ON LOVE; PART CCCXCII
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.
(35) Jesus says: “It is not possible for someone to enter the house of a strong (person) (and) take it by force unless he binds his hands. Then he will loot his house.“
(36) Jesus says: “Do not worry from morning to evening and from evening to morning about what you will wear.“
(37) (1) His disciples said: “When will you appear to us, and when will we see you?” Jesus said: “When you undress without being ashamed and take your clothes (and) put them under your feet like little children (and) trample on them, then [you] will see the son of the Living One, and you will not be afraid.“
(38) Jesus says: “Many times have you desired to hear these words, these that I am speaking to you, and you have no one else from whom to hear them. There will be days when you will seek me (and) you will not find me.“
(39) Jesus says: “The Pharisees and the scribes have received the keys of knowledge, (but) they have hidden them. Neither have they entered, nor have they allowed to enter those who wish to. You, however, be as shrewd as serpents and as innocent as doves!“
The thirty fourth saying from the Gospel of Thomas was a pretty straight forward affair that agreed with its counter parts in the synoptic gospels of Matthew and Luke. We noted that in Matthew’s Gospel this saying is offered in a context where the Master is specifically speaking about the Pharisees as the blind and this is likely the intent of this saying in all three versions:
- “And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch?” (Luke 6:39)
- “Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? But he answered and said , Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted , shall be rooted up. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch” (Matthew 15:12-14).
- “If a blind (person) leads a blind (person), both will fall into a pit” (Thomas 34).
The only issue in understanding these words is the identification of the blind who lead and the blind who follow and in Matthew we get that idea from the context, that it IS the Pharisees that are the blind who lead and it IS the Jew who follows the Pharisees teaching as Truth who ARE the blind that follow. But we must remember here the timelessness of these sayings and, as we understand the role of the doctrine of the Pharisees, a doctrine that did not portray the Truth of the law and the prophets, we should understand as well that the authoritarian dictates of later versions of the Pharisee in most every religion are comprised of the same type of misleading words, words that keep the blind follower from the Truth. The Master remarks on the teaching of the Pharisee because he is the teacher of the common people in that day but this does not forgive in any way those who follow in the ways of the Pharisees who were or ARE “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9) as men of their ilk had been doing such for quite some time as these words are from the Prophet Isaiah and, while these words are a part of a prophecy, they are as well a statement of fact in the prophet’s day more than seven hundred years earlier. The Master has several things to say about these blind leaders:
“woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor! Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?…..Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:13-17, 23-28).
Yes these are specific against the Pharisee and the scribe but if we can look at the history of the Christian Church at the many differentiations of doctrines that meet the needs of their sponsoring groups but not the Truth of the Master’s teaching, we can see much the same thing; we can see many that have and yet are “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men“. We can see this in history, in the crusades, in the reformation and in slavery; we can see this in the dictates of Pope’s and other church rulers and dignitaries that lead people down a more darkened path rather that the Path of Light and Truth. If we sincerely look we can find many blind teaching many blind through history and yet today. As aspirants we must see clearer; there may be little that we can do for the blind followers but, by our efforts, we can bring to Light the Truths and perhaps guide these Truths into the mainstream of doctrine. The greatest of ALL of these Truths IS in the simplicity of Love as the Master intended and it IS in the practice of this Love that many can find the wherewithal to keep His words.
This then is the blind leading the blind and we should remember here that the Master tells us that the way to KNOW the teacher of Truth is by the fruit of their teaching and, as we can see in looking around us, this is a difficult task for the blind follower. The next saying, the thirty fifth is similar to those from the synoptic gospels but again without the context that we find there as we read from the synoptic gospels in context:
- “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out ? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house. He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad” (Matthew 12:25-30).
- “And he called them unto him, and said unto them in parables, How can Satan cast out Satan? And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. And if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end. No man can enter into a strong man’s house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house” (Mark 3:23-27).
- “If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand ? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges. But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you. When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth” (Luke 11:18-23).
- “It is not possible for someone to enter the house of a strong (person) (and) take it by force unless he binds his hands. Then he will loot his house” (Thomas 35).
There are three commentaries on this saying:
- Gerd Ludemann writes: “At the level of redactoin the logion recalls 21.5-8, and at the level of tradition it strongly recalls both Mark 3.27 and Matt. 12.29/Luke 11.21-22 (= Q). It has a genetic connection with these passages. However, in contrast to the parallels mentioned it does not indicate the context, which there consists in the overcoming of Satan by Jesus.” (Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 607).
- Crossan writes: “This version is extremely close to Mark 3:27, much more than to Matt. 12:29 (against Schrage: 87). With regard to form, the external format is assertion rather than question in Mark and Thomas, against Matthew; (b) the internal format has three sections: general negation (‘not’/’no one’), specific exception (‘unless’), direct result (‘then’), in Mark and Thomas, but only the last two in Matthew. With regard to content, and allowing for the syntactical and translational differences between Greek and Coptic, the main differences are that Thomas lacks ‘his goods’ and ‘first’ but contains ‘his hands,’ as against Mark. The Coptic text is ambiguous on the object of the intruder’s force: ‘him (or: it)’ in Guillaumont (1959:23), ‘it (or: him)’ in Wilson (Hennecke and Schneemelcher:1.515). But the meaning seems to demand the translation ‘take it by force,’ as in Lambdin (122), and this is again close to Mark. In summary, then, the differences between Mark and Thomas are performancial variations in content within a remarkably similar format.” (In Fragments, p. 190).
- Funk and Hoover write: “Thomas preserves this saying, like many others, without any context. In Mark 3:27, the saying is related to the exorcism of demons. However, that may not have been its original reference. The Fellows gave the saying a pink rating because it is not likely to have been attributed to Jesus by the Christian community inasmuch as it is an image of violence. Further, it is attested in three independent sources, Mark, Q, and here in Thomas.” (The Five Gospels, p. 493).
Our comments here are again in comparison to the ideas of the accepted gospels and save a mention from Funk and Hoover there is no commentary on the content. We should likely assume that the context is the same as it is in the synoptic versions and perhaps the lack of a context in Thomas is a clue to the right interpretation of this. Common Christian doctrines ascribe the title strong man to the devil and from the entry in Matthew’s Gospel they see it this way:
- Vincent tells us: Of a strong man (του ισχυρου); Rev. rightly gives the force of the article, the strong man. Christ is not citing a general illustration, but is pointing to a specific enemy – Satan. How can I despoil Satan without first having conquered him? 4.
- John Gill telss us in part: Or else, how can anyone enter into a strong man’s house, This is another argument of Christ’s proving that his casting out of devils could not be by Satan, but by the Spirit of God; for if he did not act by any superior power to Satan’s, and such by which he was able to master, overcome, and bind him, he could never. spoil his goods, as he did; or dispossess devils out of the bodies or souls of men: just as if a man should enter into another man’s house, who is strong and robust, with a design to spoil his goods, who would never make use of the man himself to do it, and can never be thought to effect it, unless he has a power superior to his, and uses it; except he first bind the strong man, and then he will spoil his house: by the “strong man”, is meant the devil, see ( Isaiah 49:24 Isaiah 49:25 ) who is powerful and mighty, as appears from his nature, being an angel, though a fallen one, excelling in strength human creatures; from his names, such as the roaring lion, the great red dragon, leviathan from the extent of his dominion, here called “his house”; which reaches to the whole posse of devils, and world of men; whence he is called the prince of the power of the air, and the prince of this world, and the god of it; and from his works and actions, in and over the bodies and estates of men, by divine permission; which might be exemplified in the case of Job, and the demoniacs in the time of Christ; and in and over the souls of men, not only over wicked men, but men under a show of religion, as antichrist and his followers; yea, saints themselves, and even over Adam in a state of innocence; but Christ is stronger than he, and attacked him, and dispossessed him of the bodies of men…..8.
This is likely the natural reaction based in the context that these sayings are placed but these are dependent upon the belief that the devil and that Satan are a personality that has reign over the Earth as we see in Mr. Gills words. There is no True foundation for this powerful personality in the world and this belief is a created doctrine that is likely passed down from the Jewish traditions and superstitions. These ‘possessed’ persons are afflicted by severe emotional and mental problems as we understand them today and these afflictions Truly ARE devils to those afflicted but not in the sense of an entity that is other than the afflicted self. That there can be cases where a strong psychic personality can overcome a weaker one and dominate him is not in question nor is the possibility that a rogue human personality caught in the afterlife may be able to overcome a living subject who is in a weakened emotional and mental state. There are things in this Life that we DO NOT understand but one of them IS NOT the personality of a Satan or a devil nor his minions who wreak havoc on unsuspecting men in the world. Satan and the devil are simply the ways of the world, they are sin and they are evil and perhaps one deeply in sin, one focused totally on the self in the world and who is willing in that state to harm others can be considered devilish as the Apostle James frames the self-absorbed man. Here in these sayings however there is likely more than is being seen as the Master has already answered the charge to His casting out devils by the power of the devil and this as He tells them that He is doing so “with the finger of God” and offers them the logic of devils versus devils in the Light that this would not be so.
If we can consider that the Master’s answer is complete with this saying and that the Kingdom of God is come, they perhaps we can find the True meaning of these words that are the match to our subject words from Thomas’ Gospel. Perhaps if we can tie this somewhat to the preceding sayings from Thomas regarding the disciple who stands strong and stands tall as an unwavering Light of Truth, then we can see the opposite of the doctrinal view. At the same time, we should see the parabolic value of the ideas presented by the Master; this is not about the house nor the goods but it IS about what they may represent. In this Light we can see the Master and the disciple and any man strong in keeping His words as the strong man who can bind any worldly forces that try to impinge upon that Peace and Love that IS or is becoming the expression of the strong man. In his strength the strong man is impervious to any assault and none can spoil his house. Can we see that in this understanding there is a progressive teaching and not just a saying about a personality of evil that Truly does not exist save in the minds of men.
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.
O Thou Who givest sustenance to the universe,
From Whom all things proceed,
To Whom all things return,
Unveil to us the face of the true Spiritual Sun
Hidden by a disc of golden Light
That we may know the Truth And do our whole duty
As we journey to Thy sacred feet.
As with any ancient manuscript from a foreign land, there are many interpretations and translations of The Gayatri available. The version that appears here comes to us in every day English and without the need to have a Sanskrit reference as a key; it is constructed so that all can understand it and use it.
The Gayatri is really quite simple and straightforward in the form that we have here. It begins, as does the Lord’s Prayer, with an acknowledgement of the Majesty of God as the Giver of all Life and as our Source of all things. We ask only one thing in this prayer; that the true spiritual light of God be unveiled to us so that we may see it clearly. The Sun is the giver of light and life to our planet and all that is on it and, just as each of our forms veils the Spirit within, we ask to see and to know the Light that is behind the Sun that which we see.
In saying this we believe that by seeing the true Spiritual Light that we will be able to see and to know the Truth that is in that light. This is the Light that the Buddha and then the Christ brought to us through their lives on Earth. This is the Light that shines in our hearts from our own spiritual selves, the Christ Within.
We close by acknowledging that we have a duty to God, to our brothers and to His Plan and it is this duty that we will perform when we realize the truth as we journey back to God.
Others have said about this prayer that “The Gayatri is one of the oldest invocations, or mantrams, know to man. It carries the power of purpose, the plan of love and the light of truth. It reveals human relationships as vertical alignment with the source of all Energy and horizontal service in the right use of energy. It is a potent tool for use with the inflow of new age energies” (from The Gayatri prayer card of World Goodwill; NY, NY).
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!
- 4 Word Studies in the New Testament; Marvin R Vincent D.D. 2nd edition, 1888
- 8 Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
- 14 The Gospel of Thomas; Translated by Stephen J. Patterson and James M. Robinson; http://gnosis.org/
