ON LOVE; PART CCCLXXVIII
ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•Α
GoodWill IS Love in Action
ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•ΑΩ•Α
The Gospel of Thomas
These are the hidden words that the living Jesus spoke. And Didymos Judas Thomas wrote them down.
(22) Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples: “These little ones being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom.” They said to him: “Then will we enter the kingdom as little ones?” Jesus said to them: “When you make the two into one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside and the above like the below – that is, to make the male and the female into a single one, so that the male will not be male and the female will not be female – and when you make eyes instead of an eye and a hand instead of a hand and a foot instead of a foot, an image instead of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom].“
(23) Jesus says: “I will choose you, one from a thousand and two from ten thousand. And they will stand as a single one.”
(24) His disciples said: “Show us the place where you are, because it is necessary for us to seek it. He said to them: “Whoever has ears should hear! Light exists inside a person of light, and he shines on the whole world. If he does not shine, there is darkness.”
(25) Jesus says: “Love your brother like your life! Protect him like the apple of your eye!” 14
In the last essay we discussed the twenty second saying from the Gospel of Thomas and found some interesting points that agree with our own understanding of the words of the Master from the accepted gospels. We began by noting that this purported saying by the Master is consistent with His sayings about little children in the synoptic gospels and with His addressing His disciples as such in the Gospel of John; we noted as well that the insertion of the idea of these little children, the more proper rendition that infant, being suckled can give us some added insight into the age of the child in question. While there is no specific idea given as to the age of suckling in the New Testament, the Koran, which is from about 600 years later, does say that children are generally to be suckled until age two; using this as a guideline, we can likely see that the intent is that the little children to which the Master refers are those who have not yet established their own personality with is generally the antithesis of the humble, innocent and unassuming way of the little child and the disciple. We went on from here to discuss that this question posed by the disciples shows that either they do not understand the Master’s parabolic meaning or that the scene here is staged to allow for the Master’s answer; we of course lean to the former as we can see in the accepted gospels that the disciples are ofttimes confused by Jesus’ parabolic teachings. The question is asked and the Master answers and, as we have seen in several sayings from Thomas’ Gospel, there is no relationship between the question and the answer but at the same time the answer completes their understanding of the disciple and his view of Life.
The Master’s answer is according to our own terms;
- The elimination of duality and the ability to focus upon the things of God in place of the things of the world and here we must say that we do not Truly understand at what point in this ability, at what stage of focus by degree, the man is to be considered as a disciple and we have this lack of understanding based upon the Life of the Apostle Peter who IS a disciple and who is rebuked by the Master several times for his continued lapses into worldly or self thought. He IS a disciple yet he IS NOT complete.
- The establishment of a man in the world whose focus IS upon the things of God continues to the next part about the inside and the outside becoming as one; here we should understand that the lower forces of the world are overcome by the higher forces of the Soul, the personality is subdued and the form Life becomes the expression of the Soul Life….they are one. This same understanding applies to above and below as the inner and the above are the same; they are the individual’s own view of the Kingdom.
- Regarding the male and the female becoming as one, we should see this parabolically as we should see the former sayings as well. There ARE NO sexes in the Kingdom of God, there are not male and female Souls….there are just Souls. And when the expression of the Life of the Soul becomes the expression of the man in the world, he is the disciple and he understands that there are no differences of sex except in the form itself. He understands the unity of the Life of the True man and the nature of the form Life and in his discipleship he overcomes ALL differences as we see in Paul’s words which we repeat again “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus“ (Galatians 3:28). Paul repeats these ideas with a slightly different list saying: “Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all” (Colossians 3:11).
- The last part is the more obscure and here we have come to see the Master’s idea as to say that the hand or the foot or the eye or the image DO NOT matter in the Life of the disciple who does not reckon to them any power whatsoever. It is the senses of the Soul, Love, unity and brotherhood, and their expression that matter and we relate this idea to the words of the Master in the synoptic gospels where one should cut off any member that offends, that interferes with the expression of the Love and the Power of the Soul. Perhaps we can summarize these ideas as we did in the last post were we see the added idea of image so as to say: that one should see himself as he Truly is and not as he appears to be. This is of course inclusive of the hand and the foot and the eye.
We come now to the twenty third saying and we find here a sentiment that IS NOT stated in the accepted gospels, at least not in these particular terms. The idea here is that there are few who can be disciples and the numbers He uses exemplify this are but stating this a rarity as the numbers themselves have no True meaning. The comparisons that Jesus uses “one from a thousand and two from ten thousand” show a range that is intended to show the reality in such sayings as “Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able” (Luke 13:24) and “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). Can we see the idea here? that “one from a thousand and two from ten thousand” is the same as “few there be that find it” and the same as the idea that of those seekers, many “shall not be able“.
There is not much commentary on this short saying and we include it all:
- Funk quotes Pistis Sophia 134: “‘There shall be found one among a thousand and two among ten thousand . . .’ (Gartner: 229)” (New Gospel Parallels, v. 2, p. 123).
- Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman write: “The Gnostic community is very small. It consists of those chosen by Jesus, ‘one out of a thousand and two out of ten thousand’ (23/24) – a saying quoted by the Gnostic followers of Basilides [Adv. haer. I. 24. 6] and in Pistis Sophia. To be sure, this element of exclusiveness is not absent from early Christianity (‘many are called, but few are chosen’), but in Christianity it is balanced by the call to mission and discipleship, omitted in Thomas. The Gospel of Thomas thus offers no hope, eschatological or other, to mankind as a whole, or to any considerable numbers of men.” (Gnosticism & Early Christianity, p. 189).
- Funk and Hoover write: “The use of the phrase ‘one from a thousand’ may indicate that the gnotsics thought of themselves as an elite, relatively rare species among humankind. The phrase ‘single one’ (v. 2) points to undifferentiated existence prior to creation.” (The Five Gospels, p. 487).
In the first comment we should note that the Pistis Sophia appears to be written after even the later dates ascribed by some to the Gospel of Thomas so we are unsure of the relevance. This second has that misconception of the doctrinal church that there is a call to discipleship and mission that is lighter and easier than the reality of the teachings of the Master. That the call as such may be missing in Thomas’ Gospel may be true and we will see this as we continue through the sayings. Much like the accepted gospels and especially the Gospel of John, the words of Thomas Gospel are so far directed a disciples and we should understand here that the sense of the church and their doctrines are but diluted and changed versions of the Master’s word as regards the Kingdom of God which we see as the subject in this verse. The final quote is purely speculation based on the reading of other Gnostic texts and should likely be seen in the same light as Christians deem themselves as the only saved and the only eligible for salvation.
The notation in the final comment regarding the single one is also misread and misunderstood. The reality of unity is a Truth that the Master sets forth for us in John’s Gospel and its meaning should be clear to us. When a man is expressing the Love and the Power of the Soul in the world, he sees himself as ONE with ALL; this is the natural way of the Soul as ALL are in union and ALL are moving to the tune of the SAME Plan of God; it is only in this world of the lower carnal self that we find separation and the selfish desire of one to excel over others and this is exactly the lesson that the Master offers to His disciples when they are angered at the request by James and John for special treatment. We read in John’s Gospel these words on Unity and Oneness from the Master:
“And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are…..Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me” (John 17:11, 20-23).
This IS the unity of discipleship and in the words of the Master from Thomas’ Gospel above we should see the same sense of unity; that they ALL stand as one; one purpose and one sense of Love and duty in service to the world. In addition to this view is the view from the previous saying on the unity of the inner and the outer, the above and the below, the male and the female; ALL of these are meant to refer to the singleness of expression, the expression of the Soul through form. We should note here as well that in the reality of the Master’s speech here and in the accepted gospels, that the idea of I must be seen in its universal form which includes the Christ Within each man and if we can openly read the words from John’s Gospel above we can likely see this more clearly.
We should continue to understand here that if this IS Thomas the apostle writing the words of Jesus for us in this gospel, that these are according to his own perception and according to what he had seen and understood as the important parts of the Master’s words. This same is true of the accepted Gospels as well and although the synoptics follow a similar way of presentation there are many differences in the way that the Master’s ideas are given; in their context, their timing and at times their apparent meaning. We should remember as well that the Gospel of John is a departure from most ALL of the teachings of the synoptic gospels and where there is similarity, the approach is largely different. We should measure Thomas’ Gospel in these same ways and not according to the pronouncement of a few men who did not care for the tone or the content of these sayings.
We will continue with our thoughts in the next post.
| Aspect of God |
Potency |
Aspect of Man |
In Relation to the Great Invocation |
In relation to the Christ |
|
GOD, The Father |
Will or Power |
Spirit or Life |
Center where the Will of God IS KNOWN |
Life |
|
Son, The Christ |
Love and Wisdom |
Soul or Christ Within |
Heart of God |
Truth |
|
Holy Spirit |
Light or Activity |
Life Within |
Mind of God |
Way
|
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
Today’s quote of the day is a repeat of the Mantram of Unification which is an affirmation of the Oneness of the human family from the perspective of the disciple and the aspirant and any who hold these ideals as important. In this we find the essence of the two ideas that we have discussed from Values to Live By and that these are firmly grounded in the desire to Love not hate; to serve and not exact due service and to heal and not to hurt. It is Love shown as Truth and justice that is at the heart of this mantram.
Mantram of Unification
The sons of men are one and I am one with them.
I seek to love, not hate;
I seek to serve and not exact due service;
I seek to heal, not hurt.
Let pain bring due reward of light and love.
Let the Soul control the outer form, and life and all events,
And bring to light the love that underlies the happenings of the time.
Let vision come and insight.
Let the future stand revealed.
Let inner union demonstrate and outer cleavages be gone.
Let love prevail.
Let all men love.
The Mantram of Unification is a meditation and a prayer that at first affirms the unity of all men and the Brotherhood of Man based on the Fatherhood of God. The first stanza sets forth several truly Christian ideals in Unity, Love, Service and Healing. The second stanza is a invocation to the Lord and to our own Souls asking that from the pain (if there can truly be any) incurred in focusing on the Spirit and not the world will come Light and Love into our lives and that we begin to function as Souls through our conscious personalities. We ask that the spiritual control of our lives will bring to light for us the Love that underlies world events; a Love that the world oriented man will not see working out behind the scenes and also that the Love that we bring forth, individually and as a world group, can be seen by all and ultimately in all. Finally, in the last stanza we ask for those things that are needed for Love to abound. Vision and insight so that we can direct our attention properly; revelation of the future in the sense that all can see the Power of Love in the world; inner union so that we do not fall back into the world’s ways, that we faint not; and that a sense of separation, the antithesis of brotherhood, ends as we know it today. Let Love Prevail, Let All Men Love.spiritual control of our lives will bring to light for us the Love that underlies world events; a Love that the world oriented man will not see working out behind the scenes.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!
- 14 The Gospel of Thomas; Translated by Stephen J. Patterson and James M. Robinson; http://gnosis.org/
