Aesop's Fables in the New Testament

It can be interesting to try to work out the sources used by the New Testament authors. Here are some examples from both the author of Matthew and the author of Luke-Acts that ultimately come from Aesop's Fables.

The first is about a fisherman and his flute. Matthew and Luke have matching words and phrases in a Jesus parable with children singing the song of the Aesop's fisherman to their friends.

The Fisherman Piping A Fisherman who could play the flute went down one day to the sea-shore with his nets and his flute; and, taking his stand on a projecting rock, began to play a tune, thinking that the music would bring the fish jumping out of the sea. He went on playing for some time, but not a fish appeared: so at last he threw down his flute and cast his net into the sea, and made a great haul of fish. When they were landed and he saw them leaping about on the shore, he cried, "You rascals! you wouldn't dance when I piped: but now I've stopped, you can do nothing else!" Comment: This fable is mentioned in Histories of Herodotus, written around 430 BCE.

Matthew 11:16-17 ESV 16 "But to what shall I compare [ομοιωσω] this generation? It is like children [παιδιοις] sitting [καθημενοις] in the marketplaces and calling to their playmates, 17 "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not [ηυλησαμεν υμιν και ουκ ωρχησασθε εθρηνησαμεν και ουκ] mourn.' Luke 7:31-32 ESV 31 "To what then shall I compare [ομοιωσω] the people of this generation, and what are they like? 32 They are like children [παιδιοις] sitting [καθημενοις] in the marketplace and calling to one another, "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not [ηυλησαμεν υμιν και ουκ ωρχησασθε εθρηνησαμεν και ουκ] weep.'

The next example is a parable in the form of a joke where two examples set the expectation and the third reverses the expectation. The third expectation is like the Aesop's Miser who buried his treasure so that it was useless.

This parable has many matching words and phrases between Matthew and Luke even though Luke forgot about the alterations he made at the beginning.

The Miser A Miser sold everything he had, and melted down his hoard of gold into a single lump, which he buried secretly in a field. Every day he went to look at it, and would sometimes spend long hours gloating over his treasure. One of his men noticed his frequent visits to the spot, and one day watched him and discovered his secret. Waiting his opportunity, he went one night and dug up the gold and stole it. Next day the Miser visited the place as usual, and, finding his treasure gone, fell to tearing his hair and groaning over his loss. In this condition he was seen by one of his neighbours, who asked him what his trouble was. The Miser told him of his misfortune; but the other replied, "Don't take it so much to heart, my friend; put a brick into the hole, and take a look at it every day: you won't be any worse off than before, for even when you had your gold it was of no earthly use to you."

Matthew 25:14-30 ESV 14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. 17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master [λεγων κυριε], you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.' 21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant [δουλε]. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant [δουλε]. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow [ουκ εσπειρας], and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.' 26 But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant [πονηρε δουλε]! You knew that [ηδεις οτι] I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest [συν τοκω]. 28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who [και δοτε τω] has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away [μη εχοντος και ο εχει αρθησεται]. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' Luke 19:12-27 ESV 12 He said therefore, "A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return. 13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, 'Engage in business until I come.' 14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.' 15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business. 16 The first came before him, saying, 'Lord [λεγων κυριε], your mina has made ten minas more.' 17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant [δουλε]! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.' 18 And the second came, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made five minas.' 19 And he said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.' 20 Then another came, saying, 'Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow [ουκ εσπειρας].' 22 He said to him, 'I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant [πονηρε δουλε]! You knew that [ηδεις οτι] I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest [συν τοκω]?' 24 And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who [και δοτε τω] has the ten minas.' 25 And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas!' 26 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away [μη εχοντος και ο εχει αρθησεται]. 27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.'"

Comment: There was a story about a man, who was about to hang himself, found some gold and left the noose but the man who came for his gold used the noose. This story was attributed to Plato at one time but is now thought to be from Statilius Flaccus from around 1 CE. That version would also work for the Matthew-Luke parallel. Matthew's version has three servants getting a number of talents according to their abilities. Luke has a preference for multiples of five and ten. Luke mentions there are ten servants and each got ten minas at the beginning, but then there are only three mentioned upon the return of the master. This is an example of what Mark Goodacre calls "editorial fatigue". Each servant earned the same number of minas that the servants in Matthew's version earned in talents. A talent is 60 minas and a mina is 60 shekels.

These two passages allude to the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing motif and include a word form for "wolves" that is used nowhere else in the Majority Greek New Testament and the Textus Receptus. However, the passage from Matthew may have inspired an addition to the collection of Aesop's fables.

The Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing A Wolf resolved to disguise himself in order that he might prey upon a flock of sheep without fear of detection. So he clothed himself in a sheepskin, and slipped among the sheep when they were out at pasture. He completely deceived the shepherd, and when the flock was penned for the night he was shut in with the rest. But that very night as it happened, the shepherd, requiring a supply of mutton for the table, laid hands on the Wolf in mistake for a Sheep, and killed him with his knife on the spot.

Matthew 7:15 ESV 15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves [λυκοι]. Acts 20:29 ESV 29 I know that after my departure fierce wolves [λυκοι] will come in among you, not sparing the flock;

Comment: This fable attributed to Aesop is not certain since there are no ancient records of it and no manuscripts with it until the Middle Ages, per the Wikipedia article. Luke, in Acts, expresses essentially the same point as Matthew's verse with references to wolves and the flock. This Greek word for wolves, "λυκοι", is used nowhere else in the Greek New Testaments.

We have two good examples of the author of Matthew and the author of Luke-Acts using the same Aesop fables. Is this the Q Document using Aesop? Did Luke copy Matthew who used Aesop or vice versa? That each author used the same fables independently is less likely.

The final example has the tale of Aesop's demise woven into the narrative right after Jesus makes a reference to one of Aesop's fables.

The color highlighted phrases show the similarity between Mark and Matthew, what Luke got from them and possibly from John, and what Luke got from the Septuagint.

Mark 6:1-6 ESV 1 He went away from there and came to his hometown, and his disciples followed him. 2 And on the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astonished, saying, "Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to him? How are such mighty works done by his hands? 3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. 4 And Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household." 5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands on a few sick people and healed them. 6 And he marveled because of their unbelief. And he went about among the villages teaching.	Matthew 13:53-58 ESV 53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 and coming to his hometown he taught them in their synagogue, so that they were astonished, and said, "Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household." 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.
	John 6:42 ESV 42 They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?"
Anonymous Life of Aesop §124 But Aesop wished to go to Delphi, and so he said goodbye to the king, swearing to return and spend the rest of his life in Babylon. He went to other cities and gave demonstrations of his wisdom and learning. And when he came to Delphi, he undertook to give an exhibition there, too, and the people enjoyed hearing him at first but gave him nothing. Seeing that the men were as pale as potherbs, Aesop said to them, "Even as the leaves of the trees such is the race of men."	Luke 4:14-22 ESV 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country. 15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. 16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." 22 And all spoke well of him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from his mouth. And they said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”
Isaiah 61:1-2 [Brenton Translation of the Septuagint] The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me; he has sent me to preach glad tidings to the poor, to heal the broken in heart, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind; to declare the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of recompence; to comfort all that mourn; Isaiah 61:1-2 [Translations from Hebrew manuscripts] [ESV] 1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn; [NKJV] 1 "The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, [NIV] 1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, [RSV] 1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good tidings to the afflicted; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;
The Quack Frog [Aesop] Once upon a time a Frog came forth from his home in the marshes and proclaimed to all the world that he was a learned physician, skilled in drugs and able to cure all diseases. Among the crowd was a Fox, who called out, "You a doctor! Why, how can you set up to heal others when you cannot even cure your own lame legs and blotched and wrinkled skin?"	Luke 4:23 ESV 23 And he said to them, "Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, '"Physician, heal yourself." What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'"
Plutarch, De sera numinis vindicta 12 [excerpt] As it is reported of Aesop, that he came upon a time to Delphi, having brought along with him a great quantity of gold which Croesus had bestowed upon him, on purpose to offer a most magnificent oblation to the Gods, and with a design moreover to distribute among the priests and the people of Delphi four minas apiece. But there happening some disgust and difference between him and the Delphians, he performed his solemnity, but sent back his money to Sardis, not deeming those ungrateful people worthy of his bounty. Upon which the Delphians, laying their heads together, accused him of sacrilege, and then threw him down headlong from a steep and prodigious precipice, which is there, called Hyampia.	Luke 4:24-30 ESV 24 And he said, "Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. 25 But in truth, I tell you, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the heavens were shut up three years and six months, and a great famine came over all the land, 26 and Elijah was sent to none of them but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. [1 Kings 17:8–16] 27 And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian [2 Kings 5:1-14]." 28 When they heard these things, all in the synagogue were filled with wrath. 29 And they rose up and drove him out of the town and brought him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they could throw him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, he went away.
Anonymous Life of Aesop was compiled as late as the 10th century so Matthew and Luke did not have it as a source but many of the fables existed back then, and were well known. We recognize many of them today when we hear them. Plutarch (circa 46 - after 119 CE)  was a priest at the Temple of Apollo in Delphi and a late first century author, so probably a contemporary of Matthew and Luke.	Anonymous Life of Aesop, translated by Lloyd William Daly (1910-1989), from Aesop without Morals: The Famous Fables, New York and London: Thomas Yoseloff. Copyright 1961 by A. S. Barnes and Company, seeking permission. A humorous late biography translated primarily from the 1952 B.E. Perry text of the corrupt "G" version of the Life of Aesop from Codex 397 of the Pierpont Morgan Library, with minor emendations. This text has 66 tagged references to 20 ancient places. CTS URN: urn:cts:greekLit:tlg1765.tlg001; Wikidata ID: Q87763339; Trismegistos: authorwork/4514 Retrieved: 06/20/2023 from https://topostext.org/work/541
AESOP'S FABLES at https://www.gutenberg.org/files/11339/11339-h/11339-h.htm

Moral: Don't let anybody tell you there are no fables in the Bible.