Composition
Although there is no evidence that Q had a sustained narrative framework,
neither was it simply a grab bag of random sayings. Rather, judging from
parallel passages in Matthew and Luke, it was composed of strings of sayings
clusters, some of which were more thematically focused than others. Some
sayings were merely linked by common catchwords, others by similar verbal
formulae, like the so-called "beatitudes" or parables of mustard and leaven
(see clusters 3.2 and 13.1 below). But none were so stable or tightly
organized that later scribes, like Matthew and Luke, did not feel free to
edit them when inserting them into their own narrative frames. Some clusters
were obviously expanded, like Matthew's sermon on the mount. Others could be
split, their elements rearranged or even inserted in different narrative
contexts (for example, see clusters 3.3, 3.7, 8.1-4, and 10.1 below). The
fact that Matthew and Luke distributed the contents of Q differently in
their own narratives complicates the reconstruction of Q.
During the past century several proposed reconstructions were
published by individual scholars. Those who undertook this task
gradually became convinced that Luke probably preserved the original
sequence of clusters in Q better than Matthew. Two general
observations led to this conviction. First, in expanding the narrative
outline provided by Mark, Matthew tended to create mega-clusters of
thematically organized sayings material, often interpolating Q material into
shorter blocks of similar sayings in Mark (compare for example, Matt
13//Mark 4 and Matt 24//Mark 13). In Luke, on the other hand, most Q
material is distributed in smaller segments along with other non-Markan
material throughout a ten chapter section inserted into the Markan framework
(see clusters 6-16 below).
There was still no definitive critical text of Q in 1985 when the Jesus
Seminar began its deliberations evaluating the historical reliability of
sayings ascribed to Jesus in ancient sources. Moreover, the Fellows agreed
early on that their mission was not to try to establish the exact original
words of Jesus, but rather to test whether the basic logic of a saying was
probably formulated by his mind rather than that of someone else. To
accomplish this task it was not necessary to try to reconstruct the original
text of Q, but rather to test whether he was the probable author of any
Jesus saying preserved by Q or other early sources. So,
instead of diverting attention from its central mission, the Seminar simply
compared the parallel passages in Matthew and Luke below.
Q |
Segment |
Matt |
Luke |
1.1 |
[Opening] |
|
|
1.2 |
[John introduced] |
|
|
1.3 |
John preaches repentance |
3:7-10 |
3:7-9 |
1.4 |
John predicts one to come |
3:11-12 |
3:16-17 |
2 |
Jesus tested |
4:1-11 |
4:1-13 |
3.1 |
Jesus' sermon |
5:1-2 |
6:12-17 |
3.2 |
Congratulations [& condemnations] |
5:3-12 |
6:20-26 |
3.3a |
Love opponents |
5:43-48 |
6:27-28,32-36 |
3.3b |
On confrontations |
5:38-41 |
6:29 |
3.3c |
Beggars & borrowers |
5:42 |
6:30,34-35 |
3.3d |
Golden rule |
7:12 |
6:31 |
3.4 |
On judging |
7:1-2 |
6:37-38 |
3.5? |
Guides & teachers |
15:12-14 |
6:39-40 |
|
|
10:24-25 |
|
3.6 |
On correction |
7:3-5 |
6:41-42 |
3.7 |
Source & produce |
7:16-18, 12:33-35 |
6:43-45 |
3.8 |
On obedience |
7:21,24-27 |
6:46-49 |
4 |
A foreigner's faith |
8:5-13 |
7:1-10 |
5.1 |
John questions Jesus |
11:2-6 |
7:18-23 |
5.2 |
Jesus praises John |
11:7-11 |
7:24-28 |
5.3? |
Law & force |
11:12-13 |
16:16 |
5.4 |
Reply to critics |
11:16-19 |
7:31-35 |
6 |
Following Jesus |
8:19-22 |
9:57-62 |
7.1 |
Call for workers |
9:37-38 |
10:2 |
7.2 |
Travel instructions |
10:7-16 |
10:3-12 |
7.3 |
Warning to Galilean towns |
11:21-24 |
10:13-15 |
7.4 |
Delegation of authority |
10:40 |
10:16 |
8.1 |
Thanksgiving |
11:25-27 |
10:21-22 |
8.2 |
Seeing blessed |
13:16-17 |
10:23-24 |
8.3 |
Prayer |
6:9-13 |
11:1-4 |
8.4 |
Asking & receiving |
7:7-11 |
11:9-13 |
9 |
Controversies |
|
|
9.1 |
Hostile powers |
12:22-28 |
11:14-20 |
9.2 |
Binding the powerful |
12:29 |
11:21-22 |
9.3 |
Partners & opponents |
12:30 |
11:23 |
9.4 |
An unclean spirit returns |
12:43-45 |
11:24-26 |
10.1 |
Sign of Jonah |
12:38-40 |
11:16,29-30 |
10.2 |
Gentiles as judges |
12:41-42 |
11:31-32 |
10.3 |
Lamps & light |
5:14-15, 6:22-23 |
11:33-36 |
10.4 |
Warning to Pharisees |
23:4-7,13,23-36 |
11:39-52 |
10.5 |
Lament for Jerusalem |
23:37-39 |
13:34-35 |
11.1 |
Hidden & revealed |
10:26-27 |
12:2-3 |
11.2 |
On fear |
10:28-31 |
12:4-7 |
11.3 |
On loyalty |
10:32-33 |
12:8-9 |
11.4 |
On slander |
12:31-32 |
12:10 |
11.5 |
On interrogation |
10:19-20 |
12:11-12 |
12.1 |
On food & clothes |
6:25-33 |
12:22-30 |
12.2 |
On treasure |
6:19-21 |
12:33-34 |
12.3 |
Homeowner & thief |
24:43-44 |
12:39-40 |
12.4 |
The master's return |
24:45-51 |
12:42-46 |
12.5 |
Fire & conflict |
10:34-36 |
12:49-53 |
12.6 |
On reading signs |
16:2-3 |
12:54-56 |
12.7 |
On settling out of court |
5:25-26 |
12:57-59 |
13.1 |
Imagining the reign of God |
13:31-33 |
13:18-20 |
13.2 |
On entry & exclusion |
7:13-14,22-23 |
13:24-27 |
13.3 |
The patriarchal banquet |
8:11-12 |
13:28-29 |
13.4 |
First & last |
20:16 |
13:30 |
13.5 |
Up & down |
23:12 |
14:11 |
13.6 |
The dinner guests |
22:1-10 |
14:16-24 |
14.1 |
On discipleship |
10:37-38 |
14:26-27 |
14.2 |
On life lost |
10:39 |
17:33 |
14.3 |
On stale salt |
5:13 |
14:34 |
14.4 |
Lost & found |
18:12-13 |
15:4-7 |
14:5 |
On divided loyalty |
6:24 |
16:13 |
15.1 |
The Torah's tenure |
5:18 |
16:17 |
15.2 |
On divorce |
5:32 |
16:18 |
15.3 |
On scandals |
18:6-7 |
17:1-2 |
15.4 |
On forgiveness |
18:15,21-22 |
17:3-4 |
15.5 |
On confidence |
17:19-20 |
17:5 |
16.1 |
Time of the son of man |
24:23-28,37-41 |
17:22-37 |
16.2 |
The unused loan |
25:14-30 |
19:12-27 |
16.3 |
Israel's judges |
19:28 |
22:28-29 |
In November 1989 the International Q Project (IQP) was convoked as a
collaborative venture to establish a critical text of Q. Though
several Fellows of the Jesus Seminar were involved in this project, their
work was independent of the JS's deliberations. The IQP's definitive Greek
text and English translation of Q were finally published in 2001, a decade
after this report of the Seminar's work on the sayings of Jesus was drafted.
Since the Seminar's decisions were not based upon the text established by
the IQP, this digital version has not been revised and updated to reflect
their conclusions. But anyone who wishes to compare the IQP's text of Q can
find it at the following website: