Gospel of Thomas <\/a>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.assoc-amazon.com\/e\/ir?t=spiritrave0a-20&l=as2&o=1&a=1893361454\")
that I want to try to make sense of is his distinction between ordinary light and the divine light from within that comes from creation before the Fall.\u00a0 In saying 37 we hear this: \u00a0\u201cHis disciples asked him: When will you appear to us?\u00a0 When will we see you?\u00a0 Jesus replied: When you strip naked without shame and trample your clothing underfoot just as little children do, without being afraid.\u201d<\/p>\nIn a related passage, saying 70, \u201cJesus said: When you give rise to that which is within you, what you have will save you.\u00a0 If you do not give rise to it, what you do not have will destroy you.\u201d\u00a0 And finally, in saying 85: \u201cJesus said: Adam came into being from enormous power and wealth, but he was not worthy of you, for had he been worthy of you he would not have died.\u201d<\/p>\n
In these passages Thomas\u2019<\/em> Jesus addresses the central gospel concept of salvation, but as usual, with a different twist than the synoptic gospels.\u00a0 Thomas<\/em> distinguishes between the light before and after the Fall.\u00a0 I believe he uses this common (to the people of his time at least) dividing line to make a Platonic point\u2014if \u00a0we are in touch with eternal truths and with the world below the surface of appearances, we will transcend the limitations of ordinary experience, and like God\u2019s immortal image we will live forever as the immortal image does.<\/p>\nI am reminded of an important idea from the academic field of ritual studies:\u00a0 A central goal of many religious rituals is to put us into \u201coriginal time and space,\u201d to suspend everydayness and be transported back to the beginning.\u00a0 In this state the wise child sees the world as it was, in a sense, before culture, before we acquired our judgmental categories such as the shame of nakedness.<\/p>\n
Here also Thomas<\/em> is not out of step with passages found in the Bible.\u00a0 In saying 77a Jesus says, \u201cI am the light above everything.\u00a0 I am everything.\u00a0 Everything came forth from me, and everything reached me.\u201d\u00a0 Besides suggesting a kind of pantheism, Thomas<\/em> is affirming the creative power of Jesus in the beginning of creation, which echoes with passages such as John\u2019s famous opening verses (\u201cIn the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God\u2026\u201d) or 1 Corinthians (\u201cFor us there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist\u2026\u201d).<\/p>\nWhat about the how<\/span> of the path to this difficult and remarkable rebirth?\u00a0 I think Thomas\u2019<\/em> strongest hint is to be found in one of the most enigmatic sayings in this collection, #97: \u201cJesus said: The Kingdom of the father is like a woman who was carrying a jar full of grain.\u00a0 As she walked along a handle of her jar broke off and grain trickled out, but she didn\u2019t notice.\u00a0 When she arrived in her house, she put the jar down and found it empty.\u201d<\/p>\nRemember our discussion that \u201cthe Kingdom is like\u2026\u201d a person doing something?\u00a0 I think Thomas<\/em> is suggesting here that the most important \u201cdoing\u201d on the road to higher consciousness is not doing<\/span>.\u00a0 Many spiritual traditions recognize the importance of ending our striving, our ego-driven attempts to control our worlds, of \u201chalting our monkey minds,\u201d of emptying.\u00a0 The Greek word for this process is kenosis<\/em>.\u00a0 Notice that the woman didn\u2019t realize she was losing her grain (\u201cmind\u201d)\u2014it happens best when we don\u2019t try too hard or are too self-conscious.<\/p>\nWell.\u00a0 I hope you\u2019ve found that bearing with me for five rather dense days bears fruit, even if that fruit is nothing<\/span>. At the least I\u2019m sure you can see why The Gospel of Thom<\/em>as appeals to philosophers and mystics. Cheers!<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Today we have the final installment of Bob\u2019s reflections on the Gospel of Thomas: The final metaphor from the Gospel of Thomas that I want to try to make sense of is his distinction between ordinary light and the divine light from within that comes from creation before the Fall.\u00a0 In saying 37 we hear […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2582,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[387],"class_list":["post-7719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-books","tag-gospel-of-thomas"],"yoast_head":"\n
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