A coherent structure: the many links between the logia sayings
"Matthew made an orderly arrangement of the logia"
Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, quoted by Eusebius
The links connecting adjacent sayings
Introduction
Each of the four tables shown below represents a major section. Also each major section appears to have been divided into two subsections, indicated by a blank line in the middle of its table. Lk 9:28 hints at the eight subsections.
[1]
The internal links between adjacent sayings are indicated in the last column of the tables. The vast majority of the sayings have links to at least one adjacent saying. These links, together with the 36 links shown in the last table on this page, provide very strong evidence for the posited order of the sayings.
Parentheses around a Markan text indicate that the Markan version is sufficiently different from that of Matthew/Luke that its common origin as a single saying attributed to Jesus is not immediately obvious. For this reason any such saying would not have been eligible for membership of a doublet.
In the columns headed "Matthew" and "Luke", the only version of the saying referenced is the version which appears to have been derived directly from the logia. Versions dependent on Mark, such as those in the 'triple tradition' in Matthew or Luke, do not contribute to our understanding of the text of the logia and so are not listed.
A: Entering the Kingdom
| Mark |
Matthew |
Luke |
id |
Saying |
internal links |
| ----- |
5:3-8,11-12 |
6:20-23 |
A1 |
Beatitudes |
the earth |
| 9:50a |
5:13bc |
14:34-35 |
A2 |
Salt |
the earth; influencing others |
| 4:21 |
5:15 |
11:33 |
A3 |
Lighting a lamp |
influencing others |
| 13:31 |
5:18 |
16:17 |
A4 |
Law |
God's law persists |
| ----- |
5:25-26 |
12:58-59 |
A5 |
Your accuser |
God's law persists |
| 9:43,47 |
5:30,29 |
----- |
A6 |
Hand & eye |
separation |
| 10:11 |
5:32 |
16:18 |
A7 |
Divorce |
separation |
| ----- |
5:39b-48 |
6:27-30,32-36 |
A8 |
Love your enemies |
- |
| ----- |
15:14 |
6:39 |
A9 |
Blind guide |
guidance |
| ----- |
10:24-25 |
6:40 |
A10 |
Teacher/disciple |
guidance |
| 10:15 |
18:3 |
----- |
A11 |
Be like a child |
entering the k of G |
| |
| 10:25 |
----- |
----- |
A12 |
Eye of needle |
entering the k of G; hyperbole |
| ----- |
7:3-5 |
6:41-42 |
A13 |
Speck/log |
criticizing others; hyperbole |
| 4:24 |
7:1-2 |
6:37-8 |
A14 |
Judge/measure |
criticizing others; do not... |
| ----- |
7:6 |
----- |
A15 |
Pearls to pigs |
do not... |
| ----- |
7:13-14 |
13:24 |
A16 |
Two gates |
- |
| ----- |
7:15-20 |
6:43-44 |
A17 |
Good tree |
good & evil |
| ----- |
12:34-35 |
6:45 |
A18 |
Good treasure |
good & evil |
| 11:24 |
7:7-11 |
11:9-13 |
A19 |
Ask/receive |
good & evil |
| ----- |
7:12 |
6:31 |
A20 |
Golden rule |
do |
| ----- |
7:21-23 |
6:46;13:26-27 |
A21 |
Disowned |
do; everyone |
| ----- |
7:24-27 |
6:47-49 |
A22 |
Rock or sand |
do; everyone |
B: The Mission of the Kingdom
| Mark |
Matthew |
Luke |
id |
Saying |
internal links |
| (1:16-20) |
8:19-22 |
9:57-60 |
B1 |
Following Jesus |
discipleship |
| 9:41 |
10:42 |
----- |
B2 |
Cup of water |
discipleship |
| (4:26-29) |
9:37-38 |
10:2 |
B3 |
Harvest |
framed with B14; send out; worker |
| 1:15b; 6:8-11 |
10:5b-15 |
10:4-12 |
B4 |
Mission instructions |
framed with B7; send out; worker; sheep |
| ----- |
10:16 |
10:3 |
B5 |
Lambs among wolves |
send out; sheep |
| 13:13 |
10:22 |
----- |
B6 |
Hated/endure |
all |
| (13:10) |
10:23 |
----- |
B7 |
Through all Israel |
all; When ..... for |
| |
| 13:9,11 |
10:19-20 |
12:11-12 |
B8 |
Formal defence |
When ..... for; don't worry |
| 4:22; 8:38 |
10:26-33 |
12:2-9 |
B9 |
Bold confession |
don't be afraid |
| 13:12 |
10:34-35 |
12:51,53 |
B10 |
Peace or a sword |
family |
| 8:34 |
10:37-38 |
14:26-27 |
B11 |
My disciple? |
Whoever ...; family |
| 8:35 |
10:39 |
17:33 |
B12 |
Find or lose |
Whoever |
| 9:37b |
10:40 |
10:16 |
B13 |
Welcome |
Whoever; me |
| 9:40 |
12:30 |
11:23 |
B14 |
For or against |
Whoever; me |
C: The coming Kingdom
| Mark |
Matthew |
Luke |
id |
Saying |
internal links |
| 11:25 |
6:7,9-13 |
11:2-4 |
C1 |
Kingdom come! |
"many" is not enough |
| ----- |
22:14 |
----- |
C2 |
Called or chosen |
"many" is not enough |
| ----- |
6:22-23 |
11:34-35 |
C3 |
Eye as lamp |
- |
| 12:17 |
----- |
----- |
C4 |
Caesar or God |
ruler |
| 8:12 |
12:38-42 |
11:16,29-32 |
C5 |
Request for a sign |
ruler(s) & prophet(s) |
| ----- |
13:16-17 |
10:23-24 |
C6 |
What you see |
ruler(s) & prophet(s); blessed; hear |
| (3:31-35) |
----- |
11:27-28 |
C7 |
Womb |
blessed; hear |
| ----- |
18:15,21-22 |
17:3-4 |
C8 |
Forgiveness |
wronging a disciple |
| 9:42 |
18:6-7 |
17:1-2 |
C9 |
Millstone |
wronging a disciple |
| 9:35b;10:42b-44 |
23:11 |
----- |
C10 |
Ruler/servant |
high/low status |
| ----- |
23:12 |
14:11; 18:14b |
C11 |
Humble exalted |
high/low status |
| |
| 9:1 |
----- |
----- |
C12 |
Some standing ... |
sky to earth |
| ----- |
----- |
12:54-56 |
C13 |
Weather signs |
earth & sky |
| 4:30-32 |
13:31-33 |
13:18-21 |
C14 |
Mustard & yeast |
earth to sky; man&woman |
| ----- |
18:12-13 |
15:4-5a,7-9 |
C15 |
Sheep & coin |
numbers; one; man&woman |
| ----- |
6:24 |
16:13 |
C16 |
Two masters |
numbers; one |
| 11:23 |
17:20 |
17:6 |
C17 |
Mulberry tree |
- |
| (10:17-22) |
6:19-21 |
12:33-34 |
C18 |
Treasure in heaven |
possessions |
| ----- |
6:25-33 |
12:22-31 |
C19 |
Life's necessities |
possessions; will be given |
| 4:25 |
25:29 |
12:48b |
C20 |
More given |
will be given |
| (10:29-30) |
19:28 |
22:28-29,30b |
C21 |
Thrones |
rewards at the coming |
| 10:31 |
20:16 |
13:30 |
C22 |
Last or first |
rewards at the coming |
D: The Hindrances to the Kingdom
| Mark |
Matthew |
Luke |
id |
Saying |
internal links |
| ----- |
23:13 |
11:52 |
D1 |
Hinder entrance |
woe to Pharisees |
| ----- |
23:25-26 |
11:39-41 |
D2 |
Clean cup |
woe to Pharisees; blind |
| ----- |
23:23-24 |
11:42 |
D3 |
Tithe mint |
woe to Pharisees; blind |
| 12:38-39 |
23:6-7 |
11:43 |
D4 |
Best seats |
woe to Pharisees |
| ----- |
23:27 |
11:44 |
D5 |
Whitewashed tombs |
woe to Pharisees |
| ----- |
23:4 |
11:46 |
D6 |
Burdens |
woe to Pharisees |
| ----- |
23:29-36 |
11:47-51 |
D7 |
Memorials |
woe to Pharisees; prophets |
| |
| 13:22 |
24:11 |
----- |
D8 |
False prophets |
prophets |
| 13:21 |
24:26 |
17:23 |
D9 |
Hearsay |
"they" refers back to D8 |
| ----- |
24:27 |
17:24 |
D10 |
Lightning |
visible from afar |
| ----- |
24:28 |
17:37 |
D11 |
Vultures |
visible from afar |
| ----- |
24:37-39 |
17:26-27,30 |
D12 |
In the days of Noah |
sudden coming |
| ----- |
24:40-41 |
17:34-35 |
D13 |
Taken or left |
sudden coming |
| 13:33,35,37 |
24:42-44 |
12:39-40 |
D14 |
Keep awake |
sudden coming |
The two subsections of each major section
The gap in the middle of each displayed section is to highlight the fact that each appears to be subdivided into two equal halves, though the divisions are not equally apparent in all the sections. The first half of A opens with a saying about the poor; the second half opens with a saying about the rich. (The author of Mathew's gospel may have recognized this division, for sayings from the first half of A only appear in what we know as chapter 5, and sayings from the second half of A only appear separately in what we know as chapter 7.) The first half of C opens with an expression of hope for the coming kingdom; the second half opens with a confident prediction of its coming. The first half of B comes to a climax in 'Through all Israel'. But it is in section D where the division is clearest: the first half being woes, and the second half looking forward to the coming of the Son of Man.
The 36 links connecting the 72 sayings into pairs
"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them out ahead of him, in pairs ....."
Lk 10:1 (JB)
| id |
saying |
link |
id |
saying |
| A1 |
Beatitudes |
kingdom (of God) |
C1 |
Kingdom come! |
| A2 |
Salt |
rejection |
C2 |
Called or chosen |
| A3 |
Lighting a lamp |
lamp; light |
C3 |
Eye as lamp |
| A4 |
Law |
primacy of divine law |
C4 |
Caesar or God |
| A5 |
Your accuser |
judgement |
C5 |
Request for a sign |
| A6 |
Hand & eye |
eye(s) |
C6 |
What you see |
| A7 |
Divorce |
woman |
C7 |
Womb |
| A8 |
Love your enemies |
concern for others |
C8 |
Forgiveness |
| A9 |
Blind guide |
bad guidance |
C9 |
Millstone |
| A10 |
Teacher/disciple |
master/underling |
C10 |
Ruler/servant |
| A11 |
Be like a child |
humility |
C11 |
Humble exalted |
| A12 |
Eye of needle |
kingdom of God |
C12 |
Bystanders |
| A13 |
Speck/log |
perception; hypocrite(s) |
C13 |
Weather signs |
| A14 |
Judge/measure |
measure |
C14 |
Mustard & yeast |
| A15 |
Pearls to pigs |
animal & valuable |
C15 |
Sheep & coin |
| A16 |
Two gates |
two |
C16 |
Two masters |
| A17 |
Good tree |
tree |
C17 |
Mulberry tree |
| A18 |
Good treasure |
treasure, heart |
C18 |
Treasure in heaven |
| A19 |
Ask/receive |
depending on your Father |
C19 |
Life's necessities |
| A20 |
Golden rule |
ethical summary |
C20 |
More given |
| A21 |
Disowned |
contrasting status; kingdom |
C21 |
Thrones |
| A22 |
Rock or sand |
contrasting fates |
C22 |
Last or first |
| |
| B1 |
Following Jesus |
kingdom of God |
D1 |
Hinder entrance |
| B2 |
Cup of water |
cup |
D2 |
Clean cup |
| B3 |
Harvest |
crops |
D3 |
Tithe mint |
| B4 |
Mission instructions |
greeting(s) |
D4 |
Best seats |
| B5 |
Lambs among wolves |
danger |
D5 |
Whitewashed tombs |
| B6 |
Hated/endure |
endurance |
D6 |
Burdens |
| B7 |
Through all Israel |
towns; 'through' Israel |
D7 |
Memorials |
| B8 |
Formal defence |
speaking |
D8 |
False prophets |
| B9 |
Bold confession |
not hidden; inner rooms |
D9 |
Hearsay |
| B10 |
Peace or a sword |
a dramatic coming |
D10 |
Lightning |
| B11 |
My disciple? |
omens of death |
D11 |
Vultures |
| B12 |
Find or lose |
loss |
D12 |
In the days of Noah |
| B13 |
Welcome |
reception |
D13 |
Taken or left |
| B14 |
For or against |
no taking it easy |
D14 |
Keep awake |
Treatment by the later synoptic writers
Matthew's rearrangement of the sayings.
Matthew has kept the sayings, except for those in section C, in substantially the same order.
Matthew retained the logia's four sections. A became the Sermon on the Mount, B became the discourse on mission (9:36-10:42), C was developed into the parables of the kingdom (13:1-52), D became the discourse on judgement (23-25). To mirror the five books of Moses, Matthew added a fifth discourse (Mt 17:24-18:35) concerning the Church (18:17, c.f. 16:18).
Matthew wanted to keep the positions of section A's opening and closing pericopes, so when he enlarged this section to make his Sermon, he did it partly by taking five sayings from C and placing them all in the middle, which came to be known as chapter 6.
Luke's rearrangement of the sayings.
Luke has rearranged the sayings more extensively, c.f. the hint about order in Lk 1:3.
The only logia sayings in the Sermon on the Plain are from section A. With regard to the seven woes, Luke displaced the first (Lk 11:52) so that the dinner scene (Lk 11:37f.) would start with the more appropriate saying about cups and dishes.
Notes
1. Lk 9:28, in which Luke altered Mark's "six days" to "about eight days", is placed immediately after Luke's version of saying C12. In the logia, C12 is the opening saying in the sixth of the eight subsections! The unnecessary editorial addition of
μετα τους λογους τουτους ("after these sayings") confirms that Luke had the logia in mind here. Independent evidence that Luke knew about the subsections can be found in Luke's different placements of the two halves of section D, c.f. also his placement of the two halves of section B.