Saying 66

English

Jesus said, ‘Show me the stone which the builders rejected. That is the cornerstone.’

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Interpretation

Matthew and Luke received the parable of the vineyard through Mark. Thomas and Matthew both situate it alongside the parable of the dinner, due to the similar themes, but in opposite order. Psa 118.22–23 was popular in early Christian literature, and its function as an interpretive lens for the parable of the vineyard—Jesus is the ‘rejected’ son who was ‘seized and killed’—indicates the two did not originate together. However, for the pairing to be found in both Thomas and Mark suggests the psalm quotation was attached to the parable quite early, so that both Saying 65 and 66 likely belong to the oldest version of Thomas.

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Parallels

Psalms

18.22–23 The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is Yhwh’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.

Mark

12.10–11 ‘Have you not read this scripture, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes”?’

Matthew

21.42 Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the scriptures, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is amazing in our eyes”?’

Luke

20.17–18 But he looked at them and said, ‘What then does this text mean, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone”? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; and it will crush anyone on whom it falls.’

Acts of the Apostles

4.11 ‘This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders. It has become the cornerstone.’

Ephesians

2.19–20 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are citizens with the saints and also members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with the Anointed One, Jesus himself, as the cornerstone.

1 Peter

2.6–8 For it stands in scripture, ‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ To you then who believe, he is precious. But for those who do not believe, ‘The stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner,’ and ‘A stone that makes them stumble, and a rock that makes them fall.’ They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.