Texts in Conversation
Matthew and Luke have Jesus ask the crowds what they went out to the wilderness to see, and the answer is John the Baptist. The Gospel of Thomas has the same questions but leaves them unanswered, never names John, and turns them against the rich.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Matthew 11:7
New Testament
6 —and blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me!” 7 While they were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 8 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Look, those who wear soft clothing are in the palaces of kings! 9 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet!
Luke 7:24
New Testament
23 Blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” 24 When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 What did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Look, those who wear soft clothing and live in luxury are in the royal palaces! 26 What did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet.
Gospel of Thomas 1:78
Nag Hammadi
77 Jesus said, “I am the light that is over all things. I am the All; the All came forth from me, and to me the All has come. Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there.” 78 Jesus said, “Why did you come out into the countryside? To see a reed shaken by the wind? And to see a man dressed in soft clothing? Look, your kings and your great men are those who wear soft clothing, and they cannot know the truth.” 79 A woman in the crowd said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you.” He said to her, “Blessed are those who have heard the Father’s word and have truly kept it. For there will be days when you will say, ‘Blessed is the womb that has not conceived and the breasts that have not given milk.’”
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Notes and References
“... 8. Gos. Thom. 78: “Jesus said, ‘Why have you come out into the desert? To see a reed shaken by the wind? And to see a man clothed in fine garments like your kings and your great ones? Upon them are the fine garments, and they are unable to discern the truth.’” This saying, in Matt 11:7–10 // Luke 7:24–27 (Q), refers to the Baptist, understood as the prophet foretold by the eschatological oracle in Mal 3:1 (cf. also Exod 23:20). In Thomas, the logion becomes instead a criticism of the wealthy. The secondary nature of Thomas is apparent. (a) “Upon them are the fine garments” is redundant. (b) “And they are unable to discern [σουν] the truth” sounds editorial (cf. Gos. Thom. 3, 12, 16, 18, 31, 56, 67, 69, 91, 103, 105, 109). (c) Unlike the Synoptic parallels, Thomas leaves the introductory questions unanswered. (d) Thomas otherwise shows no interest in exalting John (see 46), so his exclusion is unsurprising. (e) In its current form, Thomas 78 promotes an ascetical praxis, in accord with the rest of the book. (f) Thomas tends, on the whole, to generalize, dehistoricize, and decontextualize. ...”
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