Saying 13: Compare Me to Something
Peter says Jesus is like a righteous messenger, Matthew like a wise philosopher; Thomas says his mouth cannot say what Jesus is like, and is taken aside and told three things he will not repeat.
Commentary
Thomas’s answer to Caesarea Philippi, and a pointed one: Peter and Matthew — the patrons of two canonical gospels — both get it wrong, and only Thomas receives the secret. The three unrepeatable words are never disclosed to the reader either.
Parallels
Mark 8:27–30; Matthew 16:13–20
Sayings on the same themes
- Saying 66 Saying 66: The Rejected Stone Show me the stone the builders rejected: that is the cornerstone.
- Saying 31 Saying 31: No Prophet in His Own Village No prophet is welcome in his own village; no doctor heals the people who know him.
- Saying 62 Saying 62: The Left Hand and the Right I tell my mysteries to those worthy of my mysteries; do not let your left hand know what your right hand is…
- Saying 44 Saying 44: Blasphemy Against the Spirit Whoever blasphemes against the Father will be forgiven, and whoever blasphemes against the Son will be forgiven; whoever blasphemes against the Holy…
- Saying 94 Saying 94: The One Who Knocks Whoever seeks will find; whoever knocks will have it opened for them.
- Saying 89 Saying 89: Washing the Outside of the Cup Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Do you not understand that whoever made the inside also made the outside?