07_Biblica_AN_Kim_Layout 1 16/12/13 12:29 Pagina 587 587 WHERE DOES IT FIT? While the standard of cataloguing the Thomasine parables has been individually chosen and defined, the approach of Stroker went somewhat further in dividing the Thomasine parables of Jesus into “known parables” and “unknown parables” 9. Stroker’s way of categorising the parables as “known parables” or “unknown parables” introduced another view, namely that the nine sayings (Logia 9, 20, 57, 63, 64, 65, 76, 96 and 107) of Thomas were already to be found in the synoptic texts, but Logia 8, 21.a, 97, 98 and 107, are anonymous parables. Interest in the parables was at a climax when Morrice claimed that the fifteen Logia are parables of Jesus, and that Logia 21.a, 97 and 98 among them are “completely new” 10. Morrice, arguing for a non-gnostic view of the Coptic Gos. Thom., contended that the four sayings (Logia 21b, 64, 96 and 107) are derived from Q, and that Logia 9, 20 and 65 are from the Markan tradition. As a result, Logia 33, 47, 62, and 91 were not considered as Thomasine parables except by Montefiore, but the five Logia (8, 57, 65, 96 and 107) have been counted as Thomasine by all contemporary readers. Among them, sayings such as the parable of “a wise fisherman” (Logion 8), the parable of the “empty jar” (Logion 97), the parable of the “assassin” (Logion 98) and the parable of “hidden treasure” (Logion 109), as briefly mentioned by Stroker 11, are the unknown parables of Jesus. If they are not found in the canonical tradition, where do they stand? Is it possible to see their literary independence? I. Logion 8: The Parable of a Wise Fisherman Firstly, Logion 8 of Thomas is about a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea. It seems that the fisherman caught many fish, but he chooses one fish only. The rest of them were thrown back into the sea. The major theme of the fisherman’s parable 12 is the final decision the 9 W. D. STROKER, “Extra canonical Parables and the Historical Jesus”, Se- meia 44 (1988) 95-120. 10 With regard to the parables of Thomas, Hedrick agrees with the fifteen Logia view of Morrice (Hidden Sayings of Jesus, 62 & 70-89), even if he chooses the scene of “a sprouting seed” (NHC II, 2. 37:15-18) instead of the scene of the “owner of a house and thief” (NHC II, 2. 37:06–37:15). See C.W. HEDRICK, “Parables and the Kingdom: The Vision of Jesus in Fiction and Faith”, SBL 1987 Seminar Papers (ed. K.H. RICHARDS) (Atlanta, GA 1987) 380-393. 11 For Logion 21a, see STROKER, “Extra-canonical Parables”, 95-120. 12 “And he said, “The man is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the wise fisherman found a fine large fish. He threw all the small fish back into the sea and chose the large fish without difficulty. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear”” (NHC II, 2. 33:28–34:03).