as taxes,” which makes
much more sense, since all 40 receipts were receipts for taxes (collected by
τελώναι, tax-collectors) paid on cargo that passed through various gates and
ports in Arsinoites. A typical example is “tax paid (τετελ) of 1% and 2%
through the gate of Soknopaiou Nesos, by Nepheros, exporting two artabas of
dates on one donkey.”
In fact, starting in 1934, publishers of papyri decided τετελ was an
abbreviation of τετελώνηται, and the official papyri databases now regard this
as the correct abbreviation. That means, of course, that the word used on these
receipts (τετελώνηται) is not at all the same word used in John 19:30
(τετέλεσται), and Jesus’ cry would not have been understood as a reference to
paid-off debt.
Just to be sure, I also looked at many actual receipts for purchases
or paid-off debts. None used the abbreviation τετελ or the word τετέλεσται. The
purported meaning “paid in full” for τετέλεσται is not found in any other
ancient Greek sources (literary works, papyri or inscriptions). When τετέλεσται
is used in these documents, it describes finishing all kinds of things:
construction, sculpting, farm work, business arrangements, sewing linens, or
even just the list of things to get done in a day. No one thinks Jesus was
crying out “sewing linens is finished!”
To give an
example of this, here are instances of τετελώνηται in the various papyri:
“O.Bodl.: Greek
Ostraca in the Bodleian Library at Oxford and Various Other Collections,” Duke
Data Bank of Documentary Papyri:
AD84 Thebes
[1]Φατρῆς καὶ μέτοχο(ι)
τε-
[2]λῶναι(πεντηκοστῆς) Τωὺτ Πουορενούβει
[3]χ(αίρειν). τετελώνηται ἐν Τωὺτ
[4]φοινίκων(ἀρτάβαι) λ.
(ἔτους) δ Δομιτιανοῦ
[5]τοῦ κυρίου Θῶυτ ιγ.
From Phatrēs and the partners (or
co-owners/tax-collectors). Tout Pouorenoubei sends greetings. It has been paid
in Tout: 30 artabae of Phoenician [grain]. In the 4th year of our lord
Domitian, on Thout 13.
AD95 Thebes
[1]Παμώνθ̣η̣ς
(ὁμοίως)
[2]τ̣ε̣λώ̣νη̣ς
(π̣ε̣ν̣τ̣η̣κ̣ο̣σ̣τ̣ῆ̣σ̣)
Τωὺτ
[3]Σεναμούνει χ(αίρειν). τετελώνηται ἐν Τωὺτ
[4]φοινίκων ὄνος α. (ἔτους) ιε
[5]Δομιτιανοῦ Καίσαρος
[6]τοῦ κυρίου Ἁθὺρ ι.
Pamonthēs (likewise). The
tax-collector. To Senamounēs: greetings. Recorded in Thout — one Phoenician
donkey. In the 15th year of Domitian Caesar, on the 1st of Athyr.
“P.Aberd.:
Catalogue of Greek and Latin Papyri and Ostraca in the Possession of the
University of Aberdeen,” Duke Data Bank of Documentary Papyri:
Document 41a:
AD187 Soknopaiou Nesos
[1]τε̣τελώνηται διὰ πύλησ̣ Σοκνο̣-
[2]π̣α̣ί̣ου Νήσ̣ου
(ἑκατοστῆς) κ(αὶ) (πεντηκοσῆς) Σαβεῖνος
[3]ἐξ̣ά̣γ(ων) ἐπὶ καμήλ(οις) τρισὶ πώλ(οις)
[4]τρισ̣ὶ ὀ̣σπρέων ἀρτάβας
[5]τριάκοντα . (ἔτους) κζ Μεσ̣ο̣-
[6]ρὴ τρίτῃ καὶ εἰκάδ(ι)
{4ικαδ}4 κγ.
It has been taxed through the
gate of Soknopaiou Nesos, under the hundredth and fiftieth [tax districts].
Sabinus, exporter, on three camels and three foals, [exported] thirty artabae
of legumes. Year 27, Mesore 23.
“P.Alex.Giss.:
Papyri Variae Alexandrinae et Gissenses,” Duke Data Bank of Documentary Papyri
Document 13:
AD199/IIIspc Soknopaiou Nesos PAlexinv503
[1]τετελώνηται [note:
τελωνιται papyrus]
διὰ πύ̣λ̣(ης)
[2]Σοκνοπαίου
[3](ἑκατοστῆς) καὶ
(πεντηκοστῆς) Λεωνίδα̣(ς)
[4]ἐξ(άγων) ὄνον ἕνα
[5]λαχανοσπέρμ(ου)
[6](ἀρτάβας) δύο (γίνονται) β. (ἔτους) η
[7]Θὼθ πεν̣τ̣ε̣και-
[8]εικόστ(ῃ) κε̣.
Leonidas, of the hundredth and
fiftieth (tax districts), has paid the customs through the gate of Soknopaiou
for exporting one donkey carrying vegetable seed — two artabas in total. Dated
to the 25th of Thoth, in year 8.
“P.Grenf.: An
Alexandrian Erotic Fragment and Other Greek Papyri, Chiefly Ptolemaic,” Duke
Data Bank of Documentary Papyri:
Document 50m: II/IIIspc Soknopaiou Nesos
[1][τετελώνηται] [note: BL [τετέλεσται]].188
[2][δι]ὰ [π]ύλ[ης] Σ[οκ]-
[3]νοπαίου9.97 εʼ[ρη]-
[4][μ]οφυλα[κίας]
[5]Πανοῦφις κα[ὶ]
[6]Λεωνίδης ἐξ(άγοντες)
[7]φοίνικ(ος)9.97 καμή-
[8]λους πέντε .
[9](ἔτους) κ Φαμεν-
[10]ὼθ ὀγδόῃ,
[11]η
[11]καὶ ὄνον
[12]σκευοφόρο(ν).
It has been taxed through the gate of Soknopaiou
Nesos, at the desert-guard station. Panouphis and Leonides, exporters of dates,
transported on five camels and one pack-donkey. Year 20, Phamenoth 8
“SB: Sammelbuch
Griechischer Urkunden Aus Aegypten,” Duke Data Bank of Documentary Papyri:
AD180/1
Soknopaiou Nesos
[1]τετελώνηται [note: τετελωνιται
papyrus] διὰ πύλης
[2]Σοκνοπαίου {εἰσάγων}
[3]Πανοῦφις εἰσάγων
[4][εʼ]πὶ καμήλοις δυσὶ
[5][οἴ]νου κεράμια
[6][…]δεκα κε̣ …
[7][Παχ]ὼν τρίτῃ καὶ
[8][ειʼ]κάδι κγ
[9]ʹ332 (ἔτους) α… Ἀντων[ίνου καὶ
Κομμόδου …]
[10]Καισάρ[ων … -ca. ?-]
Panouphis has paid the customs through the gate of
Soknopaiou for importing jars of wine on two camels — ten jars in all. Dated to
the 23rd of Pachon, in the first year of the Emperors Antoninus and Commodus.
“Stud.Pal.:
Studien Zur Palaeographie Und Papyruskunde,” Duke Data Bank of Documentary
Papyri
IIspc Soknopaiou
Nesos
[1]τετελώνηται διὰ πύ-
[2]λης Φιλοπάτορος τῆς
[3]καὶ Θεο<γέ>νους 9.351 (ἑκατοστῆς) (πεντηκοστῆς)
[4](hand 2) Ἀμμωνᾶς ἐξάγων
[5]ἐπὶ καμήλοις τρισὶ
[6]ὀρόβου ἀρτάβας δέ-
[7]κα ὀκτώ . (ἔτους) η Φαῶφι
[8]δεκάτῃ χωρὶς
[9]χαρακτῆρος.
It has been taxed through the gate of Philopator, also
called Theogenes, under the one-hundredth and fiftieth tariffs. Ammonas,
exporter, on three camels, exported eighteen artabae of vetch. Year 8, Phaophi
10, without seal.
“SB: Sammelbuch
Griechischer Urkunden Aus Aegypten,” Duke Data Bank of Documentary Papyri:
AD215? Soknopaiou
Nesos
[1]τετελώνηται [note: τετελωνιται
papyrus] διὰ π(ύλης)
[2]Νήσ̣ο̣υ Σοκνοπαίου
[3]λιμένος Μέμφεως
[4]Νεῖλο̣σ̣ εἰσά̣γ̣ω(ν) τῇ
[5]πέμπτῃ Θὼθ
[6]ἐπʼ ὄνῳ ἑνὶ
[7]καλάμινον σφυρίδ(ιον)
[8]ἕνα , (ἔτους) κδ
[9]ἐπαγομένων δευτέρᾳ
[10]β.
Neilos has paid the customs
through the gate of the Island of Soknopaiou, coming from the harbor of
Memphis, importing one reed basket on one donkey. Dated to the 5th of Thoth,
year 24, on the 2nd of the intercalary days.
“SB: Sammelbuch
Griechischer Urkunden Aus Aegypten,” Duke Data Bank of Documentary Papyri:
AD215? Soknopaiou
Nesos
[ctr]
[1]τετελώνηται [note: τετελωνιται papyrus] δι̣ὰ̣ π̣ύ̣(λης)
[2]Νήσου Σοκνοπα̣ί̣ου
[3](ἑκατοστῆς) καὶ (πεντηκοστῆς) Νεῖλος εἰσά(γων)
[4]τῇ πέμπτῃ Θὼθ
[5]ἐπʼ ὄνῳ ἑνὶ καλ-
[6]άμινον σφυρίδιο̣ν̣
[7]ἕν[α] , (ἔτους) κδ ἐπαγ(ομένων)
[8]δευ…α
[9]β.
[sigl]
[10][ -ca. ?-]… Αὐρ
[11][ -ca. ?- (ἑκατοστῆς) κα]ὶ (πεντηκοστῆς) .
It has been taxed through the
gate of Soknopaiou Nesos, under the one-hundredth and fiftieth tariffs. Neilos,
importer, on the fifth of Thoth, on one donkey, brought in one reed basket.
Year 24, during the intercalary days, second […]. [Another fragment mentions an
Aurelius, under the same tariffs.]
“P.Lond.: Greek
Papyri in the British Museum,” Duke Data Bank of Documentary Papyri:
AD182/214
Soknopaiou Nesos pg38
[A]
[1]τετελώνηται [note: τετελωνιται papyrus] διὰ
[2]πύλης Σοκνο-
[3]παίου (ἑκατοστῆς) καὶ (πεντηκοστῆς)
[4]Φανοῦφις εἰσά-
[5]γων ἀπὸ Αὐάσεως22389.142
[6]κάμηλ(ον) ἑνὰ οἴνο(υ)
[7]σπάθια ἕξ .
[8](ἔτους) κβ Ἐπεὶφ
[9]πεντεκαιδε[κάτῃ]
[10]ιε.
[11]ʹ337
[B,r]
[1][τετελώ]νηται δι[ὰ πύ]λης
[2][Σοκ]ν̣οπαίου (ἑκατοστῆς) καὶ
(πεντηκοστῆς)
[3][Πανο]ῦφος εἰσάγων
[4]ἀπ̣ὸ̣ Α̣υʼ[άσε(ως)]9.142 ἐπὶ κα-
[5]μή[λ]οις δύο σπάθι-
[6]α δεκαδύο οἴνου.
[7](ἔτους) 2̣0̣ Φαρμοῦθι
[8]ἐνά̣τ̣[ῃ]
καὶ εἰκάδι.
[9]2̣9̣9.142
[B,v]
[1]ʹ337
[C]
[1]τετελώνηται [note: τετελωνιται papyrus] διὰ πύλης
[2]Σοκν[ο]παίου (ἑκατοστῆς) καὶ
(πεντηκοστῆς)
[3]Θεσνῦφις εἰσάγων
[4]καμήλους δ[ύο] οἴνου
[5]σπάθια δεκαδύο
[6](ἔτους) κγ Παχὼν τριακ[άδι]
[7]3̣0̣.
[7]ʹ337
[C,sigl]
[1](ἔτους) κγ πύλης Σοκ[νοπαίου Νήσ]ου.
[D]
[1]τετε(λώνηται) δι(ὰ) πύ̣(λης) Νής(ου)9.143 Σοκνοπ(αίου)
[2]λ(ιμένος) Μέμφεως Μέλας
[3]εἰσάγ(ων) οἴ̣ν̣[ο]υ κεράμια
[4]δεκαέξ . (ἔτους) κα Φαμε-
[5]νὼθ μίᾳ καὶ εἰκάδ̣[ι] κα.
[6]ʹ337
[E]
[1]τε̣τ̣ε̣λ(ώνηται) διὰ πύ(λης) Κ(αράνιδος)
[2]λιμένος Μέμφ[ε]ως
[3]ἐ̣ξ̣άγων Οὐαλήρις
[4]ἐ̣π̣[ὶ ὄνο]υς γ λαχάνω(ν)
[5](ἀρτάβας) θ9.143 (ἔ̣τ̣ο̣υ̣σ̣) … Αὐρηλίου Ἀν-
[6]τωνείνου Καίσαρος
[7]τοῦ κυρίου Παῦνι κθ.
[F]
[1]τετε(λώνηται) δι(ὰ) πύλ(ης) Σοκνο(παίου) Νήσου ἴχ-
[2]νους ἐρημοφυλακίας Σώτασ̣
[3]ἐξάγ(ων) ἐπὶ καμήλ(ῳ) ἑνὶ ὀρόβου
[4]ἀρτάβας ἕξ, (ἀρτάβαι) ϛ. (ἔτους) β Ἐπὶφ τρί-
[5]τῃ
[6]ʹ337
[G]
[1]τε[τελ(ώνηται) δ]ιὰ πύ̣[λ(ης)]
[2]Σοκ[νοπ(αίου) Νήσου]
[3]ἐρημ̣[οφυλακίας]
[4]Παθώτ̣ης
[5]ἐξ(άγων) πύρου ἐπὶ
[6]καμήλοις
[7]τρισί . (ἔτους) κγ
[8]Φαρ[μοῦ]θι
[9]ιϛ.
[A]
Phanouphis has paid the customs
through the gate of Soknopaiou, of the hundredth and fiftieth (tax districts),
importing from Auas one camel-load containing six jars of wine.
Dated to the 15th of Epeiph, in year 22.
[B]
Panouphis has paid the customs
through the gate of Soknopaiou, of the hundredth and fiftieth (tax districts),
importing from Auas on two camels twelve jars of wine. Dated to the 29th of
Pharmouthi, in year 20.
[C]
Thesnuphis has paid the customs
through the gate of Soknopaiou, of the hundredth and fiftieth (tax districts),
importing on two camels twelve jars of wine. Dated to the 30th of Pachon, in
year 23.
[D]
Melas has paid the customs
through the gate of the Island of Soknopaiou, coming from the harbor of
Memphis, importing sixteen jars of wine. Dated to the 21st of Phamenoth, in
year 21.
[E]
Valerius has paid the customs
through the gate of Karanis, from the harbor of Memphis, exporting on three
donkeys nine artabas of vegetables. Dated to the 29th of Pauni, in the reign of
our lord Aurelius Antoninus Caesar.
[F]
Sotas, of the desert-watch post,
has paid the customs through the gate of the Island of Soknopaiou, exporting on
one camel six artabas of vetch. Dated to the 3rd of Epiph, in year 2.
[G]
Pathotes, of the desert-watch
post, has paid the customs through the gate of the Island of Soknopaiou,
exporting wheat on three camels. Dated to the 16th of Pharmouthi, in year 23.
Liddell and
Scott, in their well-known lexicon of Koine Greek, also share two examples of τετελώνηται:
πύλη [ῠ], ἡ, prop. one
wing of a pair of double gates, ὀλίγον τι παρακλίναντες τὴν ἑτέρην π. Hdt.3.156: mostly in pl., gates of a town (whereas θύρα =
house-door), Σκαιαὶ π.
Il.3.145, etc.; π. εὖ ἀραρυίας 7.339;
πύκα στιβαρῶς ἀραρυίας
12.454; πεπταμένας ἐν χερσὶ π. ἔχετε 21.531; ἄνεσάν τε π. καὶ ἀπῶσαν ὀχῆας ib.
537; π. ἀνοῖξαι A.Ag.604; π. κλῇσαι Pl.R.560c
(the Art. is freq. omitted even in Prose): pl. of several gates, A.Th.125; ἐν πύλαις in or
at the gates, ib. 160, 213 (both
lyr.), al.; πρὸς πύλαις ib. 377, 457; ἐπὶ ταῖς πύλαισιν, οὗ τὸ τάριχος ὤνιον Ar.Eq.1247.
2. in Trag. sts. of the house-door, δωμάτων πύλαι A.Ch.732,
cf. 561; γυναικείους π. gate or door leading to the women’s apartments, ib. 878; πύλαις διπλαῖς ἐνήλατο S.OT1261; ἐκτὸς αὐλείων πυλῶν Id.Ant.18: also in sg., ib. 1186, El.818; of the door of a tent, Id.Aj.11;
πύλης ἄναξ θυρωρέ Id.Fr.775, of a temple, SEG32.1260 (Paphlagonia, a.d. 192/3).
3. πύλαι Ἀΐδαο the gates of
the nether world, periphr. for hell,
Il.5.646, 9.312, Od.14.156; Ἅιδου πύλαι A.Ag.1291,
cf. Ev.Matt.16.18, etc.; also σκότου πύλαι E.Hec.1; νερτέρων π. Id.Hipp.1447.
4. custom-house,
PTeb.5.34 (ii b.c.); τετελώνηται διὰ πύλης has paid the customs,
BGU1592 (iii a.d.), etc.; τὸ σύμβολον τῆς ἱερᾶς Συηνιτικῆς π. PStrassb.79.10 (i b.c.); μισθωταὶ ἱερᾶς π. Σοήνης Ostr.106
(ii a.d.), al., cf. Ostr. Bodl. v C 1 (ii a.d.), ὁ πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ, i.e. customs officer, PRein.95.1. (A Greek-English Lexicon, comp. Henry George Liddell and Robert
Scott [rev ed.; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996], 1553)
τελωνέω, pf. τετελώνηκα Phld.Rh.1.344 S.:—to be a τελώνης, PPetr.2
p.108 (iii b.c.), Plu.2.236b, Luc.Pseudol.30;
in bad sense, κλέπτει,
τελωνεῖ Apollod.Com.13.13, cf. Phld. l.c.
II. c. acc., τ.
τινὰ τικρῶς take heavy toll of one, Str.9.3.4:—Med., ἐτελωνήσατο ἐξάγων δούλην has paid toll, BGU913.11 (iii a.d.), cf. 882.2 (iii a.d.);
freq. in pf., τετελώνηται διὰ πύλης ἐξάγων PAmh.2.116, 117 (ii a.d.),
PLips.81, 82 (iii/iv a.d.),
etc.:—Pass., τελωνουμένους σκληρῶς OGI55.17
(Telmessus, iii b.c.); to be demanded
or paid as toll, Lxx1Ma.13.39; καθότι ἂν οἱ Μιλήσιοι -ῶνται are
subject to tax, Milet.3.149.25
(ii b.c.); τὰ μὴ τετελωνημένα articles on which customs-duty has not been paid, PTeb.5.26 (ii b.c.): metaph., dub. in Erot. Prooem. (A
Greek-English Lexicon, comp. Henry George Liddell and Robert Scott [rev
ed.; Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996], 1774)
Again, we see the
common appeal to the papyrus and legal documents to support τετλεσται as
having the meaning of “paid in full” is to be based on faulty evidence. It
simply does not hold up.
