Early Christian Writings Gospel of Thomas Saying 98 Previous - Gospel of Thomas Home - Next

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Nag Hammadi Coptic Text Funk's Parallels
Luke 14:31.

BLATZ LAYTON DORESSE

(98) Jesus said: The
kingdom of the Father is
like a man who wanted to
kill a powerful man. He
drew the sword in his house
and drove it into the wall,
that he might know his hand
would be strong (enough).
Then he slew the powerful
man.
(98) Jesus said, "What the
kingdom of the father
resembles is a man who
wanted to assassinate a
member of court. At home,
he drew the dagger and
stabbed it into the wall in
order to know whether his
hand would be firm. Next,
he murdered the member of
court."
102 [98]. "The Kingdom of
the Father is like a man who
wants to kill an important
person. In his house he
unsheathed the sword and
stuck it in the wall to assure
himself that his hand would
be firm. Then he killed the
person."

Visitor Comments Scholarly Quotes

This statement by Jesus
means that one should put
forth more than "just
enough" effort to try to
become qualified for heaven.
Many times "just enough"
becomes "not enough"
because one does not truly
know what he or she is
facing. Putting that extra
effort in will many times
ensure that the goal will be
accomplished!
- justlooking
If you want to kill the Great
Deceiver, try to do so while
at home. Try as hard as you
can to do so. When you try
harder than you can, then
you will do so.
- Simon Magus
Joachim Jeremias writes: "Just as this political assassin first makes a trial of his
strength before he embarks on his dangerous venture, so should you test yourselves
to see whether you have strength to carry the adventure through." (The Parables of
Jesus, p. 197)
Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman write: "It is better to compare the
kingdom of the Father with a man (as here) than with a woman (as in the two sayings
preceding this one); see Saying 112 [114]. The parable vaguely reminds us of Saul's
throwing his spear at David, in the Old Testament, but Thomas is not interested in
Old Testament allusions. It is more like the parable of the king going into battle who
first makes an estimate concerning his prospects (Luke 14:31). He who would find
the kingdom must first count the cost. If he is strong enough, he can slay the 'great
man' (probably the world; see Saying 78)." (The Secret Sayings of Jesus, p. 188)
F. F. Bruce writes: "This parable, also unparalleled in the canonical tradition, may
have come from a period when Zealot activity gave it contemporary relevance. The
point seems to be that any one who embarks on a costly or dangerous enterprise must
first make sure that he has the necessary resources to carry it out. There may be a link
with the strong man whose house is ransacked in Saying 35." (Jesus and Christian
Origins Outside the New Testament, p. 148)
Gerd Ludemann writes: "The parable appears only at this point in the early Christian
Jesus tradition. It has a high degree of offensiveness, since as in Luke 16.1-7; Matt.
If the metaphor here is about 13.44; Matt. 24.43-44/Luke 12.39 Jesus uses an immoral hero to make a statement
preparation for some great about the kingdom of God. Cf. in addition the original version of the saying about
event, then the kingdom of 'men of violence' in Matt. 11.12/Luke 16.16 (= Q) as a further example of Jesus being
heaven is only a dress deliberately offensive in what he says. . . . The parable is authentic. Because of its
rehearsal for something offensiveness it probably fell victim to moral censorship at an early stage and
greater to come. What? The therefore does not appear in any other text." (Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 637)
kingdom is only the means Funk and Hoover write: "It appeared to some of the Fellows that the story line of the
to that end. parable originally had to do with reversal: the little guy beats the big guy by taking
- iver the precautions a prudent person would take before encountering the village bully.
The powerful person is the This, together with the scandalous nature of the image, prompted a majority of the
father who uses power Seminar to vote red or pink on the third ballot." (The Five Gospels, p. 525)
without authority. The
symbolic rape of the father
figure empowers the child
and destroys the figure's
illusion of authority.
- Rodney
First desire, then fear, then
realization. But just as the
murderer is a danger to the
community, so the sage. The
sage can see what is in front
of his face, has experienced
the divine. And all the
concensus of the community
and its boundaries and
taboos and superstitions have
been transcended. This is
truly dangerous and it's your
birth right. As the prophet
Bob Marley said ‘It's not
all that glitters is gold, half
the story has never been told
and now you see the light,
stand up for your rights’.
- Mud
I understand the messages
that many of you have
interpreted, but I have a hard
time reconciling this
particular saying with my
Jesus in the New Testament.
I lean more towards the
opinion of F.F. Bruce that
perhaps this is attributed to
creative liberties by a zealot.
- Puzzled
It seems to me that you have
to know yourself (become
acquainted with your
strength) first. Then you can
and will overcome your
obstacles.
- newbie
Practice overcoming your
weaknesses in
private...perhaps meditate in
seclusion. When the
temptation comes in the real
world, you will be able to
resist.
- Zooie
98

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