Chiasmus Resources

In the most recent monograph on John the Baptist Josef Ernst first deals with the Baptist in the Markan gospel and only then, in his second chapter, with the Baptist in Q, although it is generally recognized that Q is older than Mark. Moreover, in Ernst's opinion there is no contact between Mark and Q. Ernst does not even consider that Mark 1.2bc may be taken from Q (cf. Matt 11.10 = Luke 7.27), nor does he see in Mark 1.7–8 a more recent, re-written text of a more original version of Q. The extent of Q in John's preaching is, as in many Q studies, limited to Matt 3.7–12=Luke 3.7–9, 16b–17. In this text Matt 3.11=Luke 3.16 is ‘trimmed’: ‘I baptize you with water, but the Most Powerful One (= God) is coming … He will baptize you with a holy Spirit and fire.’ Thus neither ‘after me’ nor the qualification of John's unworthiness is retained.