ON LOVE; PART XDXXXIV
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
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The Gospel of Thomas
These are the hidden words that the living Jesus spoke. And Didymos Judas Thomas wrote them down.
(63) Jesus says: “There was a rich person who had many possessions. He said: ‘I will use my possessions so that I might sow, reap, plant, (and) fill my storehouses with fruit so that I will not lack anything.’ This was what he was thinking in his heart. And in that night he died. Whoever has ears should hear.“
(64) Jesus says: “A person had guests. And when he had prepared the dinner, he sent his servant, so that he might invite the guests. He came to the first (and) said to him: ‘My master invites you.’ He said: ‘I have bills for some merchants. There are coming to me this evening. I will go (and) give instructions to them. Excuse me from the dinner.’ He came to another (and) said to him: ‘My master has invited you.’ He said to him: ‘I have bought a house, and I have been called (away) for a day. I will not have time.’ He went to another (and) said to him: ‘My master invites you.’ He said to him: ‘My friend is going to marry, and I am the one who is going to prepare the meal. I will not be able to come. Excuse me from the dinner.’ He came up to another (and) said to him: ‘My master invites you.’ He said to him: ‘I have bought a village. Since I am going to collect the rent, I will not be able to come. Excuse me.’ The servant went away. He said to his master: ‘Those whom you invited to the dinner have asked to be excused.’ The master said to his servant: ‘Go out on the roads. Bring (back) whomever you find, so that they might have dinner.’ Dealers and merchants (will) not enter the places of my Father.“
(65) He said: “A [usurer] owned a vineyard. He gave it to some farmers so that they would work it (and) he might receive its fruit from them. He sent his servant so that the farmers might give him the fruit of the vineyard. They seized his servant, beat him, (and) almost killed him. The servant went (back and) told his master. His master said: ‘Perhaps <they> did not recognize <him>.’ He sent another servant, (and) the farmers beat that other one as well. Then the master sent his son (and) said: ‘Perhaps they will show respect for my son.’ (But) those farmers, since they knew that he was the heir of the vineyard, seized him (and) killed him. Whoever has ears should hear.“
(66) Jesus says: “Show me the stone that the builders have rejected. It is the cornerstone.“
(67) Jesus says: “Whoever knows all, if he is lacking one thing, he is (already) lacking everything.“
Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. [For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever.] Amen.†
Today as we change our Quote of the Day, we should address the Lord’s Prayer again in some additional detail. We began using this as our Quote of the Day just after United Nations Day 2013 as a replacement for our use of the Values to Live By that we had used for some time as these Values embodied the ideas and the ideals on which the whole idea of the United Nations is founded and thereby United Nations Day. In the Lord’s Prayer we found a natural continuation of the ideas set in the Values to Live By as this IS a world prayer and we can call it so for two reasons. First it embodies the natural and innate ideas of Love and forgiveness and the reign of God which is prevalent in the world; it is founded in peace and harmony, in Love and in brotherhood. Second it is FOR the world as there is naught in this prayer for the self as the ideas are to bring the Light, the Love and the Power of God into play in this world by an ever increasing degree. Here again we should try to understand that aside from the idea of Prayer being to Our God which exists outside of us and our existence in this world, it is also a Prayer to the God, that part of God, that exists within each and every man, woman and child in this Earth and who IS their source of Life. It IS from this second perspective that Prayer Truly works. Yes the mass appeal of sincere prayers can and does effect the very nature of God viewed in His Transcendence as this can and likely does bring forth response through those most advanced Souls, led by the Christ, that guide our race. In this however view we must not discount the importance of using these prayers and these affirmations to center and recenter our own individual psyche upon the God Within and it IS from this that there comes individual change and Repentance and it will be these ‘centered’ men in the Earth who have the loudest voice in that mass appeal; it is these that ARE the sincere prayers.
Returning to our discussion of the sixty fourth saying from the Gospel of Thomas where we closed the last essay with our thoughts on Thomas’ final idea that “Dealers and merchants (will) not enter the places of my Father” and our note that this should not be taken as a saying away from the context in which it IS offered. Merchants and dealers, or traders and businessmen as others render these words, ARE NOT arbitrarily excluded; in the context of the whole saying however it can be seen that it IS men of this ilk that have found more important things to do than to attend the feast which is representative of the Kingdom of God. And this is the greater point, that the Kingdom is not open to any who ARE NOT attendant on it, any who ARE NOT focused upon it; it IS NOT open to any who see the things of the world as more important which, in the case of this parable according to Thomas, includes men of business, men who refuse the invitation to the Kingdom saying such things as “‘I have bills for some merchants. There are coming to me this evening“; “‘I have bought a house, and I have been called (away) for a day” or “I have bought a village…..I am going to collect the rent“. For these men their affairs of the world are more important than the Kingdom of God; we should here remember how this parable IS framed for us by Matthew who tells us that the Master’s words ARE: “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son” (Matthew 22:2). This IS the nature of the parable which, in its three different renditions, should show us that the open invitation to the Kingdom requires that we leave off of what we deem as our worldly duties and attend to the Kingdom and that in our constant refusal to accept this invitation, that it the Kingdom will move to others; and, while this part may concern the Jews in that day, the ancillary idea for us is that as the refusal continues in favor of the minutia of worldly Life, our sense of the very invitation becomes fainter and fainter.
The Master tells us in many ways and in many places that we should be ready for the Kingdom as we KNOW NOT when will be our own demise and while these other sayings may be a different approach, we should see that they ARE tied to this ideas of the feast and that ALL are tied to so many other sayings from the Master and His apostles including:
- “And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said , Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God“
- “And another also said , Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:59-62).
We should see in these ideas that this IS NOT restricted to the businessman but to ALL men and this from the perspective that to follow Him IS to keep His words and to strive toward the Kingdom.
Our next saying, the sixty fifth, is another parable that finds a match in the synoptic gospels as the Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen which is found in all three gospels as follows:
- “A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time. And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty. And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out. Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours. So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid” (Luke 20:9-16).
- “A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country . 2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others” (Mark 12:1-9).
- “There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons” (Matthew 21:33-41).
- “A [usurer] owned a vineyard. He gave it to some farmers so that they would work it (and) he might receive its fruit from them. He sent his servant so that the farmers might give him the fruit of the vineyard. They seized his servant, beat him, (and) almost killed him. The servant went (back and) told his master. His master said: ‘Perhaps <they> did not recognize <him>.’ He sent another servant, (and) the farmers beat that other one as well. Then the master sent his son (and) said: ‘Perhaps they will show respect for my son.’ (But) those farmers, since they knew that he was the heir of the vineyard, seized him (and) killed him. Whoever has ears should hear” (Thomas 65).
Our first observation here is that is parable is generally interpreted as being against the Jewish rulers in that day and this IS likely a part of the Truth. We should ever try to understand however that nothing that the Master teaches is frozen in time and that if this parable is against the Pharisees, Sadducees and other Jewish leaders of that time, then it must be as well against those that preceded them, those who actually killed the prophets, and, if this IS True, then we must see this moving forward as well. We should see that the servants ARE more than just the prophets and that the maiming and killing is but the story line which needs not be specific to ONLY the killing of the prophets and the crucifixion of the Christ but in killing in so many other ways, the killing of the Master’s message and the Truth of it as well. It should be seen that it is the responsibility of the farmers or the husbandmen that are responsible for the fruit to share that fruit with ALL who come for it as servants of the Lord and children of God which, in their essence, ALL men are. Let us look here at some of the commentary on this saying from the Gospel of Thomas:
- Robert M. Grant and David Noel Freedman write: “This parable, like the preceding two, is derived from the synoptic gospels (Matthew 21:33-41; Mark 12:1-9; Luke 20:9-16), with a few additions, as well as the significant deletion of an allusion to Isaiah 5:1-2 – ‘planted a vineyard, set a wall about it, dug a ditch, built a tower.’ This deletion seems to indicate the lateness of Thomas’s version, for Luke (who was certainly following Mark at this point) has already left out some of the phrases derived from Isaiah. Thomas continues the process.” (The Secret Sayings of Jesus, p. 172).
- R. McL. Wilson writes: “As Dodd and Jeremias have observed, this parable has in its Synoptic form undergone some expansion, and has been converted into an allegory in which the servants represent the prophets. The striking thing about the version in the Gospel of Thomas only appears when we compare it with Dodd’s reconstruction of the original story, in which we should have ‘a climactic series of three’ – two slaves and then the son. This is, in fact, precisely what we find in Thomas. For Grant and Freedman, once again, this parable is derived from the Synoptic Gospels, with the ‘significant’ deletion of the quotation from Isaiah, which in their view indicates the lateness of this version; Thomas is merely continuing a process already begun by Luke. It would, however, be at least equally possible to argue that Thomas presents a more primitive version, and that the Old Testament allusion is a Marcan or pre-Marcan addition. Thomas may have a tendency to avoid reference to the Old Testament, or to excise Old Testament quotations….
- John S. Kloppenborg, Marvin W. Meyer, Stephen J. Patterson, and Michael G. Steinhauser state: “When one compares this version of the Parable of the Tenants to those which occur in Mark, Matthew, and Luke, one notices immediately its distinguishing characteristic: this version is a true parabolic story, not an allegory. Form critics have long held that allegorization of the parables was a relatively late development in the history of their interpretation. In fact, even without access to the Coptic Gospel of Thomas, the great parables scholar C. H. Dodd had offered a conjectural reconstruction of the Parable of the Tenants as it would have been read before the synoptic tradition had allegorized it. His reconstruction matched Saying 65 almost to the word.” (Q-Thomas Reader, p. 102)……”In this instance one might well suppose that Thomas’ anti-apocalyptic stance is late, the result of the failure of early Christianity’s apocalyptic expectations to materialize. But this may not necessarily be the case. John Kloppenborg’s recent study of Q has argued that this synoptic sayings collection may have undergone considerable editing at some point in its history. The first draft of Q would not have contained the apocalyptic and angre tones of judgment to be found in the final copy used by Matthew and Luke. This first edition, rather, was a collection of wisdom speeches, a ‘wisdom gospel’ not unlike the Gospel of Thomas. The addition of apocalyptic material to Q would have occurred only after the initial Q community had begun to realize how small it really was, and how few had taken their proclamation of Jesus’ words seriously.” (Q-Thomas Reader, pp. 104-105)
- Funk and Hoover write: “The following allegorical elements are not found in the simpler version of Thomas: (1) The allusions to the song in Isa 5:1-7 (about someone who planted a vineyard, put a hedge around it, dug a winepress, and built a tower). (2) The repeated sending of slaves and groups of slaves in the synoptic version is omitted; Thomas employs a simple, triadic structure that is a typical feature of oral storytelling. (3) No one is killed prior to the son; in Matthew some are killed in each group. (4) No mention is made of throwing the son outside the vineyard (a reference, presumably, to Jesus’ death outside the walls of Jerusalem). (5) There is no concluding question addressed to the audience and therefore no punishment of the tenants. To be sure, some of these traits are missing from Mark and Luke as well. It is Matthew who carried the allegorization to its ultimate degree. Nevertheless, it is striking that Thomas has virtually no allegorical features.” (The Five Gospels, p. 511).
Again, none of these commentaries actually help us to understand the meaning of this saying but rather center around the structure of Thomas’ version and some add a rather disappointing look at the very idea of scripture as they allude to the idea that most ALL has been embellished. At times it seems that these ‘scholars’ do not understand the very meaning of the parable and none of them seem to see the reality of the role of recollection and the style in the varying versions of this or most other parables and sayings that we have discussed. From our perspective this whole idea of the Q version is muddied by the assertions and opinions of what it would have said or how it would say it; there is much emphasis by some and too much reliance by others on this rather fictional or hypothetical document.
There is some mention here of the relationship between this parable and the next saying from Thomas’ Gospel and this IS likely true as in the synoptic versions the next sayings about the cornerstone are included in this parable’s scope by some. We however will treat these separately as we move through Thomas’ sequence of sayings. We close here for today with two excerpts from our regular Christian commentators regarding this parable:
- Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible tells us: Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower–These details are taken, as is the basis of the parable itself, from that beautiful parable of Isaiah 5:1-7 , in order to fix down the application and sustain it by Old Testament authority. and let it out to husbandmen–These are just the ordinary spiritual guides of the people, under whose care and culture the fruits of righteousness are expected to spring up. and went into a far country–“for a long time” ( Luke 20:9 ), leaving the vineyard to the laws of the spiritual husbandry during the whole time of the Jewish economy. On this phraseology, And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen–By these “servants” are meant the prophets and other extraordinary messengers, raised up from time to time 8.
- John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible tells us: Hear another parable:Which, though Luke says was spoken to the people, who, were gathered round about him, yet was directed to, and against the chief priests; who continued with him till it was delivered, and the application of it made; when they perceived it was spoken of them. The design of it is, to set forth the many favours and privileges bestowed on the Jewish nation; their unfruitfulness, and the ingratitude of the principal men among them; and their barbarous usage of the servants of the Lord, and particularly of the Son of God himself: the consequence of which would be, the removal of the Gospel from them, and the miserable destruction of them. So that this parable is partly a narrative, of some things past, and partly a prophecy of some things to come 8.
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.
As the Lord’s Prayer is given to us by the Christ for our use 2000 years ago, the Great Invocation, according to esoteric sources, was give from Him as well and whether we believe that this IS True or not we should look at this prayer as containing the same selfless invocative style as does the Lord’s Prayer and then any that are modeled after their style. We again encourage ALL to read and reread this Great Invocation and our comments as in these words can be found keys to our spiritual reality.
From the point of Light within the Mind of God
Let light stream forth into the minds of men.
Let Light descend on Earth.
From the point of Love within the Heart of God
Let love stream forth into the hearts of men.
May Christ return to Earth.
From the centre where the Will of God is known
Let purpose guide the little wills of men–
The purpose which the Masters know and serve.
From the centre which we call the race of men
Let the Plan of Love and Light work out
And may it seal the door where evil dwells.
This prayer is a part of our Prayers and Meditations section and there is much information about it there and in our discussion of it in the Quote of the Day section of In the Words of Jesus parts 128-132
The above Invocation or Prayer does not belong to any person or group but to all Humanity. The beauty and the strength of this Invocation lies in its simplicity, and in its expression of certain central truths which all men, innately and normally, accept—the truth of the existence of a basic Intelligence to Whom we vaguely give the name of God; the truth that behind all outer seeming, the motivating power of the universe is Love; the truth that a great Individuality came to earth, called by Christians, the Christ, and embodied that love so that we could understand; the truth that both love and intelligence are effects of what is called the Will of God; and finally the self-evident truth that only through humanity itself can the Divine Plan work out.
Like the Lord’s Prayer, this invocation is a World Prayer which is as all that a prayer is intended to be. It is a prayer for the uplifting of the Human Family out of the mire of materialism and selfishness. The Lord’s Prayer asks nothing for the individual praying it but asks that its benefits be for US and for WE which is why it was given by the Christ as a prayer and as a model over 2000 years ago. This invocation is also attributed to the Christ who, as He promised, has never left us; He, through channels that we do not readily understand, has Himself instructed His disciples to distribute this prayer and to encourage its use as a world prayer and as an aid in preparing the world for His return.
The first three stanzas of this prayer should be understood as reflecting the effective potencies of the Trinity which is God and which, when brought down to an individual level, the Trinity which is Man. His Will, His Love and His Light we should seen as the Potent Powers of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Let the peace of God rule in your hearts!
- 8 Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
- 14 The Gospel of Thomas; Translated by Stephen J. Patterson and James M. Robinson; http://gnosis.org/
