The Pastoral Purpose 85 enduring such suffering, namely a share in the heavenly reward of the prophets who not only endured their own rejection and persecution, but who are themselves paradigmatic of the rejection faced by Jesus (cf. Q 13,34-35). By contrast, in the saying of Q 9,58 Jesus refers directly to his own lifestyle (17). Nonetheless, it is fully apparent that this saying is not functioning as a neutral description of the asceticism of Jesus. Rather, the dialogue in Q 9,57-60 is a discourse on discipleship which presents the standards of behaviour to be emulated by followers of Jesus. Again in Q, readers are called to a pattern of discipleship which is to be based on the description of the marginalization and rejection experienced by the Son of Man. Although admittedly here this experience of alienation and homelessness is in some ways self-imposed, by the choice of an itinerant life (oJ de; uiJo;" tou' ajnqrwvpou oujk e[cei pou' th;n kefalh;n klivnh/), it is also externally generated by the lack of response to the proclaimed message. By contrast, the charge of gluttony and being a drunkard (Q 7,34) is a direct criticism from those who find the libertine lifestyle of Jesus to be disquieting. Such a linkage between the rejection of the Son of Man during his earthly ministry and the present experience of his followers serves both pastoral and pedagogical purposes for readers of Q. The description in Lk 6,22 employs the verb ajforivzw, which, as Bovon notes, “means a separation, more probably religious excommunication from the synagogue than social discri- mination” (18). This more detailed description with obvious overtones of formal synagogue expulsion stands in contrast to the vaguer notion of rejection that is announced in Q. At an earlier stage of the Jesus movement the experience of ostracism resulting from allegiance to the Son of Man may have consisted of personal acts of shunning and rejection, rather than formalized debarring from synagogue worship. Yet, just as the acts of rejection were less formalized, so also the Jesus movement had yet to develop a sustained response to such ostracism. The Q document in part may represent an early attempt to respond to such experiences. Part of this response appears to be a celebration of the encounter with those who persecute, based upon the prior sufferings of the Son of Man. Therefore, pastorally readers are shown that there is solidarity with Jesus through suffering. While this may sustain faith in the short term, psychologically in the face of present persecution new religious movements often need to formulate a belief that creates expectations of future reversal (19). 3. The Coming One For Q the “pay-off” for such persecution in its contemporary situation is envisaged as arising from an eschatological unveiling of the true status of adherents to the Son of Man, coupled with an announcement of judgment upon their persecutors. This is achieved primarily through the second stage of the Christological role ascribed to the Son of Man. Yet even in the first section of Q where the Son of Man sayings focus on the earthly ministry of Jesus, the (17) TUCKETT, Christology and the New Testament, 196. (18) F. BOVON, A Commentary on Luke 1:1–9:50 (Minneapolis, MN 2002) 227. (19) On the way in which new religious movements operate in tension with the prevailing sociocultural environment see W.S. BAINBRIDGE, The Sociology of New Religious Movements (New York – London 1997) 31-59.