Jesus Remembered: Christianity in the Making, vol. 1

2. Matt. 11.7-10
7 As they went away, Jesus
began to speak to the crowds about John: 'What
did vou eo out into the wilderness to look at? A
reed shaken bv the wind? 8 What then did vou
go out to see? A man dressed in soft (garments)?
Look, those who wear soft (garments)
are in the houses of kings. 9 What then
did vou go out to see? A prophet? Yes. I tell vou.
and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one
about whom it is written, "See. I am sending mv
messenger ahead of vou. who will prepare vour
wavbefore vou"'.
3. Matt. 11.11
Trulv I tell vou, among those born of women
there has not arisen one greater than John the
Baptist; vet the least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he.
4. Matt. 11.12-13
12 From the davs of John the Baptist until now
the kingdom of heaven is being violently treated,
and the violent take it by force. 13 For all the
prophets and the law prophesied till John.
5. Matt. 11.16-19
16 But to what will I compare this
generation? It is
like children sitting in the marketplaces and
calling to the others, 17
'We plaved the flute for vou.
and vou did not dance;
we wailed,
and vou did not mourn'.
18 For John came neither eating
nor drinking, and thev sav. 'He has a
demon'; 19 the Son of Man came eating and
drinking, and thev sav. 'Look, a man, a glutton
and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and
sinners!' Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated
by her deeds.
THE MISSION OF JESUS
Luke 7.24-27
§12.5
24 When John's messengers had gone, he
began to sneak to the crowds about John: 'What
did vou go out into the wilderness to look at? A
reed shaken bv the wind? 25 What then did vou
go out to see? A man dressed in soft garments?
Look, those who are gorgeously apparelled and
live in luxurv are in roval palaces. 26 What then
did vou go out to see? A prophet? Yes. I tell vou.
and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one
about whom it is written, "See. (I) am sending mv
messenger ahead of vou, who will prepare vour
wav before vou"'.
Luke 7.28
I tell vou, among those born of women
no one is greater than John;
vet the least in the kingdom of God is
greater than he.
Luke 16.16
16 The law and the prophets were until John;
since then the good news of the kingdom of God
is preached, and everyone tries to enter it bv
force.
Luke 7.31-35
31 To what then will I compare the people of this
generation, and what are they like? 32 They are
like children who sit in the marketplace and
calling to one another,
'We plaved the flute for vou.
and vou did not dance;
we wailed,
and vou did not weep'.
33 For John the Baptist has come eating no bread
and drinking no wine, and vou sav, 'He has a
demon'; 34 the Son of Man has come eating and
drinking, and vou sav. 'Look, a man, a glutton
and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and
sinners!' 35 Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated
by all her children.
Here we have what were recalled within the traditioning process as four or
five different sayings or teachings of Jesus regarding John the Baptist. Sayings
1-3 and 5 are plausibly to be explained as a collection made or put into written
form by Q, though we should note again the characteristic features of oral tradition,
particularly in 1, where the key question and answer are firm, but the details
of the retelling flexible. Saying 4 (Matt. 11.12-13/Luke 16.16) might well be
better explained as drawn by Matthew and Luke independently from oral tradi-
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