A New Proposal of the Structure of the Manna Discourse in John 6:22–71: Study Based on Codex Vaticanus in Comparison to the Earliest Textual Witnesses

There are over 80 structures of the manna discourse in John 6 proposed in scholarly literature. However, no study has grounded its analysis on the earliest textual witnesses, such as papyri P66 (Bodmer II) and P75 (Bodmer XV), or the earliest codices, including Codex Vaticanus (B) and Codex Sinaiticus ( א). This article aims to fill this gap. After presenting the status quaestionis of the various structures in John 6, the papyri and codices mentioned above are examined together with the division markers they preserve. Then John 6:22–71 in Codex Vaticanus is examined in comparison with these textual witnesses in search of a structure. The study reveals three major sections: vv. 22–40, 41–51, and 52–71. These sections are further divided by markers such as a horizontal bar beneath the first letter of the final line of a verse, often accompanied by an empty space. In the first section, they indicate the change of the speaker between Jesus and the people (vv. 22–25, 26–27, 28, 29, 30–31, 32–33, 34, 35–40). In the second one, after the questions from the crowd (vv. 41, 42), they divide Jesus’ speech into three parts (vv. 43–46, 47–50, 51). Thus, the same division markers change their function, emphasising specific statements of Jesus. In the third section, the division markers (1) indicate the change of speaker (vv. 52, 53–58), (2) point out the venue of the debate (v. 59), (3) link the speeches of Jesus with the narrator (vv. 60–61, 62–66), and (4) bring together the speech of Jesus, the narrative, and Peter’s confession. It should be underlined that P66, P75, and Codex Sinaiticus show different and more frequent division markers in John 6:22–71 than Vaticanus; nevertheless, they coincide with its divisions in 83% of cases. If the division markers in early papyri and codices are considered significant in biblical studies, they serve as a valuable resource for further literary analysis. Moreover, examining their various functions within the text and their interconnections provides substantial insights into biblical exegesis.