I’d like to open a calm, good‑faith conversation about the “Q source” hypothesis in New Testament studies. This topic can get heated fast, so I’m asking everyone up front to keep the tone respectful and focused on evidence rather than assumptions about motives or intelligence. We can disagree without being disagreeable.
What is “Q”?
“Q” (from Quelle, German for “source”) while unimaginative, is the name scholars give to a hypothetical written collection of Jesus’ sayings. It’s proposed to explain why Matthew and Luke share about 200–250 verses that don’t appear in Mark but often show close verbal similarity.
Why some scholars think Q existed (the “pro” case):
• Shared material: Matthew and Luke contain many of the same sayings in nearly identical wording, but placed in different narrative settings.
• Independence: The differences in order suggest Matthew and Luke weren’t copying each other directly.
• Luke’s preface: Luke explicitly says he used multiple written sources.
• Sayings‑collection pattern: The shared material looks like a sayings anthology, similar to other ancient collections.
Why some scholars reject Q (the “con” case):
• Luke may have used Matthew: This is the core alternative (the “Farrer hypothesis”). If Luke had Matthew in front of him, Q isn’t needed.
• No manuscript evidence: No copy of Q has ever been found, and no ancient writer mentions it.
• Matthean style: Some shared sayings look more like Matthew’s vocabulary and theology, which fits better if Luke copied Matthew.
• Editorial habits: Luke often rearranges material he uses; he could have done the same with Matthew.
Where scholarship stands today:
There’s no consensus.
• Many scholars still support Q.
• Many others think Luke used Matthew.
Both positions have strengths and weaknesses, and neither requires conspiracy theories or bad faith.
If you’d like to weigh in, I’d love to hear your perspective. All I ask is that we keep the discussion grounded in evidence and treat each other with respect. This is a complex topic, and thoughtful disagreement is welcome.