Saying 61

English

Jesus said, ‘Two will rest on a couch. One will die. One will live.’

Salome said, ‘Who are you, lord? From whom? You have reclined on my couch and eaten at my table.’

Jesus said to her, ‘I am he who is from the equal. I was given some of which belongs to my Father.’

‘I am your disciple.’

‘For this reason, I say when he becomes equal he will be filled with light. But if he becomes separated he will be filled with darkness.’

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Interpretation

Saying 61 comprises two teachings. The first line from Jesus summarizes what will happen in the final judgment, and could have come from the earliest version of the book. The synoptic gospels apply the saying in the same way, by comparing it to the flood in Gen 6–9; some were ‘left behind’ (lived, on the boat) while others were ‘taken’ (died, by the flood waters). The dialogue with Salome is one of the latest developments in the book. These late additions rarely give practical information for the reader. They instead make (sometimes opaque) theological claims. While small components of this dialogue are found throughout Christian literature of the first century CE, its general points seems closest to John (Jesus is ‘one’ and ‘equal’ with God because God has given authority to Jesus; Jesus’ followers are to likewise become ‘one’), which goes the farthest among the New Testament gospels in spiritualizing the eschatology of the early Jesus Movement and elevating Jesus to a divine status. The dialogue was placed after the first part because they both happen to mention a ‘couch’.

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Parallels

Revelation of Zephaniah

2.2–4 Then I saw two men walking together on one road. I watched them as they talked. And, moreover, I also saw two women grinding together at a mill. And I watch them as they talked. And I also saw two upon a bed, each one of them acting for their […] upon a bed.

Philippians

2.6 Who, though he was in the form of a god, did not regard equality with God as something to be seized.

Matthew

6.22–23 ‘The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!’

11.27 ‘All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him.’

24.40–41 ‘Then two will be in the field. One will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together. One will be taken and one will be left.’

Luke

10.22 ‘All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the son and anyone to whom the son chooses to reveal him.’

11.34–36 ‘Your eye is the lamp of your body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body is full of light. But if it is not healthy, your body is full of darkness. Therefore consider whether the light in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, it will be as full of light as when a lamp gives you light with its rays.’

17.34–35 ‘I tell you, on that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. There will be two women grinding meal together. One will be taken and the other left.’

John

3.35 The Father loves the son and has placed all things in his hands.

5.18 For this reason the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because he was not only breaking the Sabbath, but was also calling God his own Father, thereby making himself equal to God.

10.29–30 ‘What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.’

17.20–21 ‘I ask […] that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us.’