Thomas, sayings 24 25 and 26

Thursday, June 6, 2019

12:30 a.m. Gentlemen, shall we discuss Saying 24?

Saying 24. His disciples said to him: Show us the place you are, for it is essential for us to seek it. He responded: He who has ears let him hear. There is light within a man of light, and he lights up all of the world. If he is not alight, there is darkness.

They said show us the place you are, for it is essential that we seek it. Very perceptive of them, for the statement implies, rightly, that Jesus is not of a different nature than them – certainly not “the only begotten son of God” – but that nonetheless he has something they don’t; is something, lives something, they want to emulate.

The light within a man of light is the difference, and has the potential to light up the world.

Is there a hidden meaning to the light, or “a man of light”?

Only what is obvious, that it is not talking about physical light. That should speak for itself. It is the inner knowing, the inner awareness, that communicates itself to those around the “man of light,” which is what the disciples were becoming. Of course “men of light” includes women; it is not gender-specific except in terms of grammatical and stylistic usage.

Okay, Saying 25?

Saying 25. Jesus said: Love your brother as your own soul. Protect him as you protect the pupil of your eye.

Is there a particular significance to the comparison of one’s brother to the pupil of one’s eye? That is, does it imply that one’s brother is essential to one’s vision?

Yes.

And – ?

Remember, 3D and non-3D. The external world – particularly other people as external – reflects to one’s consciousness aspects of oneself, known and unknown. So, the respect one gives to others is, in a very real sense, the respect one gives one’s own nature, known or unsuspected, but either way essential to the 3D person.

So that what is an ethical advice is also an indirect description of reality.

Of course.

Saying 26, then?

Saying 26. Jesus said: You see the splinter in your brother’s eye, but you do not see the log that is in your own eye. Remove the log from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.

In context of the previous saying, I see it differently than I had before. I had seen it as advice to stop projecting. But it is also advice on how to use the external world to gain information on our inner world.

Correct. And that’s enough for the moment. Three sayings will provide enough to mull, to chew on.

 

One thought on “Thomas, sayings 24 25 and 26

  1. What comes up to me now is this: someone, somewhere, wrote that christianity is spirit torturing the flesh (crucifixion, why hast thou forsaken me?) and modern life is flesh torturing the spirit through the body. And the “goal” would be the sacred marriage, mutual love. To me this has become more like a feeling of losing the idea of boundary between flesh and spirit. When “spirit”/other D comes to me, it is through flesh. I am the physical instrument that makes the sound resonate in a way that makes sound/life perceptible.

    Was in a very fine concert yesterday, and thinking about what a marvelous thing a symphony orchestra is, one highlight of this culture. Simultaneously remembering something about the horrible torture happening in prisons that I had read earlier that day. And it somehow merged with the multi-laered and multi-instrumental orchestra, and I got a feel of how all of this world is actually inside me. The most horrible things that I wish did not exist, is already inside me. An entire orchestra. I can perceive some harmonies, while some go unnoticed, but still are a constituent part of the whole. The rational mind does not really have tools to handle this.

    Jung thought riding to Jerusalem was a mistake from Jesus, assuming the position of a king. What if crucifixion is a reminder that even when you are a man of light, you are not invincible? The power to move mountains is not the same thing as controlling everything.

    This whole Thomas sequence grips me really deeply. I’ve never considered myself a christian, but this text has always meant much to me, and getting more understanding is truly valuable. Also comments are valuable. Thank you!

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