Gospel of Thomas - Chapter 011
Saying 9
- (9) Jesus said, "Now the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and scattered them. Some fell on the road; the birds came and gathered them up. Others fell on the rock, did not take root in the soil, and did not produce ears. And others fell on thorns; they choked the seed(s) and worms ate them. And others fell on the good soil and it produced good fruit: it bore sixty per measure and a hundred and twenty per measure."
From Luke
- Lu 8:5 A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it.
- Lu 8:6 And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture.
- Lu 8:7 And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it.
- Lu 8:8 And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. And when he had said these things, he cried, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Since Jesus interpreted the saying in Luke, it behooves us to explain why we dare offer another interpretation of Luke while we offer one of Thomas as well. The prophecies connect riddles [dark sayings] with parables. Sensus plenior says that here are two meanings for every text. Though Jesus interpreted the parable for the disciples, he did not interpret the riddle.
- Ps 78:2 I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:
- Eze 17:2 Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel;
Things we need to know from other riddles:
The seed is always Jesus as the seed of the woman (Ge 3:15) and the Word of life (Joh 1.1)
Four things must map to the four voices of God (Prophet, Priest, King and Judge)
Voice of the King
The word for road פשט also means to emerge,or spoil, or strip, raid in the Bible. Rabbis use the term to describe the simple, literal meaning of the Torah (However the Torah is all the revelation of God, not just the written word). The hieroglyphic meaning is "The beginning of a marriage (joined in flesh and spirit) with fruitfulness at the heart".
God's first revelation to man was in the garden, where a man and woman were married and commanded to be fruitful. There was a simple message (Don't eat the fruit) the violation of which, spoiled the garden. Adam found out he had no clothes (stripped) , etc.
Feet represent living (as in he walked...) Adam's life trampled the word of God as Luke mentions. Birds are those who live in the spirit (air) and eating is ingesting the word. Only the angels understood God's word at this juncture.
Voice of the judge
The rock is the rock in the wilderness which produced water. It is a manifestation of Christ among the Hebrews. (1Co 10:4) The seed spoke to Israel in the desert, but there was no water (The people murmured against Moses) The word did not take root in the soil (earthly Israel) and they died in the desert as a judgement against their unbelief. (1Co 10:5)
Voice of the prophet
Jesus said that thorns represented the cares of the world. But it was his care for the world which strangled (or hanged) חנק him on the tree, in accordance with prophecy.
Voice of the priest
The priest is the one who rectifies things and makes fruitfulness possible. When the Word; Christ, took root in the hearts of men he became fruitful. Luke's 100 is the church, 60 is the testimony of God in heaven and on earth, and 120 says that in the new heaven and earth there will still be a testimony of God.
