Bible Review

See Kenneth V. Mull and Carolyn Sandquist Mull, “Biblical Leprosy—Is It Really?” BR 08:02.

Matthew and Luke share much material that they borrowed from Mark. But they also share significant material that does not appear in Mark, which has led scholars to suggest that the two later gospels also relied on a second source, now lost. This hypothetical source is called Q, from the German Quelle (“source”).

But see Moody Smith, “John: Historian or Theologian,” BR 20:05.

Scholars believe that the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles are a continuous narrative, known as Luke-Acts, which was written primarily by one person.

See R. David Freedman, “Woman, a Power Equal to Man,” BAR 09:01.

The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of sayings and parables attributed to Jesus organized as a simple list, each item introduced with the words, “Jesus said.” Though its contents overlap those of Q and the synoptic tradition generally speaking, the Gospel of Thomas is not Q, but rather drew on the same oral traditions known to the synoptic authors. The first saying in the collection promises eternal life to anyone who discovers the meaning of the sayings there collected.

Q is a collection comprising mostly sayings and parables of Jesus that was used as a source by the authors of both Matthew and Luke. Though the source (German Quelle, thus the name “Q”) is lost, it may be reconstructed in some approximation by comparing the passages shared by Matthew and Luke that are not found in Mark, their other source.