Introduction to Q

Dr. Allen Black, dean and professor of New Testament, gives an introduction to Q.

The Gospel writers used sources as they wrote their Gospels (Luke talks about this in Luke 1.1-4). Scholars believe that Matthew and Luke used Mark, but there is also about 230 verses, mostly sayings of Jesus, that appear in Matthew and Luke, but not in Mark. Q is a theoretical source (either oral or written) possibly used by Matthew and Luke in writing their Gospel accounts.

The chart in the video is from Allan Barr’s Diagram of Synoptic Relationship, published in 1938. It has been out of print for many years; you may find a copy, but they are quite expensive. The copy in the video hangs in the HST Library.

Dr. Allen Black is the dean of HST and Professor of New Testament. He has been at HST since 1983, and teaches the Gospels, Hebrews, 1 Peter, and New Testament Exegesis. Black has served as Adult Education Minister at the Highland Church of Christ for over 35 years.

Bob Turner preaches twice each month at the Church of Christ at White Station in Memphis. He has been with HST since 2009. He publishes a newsletter of curated resources for ministers called Footnotes. Subscribe here.

Harding School of Theology (HST), a seminary in Memphis, TN, has been equipping ministers since 1958. Accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, and offering degree programs at the master’s and doctoral levels, HST equips Christian leaders to higher standards of ministry scholarship and challenges them to a deeper faith in God. Combining academic rigor and interpersonal connections, HST emphasizes student engagement in ministry as they study. HST is associated with Churches of Christ, is part of the Stone-Campbell Movement, and is part of Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas.