Q IN THE SINGLE TRADITION OF MATTHEW (QMT)
Thus far, examination has been made of only such material as is somewhat
closely duplicated in Matthew and Luke. Examination will now be made of
the sayings that are found in Matthew, unduplicated in Luke, to see
whether any of these may also be assigned, with any great probability, to
Q. In this unduplicated material no data are at hand for distinguishing
QMt from simple Q; but since QMt is the symbol for the copy of Q used by
Matthew, that symbol will be employed here instead of Q.
The criteria for distinguishing Q material in Matthew unduplicated by Luke
are the general character of the material, chiefly its eschatological use
of the phrase "the kingdom of heaven," its Jewish coloring, its antipathy
to the Pharisees, the absence of indications of Matthean invention, and
the proximity to and connection with other material heretofore attributed
to Q or QMt. This last item is not so important in Matthew, on account of
his habit of transposing his Q material; yet within limits it is a
valuable criterion.
Examination will be made of all passages in which there is reason to
suspect the possible presence of Q material. This having been done in the
case of the Gospel of Matthew, a similar examination will be made of the
Gospel of Luke. The results of these two examinations will give us data
for the comparison of Q as used by Matthew and Q as used by Luke. We shall
then be able to say whether the differences between what we have called
QMt and what we have called QLk are too great for the assumption that they
are different recensions of the same ground-document. Matter already
assigned to Q (or QMt or QLk) will not be examined again. As the sayings
reported in each Gospel are examined, in cases where the material is
rejected from QMt or QLk, suggestions will be made as to possible or
probable sources.
TWO BEATITUDES
(Mt v, 4-5)
Many manuscripts invert the order of these beatitudes. Vs. 4_a_ is a
quotation from Ps xxxvii, 11. Vs. 5 sounds like a reminiscence of Ps
cxxvi, 5, and Isa lxi, 2. The tendency to apply prophecy to Jesus is
especially strong in Matthew; but whether this should be charged to him or
his source remains to be determined. The [Hebrew] of the Hebrew, or the
[Greek: echrisen] of the Greek, of Isa lxi, 1, would forcibly suggest such
application in this case. Of the Judaistic and the universalistic
tendencies found side by side in Matthew it is probable that the Judaistic
are earlier, and therefore that they belonged in the source; the
universalistic, naturally assumed to be later, will be more easily
attributed to Matthew. Aside from this it is hardly to be assumed that
Matthew invented any beatitudes on his own account. From both these
considerations it is reasonable to conclude that these two beatitudes were
added to Q before it reached Matthew.
FOUR MORE BEATITUDES
(Mt v, 7-10)
For vs. 7 there is no close Old Testament exemplar, tho Joel ii, 13, has
been suggested. The suggestion is the more plausible since the same verse
would also have served as an indirect source of the next beatitude in vs.
8. There is no reason for crediting Matthew with the manufacture of either
of these beatitudes. Vs. 8 may be reminiscent of Ps xxiv, 4; li, 10;
lxxiii, 1, as well as of the verse in Joel. "They shall see God" is
probably used here in an eschatological sense. An expression combining the
ideas and in part the wording of vss. 8 and 9 is found in Heb xii, 14:
[Greek: Eirênên diôkete ... hou chôris oudeis opsetai ton kyrion]. If this
is not a reminiscence of these beatitudes in Matthew, it at least embodies
a similar tradition. The [Greek: dikaiosynês] of vs. 10 is peculiar to
Matthew among the Gospels. From its Judaistic coloring it is to be
ascribed to Matthew's Q rather than to the evangelist himself. If I Peter
iii, 14, be allowed to be a direct reference to this beatitude, this will
heighten the probability that all these beatitudes were added to Q before
its use by Matthew. It is not impossible that Matthew found in Q only the
beatitudes now standing in Luke, and that he added these others (also
making correction in those now duplicated in Luke), not inventing these
himself, but possibly taking them from an oral tradition, or from a
separate written source. But this theory seems to the writer to be much
more complicated and less probable than the one here advocated. It is
quite out of the question that Luke should have found these six beatitudes
in his Q and should have omitted them. Yet the beatitudes common to
Matthew and Luke are by all scholars attributed to Q. Harnack is
undoubtedly correct in saying, "The beatitudes certainly circulated in
various recensions from the beginning."[101] The process of alteration and
accretion would begin long before the days of Matthew.
"YE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD"
(Mt v, 14)
In the Johannine tradition this saying has become "I am the light of the
world." Like the saying, "Ye are the salt of the earth" (in Mt v, 13), it
emphasizes, as against Luke's version, the direct address of the
beatitudes and the conjoined sayings to the disciples. It probably stood
in Matthew's Q.
"LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE"
(Mt v, 16)
The intervening vs. 15 is found in Luke. With that verse omitted, the
connection between vss. 14 and 16 is improved. I Peter ii, 12, is a
reminiscence, or almost a direct quotation, of vs. 16. Of vss. 13_a_, 14,
and 16 it should be observed that, while they are unduplicated in Luke,
they change the character of all the words in their context from the
character which those words have, so far as they are duplicated, in Luke;
for they make of them no longer general remarks, but words of extremely
earnest exhortation addressed directly to the disciples. It is extremely
unlikely that Matthew should have found the sayings in Q as mere general
remarks, and should himself have given them this character of pointed
exhortation by inserting the words, "Ye are the salt of the earth," "Ye
are the light of the world," etc. But it is equally improbable that Luke
should have found these pointed words in his recension of Q, and should by
their omission have degraded the sayings to the rank of mere general
observations. The best way to save these sayings for Q is by the
hypothesis of the recensions.
VARIOUS SAYINGS FROM THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT
(Mt v, 17, 19-24, 27-28)
Concerning the section v, 17-48, Hawkins says, "I would place this section
by itself as one which we may regard as more likely to have formed part of
Q than any other which is to be found in a single Gospel."[102] Yet it is
to be noted that in the section of which Hawkins makes this statement
there are eleven verses (vss. 18, 25, 26, 32, 39, 40, 42, 44-47) which are
not "found in a single Gospel," but which have very close parallels in
Luke, and would on this latter consideration be assigned to Q. This fact
heightens the probability that the unduplicated verses should also be
assigned to some form of that document. Only those verses are considered
here which have no parallel in Luke.
Thruout these verses there is a strong Judaistic coloring. They may be
compared in this respect with such other New Testament passages as Rom
iii, 31; x, 4; Jas ii, 10; II Pet ii, 14. The words, "till heaven and
earth pass away" at the beginning of vs. 18 do not quite agree with the
words "until all things be fulfilled" at the end of the verse; the latter
words have been suggested by Schmiedel as being a gloss. If, with the two
verses that follow them, they be not such a gloss, they are, says
Schmiedel,[103] not from the final editor, who does not care for Jewish
legalism, but from some earlier editor. In other words, universally
attributed as the section is to Q, these words were not in Luke's version
of that document, and it is inconceivable that Matthew should have added
them. They are part of the accretion that took place in Matthew's
recension of Q before it reached Matthew. Harnack, however, maintains
that there is no inconsistency in attributing the words to Jesus himself.
Vs. 20 illustrates the unchronological placing of the sayings, since it
implies that the break with the pharisees has already occurred. In vss. 21
and 22 is the word [Greek: enochos], occurring four times; Matthew uses it
in one other passage where he has taken it from Mark, who uses it twice;
but Luke consistently avoids it, both in his Gospel and in Acts.
Unchronological in their setting are also the words in vss. 23-24; they
were evidently spoken in Jerusalem, not in Galilee. They would not have
been added from an oral tradition, much less invented, in times as late as
those of the final editor of the Gospel.
A SAYING ABOUT OFFENSES
(Mt v, 29-30)
For this saying there is a doublet in Mt xviii, 8-9, taken from Mk ix,
43-48. Mark may in this passage also have been following Q. That this
saying should have been absent from Luke's recension of Q, while present
in that of both Matthew and Mark, and that it should also, as Dr. Stanton
maintains, have been absent from Luke's copy of Mark, seems rather too
much of a coincidence. But the saying is like several others which Luke
omits because of their strong tincture of asceticism, or because the
instructions in them might be understood in too literal a way. Whether it
was or was not in Luke's recension of Q, its character and connection seem
to indicate its presence in Matthew's recension of that document.
THE COMMANDMENT ABOUT DIVORCE
(Mt v, 31)
Like vss. 21, 27, 33, 38, and 43 of this same chapter, this verse quotes
an Old Testament commandment, as introductory to the teaching of Jesus
upon the subject of that command. Since much of the teaching of Jesus upon
these items is duplicated in Luke, but this quotation of the Old Testament
commandment is omitted by him each time, the quotation will be ascribed
either to Matthew or his source. The fact that it is his source, and not
the final editor (who for convenience is all along here called Matthew),
who is responsible for the Judaistic coloring of the Gospel, the
universalistic tendency being attributed to Matthew, inclines us to assign
all these verses in quotation of the commandments to QMt.
ABOUT OATHS
(Mt v, 33-37)
This passage has also a strong Judaistic coloring. It is reminiscent of Ps
xlviii, 3. Most students assign it simply to Q. If it stood in Luke's
recension of that document, the same non-Jewish bias which is observable
in many of his omissions of Marcan material would account for his omission
of the saying. It is neither possible nor necessary to prove that these
verses were not in Luke's recension. But considering their character and
their context, it is much more likely that Matthew took them from his
recension of Q than from any other source known to us.
THE SECOND MILE
(Mt v, 41)
This sounds like a secondary accretion. It adds little or nothing to the
force of the injunction, and rather interrupts the connection between vss.
40 and 42. It may have been added by Matthew from some source of his own;
but more probably stood in Matthew's Q.
ANOTHER OLD TESTAMENT COMMANDMENT
(Mt v, 43)
In this verse and the five others which quote the commandments, the word
[Greek: errhethê] occurs; it is not used by Mark or Luke, and by Matthew is
used only in these verses. So far as this may be said to throw any light
upon the origin of these verses, it would indicate their presence in
Matthew's recension of Q, rather than their invention or addition by
Matthew.
ABOUT ALMS-GIVING
(Mt vi, 1-4)
Dr. Robinson, in his _Study of the Gospels_,[104] maintains, quite
correctly, that Matthew's chap. vi breaks the connection in his Sermon on
the Mount. If it is omitted, the connection is not only better, but is the
same as that of Luke's in his Sermon on the Plain. He also considers that
Mt vi, 7-15, breaks the connection between the verses that immediately
precede and immediately follow them. He therefore concludes that Mt vi,
1-5, 16-18, at one time had a separate existence of its own. This is not
impossible. The disarrangement by the insertion of chap. vi is indeed
obvious. Bacon, in his _Sermon on the Mount_, and Votaw, in his article
under the same title in Hastings' _Dictionary of the Bible_, bring out the
same composite character of the Sermon as Matthew has it. But much of this
material which Matthew has inserted in his Sermon on the Mount is
duplicated word for word in other connections in Luke, and so is uniformly
accredited to Q. This creates a presumption that the rest of this
interpolated material, especially where it is obviously homogeneous in
character with the Q material generally, was taken by Matthew from his
recension of Q. It is not contended that none of this material which
Matthew has here inserted and which is nowhere duplicated in Luke was in
Luke's recension; it is only contended that since Matthew's recension and
Luke's recension are demonstrated to have been different from each other
in certain passages, it is fair to press the argument from this difference
to its reasonable limit, and assume that much if not most of this logian
matter peculiar to Matthew stood before him in his source. In the case of
the verses now before us, however, it seems extremely improbable that Luke
with his interest in alms-giving (see Lk xi, 41; xii, 33) should have
found them in his source and have omitted them.
ABOUT PRAYER
(Mt vi, 5-8)
This sounds like a "midrash" on the Lord's Prayer. There are several
Matthean words in the passage. [Greek: Misthos] is used ten times by
Matthew as against once by Mark and thrice in Luke's Gospel. [Greek:
Battalogeô] is found here only in the New Testament, and not in the
Septuagint. [Greek: Polylogia] is found here only in the New Testament.
[Greek: Eisakouô] is an infrequent word in the New Testament, being used
only in this passage, in Luke's chap. i, once in Acts, and twice in the
Epistles. [Greek: Apodidômi] is used eighteen times by Matthew; seven of
these uses are found in the section xviii, 25-34, and three in the
unduplicated verses vi, 4, 6, 18. It is used once by Mark and eight times
by Luke in his Gospel. These facts are hardly enough to establish any
verdict as to the origin of the section now in question, tho they would
rather look toward Matthew's derivation of it, with its corresponding
sections vi, 1-4, and vi, 16-18, from some written source. Such being the
case, Matthew's recension of Q will certainly fit the requirements better
than any other known document.
ABOUT FASTING
(Mt vi, 16-18)
If the Lord's Prayer, which Luke gives in another and better connection,
be omitted from Matthew's chap. vi, we shall have here three consecutive
sections which have very striking literary resemblances; they are the
sections on alms-giving, on prayer, and on fasting. That these should have
found no echo in the Gospel of Luke, if they stood in his source, is
strange; especially considering his peculiar interest in alms-giving and
prayer. As to the literary affinities among these three sections, the use
of [Greek: misthos], four times, has been noted. The phrase [Greek:
apechousin ton misthon autôn] occurs three times; the longer phrase
[Greek: en tô kryptô, kai ho patêr sou ho blepôn en tô kryptô apodôsei
soi], three times.[105] Quite without these recurrences of the same
formulae, the form and sentiment of the three sections are so markedly the
same as to suggest that they were originally consecutive, and that they
have been taken from one written source. No more probable source can be
suggested than QMt.
PEARLS BEFORE SWINE
(Mt vii, 6)
Schmiedel has suggested that this fragment may "indicate a time when the
eucharist had been so long celebrated as materially to influence the
general tradition of the doctrines of Jesus." A passage somewhat similar
in tone is that occurring in the story of the Canaanitish woman: "it is
not proper to take the bread of the children and give it to the dogs."
Matthew takes this story from Mark; but, significantly, he has omitted one
sentence of Mark's which tones down the Jewish particularism of the
passage, "let the children first be fed." He also inserts in that story
the sentence, not in Mark, "I am not sent except to the lost sheep of the
house of Israel," which corresponds somewhat closely with this statement
concerning the command of Jesus to his disciples, also peculiar to
Matthew, "Into the way of the nations do not go, and into a city of the
Samaritans do not enter; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of
Israel." It is only fair to admit that these instances, in which Matthew
heightens, once by insertion and once by omission, the Jewish coloring in
a story taken from Mark, tell against the theory generally advocated by
the writer, that the Judaistic features of Matthew's Gospel are referable
to his source, and the universalistic features to Matthew himself. But, on
the other hand, this vs. 6 has no discernible connection in its present
context, and no reason suggests itself for Matthew's insertion of it,
except his desire to retain what was in his source. This source may have
been a special one, perhaps even an oral one; but considering the
Judaistic character of so many sayings attributed to Matthew's Q, that
recension would also fit this saying.
THE FALSE PROPHETS
(Mt vii, 15)
The mention of "the" false prophets, as a class to be avoided, has a late
sound. It is not found elsewhere in the Gospels except in the "little
apocalypse" and in Luke vi, 26. It is not necessarily as late as Matthew,
and may fairly be assigned to his recension of Q.
A SAYING ABOUT TREES
(Mt vii, 19)
In an earlier place this saying is attributed by both Matthew and Luke to
John the Baptist. In that earlier connection it evidently was taken from
Q. It probably did not occur twice in that document, but was inserted here
by Matthew from memory, being suggested naturally by the context. It
offers no new Q material.
"BY THEIR FRUITS"
(Mt vii, 20)
This verse is a repetition, with the particle [Greek: arage] prefixed, of
vs. 16. Vs. 18 is also a repetition in the form of a declarative sentence
of what is said in vs. 17 in the form of a question. The whole speech is
considerably longer than the corresponding speech in Lk vi, 43-44. These
repetitions and duplications suggest a good deal of re-working; but not
the sort of re-working that would be done by Matthew, whose tendency is to
condense instead of to expand. Vs. 20 may be a gloss, tho I am not aware
of any manuscript authority against it. There is no new Q material here.
AN OFT-REPEATED FORMULA
(Mt vii, 28_a_)
This formula must be considered, as it is also found in five other places
in Matthew (xi, 1; xiii, 53; xix, 1; xxvi, 1). The first six words of the
formula are precisely alike in all five instances, [Greek: kai egeneto
hote etelesen ho Iêsous]. In two instances these words are followed by the
words [Greek: tous logous toutous]; in one instance by the words [Greek:
pantas tous logous toutous]; in another instance by the words [Greek: tas
parabolas tautas]. In these four instances the formula not only follows a
group of sayings, but is followed by a narrative section; and so
apparently marks the transition from one of Matthew's sources to another.
In the fifth instance, however, the closing words of the formula are
[Greek: diatassôn tois dôdeka mathêtais autou]; and in this instance the
formula does not mark a transition from Q to Mark, but is followed as it
is preceded by Q material. It is generally argued that since the formula
does not occur in either Mark or Luke, and since the construction [Greek:
egeneto hote] does not occur in Matthew outside of these five passages,
but is found twenty-two times in Luke, the formula was each time taken by
Matthew from his source. This source must have been Matthew's recension of
Q, since the formula is always found with Q material. Considering
Matthew's tendency to repeat himself, all that need be affirmed is that in
at least one of the five instances Matthew did find the formula in Q. It
certainly could not have occurred five times, or even three or four times,
in Luke's source, and have been each time omitted by him.
THE CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE CENTURION'S SERVANT
(Mt viii, 13)
Harnack thinks this verse of Matthew's and the corresponding verse in Luke
(Lk vii, 10) were not in Q, tho the rest of the story was. But the
deviation here is no greater than it is in the earlier part of the story,
in the item of the messengers. Matthew has separated this conclusion of
the story from the body of it by his insertion of Jesus' saying, "Many
shall come from the east and west," which Luke gives in another context
(Lk xiii, 28-29). Luke's conclusion evidently belongs with his version of
the story, for it contains the reference to the messengers who do not
appear in Matthew's version. Some manuscripts give the conclusion to the
story in Matthew in words almost identical with Luke's. If this deviation
in manuscripts suggests that the verse in Matthew may be a gloss, this
suggestion may be held to be strengthened by the assumption that if
Matthew himself had inserted this concluding verse he would hardly have
cut it off from the rest of the story by the saying "Many shall come,"
etc. Chiefly on the ground of the alternative reading in [Hebrew], and the
ease with which a gloss would be suggested to a scribe who had the Lucan
narrative also before him, the writer inclines to the opinion that the
verse is a later addition.
"I WILL HAVE MERCY AND NOT SACRIFICE"
(Mt ix, 13)
There is a duplicate of this quotation in Mt xii, 7. In each instance
Matthew has inserted the quotation into a Marcan narrative. Considering
the fact of this insertion in each case, and the absence of a duplicate in
Luke, the verses may be ascribed to Matthew, perhaps upon the basis of an
oral tradition.
THE HEALING OF TWO BLIND MEN
(Mt ix, 27-31)
There is a strong similarity between this story and the story of the
healing of two blind men near Jericho (Mt xx, 29-34). In the latter case
Matthew substitutes the two men for Bartimaeus in the story of Mark and
Luke. The source is apparently a special one, perhaps an oral tradition
influenced by Mk x, 46-52.
THE HEALING OF A DUMB MAN
(Mt ix, 32-34)
Vs. 34 is a doublet of Mt xii, 24; the latter is from Mk iii, 22, where
Mark also appears to be following Q. Perhaps ix, 27-34, has been inserted
at just this place, in order to warrant the statement of Jesus to John the
Baptist that "the blind see and the deaf hear." It is hardly necessary to
assign it to a special literary source.
INSTRUCTIONS TO THE DISCIPLES
(Mt x, 5-8)
These verses have a strong Judaistic coloring: "Into a way of the Gentiles
do not go, and into a city of the Samaritans do not enter," etc. They also
betray the expectation of the early coming of the parousia. These two
items are inconsistent with the invention of these verses by Matthew. They
must have arisen long before Matthew's time. Yet they are imbedded in Q
material. No theory of their origin suits all these facts so well as that
they are a portion of the Q material which was added to that document
after its original compilation, and in the recension that was finally used
by Matthew. It is interesting to observe that Matthew here makes Jesus
teach his disciples (vs. 7) the same formula which he himself had learned
from John the Baptist.
FURTHER INSTRUCTIONS TO THE DISCIPLES
(Mt x, 16_b_-25, 41-42)
Of the chapter in which this section occurs Mr. Streeter says that Matthew
begins with Mark, adds some Q material parallel to Luke's Q material in
the same connection, then Q material unparalleled, then Q material
paralleled in other connections in Luke, then material from a totally
different part of Mark.[106] The verses enumerated here are not paralleled
in either Mark or Luke. They are not like the verses, for the most part,
which Matthew and Luke agree in taking from Q; and they show marked
difference in some respects from those which we have thus far assigned to
Matthew's recension of Q. In his _Apostolic Age_ Professor James Hardy
Ropes[107] suggests that at least one purpose of the collection of Jesus'
sayings was "to furnish a kind of handbook of missionary practice for
those times." These verses, better almost than any other section out of
the instructions to the disciples, answer this purpose. If they rest upon
words of Jesus spoken at the time he sent out his disciples, they are at
least colored by the needs of Christian missionaries who went out toward
the end of the apostolic age. They betray the conviction that the time of
the parousia is near. As coming from Jesus they contain a prediction so
obviously unfulfilled as to make their later invention and ascription to
him very difficult. On the other hand no words ascribed to him would by
themselves more easily originate in the times of the early Christian
missions. Considering their position here, and giving due weight to
Professor Ropes's suggestion, it seems much more probable that they are
taken by Matthew from some written source than from an oral tradition. If
so, no better source can be posited than Matthew's recension of Q.
A SAYING ABOUT ELIJAH
(Mt xi, 14)
Like the reference to Elijah in Mk ix, 12, this verse sounds like a
parenthesis. It adds nothing to the context, and rather interrupts than
furthers the matter. If not inserted by Matthew from some unknown,
perhaps oral, source, it may perhaps best be considered as a gloss.
"HE THAT HATH EARS, LET HIM HEAR"
(Mt xi, 15)
This is a proverbial saying occurring seven times in the Gospels (eight
times in the received text); three times in Matthew, twice each in Mark
and Luke. It also occurs eight times in the Apocalypse. Each evangelist
has a form of his own, to which he adheres thruout. The saying sounds here
as if it were intended to drive home what has just been said about Elijah,
and may with propriety be assigned to the same hand as the preceding
verse.
THE OCCASION OF PRONOUNCING WOES UPON THE GALILEAN CITIES
(Mt xi, 20)
This verse is quoted here chiefly because it furnishes so excellent an
illustration of the nature of the introductory formulae found in Matthew
and Luke in conjunction with their Q material. Sometimes, as in the case
of the Lord's Prayer, such an introduction is present in Luke and absent
in Matthew. In the present instance Matthew alone has it. Yet few passages
from Q disclose a closer verbal agreement with the corresponding passage
in Luke than the passage to which this verse is an introduction. In all
such instances as this the writer sees no difficulty in ascribing the
introductions to the evangelist in whose pages they are found.
REASON ASSIGNED FOR THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE WOES
(Mt xi, 23_b_-24)
Following the woes, Matthew alone has this statement of the reasons for
their being given. He has a doublet for vs. 24 in x, 15. As this latter
is paralleled by Lk x, 12, it may in that context be assigned to Q; here
it may be assigned either to Matthew or one of his early editors. There is
at least no new Q material here.
"COME UNTO ME"
(Mt xi, 28-30)
It is impossible to suppose that this unusually fine utterance could have
been in Luke's copy of Q and could have been omitted by him. Yet of the
five scholars quoted in Table II (pp. 110-11), Wellhausen alone attributes
it to Q. The others all attribute the preceding section to Q, but stop at
vs. 27, where the parallelism between Matthew and Luke breaks off. This is
necessary, of course, upon the assumption that nothing should be
attributed to Q except what is thus paralleled. But if anything stood in
Matthew's recension of Q that was not also in Luke's, certainly these
verses stood there. Weiss's remarks concerning them indicate that he has
no reason for assigning them, as he does, to a special source, except the
fact that they do not appear in Luke. He says "Since these words are not
in Luke we have no right to refer them to Q. This is not to say that they
are the work of Matthew; they have been taken from another source, oral or
written."[108] It has been pointed out by Montefiore that these verses are
largely made up of quotations. "The last bit of vs. 29 comes from Jer xi,
7, and the rest is an adapted echo of Sirach li, 23 seq."[109] The
parallel, however, as Montefiore also says, covers vss. 25-27 as well as
those now under consideration. Loisy[110] argues that the words cannot
safely be ascribed to Jesus, but adds, "It may be readily admitted that
the evangelist found them in the collection of Logia."
A SAYING ABOUT THE LAW
(Mt xii, 5-7)
This saying occurs, not in the midst of Q material, but as an appendix to
a discussion which Matthew and Luke both take from Mark. The passage seems
to be well attested textually. Considering its context, and its relation
to the material immediately preceding, it seems natural to assign the
verses either to Matthew himself or to some early editor, rather than to
seek a special source for them or to attribute them to Matthew's Q. Vs. 7
has already been considered in connection with ix, 13. If the [Greek:
anaitious] in this latter verse were singular instead of plural it would
certainly be taken as a reference to the condemnation and death of Jesus;
indeed, it may naturally, tho not with so much assurance, be so taken as
it stands.
AN OLD TESTAMENT QUOTATION
(Mt xii, 17-21)
This long quotation, occurring as it does in the midst of a Marcan
narrative, may be ascribed either to Matthew or one of his sources; but
there is no evidence that such quotations were part of Q.
"GENERATION OF VIPERS"
(Mt xii, 34_a_)
[Greek: Gennêmata echidnôn] is used once by Matthew and Luke in common (Mt
iii, 7; Lk iii, 7) and twice by Matthew alone. The question in which it
occurs here seems to render the statement in vss. 36-37 less justifiable.
The repetition, not only of the one phrase, but of the idea, in the
section might be taken to indicate that this half of a verse is an
addition either by Matthew or by some later hand.
A SAYING ABOUT THE JUDGMENT
(Mt xii, 36-37)
If Matthew be credited with the insertion of vs. 34_a_, it is not unlikely
that he added these verses also, as a corrective of the impression that
might be drawn from the previous insertion. In character, however, the
verses are similar enough to Q, and might be assigned to Matthew's
recension.
AN INTERPRETATION OF THE SIGN OF JONAH
(Mt xii, 40)
This verse occurs in a passage concerning the demand for a sign, which
Matthew and Luke have evidently taken from Q. Luke's form of the saying
about Jonah is evidently the original one. Matthew's reference to the
three days spent by Jesus "in the heart of the earth" is _post eventum_,
and even so cannot be early. It may perhaps be taken for a gloss, or it
may have been added by Matthew. It may equally well have been added by
some editor of Q before that document fell into Matthew's hands; there is
nothing to determine, except that the strong resemblance, almost amounting
to identity, between Matthew and Luke in the rest of the passage may
properly incline one toward the assumption of a late addition.
THE WEED IN THE FIELD
(Mt xiii, 24-30)
This parable, tho it has a Q sound in the first verse, is too long for any
recension of that document. It is better assigned to a special source,
oral or written. The allegorical character of the parable, with its
elaborate interpretation in vss. 36-43, seems to indicate its
comparatively late origin, and it may be based upon Mk iv, 26-29. At all
events it should not be ascribed to Q.
THE PARABLES OF THE TREASURE, THE PEARL, THE FISH-NET, AND THE SCRIBE
INSTRUCTED IN THE KINGDOM
(Mt xiii, 44-52)
In this chapter Matthew has eight parables.[111] The parables of the Sower
and of the Mustard Seed he has taken from Mark. That of the Yeast he and
Luke have taken from Q. That of the Weed in the Field has just been
assigned to some special source. The four in vss. 44-52 we assign to
Matthew's recension of Q. The grounds upon which this assignment is made
are the following: the parables are extremely similar in form and content
to those that admittedly come from Q, as the parable of the Yeast in this
same chapter. They are so brief as to come under the category of "sayings"
rather than of "parables" in the ordinary sense. They are, with one
exception, without allegorical or other interpretation. These facts
establish their general Q character. The parable of the Fish-Net, in vss.
47-50, contains an allegorical interpretation. Vs. 50 also contains the
phrase [Greek: ekei estai ho klauthmos kai ho brygmos tôn odontôn], which
Matthew employs in five other connections. This phrase occurred at least
once in Q (Mt viii, 12; Lk xiii, 28).
But in spite of a tendency toward repetition which may be observed in
Matthew, it seems hardly fair to charge him with having inserted the
phrase in the other five places where it occurs. It seems strange also
that Matthew should record the parables of the Treasure, the Pearl, and
the Converted Scribe without interpretation, but should himself be
responsible for the interpretation of the parable of the Fish-Net. It is
much more likely that he found the interpretation, with the parable, in
his source.
In these four parables obviously there are two items which most scholars
would agree in calling secondary: the allegorical interpretation of the
parable of the Fish-Net, and the entire parable of the Converted Scribe.
Yet the parables of the Pearl and the Treasure are as primary as any
utterances recorded of Jesus. The strong general similarity in form and
content between these parables and those taken by Matthew and Luke from Q
argues the probability of their presence in some form of that document.
Their absence from the Gospel of Luke indicates their absence from the
recension in his hands. And the presence in them of these secondary traits
argues their addition to Q at some time after its original compilation.
All these considerations make the assignment of these four little parables
to QMt in a high degree probable.
PETER WALKING ON THE WATER
(Mt xiv, 28-31)
The presence of so much narrative material in this section argues at once
against its derivation from any form of Q. It belongs to a cycle of
Peter-sayings preserved in Matthew alone. The source appears to have been
a special one, very probably oral.
"TO THE LOST SHEEP OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL"
(Mt xv, 22-24)
These verses are an insertion of Matthew's into the story of the
Syrophoenician woman, which he has copied from Mark. It is worthy of note
that thruout the entire story the verbal agreement is much more slight
than is usual in narratives, especially such as contain sayings of Jesus,
taken by Matthew from Mark. Luke has no parallel. Considering the very
slight proportion of narrative, and the great preponderance of
sayings-material, in the section, it would not be strange if it stood in
Q. If it stood in Luke's recension, the attitude of Jesus toward
non-Jewish peoples, as implied in the story, would be sufficient to
account for Luke's omission of it. The sentiment of vs. 24, in particular,
is extremely "primary." It could hardly have been invented and ascribed to
Jesus after his time. Mark's words, "Let the children first be fed," tone
down the excessively Jewish particularism of Matthew's account; even aside
from these words, which are absent from Matthew, Matthew's entire version
of the incident is more primary than Mark's. This may be, and has been,
explained by saying that Mark's story has been worked over by an editor,
subsequent to Matthew's use of his Gospel. But since Mark and Q have been
shown to coincide in a certain amount of material, a simpler explanation
is that they coincided in this story of the Syrophoenician woman; the more
primitive character of Matthew's account is then explained by its
dependence upon Q, which is older than Mark. It cannot be shown to have
been absent from Luke's recension, and its presence there may be probable,
but cannot be demonstrated. It is therefore assigned--but with some
hesitation--to QMt.
A SUMMARY OF JESUS' HEALING WORK
(Mt xv, 29-31)
This little summary, like that in Mt iv, 23-25, would naturally be
ascribed to Matthew. It might be regarded as a re-working of Mk vii, 31,
and a substitute in general terms for the story which immediately follows
that verse in Mark.[112] The use by Matthew of such a phrase as [Greek:
ton theon Israêl] would be explained by the fact that the cures are
represented as being worked outside of Jewish territory. With this
explanation the verses may be ascribed to Matthew.
THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN
(Mt xvi, 17-19)
This is another Peter-section inserted in a story taken from Mark. Luke
has the story but not this insertion. The section apparently belongs to
the same cycle of Peter-stories with the incident of the walking on the
water, already considered. It should be ascribed to some special and
undetermined source. The general character of this particular section
would indicate its very late origin.
AN INSERTION IN THE STORY OF THE TRANSFIGURATION
(Mt xvii, 6-7)
No special source, other at least than oral tradition, is necessary to
account for so slight an addition. Yet considering Matthew's general
tendency to condense, rather than to expand, Mark's narratives, and the
faithfulness with which he has transcribed the rest of this narrative, it
may be easier to regard this insertion as a gloss.
"WHOSOEVER HUMBLES HIMSELF AS THIS LITTLE CHILD"
(Mt xviii, 4)
The verse immediately preceding this is found in Mark, but in another
context, from where Matthew has evidently transposed it to this place.
This vs. 4 is found in Matthew alone. A variant of it is found in Mt
xxiii, 12. This latter is closely similar to, but not identical with, the
saying twice given by Luke (Lk xiv, 11; xviii, 14). Considering his
dislike for doublets, the fact that the saying occurs twice in Luke may
naturally be taken to indicate its presence in both Mark and Q. But the
verse under consideration here can be at most but a reminiscence of the
saying which occurs twice in Luke and in Mt xxiii, 12. Considering the
fact that Matthew is here obviously exercising his talent at combination,
the verse should probably be ascribed to his editorial hand.
THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT
(Mt xviii, 23-35)
In spite of its reference to the kingdom of Heaven this parable is much
too long for Q, and should be assigned to a special source.
ABOUT EUNUCHS
(Mt xix, 10-12)
This saying is appended to a discussion taken from Mark. Considering its
loose connection in the context, it is perhaps safer to assume that it has
been added from some oral authority.
THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD
(Mt xx, 1-16)
The parable is too long for Q, tho like the Q parables it has to do with
the kingdom of God. The last verse is an apparently proverbial saying, for
which Matthew has a doublet in xix, 30, and Luke a variant in Lk xiii,
30.
THE TWO SONS
(Mt xxi, 28-32)
Like the other matter in this vicinity peculiar to Matthew, and like the
parables of this length thruout, this parable should be assigned to a
special source.
THE WEDDING FEAST
(Mt xxii, 1-14)
J. Weiss assigns this parable, with Lk xiv, 16-24, to Q. But upon the
principle we have been following the parable is too long for Q. While it
is evidently the same parable as that told in Lk xiv, 16-24, there is
clearly no literary connection between Matthew and Luke here. Both
Wellhausen and Wernle assign it to Q; Harnack and Hawkins to a special
source. This instance brings up the question of what degree of literary
similarity must be present in order to warrant the assumption of literary
connection. No words are identical here except such as had to be to enable
two men to tell the same story.
AGAINST THE PHARISEES
(Mt xxiii, 2-3, 5, 8-10, 15-22)
Matthew here conflates his Q material with his Marcan material. The matter
is partially duplicated in Luke's chap. xi. The similarities and the
differences between the Matthean and Lucan versions are precisely such
features as have led to the hypothesis of the two recensions. The verses
should be assigned to QMt.
THE PARABLES OF THE TEN VIRGINS, THE TALENTS, THE JUDGMENT
(Mt xxv, 1-46)
The first two of these parables J. Weiss assigns to Q; presumably on the
ground that parallels for them are found in Luke's chaps. xii and xix.
But if Q be extended to include so many such long parables as these, it
loses entirely its character as a collection of "sayings." Moreover, the
parallelism between Matthew's and Luke's versions of these two parables is
extremely slight. The subject-matter is the same, but there is no
indication of dependence upon a common written source. The parable of the
Judgment is peculiar to Matthew. It seems better to assign all three of
these parables to a special source.
"TWELVE LEGIONS OF ANGELS"
(Mt xxvi, 52-54)
This is an insertion of Matthew's in the story which he has taken from
Mark. There is no indication of Q in it.
We have now gone over all the logian sections of Matthew unparalleled in
either Mark or Luke. We have found some of these that ought, in our
judgment, to be assigned to Matthew's recension of Q. This assignment
cannot claim to be anything more than a suggestion; in many instances,
however, it may reach a very high degree of probability; and we have tried
to restrict it to such instances. By saying that a certain section should
be assigned to a "special source," it is not meant that this is one and
the same source for all sections so assigned; but only that these sections
cannot be assigned either to Matthew or to his recension of Q. In a few
instances I have ventured to suggest an oral rather than a written source.
Further comments will be made upon this analysis when a similar study has
been made of the sections peculiar to the Gospel of Luke.