“... Thomas 109 Jesus said, “The kingdom is like a man who had a [hidden] treasure in his field without knowing it. And [after] he died, he left it to his [son]. The son [did] not know (about the treasure). He inherited the field and sold [it]. And the one who bought it went plowing and [found] the treasure. He began to lend money at interest to whomever he wished.” [...] The similitude is found only within the Gospel of Matthew among the Synoptics. Along with two others (the Weeds in the Wheat, 13:24-30, and the Pearl of Great Price, 13:45-46), it is one of three parables distinctive of Matthew that are also in the Gospel of Thomas (57, 76, 109). Both versions are devoid of any hortatory comments or applications. [...] The version of the parable in the Gospel of Thomas does not appear to be literarily dependent on Matthew’s. It differs in various details. In Matthew 13:44 the one who makes the discovery does not first own the field (and its treasure) but finds it in a field that belongs to another and then liquidates all that he has in order to purchase the field. In the Gospel of Thomas 109, however, the man who discovered the treasure was already the owner (actually the third owner) and “began to lend money at interest to whomever he wished” (which is in blatant contradiction to the prohibition of lending at interest in logion 95). It would seem that, if there is a point to that parable, it is that there are persons (non-Gnostics) who have riches at hand, but do not know it, that is, the hidden “gnosis,” which is within the self. Another (the Gnostic) comes upon that knowledge, however, is enlightened by it, and is able then to share it with others of his own choosing, which results in mutual benefits. ...”