Gender Demographics in Q Studies Seeking and Finding Our Hidden Sisters

The discussions within Q study for the reconstructions of the Christian origin behind Q have provided insightful sources for a feminist perspective in biblical studies. Within some of the prior conversations on gender issues some arguments cast doubt as to whether Q study can contribute to the feminist perspective. However, Q contains various traces for reconstructing women’s participation and their positive images within the formation of Q, especially the aspects of Q that deeply relate to the basileia of Q’s socio-political vision toward a more inclusive society. These traces render the possibility for a better understanding of the early Jesus movement by their reflection of the positive roles of women. In this regard, an examination of Q 12:27 is significant for both Q and feminist studies in terms of women’s popular culture. Q’s unique esthetical view of comparing the lilies of the field with the glory of Solomon, which is a rhetorical attack on the elites’ leadership over lower classes of people, becomes evident in relation to the socio-political dimension of Q. Strikingly, this comparison importantly functions to criticize the exploitation of women’s hard labor of spinning wool, thus breaking its gender ideological connotations. Regardless of the cultural differences of Western and Eastern culture concerning the roles of women, the work of spinning wool and making clothes was a major duty for women in those cultures as well as ancient society, as defined by their gender role. While it was regarded as a fine achievement for women in the upper class, for women in lower classes it was a typical exploitation of their labor. These women were not only required to make clothes, but due to the lack of general labor in ancient agrarian society, they were also forced to work almost equally as men. Consequently, lower classes of women had to the extra work of spinning wool and making clothes during the night, thus they had to work ceaselessly. As a part of the basilea discourse (Q 12:22-31), Q 12:27 contributes to provide an insight that recognizes women’s hard work (κοπίάω). Unlike the parallel saying in Q12:24, only Q 12:27, which relates women’s work, acknowledges women’s hard toils and criticizes the exploiting systems of both gender roles and the socio-economic environment in Roman Galilee. This passage of Q, when connected to the domestic images of women’s daily life in other various parts of Q, enforces a significant trait found in the essential message of Q’s basileia of God, one which contributes to create an alternative socio-political vision of a more inclusive society. Thus, it can be inferred that women’s participation evidently affected and interacted with the defining processes of Q’s origin.