chapter five
Clem..κα, γ&ρ ε:πεν κ$ριςF δελ1 μυNτ ε/σιν H
πιντεςτ. ληματπατρ!ςμυ.
The exact extent of Epiphanius’ direct quotation is not perfectly clear
because he seems to fill in the setting of the saying with his own words.
The verbναγγελναιis likely to be a reminiscence from Luke :
(πηγγ λη). TheGospel of the Ebionitesalso shares with Luke the expres-
sionNτ ε/σινin contrast to=στις/Mς γ&ρ Aνof Matthew and Mark.
Epiphanius himself may have added the verbναγγελναιbut less likely
the expressionNτ ε/σιν. Most of the other synoptic expressions in the
quotation are paralleled in the Gospel of Matthew./δ G μ8τηρ συ κα,
H δελ1 συ >#ω Iστ8κασινis directly from Matt :.^70 The word
order of Jesus’ rhetorical questionτς μ$ στι μ8τηρ κα, δελ1;dif-
fers from both Matthew and Mark (Luke omitted the question), but the
wording is a bit closer to Mark because Matthew has added in the plural
subject and predicate (τνες ε/σ,ν). Nevertheless,κα, κτενας τ2ν 6ε ρα
π, τς μαητ&ςfollows Matthew again and at the end of the quota-
tion, theGospel of the Ebionitesrefers to the will of “my father” (τ& ελ8-
ματα/τ. λημα τ πατρ!ς μυ), which is paralleled only in Matthew.
Thus, Epiphanius’ quotation has connections to all the synoptic gospels,
most clearly to Matthew. It also repeats words that are without doubt edi-
torial in Matthew’s gospel:κα, κτενας τ2ν 6ε ρα π, τς μαητ&ς,τ.
λημα τ πατρ!ς μυ(τ ν 7ραν ς).
The Gospel of Thomas
InThomas’ logion , the disciples address Jesus as they do in several
other logia. Thus, the introduction of logion is typical of theGospel
of Thomasin general.^71 TheGospel of Thomasagrees with the synoptic
version of the story by saying that Jesus’ relatives are “standing outside”
(seaxeratou xipsa nbol). The expression is most natural in the synoptic
narrative context but it comes out of the blue in the introduction of logion
. It is not a precise “brief situational introduction” as in logia and
.^72 Rather, itpresupposesa situation which is not described in the
(^70) The verse is in the majority of Greek manuscripts but is omitted in:*, B, L,Γ,pc,
ff^1 ,k,sys,c, sa. Obviously, the verse was in the copy on which theGospel of the Ebionitesis
based although it may not have been in Matthew’s “original” manuscript.
(^71) However, it can be noted that some manuscripts of Matthew’s gospel (according to
Nestle–Aland,^1 , (),pc, (bo)) explicate that it was “someone of the disciples” who
notified Jesus about his relatives who were “standing outside.”
(^72) Patterson , –, contends that bothThomasand Mark have “a brief situa-
tional introduction (Gos. Thom. a; Mark :f.).” Similarly, Koester , . In con-