Abstract:
According to the two source-theory, large parts of the material in Matthew and Luke which show conformity and which are not found in Mark, point to the existence of a source which comprises sayings of Jesus and reminds one of the typical wisdom material in the Old Testament. In this paper a few introductory remarks are made on the history of the research done in respect of this source, known as Q. The questions regarding the actual existence and origin of Q are briefly discussed in the first part of the paper. Four aspects of Q research are addressed: Q is a document which shows its own integrity; the distinction between tradition and redaction in Q; stratifications and phases in the development of Q; the wisdom character of the material in Q.
