“... In this parable, the by now well-known image of a master feeding his slaves is taken up. Compare, for example, the rabbinic parable from Sifre Deuteronomy 40 that we have discussed above. Just like the parable from Sifre Deuteronomy, the parable from the Gospel of Philip features a master (in Sifre a king1412) who distributes food both to his sons and slaves (cattle is not mentioned in Sifre). Clearly, there are also differences between the parable in Sifre Deuteronomy and the Gospel of Philip: first, in Sifre Deuteronomy, no differentiation is made between the food for both groups. Moreover, while the parable of Sifre Deuteronomy compares the master with God, in the Gospel of Philip, it is the disciple (the follower of Jesus) who is compared to the master. The application of the Gospel of Philip is typically gnostic, and according to Wilson “quite straightforward”:1413 as the wise householder distinguishes what kind of food he gives to which animal or person, so too does the true gnostic distinguish between the different natures of the soul that are present in this world. Only to beings of the highest level – compared to the sons or children in the parable – does he give the best “food,” the most sophisticated teachings. The slaves, representing the lower level of souls, are given teachings of lower quality (“elementary lessons”). The “animals in human form” do not receive food that is compared to a certain kind of instruction. This may remind us of Matthew 7:6b: “Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine.” According to Lalleman, the parable is even an “extension” of this saying, “[l]ike so much in the Gospel of Philip.”1414 Thus, content-wise as well, we may conclude that, while the Gospel of Philip gives its own, gnostic, twist to the parable, the themes of the parable are in line with (parable) traditions from the New Testament and early rabbinic literature.1415 ...”