This eightieth year of Tyndale House presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the remarkable achievements we have seen over the years. Therefore, it feels especially fitting to highlight the recent publication by Dr Kim Phillips, a former Tyndale House researcher and key member of the Codex Climaci Rescriptus Project team. Dr Phillips’s book, Two Early Byzantine Bible Manuscripts in Christian Palestinian Aramaic: Codex Climaci Rescriptus II & XI, emerged from his work on the almost decade-long project by Tyndale House researchers. Phillips completed the book in his role as a Research Fellow at the Institute for Hebrew Bible Manuscript Research.
The Codex Climaci Rescriptus (CCR) is a sixth-century palimpsest manuscript—a manuscript in which the original writing has been erased or scraped off to make room for new text. The CCR project aimed to transcribe, preserve, and publish the original text hidden underneath the later writing. Initially, it was believed that the concealed text was entirely biblical or theological. However, further analysis revealed groundbreaking discoveries, including long-lost astronomical and classical works, most notably the star catalogue of the ancient astronomer Hipparchus. This unexpected revelation broadened the scope of the project, which concluded in 2023.
In 2015, Kim Phillips joined the CCR Project team, working closely with Tyndale House and contributing to the deciphering and preservation of the codex’s secrets. Reflecting on his involvement with the project, he writes:
It was in 2015 that Dr Peter Williams of Tyndale House first gave me the opportunity to come and work on the Codex Climaci Rescriptus Project. I am grateful for his timely offer, and for the chance to have been involved for many years with Tyndale House, whose mission so closely echoes my own heart.
Dr Phillips’s dedication to the project is exemplified in his newly published book. Two Early Byzantine Bible Manuscripts delves into the history, significance, and context of two of the most important biblical manuscripts from the Byzantine period, drawing on the extensive research and insights gained through his years working with the Codex Climaci Rescriptus. The book underscores the notion that meaningful work takes time, and that collaboration is often essential to success. It also aligns with our mission to conduct rigorous research at the highest level and make our findings accessible to anyone who seeks to improve their understanding of the Bible.
Related articles:
Tyndale House Codex Climaci Rescriptus Project
Codex Climaci Rescriptus Project reaches completion
Tyndale House researchers make astronomical discoveries
New words in Jesus’s native tongue identified
New editions of the biblical texts published from CCR
More hidden texts revealed from Codex Climaci Rescriptus
Further reading:
Phillips, K. (2025). Two Early Byzantine Bible Manuscripts in Christian Palestinian Aramaic: Codex Climaci Recscriptus II & XI. https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:EU:c09818c2-cfd1-4eba-8aba-40f7106e0c65
March 10, 2025
Notes
Manuscript image in header image: CCR_047r, Courtesy Museum of the Bible Collection. © Museum of the Bible, 2021. Image shared under Creative Commons BY-SA 4.0 license, 2022. All conditions apply. Spectral imaging by the Early Manuscripts Electronic Library and the Lazarus Project of the University of Rochester and the Chester F. Carlson Center for Imaging Science of the Rochester Institute of Technology.