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In Mark, a man knows the commandments and has kept them all, yet Jesus tells him he still lacks one thing. The Gospel of Thomas also sets knowing all against still lacking, and there Jesus says such a person lacks everything.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Mark 10:21
New Testament
19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” 20 The man said to him, “Teacher, I have wholeheartedly obeyed all these laws since my youth.” 21 As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Gospel of Thomas 1:67
Nag Hammadi
66 Jesus said, “Show me the stone that the builders rejected; that is the cornerstone.” 67 Jesus said, “Whoever knows all but lacks within himself lacks everything.” 68 Jesus said, “Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted. But wherever they have persecuted you, they will find no place.”
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Notes and References
“... Parallels to this ‘all except one’ include the often cited Mark 8.36 (‘the whole world’, but forfeiting the soul) and Zostrianus’s statement: ‘If he apprehends the glories, he is perfect; but if he apprehends [two] or one, he is drunk’ (Zost. 73,12–15). Perhaps closest is the Rich Young Man pericope, where the man ‘knows’ the commandments (Mk 10.19/Lk. 18.20), and has kept them ‘all’ (Mk 10.20/Matt. 19.20/Lk. 18.21), but still ‘one thing is lacking’ (Mk 10.21/Lk. 18.22). ...”
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