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Scholarly Quotes

F. F. Bruce writes: “This saying either disparages material wealth and power, or commends true wealth and power in the spiritual realm (cf. Saying 2); he who has the latter will renounce the world.” (Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament, p. 144)

Funk and Hoover write: “This paradoxical saying is a puzzle to interpreters of the Gospel of Thomas. The first half seems to condone worldly values, the second half to condemn them. Thom 110 is similar, except that the paradox is lacking. The term ‘reign’ in v. 1 may be a key to understanding the saying. ‘Reign’ elsewhere in Thomas is a technical term (in Thom 2:4, those who seek will find, they will then be disturbed and marvel, and finally, they will ‘reign over all,’ a final state that corresponds to salvation), but, even so, the meaning of the saying is far from clear. The use of paradox fits generally into the Thomean pattern, which is also chraacteristic of some of the genuine sayings of Jesus. However, the Fellows could not fit the first part of the saying itno what is known about Jesus from other sayings and parables, so it was designated black. The second half sounded more like something Jesus might have said; this possibility produced a gray vote.” (The Five Gospels, p. 517)

Gerd Ludemann writes: “‘Become rich’ refers in a metaphorical sense to knowledge (cf. 3.5). The one who has knowledge should be king (cf. 2.3).” (Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 630)

Gerd Ludemann writes: “This verse requires renunciation on the part of the one who has worldly power, so that he enters into the state denoted in v. 1.” (Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 631)