The Sayings of Jesus
 |
| the sayings of Jesus |
Adolf von Harnack’s The Sayings of Jesus was not written as a devotional book “for” Jesus, nor as a polemic “against” Him. Its purpose was scholarly: Harnack wanted to apply the historical-critical method to the words attributed to Jesus in the early Christian tradition.
The author was inspired to undertake these investigations and publish his findings after reading Wellhausen's "Introduction to the First Three Gospels" in 1905, although he ultimately takes an opposing stance on one of Wellhausen's conclusions.
Harnack provides evidence for the unity of the source Q by pointing out that there are approximately 373 words found in St. Matthew and St. Luke that do not appear elsewhere in the New Testament.
However, in his reconstructed text of Q, only about 16 of these words are included, with the rest being unique to the individual gospels. This observation further supports the idea that Q is a unified source rather than a collection of disparate sayings.
Throughout the book, Harnack meticulously examines the language and content of Q, highlighting specific words and phrases that are exclusive to this source.
By comparing these elements to the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke, the author sheds light on the distinctiveness of Q and its significance in shaping the narrative of Jesus' teachings.
Harnack’s Aim of The sayings of Jesus -
- Historical authenticity: He tried to separate sayings that likely go back to Jesus Himself from those shaped by the early church.
- Critical analysis: His goal was not to attack Jesus, but to test the reliability of Gospel traditions.
- Ethical focus: Harnack emphasized that Jesus’ core message was ethical and spiritual — love, humility, and the Kingdom of God — rather than dogmatic theology.
- Against dogma: He was critical of later church doctrines that, in his view, obscured the simplicity of Jesus’ teachings.
