RSS- Instructions for Contributors
- Subscribe to Biblica or Send books for review
- Index by Authors
- Index by Biblical Books
- FAQ
- Font Instructions
- Vol 93 (2012)
- Vol 92 (2011)
- Vol 91 (2010)
- Vol 90 (2009)
- Vol 89 (2008)
- Vol 88 (2007)
- Vol 87 (2006)
- Vol 86 (2005)
- Vol 85 (2004)
- Vol 84 (2003)
- Vol 83 (2002)
- Vol 82 (2001)
- Vol 81 (2000)
- Vol 80 (1999)
- Vol 79 (1998)
Home
>
Biblica
>
Vol 92 (2011)
>
Simon J. Joseph, ««Seek His Kingdom»: Q 12,22b-31, God’s Providence, and Adamic Wisdom.», Vol. 92 (2011) 392-410
In Q 12,22b-31, a kingdom-saying functions as the climax to a sapiential collection, but it is not self-evident that this message is sapiential. Q 12,31 uses traditional wisdom structures and forms to advance what appears to be an «eschatological» message. In this study, I re-examine the nature of the wisdom in Q 12,22b-31 and argue that the theme of God’s providence can be understood in relation to eschatological ideals of the restoration of creation and a «Son of God»/Adamic christology.
TAGS
Biblica_1:Layout 1 21-11-2011 12:59 Pagina 392
“Seek His Kingdom”:
Q 12,22b-31, God’s Providence, and Adamic Wisdom 1
Since the 1960s, the dominant formative element in the composi-
tion of Q has been identified as instructional wisdom 2. The author of
Q drew from the literary conventions, style, rhetoric and content of
Jewish wisdom literature 3. Jesus and John are “Wisdom’s children”
(Q 7,35). Wisdom sends out prophets who are rejected (Q 11,49-51;
Q 13,34-35). Wisdom weeps for her people who refuse to listen to
Jesus. The Inaugural Sermon, which includes the beatitudes, teach-
ings on loving enemies, practicing non-violence, unconditional love,
compassion, and non-judgment indicate a sapiential orientation. The
Jesus of Q is greater even than Solomon, with all his wisdom (Q
11,31-32). This paper will examine Q 12,22b-31 as a test case to ex-
amine the nature, extent, and range of the wisdom tradition in Q.
I. Wisdom and Apocalypticism in Q
The dominant consensus in contemporary Q studies is that Q was
written in stages 4, and a number of sapiential “speeches” constituted
the formative clusters around which Q grew 5.
1
A shorter version of this paper was presented in the Wisdom and
Apocalypticism Section at the Annual Meeting of the Society of Biblical
Literature, New Orleans, November 23, 2009.
J.M. ROBINSON, “ΛΟΓΟΙ ΣΟΦΩΝ: Zur Gattung der Spruchquelle Q,” in
2
Zeit und Geschichte: Dankesgabe an Rudolf Bultmann (ed. E. DINKLER)
(TĂĽbingen, 1964) 77-96; J.S. KLOPPENBORG, The Formation of Q: Trajectories
in Ancient Christian Wisdom Collections (Philadelphia, PA 1987).
3
G. STANTON, “On the Christology of Q”, Christ and Spirit in the New
Testament (eds. B. LINDARS – S.S. SMALLEY) (Cambridge 1973).
4
D. LĂśHRMANN, Die Redaktion der Logienquelle (WUNT 33; Neukirchener-
Vluyn 1969) 84; S. SCHULZ, Q: Die Spruchquelle der Evangelisten (ZĂĽrich
1972) 57-175; D. ZELLER, Die Weisheitlichen MahnsprĂĽche bei den Synoptikern
(FzB 17; WĂĽrzburg 1977) 191; R.A. PIPER, Wisdom in the Q-Tradition. The
Aphoristic Sayings of Jesus (SNTSMS 61; New York 1989).
5
G. THEISSEN, The First Followers of Jesus. A Sociological Analysis of
the Earliest Christianity (London 1978); P. HOFFMANN, Studien zur Theologie
der Logienquelle (MĂĽnster 1972).