(Part 2 of 3.)
Historically speaking, the gospel of Thomas, the Ascension of Isaiah, original Isaiah, and the lost ending of the Didache are not the most common suggestions as the source for 1 Corinthians 2.9. That distinction would probably have to go to the Apocalypse of Elijah:
Origen, Commentary on Matthew 27.3-10 (Vetus Interpretatio): Si autem haec dicens aliquis existimat se offendere, videat ne alicubi in secretis Ieremiae hoc prophetatur, sciens quoniam et Apostolus scripturas quasdam secretorum profert, sicut dicit alicubi, «Quod oculus non vidit, nec auris audivit.» in nullo enim regulari libro hoc positum invenitur, nisi in secretis Eliae prophetae. / If therefore someone supposes to offend himself in saying these things [namely, that Jeremiah is a mistake for Zechariah in Matthew 27.9], let him see lest this be prophesied somewhere in secret works of Jeremiah, knowing how even the Apostle offers certain scriptures from secret works, just as he says somewhere, “What eye has not seen, nor has ear heard.”
This is indeed not found to be located in any canonical book, but rather in the secret works of Elijah the Prophet. [
Link; a different Origenic perspective may be found on
page 42 of volume 5 of
Cramer's Catenae.]
Ambrosiaster, Commentary on the Pauline Epistles 26 (translation from Paul Hartog, “1 Corinthians 2:9 in the Apostolic Fathers,” in Intertextuality in the Second Century, page 103): 26 .... These words were expressed somewhat differently by Isaiah, and
they are also found in the apocryphal Apocalypse of Elijah.” ....
Jerome, Epistle 57.9: 9 .... Let us pass on now to the apostle Paul who writes thus to the Corinthians: “For had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him’” (= 1 Corinthians 2.8-9).
Some writers on this passage betake themselves to the ravings of the apocryphal books and assert that the quotation comes from the Revelation of Elijah, whereas the truth is that it is found in Isaiah according to the Hebrew text: “Since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, neither has the eye seen, O God, beside you what you have prepared for those who wait for you.” The Septuagint has rendered the words quite differently: “Since the beginning of the world we have not heard, neither have our eyes seen any God beside you and your true works, and you will show mercy to those who wait for you.” We see then from what place the quotation is taken and yet the apostle has not rendered his original word for word, but, using a paraphrase, he has given the sense in different terms. ....
Jerome, Commentary on Isaiah 64.4 (translation slightly modified from that of Algernon Herbert, Nimrod: A Discourse on Certain Passages of History and Fable): Saint Paul, as a Hebrew of Hebrews, has taken a paraphrase of this text in the canonical scriptures into his epistle to the Corinthians, not rendering word for word, which he did not condescend to do, but expressing the truth of that sense which he makes use of to corroborate his argument, wherefore, let the madness of the apocryphae be silent which are intruded into the churches of Christ upon pretense of this text....
For the Ascension of Isaiah and the Apocalypse of Elijah both contain this testimony [
Ascensio Isaiae et Apocalypsis Eliae hoc habent testimonium]. [
Link.]
Apostolic Constitutions 6.16: 16 .... And also among the ancients some have written apocryphal books of Moses, and of Enoch, and of Adam, of both Isaiah and David, and of Elijah, and of the three patriarchs, corrupting of and inimical to the truth. .... / 16 .... καὶ ἐν τοῖς παλαιούς δὲ τινες συνεγράψαντο βιβλία απόκρυφα Μωσέως, καὶ Ενώχ, Αδάμ, Ησαΐου τε καὶ Δαβίδ καὶ Ήλιου καὶ τῶν τριών πατριαρχών φθοροποιά καὶ τῆς αληθείας εχθρά. ....
Stichometry of (pseudo-)Nicephorus: Ελία προφήτου, στίχοι ͵γιςʹ. / Of Elijah the prophet, 3016 verses.
It is important to note that we do possess (most of) an Apocalypse of Elijah, but it does not contain anything like 1 Corinthians 2.9. Nor does it contain anything like Ephesians 5.14, which Epiphanius claims, in
Panarion 42.12.3 (Elenchus 37), is to be found in an Apocalypse of Elijah. This fact, by itself, is no impediment to the quotation having belonged to some apocryphon attributed to Elijah; after all, we possess multiple Apocalypses of Enoch, two Apocalypses of James, both an Assumption and a Testament of Moses, both Psalms and Odes of Solomon, and so on. Also, it seems that one of the Alexandrian fathers may have actually known of two such apocryphal texts:
Didymus the Blind, Commentary on Ecclesiastes 8.4b-5a (235.25-28; translation slightly formatted from that of David Frankfurter, Elijah in Upper Egypt, page 24): It is true that nobody says of the truth of God, “What will you do?” as also of the shameless and impudent king. And this shameless one perhaps can take the countenance of the Antichrist [τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου]. For in this regard, in the prophecy of Elijah [προφητείᾳ τοῦ Ἠλίου], a certain girl, having risen up and accused him, called him “shameless” (= Apocalypse of Elijah 4.1-6).
David Frankfurter, Elijah in Upper Egypt, page 43: Didymus the Blind, presently the earliest witness to the text, is quite enigmatic as to its title. In his Ecclesiastes commentary he cites the extant Apocalypse of Elijah as the “Prophecy of Elijah” but refers to another apocryphon, which apparently disclosed secrets of the underworld, as “the Apocalypse of Elijah.” .... Didymus therefore probably knew both a Prophecy of Elijah and an Apocalypse of Elijah, and the text that he calls the “Prophecy of Elijah” is what we now call the Apocalypse of Elijah, whereas his “Apocalypse of Elijah” is now lost.
Scholars are divided on how much to trust these notices, and I get the impression that many or even most think it is a dead end. Nor is it impossible that the lost Apocalypse of Elijah, if such it is, was actually written later than at least some of the Christian writings. We know next to nothing about it. Nevertheless, it is not impossible that 1 Corinthians 2.9 is a quotation of some such apocryphal work.
There is one parallel to the passage at issue which is not considered nearly as often as it ought to be on this forum. Only John2, I think, has picked up on my previous mentions of it and tried to account for it. I am speaking of pseudo-Philo (so called; the work is actually anonymous, not pseudonymous):
Pseudo-Philo, Biblical Antiquities 26.13: 13 And it shall be when the sins of my people are filled up, and their enemies have the mastery over their house, that I will take these stones and the former together with the tables, and lay them up in the place whence they were brought forth in the beginning, and they shall be there until I remember the world, and visit the dwellers upon earth. And then will I take them and many other better than they from that place which eye has not seen nor ear heard, and has not come up into the heart of man, until such like should come to pass in the age [quod oculus non vidit nec auris audivit, et in cor hominis non ascendit, quousque tale aliquid fieret in seculum], and the just shall have no need for the light of the sun nor of the shining of the moon, for the light of the precious stones shall be their light.
Joseph A. Fitzmyer, Commentary on 1 Corinthians (Anchor Bible), 178-179: 178-179 Noteworthy, however, is the parallel found in Pseudo-Philo (LAB, 26.13): quod oculus non vidit nec auris audivit, et in cor hominis non ascendit, quousque tale aliquid fieret in seculum, “What eye has not seen and ear has not heard and has not surged in a human heart.” Paul has not derived his form of the composite quotation from Pseudo-Philo, since LAB comes from a slightly later date, and Pseudo-Philo is, practically speaking, unaware of Christianity and specifically of the Pauline letters. Hence perhaps both Paul and Pseudo-Philo have derived it from a common Jewish source known in the first Christian century....
The date of this text is not known for certain. I once presented a
very conjectural
argument for it dating to after 70 but before 135 or so. But other researchers have dated it to before 70. Its main importance is that it presents a combination of Isaiah 64.3 and 65.16-17 which is, as far as can be determined, independent of any early Christian text. Any trajectory of this conflated quotation of Isaiah must take this passage into account. To my way of thinking, it seems to back up
what David posted recently to some extent:
That quote from Isaiah is likely to have been a popular quotable phrase and/or paraphrase back then, a common currency
The fact one person said it or Jesus or whoever really doesn't seem to have much value because it must have been very common
If it wasn't ultimately derived from Isaiah I'd agree there's something meaningful here
The quote probably does predate any single parallel we have in our possession, in order to account for its presence in pseudo-Philo. It being just "a quotable phrase," while doubtless true, probably does not quite explain the "it is written" that we find in 1 Corinthians 2.9, but it does open up the possibility that there may have been other texts out there which quoted it, and which Paul himself quoted, while attributing it, however, to its
original source, Isaiah, since Isaiah provides almost all of the raw materials employed to create the combined quotation. (Isaiah, though, has "those who wait on him," whereas Paul has "those who love him." This difference is the only one of any substance.)
At any rate, the instance in pseudo-Philo is a model of retaining the original context of the quotations from Isaiah, both in the sense that what cannot be seen or heard is in heaven at present and in the sense that what cannot be seen or heard will be made manifest in the future.
There are other parallels from putatively Jewish sources:
Testament of Jacob 8.8: 8 And he showed me all the resting places and all the good things prepared for the righteous, and the things that eye has not seen nor ear heard, and have not come into the heart of men, that God has prepared for those who love him and do his will on earth (for, if they end well, they do his will).
Theodore A. Bergren, "Christian Influence on the Transmission History of 4, 5, and 6 Ezra," in Jewish Apocalyptic Heritage in Early Christianity, edited by James C. Vanderkam & William Adler, pages 110-111: In 7:96, the phrase “and they will see what no eye has seen” is inserted into a description of the joys of the elect. This statement is close to a passage quoted by Paul in 1 Cor 2:9-10 (probably derived from Isa 64:4) and has numerous other parallels in ancient Jewish, Christian and Islamic literature. Although it is not certain that the phrase in Arabic 1 derives directly from 1 Corinthians, such an origin is possible. .... In [4 Ezra] 5:40, the expanded Armenian text includes an element similar to that noted above in the Arabic 1 version of 7:96: “...the good things from him which eye has not seen and ear has not heard and have not occurred to man and man has never considered, which God has prepared for his beloved ones.” The literal approximation of this text to 1 Cor 2:9, which is much closer and more extensive than was the case in Arabic 1, makes it almost certain that the Armenian refers to the Pauline passage.
Talmud, Sanhedrin 99a: 99a .... Rabbi Hiyya ben Abba said in Rabbi Johanan’s name, “All the prophets prophesied only in respect of the Messianic era, but as for the world to come, ‘The eye has not seen, O Lord, beside you, what he has prepared for him who waits for him’ (= Isaiah 64.3).” Now, he disagrees with Samuel, who said, “This world differs from the days of the Messiah only in respect of servitude to powers.” ....
Talmud, Berachoth 34b: 34b .... R. Hiyya b. Abba also said in the name of R. Johanan, “All the prophets prophesied only for the days of the Messiah, but as for the world to come, ‘Eye has not seen, oh God, beside You’ (= Isaiah 64.3). These Rabbis differ from Samuel; for Samuel said, ‘There is no difference between this world and the days of the Messiah except bondage to foreign powers, as it says, “For the poor shall never cease out of the land” (= Deuteronomy 15.11).’” ....
Some of the rabbis, as one can see above, eventually settled on the notion that "eyes have not seen, nor ears heard" what lies in wait for the faithful
after the Messianic Era. All the prophecies of peace and prosperity were of the Days of the Messiah, whereas what comes after those days, in the Age to Come, is beyond even the prophetic ken.
There are many, many putatively Christian parallels, and I know I do not even have them all yet:
1 Clement 34.8: 8 For the Scripture says, “
Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which He has prepared for those who wait for Him.” / 8 λέγει γάρ,
Ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδεν καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη ὅσα ἠτοίμασεν κύριος τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν αὐτόν.
2 Clement 11.7: 7 If, therefore, we shall do righteousness in the sight of God, we shall enter into His kingdom, and shall receive the promises, “
which ear has not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man.” / 7 ἐὰν οὗν ποιήσωμεν τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐναντίον τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσήξομεν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ καὶ ληψόμεθα τὰς ἐπαγγελίας
ἃς οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν, οὐδὲ ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδεν, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη.
Martyrdom of Polycarp 2.3: 3 And, looking to the grace of Christ, they despised all the torments of this world, redeeming themselves from eternal punishment by the suffering of a single hour. For this reason the fire of their savage executioners appeared cool to them. For they kept before their view escape from that fire which is eternal and never shall be quenched, and looked forward with the eyes of their heart to those good things which are laid up for such as endure; things “
which ear has not heard, nor eye seen, neither have entered into the heart of man,” but were revealed by the Lord to them, inasmuch as they were no longer men, but had already become angels. / 3 καὶ προσέχοντες τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ χάριτι τῶν κοσμικῶν κατεφρόνουν βασάνων διὰ μιᾶς ὥρας τὴν αἰώνιον ζωὴν ἐξαγοραζόμενοι καὶ τὸ πῦρ ἦν αὐτοῖς ψυχρὸν τὸ τῶν ἀπανθρώπων βασανιστῶν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν γὰρ εἶχον φυγεῖν τὸ αἰώνιον καὶ μηδέποτε σβεννύμενον καὶ τοῖς τῆς καρδίας ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀνέβλεπον τὰ τηρούμενα
οὔτε ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδεν οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη, ἐκείνοις δὲ ὑπεδείκνυτο ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου οἵπερ μηκέτι ἄνθρωποι ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη ἄγγελοι ἦσαν.
Apocalypse of Peter 6-7: 6 And as we prayed, suddenly there appeared two men standing before the Lord towards the east, on whom we were not able to look; 7 for there came forth from their countenance a ray as of the sun, and their raiment was shining,
such as eye of man never saw, for no mouth is able to express or heart to conceive the glory with which they were endued, and the beauty of their appearance.
Acts of Peter 10.39b: 39b Unto him therefore flee, brethren, and if you learn that in him alone you exist, you shall obtain those things whereof he says to you, “
which neither eye has seen nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of man [ἃ οὔτε ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδεν, οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη].” We ask, therefore, for that which you have promised to give unto us, O undefiled Jesus. We praise you, we give you thanks, and confess to you, glorifying you, even we men who are yet without strength, for you are God alone, and none other, to whom be glory now and unto all ages. Amen.
Acts of Thomas 36: 36 .... But we speak of the world which is above, of God and angels, of watchers and holy ones of the immortal food and the drink of the true vine, of raiment that endures and grows not old, of things
which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither have they entered into the heart of sinful men, the things which God has prepared for those who love him. ....
Dialogue of the Savior 56–57: 56-57 [Matthew] said, “Tell me, Lord, how the dead die [and] how the living live. The [Lord] said, ‘[You have] asked me about a saying [...]
which eye has not seen, [nor] have I heard it except from you.”
Prayer of the Apostle Paul 26-35: 26-35 Grant what no angel eye has seen and no archon ear heard, and what has not entered into the human heart, to inherit those things “
which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, such things as God has prepared for those who love him.”
Manichean Turfan fragment M 789: “...that I may redeem you from death and annihilation. I will give you
what you have not seen with the eye, nor heard with the ears, nor grasped with the hand. He who... on the sinners....”
Epistle of Titus 1: 1 Great and honorable is the divine promise which the Lord has made with his own mouth to those who are holy and pure. He will bestow upon them
what eyes have not seen, nor ears heard, nor has it entered into any human heart. And from eternity there will be a race incomparable and incomprehensible. /
Pollicitatio quam ore suo dominus promisit sanctis et inmaculatis. daturum se eis quod non viderunt oculis, nec aures audierunt, nec in cor hominis ascendit. et erit in aeternis aeternorum genus inconparabilis et [in]conspicibilis.
Epiphanius, Panarion 64.69.10: How can a thing be anything but “honored,” when it is raised, abides forever, and obtains a kingdom in heaven by its hope in God’s lovingkindness — where “the righteous” shall shine “as the sun,” where they shall be “equal to the angels,” where they shall dance with the bridegroom, where Peter and the apostles “shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel,” where the righteous shall receive “
what eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither has entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him” [ὅπου λήψονται οἱ δίκαιοι «ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσε καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν»]?
Epiphanius, Panarion 66.38.1-4: 1 For if there were no resurrection of bodies, how could there be “gnashing of teeth?” And don’t anyone make that halfwitted remark again, “Teeth are made for us to chew with; what food will we eat after the resurrection of the dead?” 2 If Jesus ate again after his resurrection, and [took] “a piece of a broiled fish and an honeycomb,” and lived with his disciples for forty days, will there be no food? 3 And as to food, it is plain that “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the kingdom of heaven.” And it is the Lord’s own promise that “You shall be seated at my Father’s table eating and drinking.” 4 And what this eating and drinking is, is known to him alone, for “
eye has not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for them that love him” [ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσεν, οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη, ὅσα ἡτοίμασεν ὁ θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν].
Epiphanius, Panarion 66.61.8-9: 8 But when these prophets prophesy, they prophesy in part and know in part but with hope await what is perfect in the ages to come, “when the corruptible is changed to incorruption and the mortal to immortality.” For “ then shall we see face to face.” 9 For now these things are shown to us “darkly,” but there “
what eye has not seen here is prepared” [ἑτοιμάζεται ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς ὧδε οὐκ εἶδεν]. There perfection is revealed, those things that
“ear has not heard” here [ἃ οὖς ἐνταῦθα οὐκ ἤκουσεν]. There is the greatest gift to the saints, that which
“has not entered into the heart of man” here [ὃ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη ἐνταῦθα].
Epiphanius, Panarion 77.37.57; 77.38.1: 37.5 What becomes of the words of the apostle, “If you be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing,” and, “All you who are justified by the Law are fallen from grace?” What about the Lord’s words, “For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are equal unto the angels?” 6 On the other hand, “You shall sit at the table of my Father eating and drinking,” and, “when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of heaven,” with the additional word, “new,” and the phrase, “at the table of the kingdom,” mean something different. 7 I myself agree with this, since I have learned from the sacred scriptures that there is a partaking of immortal food and drink. Of these it is said, “
Eye has not seen and ear has not heard, neither have entered into the heart of man what things God has prepared for them that love him.” 38.1 Apollinarius, though, says that we partake of the material pleasures first, in the millennium, without labor and grief, but that after the millennium we partake of the things of which “[/u]eye has not seen and ear has not heard[/u]” was said.
Gregory of Nyssa, Catechetical Oration 40: 40 Ἀναγκαῖον ἂν εἴη τούτοις προσθεῖναι καὶ τὸ λειπόμενον, ὅτι οὔτε τὰ ἀγαθὰ τὰ ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις τοῖς εὖ βεβιωκόσι προκείμενα τοιαῦτά ἐστιν ὡς εἰς ὑπογραφὴν λόγου ἐλθεῖν. πῶς γὰρ ἃ
οὔτε ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδεν, οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη; οὔτε μὴν ἡ ἀλγεινὴ τῶν πεπλημμεληκότων ζωὴ πρός τι τῶν τῇδε λυπούντων τὴν αἴσθησιν ὁμοτίμως ἔχει. ἀλλὰ κἂν ἐπονομασθῇ τι τῶν ἐκεῖ κολαστηρίων τοῖς ὧδε γνωριζομένοις ὀνόμασιν, οὐκ ἐν ὀλίγῳ τὴν παραλλαγὴν ἔχει. πῦρ γὰρ ἀκούων ἄλλο τι παρὰ τοῦτο νοεῖν ἐδιδάχθης ἐκ τοῦ προσκεῖσθαί τι τῷ πυρὶ ἐκείνῳ ὃ ἐν τούτῳ οὐκ ἔστι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ οὐ σβέννυται, τούτου δὲ πολλὰ παρὰ τῆς πείρας ἐξεύρηται τὰ σβεστήρια, πολλὴ δὲ τοῦ σβεννυμένου πρὸς τὸ μὴ παραδεχόμενον σβέσιν ἡ διαφορά. οὐκοῦν ἄλλο τι, καὶ οὐχὶ τοῦτό ἐστι. πάλιν σκώληκά τις ἀκούσας μὴ διὰ τῆς ὁμωνυμίας πρὸς τὸ ἐπίγειον τοῦτο θηρίον ἀποφερέσθω τῇ διανοίᾳ· ἡ γὰρ προσθήκη τοῦ ἀτελεύτητον εἶναι ἄλλην τινὰ φύσιν παρὰ τὴν γινωσκομένην νοεῖν ὑποτίθεται. ἐπεὶ οὖν ταῦτα πρόκειται τῇ ἐλπίδι τοῦ μετὰ ταῦτα βίου, καταλλήλως ἐκ τῆς ἑκάστου προαιρέσεως κατὰ τὴν δικαίαν τοῦ θεοῦ κρίσιν ἀναφυόμενα τῷ βίῳ, σωφρονούντων ἂν εἴη μὴ πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ μετὰ τοῦτο βλέπειν, καὶ τῆς ἀφράστου μακαριότητος ἐν τῇ ὀλίγῃ ταύτῃ καὶ προσκαίρῳ ζωῇ τὰς ἀφορμὰς καταβάλλεσθαι καὶ τῆς τῶν κακῶν πείρας δι' ἀγαθῆς προαιρέσεως ἀλλοτριοῦσθαι, νῦν μὲν κατὰ τὸν βίον, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ κατὰ τὴν αἰωνίαν ἀντίδοσιν. / It will be necessary to add to what has been said this remaining statement also; viz. that those good things which are held out in the Gospels to those who have led a godly life, are not such as can be precisely described. For how is that possible with things which “
eye has not seen, neither ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man?” Indeed, the sinner’s life of torment presents no equivalent to anything that pains the sense here. Even if some one of the punishments in that other world be named in terms that are well known here, the distinction is still not small. When you hear the word fire, you have been taught to think of a fire other than the fire we see, owing to something being added to that fire which in this there is not; for that fire is never quenched, whereas experience has discovered many ways of quenching this; and there is a great difference between a fire which can be extinguished, and one that does not admit of extinction. That fire, therefore, is something other than this. If, gain, a person hears the word “worm,” let not his thoughts, from the similarity of the term, be carried to the creature here that crawls upon the ground; for the addition that it “dies not” suggests the thought of another reptile than that known here. Since, then, these things are set before us as to be expected in the life that follows this, being the natural outgrowth according to the righteous judgment of God, in the life of each, of his particular disposition, it must be the part of the wise not to regard the present, but that which follows after, and to lay down the foundations for that unspeakable blessedness during this short and fleeting life, and by a good choice to wean themselves from all experience of evil, now in their lifetime here, hereafter in their eternal recompense.
Pseudo-Athanasius, On Virginity 18: 18 .... καὶ ὥσπερ τις ἀπὸ φυλακῆς ἐξέλθοι, οὕτως καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι ἐξέρχονται ἀπὸ τοῦ μοχθηροῦ βίου τούτου εἰς τὰ ἀγαθὰ τὰ ἡτοιμασμένα αὐτοῖς· «
ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσε, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη, ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν.» οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὶ καὶ ὧδε κακῶς μοχθοῦσι καὶ ἐκεῖ πάλιν τὸ πῦρ αὐτοὺς μένει· καὶ τοὺς τοιούτους διπλῶς δεῖ κλαῦσαι, ὅτι καὶ ὧδε ἐν στενο χωρίᾳ εἰσὶ καὶ ἐκεῖ τὴν εὐρυχωρίαν οὐκ ἀπολαμβάνουσι. .... [
Link.]
Testamentum Domini 28: 28 ....
Cum igitur et nos ad ipsum confugientes didicimus ipsi soli proprium esse dare, petamus ab eo ea quae ipse dixit se daturum esse nobis, quae neque oculus vidit, neque auris audivit, neque in cor hominis ascendit, quae paravit diligentibus se, uti Moyses aliique sancti homines dixerunt. cum itaque in ipsum speravimus, ei tribuamus gloriam, cui honor et imperium in saeculum saeculorum. .... [
Link.]
Again, this list is not exhaustive.
The Turfan fragment has a "hand" in it, just like the Thomasine version, but then, few would have disputed that the Manicheans were influenced by the gospel of Thomas, anyway.
Most of the rest retain the original sense of Isaiah, applying the saying in one way or another to what God has in store for the righteous at the end of days.
ETA: Thanks,
David:
Gospel of Judas apud codex Tchacos, page 47: 47 .... Jesus said, “[Come], and I will teach you about [..] which no man will see. For a great, limitless aeon exists, whose measure no generation of angels has seen. In it is [the] Great and Invisible Spirit, ‘whom no angel’s eye has seen, nor has the thought of a mind received it; nor has it been called by any name.’” ....