Texts in Conversation
Matthew and Luke both have Jesus send his followers out to heal the sick. Only Luke, like the Gospel of Thomas, connects that command to eating what people set before them when they are welcomed.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Matthew 10:8
New Testament
7 As you go, preach this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven is near!’ 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. 9 Do not take gold, silver, or copper in your belts; 10 no bag for the journey; or an extra tunic, or sandals or staff; for the worker deserves his provisions.
Luke 10:8
New Testament
7 Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house. 8 Whenever you enter a town and the people welcome you, eat what is set before you. 9 Heal the sick in that town and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come upon you!’
Gospel of Thomas 1:14
Nag Hammadi
13 Jesus said to his disciples, “Compare me and tell me whom I am like.” Simon Peter said to him, “You are like a righteous messenger.” Matthew said to him, “You are like a wise philosopher.” Thomas said to him, “Teacher, my mouth is utterly unable to say whom you are like.” Jesus said, “I am not your teacher. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring I have measured out.” And he took him and withdrew and spoke three sayings to him. When Thomas returned to his companions, they asked him, “What did Jesus say to you?” Thomas said to them, “If I tell you even one of the sayings he spoke to me, you will pick up stones and throw them at me, and fire will come out of the stones and burn you up.” 14 Jesus said to them, “If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves; if you pray, you will be condemned; if you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits. When you go into any land and travel about in the countryside, if they receive you, eat what they set before you and heal the sick among them. For what goes into your mouth will not defile you; rather, what comes out of your mouth is what will defile you.” 15 Jesus said, “When you see one who was not born of woman, fall on your faces and worship him; that one is your Father.”
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Notes and References
“... 14.4 If you are received, eat what is set before you. This command (cf. Lk. 10.8; 1 Cor. 10.27) already anticipates the stance towards clean/unclean foods about to be mentioned in 14.5. It seems implicitly to contradict a notion of vegetarianism in Thomas. 14.4 Those who are sick among them, heal. This does not belong here in the treatment of the questions from GTh 6, but is linked with the missionary material earlier in 14.4: the connection appears also in Matthew 10.8–10 and Luke 10.7–9. Luke and Thomas are rather closer to one another than they are to Matthew. As far as the meaning of ‘healing’ is concerned, it is unclear whether for Thomas cure of bodies or of souls is envisaged. A both/and is unlikely, at least in this particular saying. Grant & Freedman, and Popkes, think that the healing motif here is exceptional, and an insignificant relic resulting from Lukan influence. Probably more likely is that this statement would be interpreted by readers in spiritual terms. ...”
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