Saying 8: The Wise Fisherman
A fisherman hauls up a netful of small fish, finds one fine large fish among them, and throws all the small ones back.
Commentary
Matthew tells the same story as a scene of final judgement, with angels sorting the righteous from the wicked. Thomas makes it a parable about singular value and deliberate choice — the fisherman keeps one thing and lets everything else go.
Parallels
Matthew 13:47–50
Sayings on the same themes
- Saying 51 Saying 51: The New World Has Already Come Asked when the rest for the dead will come and when the new world will arrive, Jesus answers that what they are…
- Saying 96 Saying 96: The Leaven The Father's kingdom is like a woman who took a little yeast, hid it in dough, and made large loaves of bread.
- Saying 107 Saying 107: The Largest Sheep A shepherd with a hundred sheep lost the largest one. He left the ninety-nine and searched until he found it, and then…
- Saying 54 Saying 54: Blessed Are the Poor Blessed are the poor, for the kingdom of heaven is yours.
- Saying 46 Saying 46: Greater Than John the Baptist From Adam to John the Baptist no one born of women is so far above John that his eyes should not be…
- Saying 82 Saying 82: Whoever Is Near Me Is Near the Fire Whoever is close to me is close to the fire, and whoever is far from me is far from the kingdom.