Q: The Lost Gospel—What Surprises Does it Hold?

(Q is not generally thought of, or classified as a gnostic gospel, however, as the article explains, it has more in common with the early Christian gospels that are considered gnostic than many of the writings included in the New Testament.)

Most Christians have been given the impression the gospel accounts found in the New Testament were “official” histories of Jesus’ life and teachings held sacred by all early Christians, but that was hardly the case. During the three hundred years following Jesus’ death, thousands of writings about Jesus were circulated. These writings were rarely in agreement since each of them was the product of the author’s own perception. Since none of these early writings could be verified as authentic, each one was as valid as the next. Finally, in the 4th century, leaders of the Catholic Church decided to compile a group of church approved writings that supported their beliefs. These accounts eventually became the New Testament.

The gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John included in the New Testament were written over a 45-60 year period that began at least 25-30 years after Jesus died.  Considering the time frame, and the fact that Jesus’ closest followers couldn’t write, we must conclude these gospels were not written by anyone who knew Jesus directly. Like authors today, the writers collected information by word of mouth and pulled information from previously written accounts. The gospels were eventually named after Jesus closest follower to make them more credible.

The New Testament gospel account attributed to Mark was written first, with Matthew and Luke following about 15-20 years later.  Scholars discovered that the writers of Matthew and Luke used Mark as one of their research sources. Bible scholars call Mark, Matthew and Luke synoptic meaning “comparable” because the writers of Matthew and Luke both copied portions of Mark’s manuscript word-for-word, resulting in many similarities between the three books.

Although scholars feel sure the writers of Matthew and Luke couldn’t have known each other, they’ve found another gospel hidden within their writings. There are an additional 4,500 words shared by Matthew and Luke that are not found in Mark. These are portions of text that agree so closely in word choice, order and inflection, scholars have concluded they had to have been copied from a second common source. This source material predates the four gospels, but no manuscripts survived.

 Using stringent guidelines, scholars used the verses exclusively shared by Matthew and Luke to reconstruct a facsimile of the missing source document. This document is now known as The Sayings Gospel of Q. Q stands for the German word quelle or “source.” Scholars have continued to compile and authenticate this source material since 1838, so the manuscript that’s currently available can be considered a stand-alone document that’s as valid as the gospels it was drawn from.

Q is written in a very different style than the New Testament gospel accounts. Q says nothing at all about Jesus’ life, but concentrates wholly on his wisdom teachings. For that reason, it’s considered a “sayings” gospel. This format closely resembles other early Christian writings that were not included in the Bible, such as the gnostic gospels. Of course there is much that can be learned from the sayings themselves, but there may be even more important information gleaned from Q as a whole. What can we learn?

The complete lack of biographical information in Q tells us that Jesus’ earliest followers were more interested in his wisdom teachings than his personal life. Nothing is said in Q about Jesus’ death or a resurrection. This lack of information also supports a view held by the gnostic gospels: Jesus’ earliest followers believed they would gain salvation by understanding his teachings, not by putting faith in him personally.

In Q Jesus does speak of a messiah, the “One to Come,” who will usher in God’s kingdom, but he isn’t talking about himself. The “One to Come,” like the “Son of Man” mentioned in the New Testament, was thought to be a cosmic warrior/judge capable of restoring equilibrium between good and evil earth wide. In Q and the gnostic gospels, Jesus is thought of as a human prophet. Like other Jewish prophets, he urged fellow Jews to repent and turn away from religious hypocrisy. And, like the prophets before him, he was either ignored or rejected by the majority. Q treats Jesus like an ambassador delivering a message. It’s the message that’s important, not the person delivering it.

Q is interested in the lessons that can be learned when miracles occur, not the miracles themselves. Miracles serve as a vivid demonstration of the power and glory of God’s kingdom. But in Q, miracles occur to direct people to God’s kingdom, not to attract attention to Jesus. Jesus points to nature as an everyday miracle that should help us appreciate God’s love.

For readers of Q, Jesus’ death was not a sacrifice. Instead, Jesus died because he was a prophet who spoke the truth. His death held the same meaning as the death of the many prophets who went before him. In Q, resurrection is seen as a sign of God’s kingdom, but Q says nothing about Jesus being resurrected. Rather, Jesus prophesies that the “One to Come” will resurrect the faithful after God’s kingdom is established, and Q expects Jesus to be part of that resurrection.

 Q, like the gnostic gospels, emphasizes that understanding Jesus’ message and acting on it is of utmost importance. These writings tell us that salvation depends on giving God’s kingdom the highest priority. Q and the gnostic gospels present a very different picture of Jesus than the one created by the New Testament gospel writers. Since none of these accounts are more valid than the other, sincere Christians will want to acquaint themselves with this fascinating information.

To Learn more about  Q, the New Testament, the gnostic gospels and the many changes that took place in Jesus’ story, read an in-depth study in The Beginning of Fearlessness: Quantum Prodigal Son

 Return to Articles

Copyright © Lee and Steven Hager

 

Q: The Lost Gospel—What Surprises Does it Hold?

(Q is not generally thought of, or classified as a gnostic gospel, however, as the article explains, it has more in common with the early Christian gospels that are considered gnostic than many of the writings included in the New Testament.)

Most Christians have been given the impression the gospel accounts found in the New Testament were “official” histories of Jesus’ life and teachings held sacred by all early Christians, but that was hardly the case. During the three hundred years following Jesus’ death, thousands of writings about Jesus were circulated. These writings were rarely in agreement since each of them was the product of the author’s own perception. Since none of these early writings could be verified as authentic, each one was as valid as the next. Finally, in the 4th century, leaders of the Catholic Church decided to compile a group of church approved writings that supported their beliefs. These accounts eventually became the New Testament.

The gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John included in the New Testament were written over a 45-60 year period that began at least 25-30 years after Jesus died.  Considering the time frame, and the fact that Jesus’ closest followers couldn’t write, we must conclude these gospels were not written by anyone who knew Jesus directly. Like authors today, the writers collected information by word of mouth and pulled information from previously written accounts. The gospels were eventually named after Jesus closest follower to make them more credible.

The New Testament gospel account attributed to Mark was written first, with Matthew and Luke following about 15-20 years later.  Scholars discovered that the writers of Matthew and Luke used Mark as one of their research sources. Bible scholars call Mark, Matthew and Luke synoptic meaning “comparable” because the writers of Matthew and Luke both copied portions of Mark’s manuscript word-for-word, resulting in many similarities between the three books.

Although scholars feel sure the writers of Matthew and Luke couldn’t have known each other, they’ve found another gospel hidden within their writings. There are an additional 4,500 words shared by Matthew and Luke that are not found in Mark. These are portions of text that agree so closely in word choice, order and inflection, scholars have concluded they had to have been copied from a second common source. This source material predates the four gospels, but no manuscripts survived.

 Using stringent guidelines, scholars used the verses exclusively shared by Matthew and Luke to reconstruct a facsimile of the missing source document. This document is now known as The Sayings Gospel of Q. Q stands for the German word quelle or “source.” Scholars have continued to compile and authenticate this source material since 1838, so the manuscript that’s currently available can be considered a stand-alone document that’s as valid as the gospels it was drawn from.

Q is written in a very different style than the New Testament gospel accounts. Q says nothing at all about Jesus’ life, but concentrates wholly on his wisdom teachings. For that reason, it’s considered a “sayings” gospel. This format closely resembles other early Christian writings that were not included in the Bible, such as the gnostic gospels. Of course there is much that can be learned from the sayings themselves, but there may be even more important information gleaned from Q as a whole. What can we learn?

The complete lack of biographical information in Q tells us that Jesus’ earliest followers were more interested in his wisdom teachings than his personal life. Nothing is said in Q about Jesus’ death or a resurrection. This lack of information also supports a view held by the gnostic gospels: Jesus’ earliest followers believed they would gain salvation by understanding his teachings, not by putting faith in him personally.

In Q Jesus does speak of a messiah, the “One to Come,” who will usher in God’s kingdom, but he isn’t talking about himself. The “One to Come,” like the “Son of Man” mentioned in the New Testament, was thought to be a cosmic warrior/judge capable of restoring equilibrium between good and evil earth wide. In Q and the gnostic gospels, Jesus is thought of as a human prophet. Like other Jewish prophets, he urged fellow Jews to repent and turn away from religious hypocrisy. And, like the prophets before him, he was either ignored or rejected by the majority. Q treats Jesus like an ambassador delivering a message. It’s the message that’s important, not the person delivering it.

Q is interested in the lessons that can be learned when miracles occur, not the miracles themselves. Miracles serve as a vivid demonstration of the power and glory of God’s kingdom. But in Q, miracles occur to direct people to God’s kingdom, not to attract attention to Jesus. Jesus points to nature as an everyday miracle that should help us appreciate God’s love.

For readers of Q, Jesus’ death was not a sacrifice. Instead, Jesus died because he was a prophet who spoke the truth. His death held the same meaning as the death of the many prophets who went before him. In Q, resurrection is seen as a sign of God’s kingdom, but Q says nothing about Jesus being resurrected. Rather, Jesus prophesies that the “One to Come” will resurrect the faithful after God’s kingdom is established, and Q expects Jesus to be part of that resurrection.

 Q, like the gnostic gospels, emphasizes that understanding Jesus’ message and acting on it is of utmost importance. These writings tell us that salvation depends on giving God’s kingdom the highest priority. Q and the gnostic gospels present a very different picture of Jesus than the one created by the New Testament gospel writers. Since none of these accounts are more valid than the other, sincere Christians will want to acquaint themselves with this fascinating information.

To Learn more about  Q, the New Testament, the gnostic gospels and the many changes that took place in Jesus’ story, read an in-depth study in The Beginning of Fearlessness: Quantum Prodigal Son

 Return to Articles

Copyright © Lee and Steven Hager

 

Q: The Lost Gospel—What Surprises Does it Hold?

(Q is not generally thought of, or classified as a gnostic gospel, however, as the article explains, it has more in common with the early Christian gospels that are considered gnostic than many of the writings included in the New Testament.)

Most Christians have been given the impression the gospel accounts found in the New Testament were “official” histories of Jesus’ life and teachings held sacred by all early Christians, but that was hardly the case. During the three hundred years following Jesus’ death, thousands of writings about Jesus were circulated. These writings were rarely in agreement since each of them was the product of the author’s own perception. Since none of these early writings could be verified as authentic, each one was as valid as the next. Finally, in the 4th century, leaders of the Catholic Church decided to compile a group of church approved writings that supported their beliefs. These accounts eventually became the New Testament.

The gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John included in the New Testament were written over a 45-60 year period that began at least 25-30 years after Jesus died.  Considering the time frame, and the fact that Jesus’ closest followers couldn’t write, we must conclude these gospels were not written by anyone who knew Jesus directly. Like authors today, the writers collected information by word of mouth and pulled information from previously written accounts. The gospels were eventually named after Jesus closest follower to make them more credible.

The New Testament gospel account attributed to Mark was written first, with Matthew and Luke following about 15-20 years later.  Scholars discovered that the writers of Matthew and Luke used Mark as one of their research sources. Bible scholars call Mark, Matthew and Luke synoptic meaning “comparable” because the writers of Matthew and Luke both copied portions of Mark’s manuscript word-for-word, resulting in many similarities between the three books.

Although scholars feel sure the writers of Matthew and Luke couldn’t have known each other, they’ve found another gospel hidden within their writings. There are an additional 4,500 words shared by Matthew and Luke that are not found in Mark. These are portions of text that agree so closely in word choice, order and inflection, scholars have concluded they had to have been copied from a second common source. This source material predates the four gospels, but no manuscripts survived.

 Using stringent guidelines, scholars used the verses exclusively shared by Matthew and Luke to reconstruct a facsimile of the missing source document. This document is now known as The Sayings Gospel of Q. Q stands for the German word quelle or “source.” Scholars have continued to compile and authenticate this source material since 1838, so the manuscript that’s currently available can be considered a stand-alone document that’s as valid as the gospels it was drawn from.

Q is written in a very different style than the New Testament gospel accounts. Q says nothing at all about Jesus’ life, but concentrates wholly on his wisdom teachings. For that reason, it’s considered a “sayings” gospel. This format closely resembles other early Christian writings that were not included in the Bible, such as the gnostic gospels. Of course there is much that can be learned from the sayings themselves, but there may be even more important information gleaned from Q as a whole. What can we learn?

The complete lack of biographical information in Q tells us that Jesus’ earliest followers were more interested in his wisdom teachings than his personal life. Nothing is said in Q about Jesus’ death or a resurrection. This lack of information also supports a view held by the gnostic gospels: Jesus’ earliest followers believed they would gain salvation by understanding his teachings, not by putting faith in him personally.

In Q Jesus does speak of a messiah, the “One to Come,” who will usher in God’s kingdom, but he isn’t talking about himself. The “One to Come,” like the “Son of Man” mentioned in the New Testament, was thought to be a cosmic warrior/judge capable of restoring equilibrium between good and evil earth wide. In Q and the gnostic gospels, Jesus is thought of as a human prophet. Like other Jewish prophets, he urged fellow Jews to repent and turn away from religious hypocrisy. And, like the prophets before him, he was either ignored or rejected by the majority. Q treats Jesus like an ambassador delivering a message. It’s the message that’s important, not the person delivering it.

Q is interested in the lessons that can be learned when miracles occur, not the miracles themselves. Miracles serve as a vivid demonstration of the power and glory of God’s kingdom. But in Q, miracles occur to direct people to God’s kingdom, not to attract attention to Jesus. Jesus points to nature as an everyday miracle that should help us appreciate God’s love.

For readers of Q, Jesus’ death was not a sacrifice. Instead, Jesus died because he was a prophet who spoke the truth. His death held the same meaning as the death of the many prophets who went before him. In Q, resurrection is seen as a sign of God’s kingdom, but Q says nothing about Jesus being resurrected. Rather, Jesus prophesies that the “One to Come” will resurrect the faithful after God’s kingdom is established, and Q expects Jesus to be part of that resurrection.

 Q, like the gnostic gospels, emphasizes that understanding Jesus’ message and acting on it is of utmost importance. These writings tell us that salvation depends on giving God’s kingdom the highest priority. Q and the gnostic gospels present a very different picture of Jesus than the one created by the New Testament gospel writers. Since none of these accounts are more valid than the other, sincere Christians will want to acquaint themselves with this fascinating information.

To Learn more about  Q, the New Testament, the gnostic gospels and the many changes that took place in Jesus’ story, read an in-depth study in The Beginning of Fearlessness: Quantum Prodigal Son

 Return to Articles

Copyright © Lee and Steven Hager