Gospel of Thomas Saying 34: The Parable of Those Who Can't See Jesus said, "If someone who's blind leads someone else who's blind, both of them fall into a pit."

Gospel of Thomas as Saying 34:

"If a blind person leads a blind person, both of them fall into a pit."

A very similar saying appears in the canonical Gospel of Matthew 15:14 and Gospel of Luke 6:39.

Traditional Christian interpretation

The usual interpretation is that a spiritually blind teacher cannot guide others to truth. If someone lacks understanding and yet claims to lead, both leader and follower may end up in error.

A Gnostic reading

Since you often approach these sayings from a Gnostic perspective, the blindness can be understood as ignorance of one's true nature and origin.

In this reading:

• The blind leader is a person who believes they possess truth but remains trapped in illusion.

• The blind follower accepts teachings without direct knowledge or experience.

• The pit symbolizes deeper entanglement in ignorance, illusion, or spiritual sleep.

The emphasis is not merely on avoiding bad teachers but on awakening one's own inner sight. A person who has not "seen" cannot give sight to another.

At a deeper level, the saying can be a warning against relying entirely on external authorities. If neither person has direct perception of reality, they wander together in darkness.

This connects with other Thomas sayings that stress personal discovery:

"Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death."

and

"The Kingdom is inside you and outside you."

The theme is that genuine understanding comes from seeing for oneself rather than merely inheriting beliefs.

info@churchofwambo.org

© SDBEST LLC, 2025. All rights reserved.

Cookie Policy
Disclaimer

Privacy Policy
Terms of Service