The wisdom and apocalyptic layers of the Sayings Gospel Q: What is their significance?

Abstract

New Testament scholarship over the past three decades has shown a growing interest in the Sayings Gospel Q. Vielhauer’s thesis on the secondary nature of the future Son of man sayings led to the conclusion that the apocalyptic element within the Sayings Gospel Q was also secondary. This paper follows the work of Kloppenborg and examines the wisdom and apocalyptic layers of the Sayings Gospel Q. The examination argues that the proclamation of Jesus was directed first of all to the proclamation of a kingdom that was present. The apocalyptic understanding of a future, immediate end of the world was a later appropriation within a deuteronomistic framework that developed from sayings of Jesus that were interpreted in this way by the early church.