Parton distribution functions on the lattice and in the continuum

Ioffe-time distributions, which are functions of the Ioffe-time $\nu$, are the Fourier transforms of parton distribution functions with respect to the momentum fraction variable $x$. These distributions can be obtained from suitable equal time, quark bilinear hadronic matrix elements which can be calculated from first principles in lattice QCD, as it has been recently argued. In this talk I present the first numerical calculation of the Ioffe-time distributions of the nucleon in the quenched approximation.