| Matt 7:3-5 |
Luke 6:41-42 |
Thom 26 |
| |
|
1 Jesus said: |
| 3 "Why do you notice |
41 "Why do you notice |
"You see |
| the sliver |
the sliver |
the sliver |
| in your friend's eye, |
in your friend's eye, |
in your friend's eye, |
| but overlook |
but overlook |
but you don't see |
| the timber |
the timber |
the timber |
| in your own? |
in your own? |
in your own eye. |
| 4 How can you say |
42 How can you say |
|
| to your friend, |
to your friend, |
|
| |
'Friend, |
|
| 'Let me get the sliver |
let me get the sliver |
|
| out of your eye,' |
in your eye,' |
|
| when there is |
when you don't notice |
|
| that timber |
the timber |
|
| in your own? |
in your own? |
|
| You phony! |
You phony! |
|
| First take |
First take |
2 When you take |
| the timber |
the timber |
the timber |
| out of your own eye, |
out of your own eye, |
out of your own eye, |
| and then you'll see |
and then you'll see |
then you will see |
| well enough |
well enough |
well enough |
| to remove the sliver |
to remove the sliver |
to remove the sliver |
| from |
in |
from |
| your friend's eye." |
your friend's eye." |
your friend's eye." |
Composition
Matthew and Luke's common wording comes from Q;
Thomas' formulation is briefer. Both versions use the second
person singular. Thus, this saying comes from a different setting than
most sayings in this sermon, which address the audience as
plural.
Q's version is constructed of two parallel questions and an
instruction introduced by a Greek epithet (hypocrites). This was the
classic term for an actor, someone who wore masks to play the roles of heroes and gods.
Thus, Scholars Version translates the word as "phony."
Thomas makes the same point with less rhetorical flourish. Instead of
the two questions he has a single ironic comment. And he does not
characterize the audience as a pretender. Thomas' concluding
advice parallels the statement in Q.
Attribution
| Speck & log |
% |
Red |
Pink |
Grey |
Black |
WA |
Print |
Luke 6:41-42
Matt 7:3-5
Thom 26
pOxy 1 26 |
|
7
7
27
12 |
59
64
46
64 |
22
18
8
12 |
11
11
19
12 |
54
56
60
58 |
pink
pink
pink
pink |
Almost three quarters of the fellows trace this
saying beyond Q and Thomas to Jesus. Vivid, exaggerated and even
humorous images are used to call attention to the irony of
fault-finding and advise critics to concentrate on correcting
themselves. This supports the principles of loving
enemies, forgiving others and imitating divine tolerance. Besides, this
is the only saying ascribed to Jesus that invokes imagery indicating the
speaker's experience with the work of a carpenter.
Most fellows, however, thought the saying was expanded in
transmission. Q's formulation is especially
redundant, repeating the speck/log contrast three times. Moreover, the
rhetoric ironically contradicts the point of the saying by
faulting those who fault others. Thomas' version holds up a
mirror without criticizing or calling names. Thus, it is
probably closer to the original. But the concluding statement in
both versions allows people to correct others after correcting
themselves. This is common pedagogical practice and so less
certainly from Jesus than unconditional advice to love enemies. Pink
is appropriate for a saying that turns a dramatic quip by Jesus into practical
advice.
* For more on this saying see this author's essay "Splinter
and Timber."
