Saying 88

English

Jesus said, ‘The messengers and the prophets will come to you and will give you what you have, and you, in turn, will give them what you have, and you will say to yourselves, “When will they come and take what is theirs?” ’

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Interpretation

The term ‘messenger’ may also be translated ‘angel’, which are the same word in each Greek and Coptic. Saying 88 may be referring to divine and human agents sent by God (angels and prophets), but more likely it refers only to human agents with redundant jargon. The saying seems to address a situation which emerged in the second half of the first century CE. Itinerant teachers would arrive to a local Christian community, but some would abuse their authority to demand food or payment, burdening the community.

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Parallels

Didache

11.6, 9, 12 On departing, an apostle must not accept anything save sufficient food to carry him until his next lodging. If he asks for money, he is a false prophet. […] No prophet who orders a meal in the spirit, he must not eat from it. If he does, he is a false prophet. […] But if someone says in the spirit, ‘Give me money, or something else,’ you must not heed him.

Luke

16.10–12 ‘Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much. If then you have not been faithful with the dishonest wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to another, who will give you what is your own?’