The Magdalen Fragments (portions of the book of Matthew) are probably the most important discovery since the Dead Sea Scrolls since the 1940s. These fragments of papyrus were once thought to have been dated around the middle to late 2nd century A.D.. Yet, when German papyrologist Carsten Peter Thiede discovered that the Magdalen GR 17 papyrus was dated to about the middle of the first century A.D.. He came up with the assessment due to the style of the Greek handwriting.
The quote below is from German papyrologist Carsten Peter Thiede:
"The Magdalen fragment now appears to belong to a style of handwriting that was current in the 1st Century A.D., and that slowly petered out around the mid-1st Century. Even a hesitant approach to questions of dating would therefore seem to justify a date in the 1st Century, about 100 years earlier than previously thought"
This would place the writing of Matthew around 20 years after the crucifixion.
Showing the importance of the Greek language to the Gospel writers (especially Matthew) and the first century world. Writing the Gospels in Hebrew (especially since it was mainly a liturgical language) and then expecting the message to be published throughout the world would make little sense, yet putting the Gospel into the world wide language of the first century A.D. being Greek would insure it would be read throughout the known world.
http://www.amazon.com/books/dp/03854...tofgamonlco-20
http://www.amazon.com/The-Jesus-Papy...FRF8VWTHXGY7WH
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