14 MAY 1927, Page 40

THE ORIGINAL JERUSALEM GOSPEL. ESSAYS ON THE DOCUMENT " Q."

By the Rev. J. M. C. Crum. (Constable. 9s.)—In this book, based in part on two essays published in The Hibbert Journal, the Rector of Farnham explains and elaborates his argument for an original collection of Sayings and Stories of Jesus written, as he thinks, by St. Matthew at a date prior to 50 am., and to be discerned as the source of a later edition of Matthew and a second edition of Luke. Chapter VIII is a conjectural restoration of this Q document, reprinted from the Hibbert, while chapter IX, reprinted from Theology, sets out the relation and interdepen- dence of Mark and Q, Mark representing the earliest tradition passing from Jerusalem to Rome, Q the same tradition passing from Jerusalem to Antioch. Let us say at once that there is nothing fanciful in the theory, that the style of exposition is clear even to minuteness, and that, in short, the work could not be better done. In passing, a great deal of valuable side- light is shed on the incidents and metaphors of the Gospel narrative. We have no space to discuss in detail Mr. Crum's most interesting hypothesis ; we can but commend it to the notice of scholars, while at the same time assuring the ordinary Bible student that he will find a study of the book bring a rich

reward of illustrative matter. . . .