Q in Matthew: Ancient Media, Memory, and Early Scribal Transmission of the Jesus Tradition

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Advocates of the established hypotheses on the origins of the Synoptic gospels and their interrelationships (the Synoptic Problem), and especially those defending or contesting the existence of the "source" (Q), are increasingly being called upon to justify their position with reference to ancient media practices. Still others go so far as to claim that ancient media realities force a radical rethinking of the whole project of Synoptic source criticism, and they question whether traditional documentary approaches remain valid at all. This debate has been hampered to date by the patchy reception of research on ancient media in Synoptic scholarship. Seeking to rectify this problem, Alan Kirk here mounts a defense, grounded in the practices of memory and manuscript transmission in the Roman world, of the Two Document Hypothesis. He shows how ancient media/memory approaches in fact offer new leverage on classic research problems in scholarship on the Synoptic Gospels, and that they have the potential to break the current impasse in the Synoptic Problem. The results of his analysis open up new insights to the early reception and scribal transmission of the Jesus tradition and cast new light on some long-conflicted questions in Christian origins.

Reviews

It solves age-old source-critical problems convincingly, and shows once again why the Two Document Hypothesis remains the best solution to the Synoptic ProblemI highly recommend this work to anyone interested in the origins and formation of the NT. * Neotestamentica *
There is much to commend this book. The extent of Kirks research, and his command of French and German scholarship are all exemplary and enviable. * Biblical Theology Bulletin *

Author Bio

Alan Kirk is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA, USA.