LOY Excursus: Sources of the “Strings of Pearls” in Luke’s Gospel

The “strings of pearls” (Luke 8:16-18; 9:23-27; 16:16-18; 17:1-6) offer an example of the outsized influence of the First Reconstruction on the synoptic tradition.

(Luke 8:16-18; 9:23-27; 16:16-18; 17:1-6)

Updated: 1 November 2023

Table of Contents

1. Introduction

2. Lukan Doublets

3. Matthean Parallels to the “Strings of Pearls”

3a.Matthean Parallels to the Lukan Doublets

3b. Matthean Parallels to Lukan “String of Pearls” Sayings Lacking Doublets in Luke

4. Wider FR Contexts of the “Strings of Pearls” in Luke

5. Mark and the “Strings of Pearls”

6. A “String of Pearls” in the Triple Tradition

7. “Strings of Pearls” and Matthean Cross-Pollination

8. Conclusion

One of the characteristics of the Gospel of Luke is the presence of several small collections of sayings scattered about its middle section (Luke 8:16-18; 9:23-27; 16:16-18; 17:1-6).^[1]These collections of three or more sayings are often unrelated to a clear teaching context. While the sayings in each grouping might share a thematic link, the individual sayings are not likely to have been uttered on the same occasion. They are really isolated sayings that have been secondarily hung together like a string of pearls.

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^[1] Luke 11:33-36 is a small cluster of teaching material united by the catchwords “lamp” and “light.” This cluster of sayings does not qualify as a “string of pearls” because it is not made up of three or more self-contained sayings. The division in this cluster is Hiding a Lamp (Luke 11:33) and A Good Eye (Luke 11:34-36).

Luke 12:32-34 is another small cluster of teaching material, this cluster being united by the theme of trust in God. The arrangement of these sayings is very like a “string of pearls” except that they are not self-contained. Each saying cycles into the next. It begins with an exhortation not to fear, on the grounds that the little flock is in possession of the Kingdom. The cycle continues with an exhortation to sell one’s belongings based on the possession of the Kingdom. Giving away one’s belongings becomes the means of acquiring a treasure in heaven. Having a treasure in heaven allows one to trust. Trust allows one to overcome fear and have possession of the Kingdom. And so the virtuous circle cycles anew.

Since the sayings in Luke 12:32-34 are not self-contained “pearls,” we have not included this cluster of sayings in our discussion of the “strings of pearls” in Luke’s Gospel. It is possible, however, that, like the “strings of pearls,” the author of Luke’s source for these sayings was the First Reconstruction. ↩