Gospel of Thomas Saying 45

This Gospel of Thomas Commentary is part of the Gospel of Thomas page at Early Christian Writings.

Nag Hammadi Coptic Text

BLATZ

(45) Jesus said: Grapes are not harvested from thorn-bushes, nor are figs gathered from hawthorns, [f]or they yield no fruit. [A go]od man brings forth good from his treasure; a bad man brings forth evil things from his evil treasure, which is in his heart, and he says evil things, for out of the abundance of his heart he brings froth evil things.

LAYTON

(45) Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorn trees, nor are figs gathered from thorn bushes, for those do not bear fruit. Good people produce good from their store. Evil people produce wicked things from their evil store within their hearts, and say wicked things. For out of the heart's abundance they produce wicked things."

DORESSE

50 [45]. Jesus says: "Grapes are not gathered from thistles, and figs are not gathered from thorns: they do not give fruit! [. . . a] good man brings out of his barn what is good, but a wicked man brings out of his wicked barn—which is in his heart—evil <things>, and from them he sows evil, because <they are> evil <things that> he brings out of the abundance of his heart."

Funk's Parallels

Luke 6:43-45, Matt 7:15-20, Matt 12:33-37.

Visitor Comments

Evil results from learnt self-destructive attitudes. When one is so destroyed that these outweigh the innate self then evil overflows from the heart.
- Rodney

Choose wisely what you store in your heart.
- Simon Magus

A teacher's comment for his pupils to digest. A good tree produces good fruit. A bad tree cannot. You will need that information in your dealings with the world when you leave the school
- Thief37

Scholarly Quotes

Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman write: "From the fruits mentioned in Saying 44, Thomas goes on to give other sayings on the same subject, beginning with Matthew 7:16 then continuing with its parallel Luke 6:44-45. Luke 6:45 is parallel to Matthew 12:35, which also puts the saying about "treasure" in the context of "saying things"; but the saying in Thomas can be explained simply on a combination of Matthew 7:16-19 with Luke 6:44-45. The Gnostic is presumably the one who brings forth good things." (The Secret Sayings of Jesus, p. 157)

Gerd Ludemann writes: "Verses 1-3 have a close parallel in Luke 6.44b-45b and in Matt. 7.16b; 12.35; 12.34b. The sequence grapes/figs agrees with Matt. 7.16b against Luke 6.44b (figs/grapes). Verse 4 recalls Luke 6.45c. As this part of the verse derives from Lukan redaction, the same thing may be presumed for the whole Thomas logion, which is to be designated a mixed quotation." (Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 612)

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