Gospel of Thomas Commentary

174,747 words

This compilation explores modern interpretations of the Gospel according to Thomas, an ancient text preserved in a Coptic translation at Nag Hammadi and Greek fragments at Oxyrhynchus. With no particular slant, this commentary gathers together quotations from various scholars in order to elucidate the meaning of the sayings, many of which are right...

Saying 36 - What We Wear Is Unimportant

Nag Hammadi Coptic Text

BLATZ

(36) Jesus said: Be not anxious from morning to evening and from evening to morning about what you shall put on.

LAYTON

(36) Jesus said, "Do not worry from dawn to dusk and from dusk to dawn about what you (plur.) will wear."

DORESSE

41 [36]. Jesus says: "Have no care, from morning to evening and from evening to morning, about what you shall put on."

 

Oxyrhynchus Greek Fragment

DORESSE - Oxyrhynchus

["...] from morning to [evening and] from evening [to mor]ning, nor for [yo]ur [food] that you shall ea[t, nor for your] cloth[ing] that you shall put on. [You are mu]ch super[ior] to the lilies which gor and do [not sp]in. If you have a garment, what do you la[ck?] Who can add to your height? He himself will give you your clothing!"

ATTRIDGE - Oxyrhynchus

(36) [Jesus said, "Do not be concerned] from morning [until evening and] from evening [until] morning, neither [about] your [food] and what [you will] eat, [nor] about [your clothing] and what you [will] wear. [You are far] better than the [lilies] which [neither] card nor [spin]. As for you, when you have no garment, what [will you put on]? Who might add to your stature? He it is who will give you your cloak."

 

Funk's Parallels

POxy655 36
[Jesus says, "Do not worry], from morning [to evening nor] from [evening to] morning, either [about] your [food], what [you will] eat, [or] about [your clothing], what you [will] wear. [You are much] better than the lilies, which do not card nor [spin]. As for you, when you have no garment, what [will you put] on? Who might add to your stature? That very one will give you your garment."

Luke 12:22-34
And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls? And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest? Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith? And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you. Fear not, little flock; for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Matt 6:25-34
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

DialSav 51-52
Judas said, "How will [our] garments be brought to us?" The Lord said, "There are some who will provide for you, and there are others who will receive [...]. For [it is] they [who will give you] your garments. [For] who [will] be able to reach that place [which] is [the] reward? But the garments of life were given to man because he knows the path by which he will leave. And it is difficult even for me to reach it!"

 

Scholarly Quotes

Joseph A. Fitzmyer writes:

"The thirty-sixth Coptic saying, which corresponds to this Oxyrhynchus fragmentary text, is much shorter than the Greek. It may represent a different Greek recension of the Gospel or a deliberate shortening of the text in the Coptic. At any rate, we can only use the Coptic as a control for the restoration of the first few lines of the Greek text."

(Essays on the Semitic Background of the New Testament, p. 406)

Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman write:

"Do not worry about what you will wear (Matthew 6:25; Luke 12:22). 'Morning and evening' are presumably Thomas's substitutes for 'the morrow' of Matthew 6:34. In the Greek version more quotations from the gospels are provided (Matthew 6:25, 28, 27; Luke 12:22, 27, 25). This fact may suggest that the editor of Coptic Thomas wanted to remove such obvious traces of his sources."

(The Secret Sayings of Jesus, p. 152)

Joseph A. Fitzmyer writes:

"There is no reason why this form of the saying should not be given the same degree of authenticity that is accorded the canonical versions. E. Jacquier (RB 15 [1918] 116) regarded it as authentic, but J. Jeremias (Unknown Sayings, 86) would consider only the last three lines as authentic. He rejects the rest because he makes of this and the following saying but one unit. Since the following saying is marked with Gnostic ideas on sexual asceticism, it is not to be regarded as authentic (ibid., 17). However, I do not believe that these two sayings should be treated as one. The change of subject in line 17 is the beginning of a new saying, as is now evident from several similar cases in the Coptic version. See note on Oxy P 654:32. This saying deals only with excessive solicitude for food and clothing and the correct dependence that the Christian should have on the Father."

(Essays on the Semitic Background of the New Testament, p. 407)

Funk and Hoover write:

"Verses 3-4 are gnostic additions. Thomas 37 is actually an expansion on these remarks, although 36:3-4 are preserved only in Greek Thomas. The notion that humans will return to the primordial state of sexual non-differentiation when they put off the body (their clothes) is congenial to the developing gnostic trend. These additions provide a peculiar setting for the sayings in vv. 1-2, but they seem not to have led to the revision of the primary sayings."

(The Five Gospels, p. 493)

Gerd Ludemann writes:

"The key to the history of the tradition is provided by that part of the Greek version which goes beyond the Coptic translation. It contains, first, a modification of the Coptic version (underlined); secondly, at the end (= vv. 3-4), a Gnostic interpretation (the symbol of the garment); and thirdly, before that, a part (= v. 2) which recalls Matt. 6.25-31/Luke 12.22-29). As the Gnostic part is certainly secondary, the same conclusion may be drawn about the other pieces. The Coptic translation is probably an abbreviation of a Greek version."

(Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 608)

 

Visitor Comments

Worrying about outward appearance is a condition of vanity and pride. Worry separates us from Truth and Light.
- whacky

Your faith in God should be such that you have no concern for lacking something necessary to your life. You should expect that if you truly need something you need only hold out your hand and what you truly need will be placed in it. If nothing is placed there, then you did not truly need anything which you did not already have. A lesser faith than this means that you do not truly understand the nature of yourself and of God.
- active-mystic

Do not do what you think you're supposed to do. The innate self provides meaning for everything one does.
- Rodney

Confidential advice given by a teacher to his students. Trust me. I know what is right for you. I [and only I] can prescribe. You cannot reliably prescribe for yourself so stop agonising about it. This advice not intended for public consumption.
- Thief37

It's like when a doctor gives you a prescription: he knows your sickness and knows what you need to get better. God knows what you need to have faith, and he will give you his guidance if you need it, but he won't give you anything that you do not need.
- Meg

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