You are on page 1of 3

Early Christian Writings Gospel of Thomas Saying 67 Previous - Gospel of Thomas Home - Next

You can view this web page along with Grondin's Coptic/English Interlinear in frames.
Nag Hammadi Coptic Text Funk's Parallels
Book of Thomas the
Contender 138:16-18.

BLATZ LAYTON DORESSE


(67) Jesus said: He who (67) Jesus said, "If anyone 71 [67]. Jesus says: "He
knows the all, (but) fails (to should become acquainted who knows the All, but has
know) himself, misses with the entirety and should failed to know himself, has
everything. fall short of all (?), that failed completely to know,
person falls short utterly." <or: to find> the Place!"

Visitor Comments Scholarly Quotes


He who knows very little of Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman write: "This saying is incomprehensible.
"the all" (world), but Presumably Jesus is 'the All,' and 'everywhere' is where Jesus is, as in Saying 77. If -
manages to know himself, as is most uncertain - the saying is related to Jesus' words to Martha in Luke 10:41,
gains everything. Jesus 'There is need of few things or of one,' it would mean that to know Jesus is all that
(pbuh) meant it when he the believer needs. Perhaps the saying was garbled during transmission." (The Secret
said, "The meek shall inherit Sayings of Jesus, p. 173)
the earth." R. McL. Wilson writes: "Logion 67 Grant and Freedman, using a different
- whacky translation, found incomprehensible, and they suggest that it may have been garbled
The perfectly informed in the transmission. The clue, however, had already been provided by Dr. Till, who
scientist knows everything of after observing 'For him who wants to be saved it is necessary above all to recognize
the world. But if he does not the vanity of the material world,' and quoting sayings to that effect, continues 'It is by
know himself he knows no means sufficient to know the worthlessness of the material world. The
nothing that is true and he indispensable perfection of knowledge is knowing oneself. For even "he who knows
knows nothing that is truly all the universe but does not know himself has mised everything".'" (Studies in the
important. Gospel of Thomas, p. 28)
- Simon Magus Funk and Hoover write: "This saying is as difficult to translate as it is to understand.
Simon - Whether one is a The first clause may refer simply to one who is very knowledgeable - a know-it-all.
perfectly informed scientist In this case, the saying recalls the famous dictum of Socrates, 'Know thyself.'
or not - it does not matter. However, the word for 'all' is also a technical term in gnostic circles and refers to the
- passerby whole of cosmic reality; it is usually translated as 'All,' with a capital A. Elsewhere in
Factual (cognitive) Thomas this term seems to carry this technical sense (note 2:4 and 77:1). The
knowledge is necessary but Fellows took the term here to be technical gnostic language also. They gave it a black
not sufficient for becoming designation as the result. Thomas 70 is a related saying." (The Five Gospels, p. 512)
truly sane. Gerd Ludemann gives the translation, "Jesus said, 'Whoever knows the All (but) is
- Rodney deficient in himself is deficient in everything.'" Ludemann writes: "The 'All' is a
God is all around us. Yet a technical term which relates to the universe, embracing the earth and the cosmos (cf.
perfect knowing of this, a 2.4; 77.1). 'Know' takes up the same expression from 65.4, 7. According to Thomas,
perfect understanding of the knowledge of the All and self-knowledge condition each other. The reason lies in the
cosmos is not enough, for consubstantiality of the All with the Gnostic self. Thus according to Logion 77 Jesus
God is also to be found is the light and at the same time the All. Whoever knows himself is Christ and
inside us. If we ignore that himself becoems a person of light." (Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 624)
bit of God inside us, we fail
utterly at knowing God.
- lilah
Any further comment would
spoil the perfection of this
observation...
- Thief37
The first step on the path of
knowledge is to seek
outwardly for truth, but truth
cannot be found on the
outside. Only truth's
reflection is found there. It is
then that the seeker may take
the second step along the
path, and seek inwardly.
Within, the seeker catches
sight of truth, whole and
undivided, and soon realizes
that they are that imperfect
reflection. Finally, the seeker
takes the third step and
attains true knowledge, that
both the truth and its
reflection are of the same
material, both expressions of
the same divine, eternal
truth, whole and undivided.
- Kurios
Apparently, much knowledge
can make inner knowledge
more difficult because we
become bound by the
intellect. Eno, who was
illiterate, found
enlightenment quickly once
he had started to practice in
earnest.
- Zooie
67

Alias:
Post the Note

Discuss it now at AMC


forums!
If you like the site, please purchase the Early Christian Writings CD.
Maintained by Peter Kirby. See the Gospel of Thomas Bibliography & Credits.
Early Christian Writings Gospel of Thomas Saying 67 Previous - Gospel of Thomas Home - Next

You might also like