Excavating Q: The History and Setting of the Sayings Gospel

Rating:
Summary: How Can so Much be Written About Something Nonexistent?
Review: I gave this book three stars for it's works sited, and amount of material covered. However, it amazes me how so much can be written about a document that does not even exist.

The book itself is very technical and detailed regarding the origins, character, composition, and genre of the so called 'Q' document. The authors discuss 'Q' as it relates to the Synoptic problem (i.e. source criticism), the reconstruction of 'Q' (i.e. it's wording, order and extent), the dating of 'Q,' and the language in which 'Q' is believed to have been written. Moreover, the authors discuss the origins of 'Q' and what they call "the people of Q" (i.e. physical locale, social location, and the people who allegedly wrote the 'Q' document).

The second half of the book deals with theology and ideology regarding Q. The authors cover a history of dogma or trends in the Synoptic problem throughout the last 200 or so years (i.e. what certain New Testament scholars espoused regarding the sources of the N.T. documents). What's more, this book fits 'Q' into the already present source hypotheses. Another aspect which surrounds this book's study of 'Q' is the influence of the Cynics. Is 'Q' a Cynic document? Thus, Greco-Roman Cynicism is discussed in some detail and how 'Q' might possibly have it's origins in Cynicism.

At the back of the book is a very small glossary which was somewhat helpful. However, the works cited section is huge, going from page 460 to 518. Overall, this book contained a tremendous amount of detail about a document that is merely speculative. There is no evidence (physical, traditional, or otherwise) for the 'Q' document, and yet hundreds of pages can be produce about all the details surrounding it. Go figure. Nonetheless, if you are wanting to study 'Q' then in my estimation this is the best book to read.

Rating:
Summary: One for the serious student only
Review: If there were a contest to find the top scholar on Q today (however we might configure that contest), then John S Kloppenborg Verbin might well come out the champion. His thesis on Q is often found to be the thesis of choice for many scholars (particular those of North American or Jesus Seminar hue). Here we are presented with a prodigious book split into two parts, broadly historical and broadly ideological, about Q, the hypothetical (and so far completely non-material) source behind the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. I imagine that if you aren't prepared to make that scholarly jump to believe in Q then you won't be too interested in reading this book.

I basically liked this book - but then I am a graduate student in biblical studies and so already committed to being interested in technical studies about obscure "data" which fit into the narrow specialisms of today's biblical academy. What I'm saying is that this book will not have broad appeal since its VERY technical. That said, the discussions, particularly the ones on "The Q document and the Q people" and "Reading Q in the Galilee" I found to be stimulating explorations into the possible as regards Q and the sources for the sayings of Jesus. Perhaps that's all that such discussions can hope to be. Certainly any taking of this book's contents for the final word on the subject should be shelved: tomorrow will bring newer conclusions.

One point I really liked from this book was its emphasis and concentration on the social location of both Q's interpreters and also the writers/collaters and readers of the Q document itself. This "social" criticism of the Bible has been going on for a while now and this book continues that tradition admirably in exploring the links between Q and the Greco-Roman Cynics hypothesized of Galilee. Such questions are worthy of study and essential to an understanding of Q (should the hypothesis ever become so genuinely held that such theories attain more than their current provisional status).

In his introduction to the book the author writes that his offering is to be about Q "and the difference its existence makes". I think the offering of hypotheses like the ones this book offers about Q are valuable talking points and this book is another valuable addition to debates about Q.

PoSTmodERnFoOL