The light of the world.

Matthew 5.14-16  (John 8.12-20).

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Notes and quotes.

§ I note the following agreements between Matthew and Luke against Mark:

1. Matthew 5.15 has ουδε καιουσιν λυχνον και τιθεασιν αυτον υπο τον μοδιον (nor does one burn a lamp and place it under the peck-basket). Luke 8.16 has ουδεις δε λυχνον αψας καλυπτει αυτον σκευει... τιθησιν (but no one after kindling a lamp hides it with a vessel or places it...). Note the different uses of δε, the common use of αυτον, and the accusative case of λυχνον. Mark 4.21 has μητι ερχεται ο λυχνος ινα υπο τον μοδιον τεθη (a lamp does not come to be placed under the peck-basket), lacking both the δε and the αυτον and placing λυχνος in the nominative instead of in the accusative.
2. Matthew 5.16 has το φως... ιδωσιν (the light... that they might see). Luke 8.16 has το φως βλεπωσιν (that they might look at the light). Mark 4.21 has no parallel to such a phrase.

§ Thomas 24:

ΠΕϪΕ ΝΕϤΜΑΘΗΤΗC ϪΕ ΜΑΤCΕΒΟΝ ΕΠΤΟΠΟC ΕΤΚΜ̅ΜΑΥ ΕΠΕΙ ΤΑΝΑΓΚΗ ΕΡΟΝ ΤΕ ΕΤΡΝ̅ϢΙΝΕ Ν̅CΩϤ. ΠΕϪΑϤ ΝΑΥ ϪΕ ΠΕΤΕΥΝ̅ΜΑΑϪΕ Μ̅ΜΟϤ ΜΑΡΕϤCΩΤΜ̅ ΟΥΟΥΟΕΙΝ ϢΟΟΠ Μ̅ΦΟΥΝ Ν̅ΝΟΥΡΜ̅ΟΥΟΕΙΝ ΑΥΩ ϤΡ̅ΟΥΟΕΙΝ ΕΠΚΟCΜΟC ΤΗΡϤ ΕϤΤΜ̅Ρ̅ΟΥΟΕΙΝ ΟΥΚΑΚΕ ΠΕ.

His disciples said: Show us the place where you are, since it is necessary for us to seek it. He said to them: Whoever has ears, let him hear. There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness.

Thomas 32:

ΠΕϪΕ Ι̅C̅ ϪΕ ΟΥΠΟΛΙC ΕΥΚΩΤ Μ̅ΜΟC ϨΙϪΝ̅ΟΥΤΟΟΥ ΕϤϪΟCΕ ΕCΤΑϪΡΗΥ ΜΝ̅ϬΟΜ Ν̅CϨΕ ΟΥΔΕ CΝΑϢϨΩΠ ΑΝ.

Jesus said: A city being built up and fortified on a high mountain can neither fall nor be hidden.

Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1 recto, lines 36-41:

Λεγει Ι{ησου}ς· Πολις οικοδομημενη επ ακρον [ο]ρους υψηλου{ς} και εστηριγμενη ουτε πε[σ]ειν δυναται ουτε κρυ[β]ηναι.

Says J{esu}s: A city built on the peak of a hig{h} [m]ountain and fortified is able to neither fall nor be hid[d]en.

Thomas 33:

ΠΕϪΕ Ι̅C̅ ΠΕΤΚΝΑCΩΤΜ̅ ΕΡΟϤ ϨΜ̅ΠΕΚΜΑΑϪΕ ϨΜ̅ΠΚΕΜΑΑϪΕ ΤΑϢΕΟΕΙϢ Μ̅ΜΟϤ ϨΙϪΝ̅ΝΕΤΝ̅ϪΕΝΕΠΩΡ ΜΑΡΕΛΑΑΥ ΓΑΡ ϪΕΡΕϨΗΒ̅C̅ Ν̅ϤΚΑΑϤ ϨΑΜΑΑϪΕ ΟΥΔΕ ΜΑϤΚΑΑϤ ϨΜ̅ΜΑ ΕϤϨΗΠ ΑΛΛΑ ΕϢΑΡΕϤΚΑΑϤ ϨΙϪΝ̅ΤΛΥΧΝΙΑ ϪΕΚΑΑC ΟΥΟΝ ΝΙΜ ΕΤΒΗΚ ΕϨΟΥΝ ΑΥΩ ΕΤΝ̅ΝΗΥ ΕΒΟΛ ΕΥΝΑΝΑΥ ΑΠΕϤΟΥΟΕΙΝ.

Jesus said: Preach from your housetops that which you will hear in your ear. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a peck, nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a lampstand so that everyone who goes in and comes out might look upon its light.

§ Justin Martyr, Apology 1.16.2b:

Λαμψατω δε υμων τα καλα εργα εμπροσθεν των ανθρωπων, ινα βλεποντες θαυμαζωσι τον πατερα υμων τον εν τοις ουρανοις.

And let your good works shine before men, that they upon seeing them might wonder at your father who is in the heavens.