Saying 40 - A Parable Of A Grapevine

Nag Hammadi Coptic Text

BLATZ (40) Jesus said: A vine has been planted outside of the Father; and since it is not established, it will be plucked out with its roots (and) will perish.

LAYTON (40) Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted outside the father. And because it is not sound, it will be plucked out by the root and will perish."

DORESSE 45 [40]. Jesus says: "A vine shoot was planted outside the Father. It did not grow strong: it will be plucked up from the root and it will perish."

 

Funk's Parallels

Matt 15:10-20
And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto us this parable. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

John 15:1-17
I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Ign. Trall. 11.1-2
Shun ye therefore those vile offshoots that gender a deadly fruit, whereof if a man taste, forthwith he dieth. For these men are not the Fathers planting: for if they had been, they would have been seen to be branches of the Cross, and their fruit imperishable -- the Cross whereby He through His passion inviteth us, being His members. Now it cannot be that a head should be found without members, seeing that God promiseth union, and this union is Himself.

Ign Phld. 3.1-3
Abstain from noxious herbs, which are not the husbandry of Jesus Christ, because they are not the planting of the Father. Not that I have found division among you, but filtering. For as many as are of God and of Jesus Christ, they are with the bishop; and as many as shall repent and enter into the unity of the Church, these also shall be of God, that they may be living after Jesus Christ. Be not deceived, my brethren. If any man followeth one that maketh a schism, he doth not inherit the kingdom of God. If any man walketh in strange doctrine, he hath no fellowship with the passion.

 

Scholarly Quotes

Gerd Ludemann writes:

"These verses come close to Matt. 15.13. Verse 2a is not contained in Matt. 15.13, but can well be understood as an elaboration by Gnostics who are concerned with inner fortification. Similarly, the use of 'vine' instead of 'planting' is not a reason for dismissing a genetic relationship to the text of Matthew. A dependence of this logion on Matthew is virtually certain, for Matt. 15.13 derives from Matthean redaction."

(Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 610)

Funk and Hoover write:

"This is another illustration of a proverb that Jesus may have adopted. Vines planted without the assistance of the Father will not survive; they will be pulled up by the roots. The reference to being pulled up by the roots gives a slight apocalyptic tinge to the saying. This nuance is, of course, alien to Thomas."

(The Five Gospels, p. 495)

 

Visitor Comments

This is a two-fold message, as most of Jesus' sayings were. It has implications for both man and kingdoms, and the apocalyptic tinge is not slight.
- wacky

Like many of the Thomas sayings this one has both a spiritual interpretation and a consistent but independent real-world interpretation. The spiritual interpretation is that the concept of individual identity which our culture imposes on each of us, being illusory, will be destroyed, either at our physical death or at the experience of enlightenment as to our own true nature which comes to those who are determined enough to understand the central point of the Gospel of Thomas. The real-world interpretation relates to the destiny of the popular-based organized Christian religion. It is too shocking to be publicly stated.
- Simon Magus

The grapevine is the constellation of learnt self-destructive responses which evaporates in the light of the innate adult self. Jesus knew no more about the future than we do, Simon Magus.
- Rodney

Poetic expression. A true teacher plants a sound vine [inside the father]. A false teacher plants vines outside the father and so they fail. A commentary on valid & viable esoteric schools versus false ones.
- Thief37