Temptation and Authority: Sapiential Narratives in Q

Abstract

In 1987 John Kloppenborg suggested that the account of the Temptations of Jesus was added last to the earlier strata of "Q" materials in order to ascribe to them the legitimacy stemming from a "tested" wisdom teacher. The arguments offered to support that view, however, are not entirely persuasive. It is argued here instead that the Temptations of Jesus found in Q/Luke 4:1-13, par. Matt 4:1-11 should be viewed as the opening narrative of the earliest, sapiential stratum of Q. Criticism is also offered of Kloppenborg's arguments concerning the Centurion's Son episode in Q/Luke 7:1-10, par. Matt 8:5-13; this, too, should rather be viewed as a narrative part of that earliest Q material. The parallel supporting the interpretation of the Temptation account and the alternation of paradigmatic narrative scenes with sapiential sayings collections is the Wisdom of Solomon, indicating the continued influence of the wisdom tradition upon early Christianity and its literary forms.