in 1 Corinthians function as appeals to authority usually do within rhetorical arguments (though Paul, to make a point about humility and other-centeredness, rejects for the commonweal the implications of the chreia in 1 Cor 9:14). First Thess 4:15 is also embedded in a discussion about the eschaton, though the context is less argumentative in structure and tone. In fact, Paul has already established his own authority at length in 1 Thessalonians 1–3.
Disagreement becomes prominent when one looks beyond these four citations for further uses of a sayings tradition. Possible scattered allusions can be found throughout Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, 1 Thessalonians, and disputed Pauline letters like Colossians. More credence is gained, however, when attention is focused on clusters of potential sayings within specific sections of Paul.75
In Romans 12–14, alongside of the abbreviated recapitulations of teachings also found in 1 Corinthians 12 (Rom 12:3–8) and 1 Cor 6:12–11:1 (Rom 14:1—15:6), Paul compiles a number of wisdom admonitions and prohibitions to exhort his readers—some of these admonitions are very close to teachings of Jesus in the Q Sermon and Mark 12.76 A close comparison of verbal similarities between Pauline and synoptic texts would undercut any claims to proof that Paul has used sayings of Jesus here. The similarities between individual exhortations and known sayings of Jesus usually extend as far as common theme and common form, but with only a few lexical parallels. More important than looking for lexical parallels, however, is observing the generic context in which these “allusions” are found. In Romans 12–14, Paul is clearly using a collection (or collections) of sayings, not for the purpose of defending his ministry, disputing with snobbish Gentile converts in Rome, or addressing particular ethical problems that he has heard about, but for the purpose of general exhortation; and so he appears to have the freedom to expand and adapt his source(s). Since the nature of the material in Rom 12:9–21 especially is not rhetorical argumentation, but rather a string of general wisdom admonitions and prohibitions, there is no need to cite the source of the admonitions in order to establish authority.77 If the readers/hearers have accepted Paul’s claims to authority in the letter thus far, they will certainly accept these general exhortations without need of higher authority. This would also be the case for 1 Thess 5:12–22, where we find two possible sayings of Jesus, 1 Thess 5:12 (cf. Rom 12:18) and 1 Thess 5:15 (cf. Rom 12:17), embedded in a string of general exhortations that close out the letter.
In 1 Corinthians 1–4, a different situation prevails. Here Paul is at odds with opponents who seem to be preaching a message laden with eloquence, power, and a focus on words of divine wisdom. Observing that sayings collections like Q have a strong sapiential overtone, some scholars have tried to uncover parallels to Q in Paul’s rhetoric against his opponents.78
Christopher Tuckett has questioned some of the cases cited for a Q tradition in 1 Corinthians.79 At the same time, Robinson is right to note the importance of the wisdom orientation of the opponents and to ask whether a sayings tradition is represented in Paul’s rhetoric against his opponents.
Robinson, Koester, and Heinz-Wolfgang Kuhn also note certain affinities in 1 Corinthians 1–4 to the Gospel of Thomas.80 Koester, while focusing his discussion on Q 10:23–24 (Matt 13:16–17), notes a much closer parallel to 1 Cor 2:9 in GTh 17, though a literary relationship between the texts is difficult to maintain.81 Stevan L. Davies and Stephen J. Patterson have both picked up on these hints and argued that the collection of sayings in the Gospel of Thomas, not Q, is perhaps best represented by Paul’s rhetoric against his opponents in 1 Corinthians 1–4.82 Davies cites two of the Corinthian passages most crucial to Robinson’s analysis, 1 Cor 3:1 and 4:8, and finds even stronger parallels in the Gospel of Thomas.83 In each case cited in 1 Corinthians (except perhaps 1 Cor 2:9—but even there, it is possible that Paul changes the last line of a traditional saying to bring it more in line with Isa 64:3 [LXX]), Paul appears to be using his opponents’ teaching against them. It is certainly significant that the Gospel of Thomas provides an even better picture of Paul’s rhetorical opponents than do the sapientially-oriented Q tradents. The evidence so far presented suggests the possibility that the opponents of Paul taught from a sayings collection very similar to what is found in parts of the Gospel of Thomas. For this very reason, Paul would not likely cite sayings of Jesus himself, but rather would focus—as he does—on the apparent folly of the cross and the kerygma with its message of divine power expressed in weakness.
In summary, detailed studies like Neirynck’s help to clarify just how much can be claimed when using lexical parallels as the primary datum for determining what constitutes use of a saying of Jesus. At the same time, Romans 12–14, 1 Thessalonians 5, and 1 Corinthians 1–4 appear to provide evidence for Paul’s use of sayings traditions when one observes how and where he uses them. Paul uses great freedom in adapting and modifying sayings traditions for his didactic needs. More to the point, Paul does not need to cite “the Lord” in the general exhortations of Romans 12–14 (or 1 Thessalonians 5) anymore than he would want to cite “the Lord” when condemning his opponents with their own sayings tradition in 1 Corinthians 1–4.
Regardless of how one decides for the authorship of letters such as Colossians and James, the foregoing survey has implications for the present study. Chapter 4 includes a comparison of similarities between specific sections of Colossians and Thomas and suggests the use by the author of Colossians of sayings material also found in Thomas. The similar material in Colossians is found at what is almost universally recognized among commentators as the beginning of an extended section of community paraenesis.84 As seen above with Romans 12–14, 1 Thessalonians 5, and 1 Corinthians 1–4, a collection of sayings parallels is found to be isolated in a particular section of the letter (Col 3:1–11). If Paul authored this letter, then the parallels potentially argue for a Thomasine sayings tradition that can be dated to the 50’s CE. If a follower of Paul is writing in his name, then the parallels are at least indicative of a tradition dating to the second half of the century in a location where a collection of Paul’s letters are known.
Summary
The foregoing survey of literature points to several issues to be addressed in the following analysis of the Treasure in Heaven saying. (1) Some of the sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas may reflect a primitive, first-century sayings tradition, one that may have influenced canonical texts in some places, while other Thomas sayings may derive—directly or indirectly—from the canonical gospels. When dealing with a sayings collection that represented the traditions of living communities behind it, these two observations are not contradictory, but point to a complex history of development. (2) While a strictly literary relationship between Thomas and John probably cannot be proven, there may be either a relationship between tradent communities, or evidence of the use of one sayings tradition in the writing of two different types of literary text. (3) The use of sayings traditions in the canonical letters is an ongoing debate, one that will not be determined by reference to lexical parallels alone. Isolating possible sayings sources in specific letter sections, especially paraenetic sections, appears to be a fruitful approach. Of course, James is almost entirely paraenetic, which is why James’s relationship to gospel traditions is an important topic for research today.
1. Bultmann, History of the Synoptic Tradition; Dibelius, From Tradition to Gospel.
2. Crossan, In Fragments.
