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Title: Mid-Level Techniques in Luke's Redaction of Q
Author(s): FLEDDERMANN, Harry T.
Journal: Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses
Volume: 79    Issue: 1   Date: April 2003   
Pages: 53-71
DOI: 10.2143/ETL.79.1.610

Abstract :
Luke uses a variety of techniques to incorporate Q into his gospel. On the macro level – the level of the document as a whole – Luke follows a simple procedure. He peels off the first two Q pericopes (John’s Preaching and Jesus’ Temptations) and the last two pericopes (the Pounds and the Thrones) and fits them into Marcan contexts. Luke inserts the rest of Q in two windows that he opens up in the Marcan outline – the lesser interpolation (Luke 6,20-8,3) and the great interpolation (Luke 9,51- 18,14). On the micro level – the level of the individual sentence – Luke intensively rewrites Q to conform the text to his own style and theology. On the mid-level – the level of the pericope – Luke uses a variety of techniques. Six mid-level techniques occur often enough to merit special attention: (1) Luke adds narrative and thematic summaries to turn Q speeches into events in Jesus’ ministry and to develop Lucan themes; (2) Luke rearranges the order of the material within Q pericopes; (3) Luke inserts tiny dialogues to break up the Q pericopes and make them more narrative-like; (4) Luke expands Q by duplicating Q material or extending Q material or supplementing Q material; (5) Luke incorporates Marcan texts into Q pericopes; (6) Luke introduces a second story line in Q pericopes. Isolating each technique and studying it across Q shows the range of Luke’s redaction. The first half of this article will treat each technique separately and list all the passages where Luke uses the technique in editing Q. Luke, though, frequently combines the techniques, so the second half of the article will use the Apocalyptic Discourse (Luke 17,20-37) to show how Luke can combine all six techniques in his rewriting of Q.

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