ON WHAT MATERIAL WAS SCRIPTURE WRITTEN?

 

Today I write less and record more. I even print less and no longer purchase writing pads – yet I record more than at any time in my lifetime. I recall writing on slates, double-line and single-line exercise books. Then, typing with manual and electric typewriters. Then came the computers and the variety of printing formats. Today, much of my reading and recording is done electronically.

People who wrote the Bible could never have imagined today’s practice of record keeping. Because of the high rate of illiteracy when the Bible was written, the need for writing was minimized. Imagine, both original documents and copies were handwritten. In addition, materials for writing were rare and expensive. For these and other reasons, persons engaged in record keeping were scholarly and deeply committed to their craft. The scribes would be the most prominent in this group of scholars. Scribes recorded stocks of food, court proceedings, legal documents, as well as administrative and sacred documents.

Scribes used a variety of materials for writing. Some of the materials that biblical writers used:

Papyrus – this was made from the core of the papyrus plant. Papyrus was the paper of the ancient world, made from long thin strips of the papyrus reed. These strips of reed were overlaid in crisscrossing layers. When pressed together, the gum from the plant’s cellular structure acted as a bonding agent. Sheets of papyrus were joined into scrolls that could be over 100 feet long. The text was usually only on one side of the scroll, but an exception to this is alluded to in Revelations 5:1, "and I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals."

Parchment and Vellum – Especially during the time of the New Testament and later Jewish texts, parchment (animal hides/skins specially prepared for writing) and vellum (from calf skin) became more common. These materials were more durable than papyrus and allowed for the creation of early books (codices). Because the use of parchment allowed for easier corrections, this facilitated more accurate recording. The durability of vellum appealed to scribes who copied the Scriptures. This usage increased the preservation of texts.

Stone – some biblical inscriptions and important texts, like the Ten Commandments, were carved into stone tablets or monuments. Interestingly, the earliest known writing system was developed in Mesopotamia. Mesopotamians took reeds from the riverbanks and adapted them as tools to impress into clay wedged-shaped marks. This syllable-based writing system, now called cuneiform, was not used by the writers of the Bible. Some scholars believe the medium of clay was not sufficiently durable for some documents.

We cannot ignore the fact that the Bible was written by many authors over a 1,500-year period. During this period, materials used for writing evolved. However, the choice of writing material ensured durability, because of the significance of the material. That explains why some of the New Testament letters were written on animal skin and others on potsherds, also known as ostraca. Ostraca are texts written on broken pottery, which were employed when parchment was unavailable or too expensive. As recent as 2013, ostraca with the name of Elisha was found. When combined with the Middle Eastern climate, ostraca have helped to preserve pieces of many ancient puzzles. Ostraca verify names of people and places. Ostraca authenticates biblical details that assist in certifying the veracity of the Bible and ancient texts.

Writers of Bible times had many choices of inks and pens. One of the more popular inks was a mixture of black carbon particles with any kind of sticky, gummy, semi-liquid. In his reply to his comforters, Job provides us with some useful details about recording information in his times. He said, “Oh, that my words were recorded, that they were written on a scroll, that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead, or engraved in rock forever” (Job 19:23-24). For Job, durable records were critical.

In the first century, ink was somewhat standardized. There was red ink and black ink. According to Randoph Richards, in his volume, Paul and First Century Letter Writing, “…black ink was  preferred and was fade-resistant.” In addition, “… valuable scrolls were kept in waxed leather cases.” That sense of preservation seemed to prevail. Writers may not have known that they were writing Scripture, but they were aware that the information was sufficiently important to be preserved.

We are thankful for the durability of the materials used to protect the content of the Scriptures. Today, the enduring impact of the protected Bible is evident in its influence on religion, literature, the arts and ethics. The Bible is unique. Part of its uniqueness can be seen in the process of preserving the content from orality to durable print.