Early Christian Writings Gospel of Thomas Saying 88 Previous - Gospel of Thomas Home - Next

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Nag Hammadi Coptic Text Funk's Parallels
Luke 12.20.

BLATZ LAYTON DORESSE

(88) Jesus said: The angels
and the prophets will come
to you, and they will give
you what is yours. You also,
give them what is in your
hands, and say to
yourselves: On what day
will they come to take what
is theirs?
(88) Jesus said, "The
messengers and the
prophets are coming to you
(plur.), and they will give
you the things that you
possess. And you, too - give
them the things that you
have, and say among
yourselves, 'When are they
coming to take their own?'"
92 [88]. Jesus says: "The
angels and prophets are
coming to you; they will
give you the things that
belong to you. You, give
them what you possess, and
say: 'When will they come
and take what is theirs?'"

Visitor Comments Scholarly Quotes

Doresse puts it well, the
description of a process
- Thief37
When you work hard to
purify you will be given
what you need as spiritual
insight, especially. Do not
become attached to earthly
things but be prepared to
give them up.
- Zooie
88
Alias:
Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman write: "Angels are the messengers of the
Son of Man, e.g., in Matthew 13:41. They give man his true self, the kingdom. It is
not clear what the prophets have to do with this. Perhaps the emphasis is on what
men give the prophets, for 'many prophets . . . desired to see what you see and did not
see it' (Matthew 13:17; Luke 10:24). The day on which they come and take their own
is presumably the day of death; compare Luke 12:20 (in the parable of the rich fool,
Saying 64): 'This night they will require your soul [life] from you.'" (The Secret
Sayings of Jesus, p. 183)
F. F. Bruce writes: "The question at the end is reminiscent of the message received by
the rich fool in Luke 12.20: 'This night your soul is required of you' (cf. Saying 63).
On the day when mortal life ends the heavenly messengers give men their proper
heritage (the kingdom of the Father)." (Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New
Testament, p. 146)
Marvin Meyer writes: "This saying may discuss interactions with itinerant prophets
or with heavenly messengers. The word angelos used in the Coptic may be translated
either 'messengers' or 'angels.' In the Jewish scriptures and the New Testament, this
word may designate either sort of messenger; at times it may indicate a prophet or a
human emissary. In the Discourses of Epictetus a Cynic philosopher may be called a
'messenger' of Zeus to humankind." (The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of
Jesus, p. 102)
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