03_Biblica_Foster_Layout 1 08/07/13 12:56 Pagina 387 387 IS Q A “JEWISH CHRISTIAN” DOCUMENT? a similar response “in Israel” (Q 7.9). Although the centurion is not explicitly described as a Gentile, the contrast with “Israel” implicitly but clearly evokes this understanding, and attempts to avoid casting the centurion as a Gentile simply miss the key intention of the story 60. The antipathy of Q towards a form of belief that is based on the plaintive confession of Jesus as κύριος without corresponding action is well known (Q 6.46) 61. Whether the centurion actually addressed Jesus as “Lord” in the Q version of this tradition is a complex and hotly debated question 62. While this is perhaps best explained as a Matthean addition, the decision is perhaps irrelevant in relation to the more central question of the overall meaning of this pericope. The faith of the centurion is what leads to Jesus granting his request. In relation to the Matthean form of this story, Davies and Allison summarize its core message in the following manner: “Faith conquers the separation between Jew and Gentile; it cannot but gain Jesus’ kindly help” 63. There is no reason to understand the central message of this story as being any different in Q than it is in Matthew. The attitude toward Gentiles in Q does not receive systematic treatment. The two brief references represent different trajectories. In Q 6.34, Gentiles are mentioned stereotypically (as are tax-collec- tors) as those who do not practice the type of group ethic that is pre- sented as a key feature of Jesus’ teaching. This negative portrayal of Gentile behaviour is not employed to exclude Gentiles, or to place them beyond the reach of the teaching of Q, but to illustrate the dif- ference between the love-ethic that is being promoted and the usual ethical practices that were understood to prevail in Gentile society. By contrast, the concrete example of the centurion implicitly con- trasts the faith of this individual with the majority response from Is- The possibility that the centurion is not a Gentile is supported by D.R. 60 CATCHPOLE, “The Centurion’s Faith”, The Four Gospels 1992. Festschrift Frans Neirynck (eds. F. VAN SEDBROECK – C.M. TUCKETT – G. VAN BELLE – J. VERHEYDEN) (BETL 100; Leuven 1992) III, 539-540. P. FOSTER, “The Pastoral Purpose of Q’s Two-Stage Son of Man Christo- 61 logy”, Bib 89 (2008) 81-91, esp. 82. S.R. JOHNSON (ed.), Documenta Q. Q 7:1-10, The Centurion’s Faith in 62 Jesus’ Word (Leuven – Paris – Sterling, VA 2002) 163-166. W.D. DAVIES – D.C. Allison, The Gospel According to Saint Matthew 63 (ICC; Edinburgh 1991) II, 25. © Gregorian Biblical Press 2013 - Tutti i diritti riservati