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A Commentary on the

Gospel of Thomas

(First a preface about “truth”)

Do we really want to know the truth? Many might say they do, but after hearing it they are then unwilling to accept it. Denial is a natural reaction to even something thought to be an absolute truth because it forces us to change. Eventually, the realization and then acceptance of any truth carries the power to realign our beliefs, our ideals and our life. While embracing spiritual ignorance and denial of scientific facts, many didn’t want to accept the truth that the Earth is neither flat nor the center of the universe. It seems easy to accept these scientific truths now though; doesn’t it? What is the difference between then and now? The answer is the increase of knowledge and awareness. Society as a whole has raised its collective consciousness. So the more we know the less we are deceived and the easier the truth is to accept. There is no doubt that we are each “programmed” to a certain extent after entering the world, so it is only natural that most of our personal beliefs and paradigms are originally based on what others have told us to be true. To varying degrees we will believe just about anything because we enter this world lacking the knowledge to know any better. My parents told me there was a Santa Claus who brought presents at Christmas, but I later realized the truth and was saddened. Christianity told me that God was going to send billions of souls to an eternal hell to suffer, but I later was shown the truth and am now happy to share it with the world! Yes, every truth set us free from ignorance and fear.

So, do we really want to know the truth! Do we really want to know who we truly are? All of my life I have been on a spirit-led quest for God and His Truth. As it has turned out, this journey is like gathering pieces to a puzzle. I have discovered that every truth, no matter how small it seems, is a piece of the big picture. And what is the “big picture?” It is the Truth as God sees it because God is the Source of all truth. While my path has not always been straight or forward, I have been pressing on in search of spiritual truths. I have been searching for the answers to some difficult questions. Who are we? Why are we here? What is hell? Where is hell? How do we return to God? I had many questions, but the answers coming from traditional Christian teachings did not make sense in the light of God’s love, power and wisdom. I sought to find a perfect harmony in the nature and will of God. Surely many of the teachings in Christendom were erroneous? Well, this is exactly what I found. So, it is for this reason, I began writing about what God has revealed to me concerning His Kingdom and the salvation of mankind. I am here now sharing the truths God has revealed to me. Yet like Herod, one might ask me, “Truth! What is truth?”

Because each sentient being of the universe views life from a different perspective, the notion of “truth” becomes a rather allusive, intangible thing. As I discussed in Shadows of a Higher Reality, what we call life and reality are greatly regulated by our perceptive abilities and awareness. Consider the trees, which are certainly living things, yet they are unaware of the higher reality of the animals around them. This difference in consciousness (awareness) changes what is believed and accepted as our reality, which, in turn, is also called truth. In the physical universe, there are “truths” and laws that are virtually undeniable, but these are mainly in the areas of math and science. While in these fields of study the mind of man is able to “prove” a particular truth, in spiritual matters it is much more difficult. Not only do spiritual truths offer very little physical evidence to support them, but there is also the difficulty communicating from different levels of spiritual awareness. While many intuitively believe there is a God, others claim to KNOW there is a God from a more experiential level. Still others, who are intelligent by worldly standards, have convinced themselves there is no God because they see no physical evidence. Can the believer prove to the atheist that there is a God? Can an atheist prove that God didn’t create the universe? Clearly if this debate is ever going to be resolved we must increase our spiritual knowledge. In lieu of this spiritual awareness, mankind’s spiritual beliefs have been mostly based on the visions of a few souls that attained a higher spiritual awareness. This faith is then carried like a torch until the time when the individual can find the fire himself. Our spiritual experiences with God help to remove the distortion from our faith and thereby solidify a base of divine knowledge. Gaining spiritual knowledge is crucial and is like building stairs on our ascension to God and His One Truth.

Some say that we cannot attain such an ultimate Truth, yet doesn’t God, our Father, put this very desire for the Truth in our spirit? Isn’t this the hunger emanating from the center of every child of God? Whatever our spirit desires, our spirit will seek and find. Yes, Jesus came to give living water, rich with God’s wisdom, to those who were thirsty the knowledge of salvation. Similarly, Paul taught that God desires all of us to come to the knowledge of the Truth (1 Timothy 4:10). It is then according to God’s will that there is a plan of salvation that begins with faith and then leads us to knowledge through direct experience. Eventually, for those who answer the call to go higher, this base of knowledge is laid down before them like a stairway to the Truth that will set them free.

However, many are still bound by their religious pride, fear and ignorance. Wars are still being fought over what men have sworn are undeniable truths or ideals. Yet while “truth,” may be relative to each individual, this cannot be true from God’s perspective. From God’s vantage point all is perfect. How could it be anything else? God, who is perfected, created all things. Imperfection could not come from perfection. While we may not accept this present state of life as perfect, the process God is taking us through is certainly flawless. This is why mankind must continue to climb higher seeking the sublime knowledge that comes by interacting with the Divine. As we (spirit) go higher in consciousness, our perception of God becomes clearer providing us with a better sense of what our “reality” should be. Jesus is a perfect example of someone living in a higher spiritual reality. While most of humanity accepts this natural world as their reality, Jesus didn’t. He said this lower (physical) world wasn’t his real home, but that he was from “above.” Jesus lived in a higher level of existence governed by a higher law where God is Father and Love is the motivation. Even though his feet were standing on the earth, his consciousness (mind) was in heaven with God. Jesus’ mature and qualified spirit elevated his mind into God-consciousness. There he experienced and then shared the highest vision of the Truth any man had ever known.

So, it is the mind’s level of consciousness that defines our present reality. What is the reality of one in a comma? Or consider the primitive man who lived a million years ago. He may have lived on the same planet as we do today, but he certainly lived a different reality than we do. He lived more like an animal- almost exclusively through his instincts and natural senses. And what do we know about those who are mentally insane? In their minds, they also live in a different world than rest of society. Ironically, some claimed that Jesus was insane! Yet, didn’t Jesus prove that it is the majority of mankind who is actually suffering from a spiritual dementia? Just because most of the world’s inhabitants believe this world of the senses doesn’t’ make it REAL. Didn’t Jesus show us that there is an unseen, higher REALITY above what man calls reality? While Jesus’ faith and obedience led him to enter that higher reality, he also “walked the talk.” He proved in many different ways that he lived in a higher reality with God. He taught that we can be where he is by following him, and it all begins by raising our level of spiritual awareness. Being connected eternally to God, our spirit has the power to raise our consciousness to where Jesus is. Truly, entering this higher reality is opening that door into the Kingdom of God! There we come to realize that all truth comes from God who only can have only ONE Truth.

Any that are in search of God’s Truth may feel like they are climbing higher and higher up a great mountain. While many seem content living in the valleys below, many are climbing that mountain of Truth to meet God at the summit. Yet, even these Truth seekers are scattered at various heights and along different sides of the mountain. Of course, this means they each have a different perspective. One might say the Truth looks like “this” while another says it looks like “that.” Neither of them is wrong because each is only sharing what they have seen. It is easy to understand that those standing at similar heights are more likely to agree than those who aren’t. Even those of different religions can agree on higher levels, which is apparent by comparing the wisdom from the prophets of every religion. While many Christians believe that Moses was the first to receive the “Commandments” from God, these precepts for human morality were already acknowledged and being taught in some the Eastern religions. Christians must realize that the Father feeds every soul that hungers for the Truth no matter what religion, tribe or race they have come.

As covered in Born of the Spirit, mankind’s climb up the mountain began long ago after man became self aware. During this ear, God did not enter the mind of man. Later, man created many religions with many gods. But eventually man’s religions began to see more clearly changing his beliefs from polytheistic to monotheistic. Yet, mankind’s ascension is not complete yet! While most of humanity still spends much of their life and energy in the valley disagreeing about religious views, those on a higher level have their eyes looking up at the summit. These high climbers are the mystics of every religion and age who have brought commonality to the religions of man. Those near the peak of the mountain are not as far apart from each other as those at its base. Though they have ascended from different angles, they are coming together into a spiritual unity of God’s one Truth.

I wish more Christians would take the time to compare the wisdom from all those Truth seeking souls who went beyond their own religion. If Christians opened their minds in this way, they would see Christ and God’s ultimate Truth is irrefutably universal. It is a certainty that all Truth seekers must converge toward each other as they near the top of the mountain. And as they draw nearer, they are more connected by the love of God, so that no petty differences in beliefs can cause instability. They don’t seek to push their fellow seekers down, but rather lend a hand to pull them up. Perhaps you have also found this to be true during your spiritual climb through the world? We connected with those who are on our level better than those that aren’t. If one was to climb around to the other sides (religions) of the mountain of Truth, he will witness different perspectives of the SAME Truth. This experience may not actually take you any higher (closer to the Truth), but it does give you more of a full spectrum perspective to share with others.

Yes, this is God’s mountain of Truth; all who are led to climb it are Truth seekers and are fed with spiritual knowledge. Some make the choice to stop climbing and return to the valley to share their visions. Through their inspiration and wisdom, they may establish a whole new village (religion) that accepts their words on faith. This is God’s way of leading and encouraging others to ascend the mountain themselves. This is how it has been done for ages and ages. Surely we see that God has provided us many guides and an abundance of signs to assist us along the way? Not only does creation itself speak of God’s Truth, but the Truth seekers before us have been charting a map for us to follow. Prophets, from every age from every nation and from every religion have been inspired by God to climb to a higher awareness of the Truth. The ones brave enough to go where others have not are more spiritually mature souls that God has called into service. But how many throughout the all the ages of man do we suppose have been called by God? Is Jesus the only man that heard God’s call? How many do we suppose have longed to know God? How many souls so we suppose have hungered for His Truth? Surely many of these sincere souls have cried out to God, been heard and received an answer. Some Christians would have us to believe that only a few Jews of long ago and a few Christians in the 1st Century have communicated with God in this way. They would have us believe that no else outside of these two religions has ever sought God, found God and been given any truth from God. They will try and convince other that Gautama Buddha, Krishna, Confucius, Muhammad, Lao-Tzu and like souls did not really know the “true” God. I have heard Christians claim that these “lost” souls wasted their time chasing after a false god. What! Christians say these precious souls were deceived by the devil himself because Christianity is the only true religion form God. It is exactly this kind of arrogance and ignorance that angers the Sons of God and is keeping many out of the Kingdom and in the darkness of hell! When will Christians realize that Christ is greater than every religion including theirs!

Yes, God is one, but man’s religions are not. God’s Truth is universal, but man’s languages are not. So, I say that no matter where you are born in this world, if you seek God and Truth you shall surely find them both! I say that if you ask God you shall surely receive exactly what you need. It doesn’t matter where you are placed in the world because God and His Truth are fixed in eternity. Every spirit has come from God and every spirit must return. Between this is time- time to ascend up that mountain. We all choose different paths, but our destination is the same. In actuality, I have limited knowledge concerning other religions, but I know enough to recognize the light of Truth in them. Can the Truth ever be hidden from those who seek it? The blind still ask, “Where is God?” Those with vision respond, “Where isn’t God!” If we have the eyes to see Him, God is everywhere.

For this reason we should not think that man’s sometimes tenuous and certainly temporal boxes called religions are the sole containers for God and His Truth. And again, do some really believe that Christ is confined to Christianity? What a tragedy that would be! This would mean that the Savior of the world has left billions of souls who are hungry for the Truth to starve to death. What foolishness! There is nothing more flabbergasting than haughty Christians who think sincere Muslims, Hindus Buddhists and other religious souls are worshipping a different God than them. Are their spirits not from the Father of all spirits? Are their souls not also seeking the Kingdom of peace? Yes, just as Christ is far greater than Christianity, so is God’s Truth found outside of the bindings of the Bible. Divinely inspired writings other than the works attributed to John, Mark, Luke, Matthew and Paul exists from many Eastern religions. The Bible may be called the “Good Book,” but it is certainly not the ONLY book with the inspired wisdom of God within it.

Christians hold the Bible above all other books, but this raises an important question. How many avid readers of the Bible know how their “Good Book” came to be? Are they aware that there were hundreds of “gospel” writings circulating in the first and second centuries? Do they know that only small fragments from the 1st Century still exist and that the complete versions of the Gospels in existence today were not written until the 3rd Century? Do they also understand that three hundred years AFTER Jesus walked and talked on the earth, a few men with their own personal biases and agendas were appointed by the Roman government to decide what was “holy” and worthy of being canonized? Well, I do not trust those men from darker ages because I believe they suppressed many spiritual truths that were originally taught earlier in Christianity. Essentially, if any writing of that time was thought to contradict THEIR ideology, they had it destroyed. And this is how we got our New Testament of today.

However, as God would have it, the four Gospels that did find their way into the Bible are certainly valuable in our quest for Truth. It is not just the words and saying of Jesus that are important, but the spirit of those teachings that ring true in the hearts of God’s Sons. Even so, we should keep in mind that of the four Gospels MAYBE only one was actually written by the author it is attributed to, which is thought to be the first- the Gospel of Mark. Many may be unaware that the names assigned to the Gospel are merely a product of tradition. While the three of the four Gospels are very similar, I maintain that the Gospel of Mark is the most accurate and reliable. This Gospel is likely the first one to be written, possibly by Mark or a close personal assistant of his. However, in the case of Matthew and even Luke, there are some strong reasons to doubt its reliability. Most honest Bible scholars agree that Matthew is nothing more than an embellished version of Mark. These uninspired “additions” are quite apparent and conveniently placed at the beginning and end of the Matthew’s Gospel. Paul himself warned about such fictitious discrepancies being created during his ministry.

1 Timothy 1:3
As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain men not to teach false doctrines any longer 4 nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies.

Understand that Paul’s letters were written BEFORE the Gospels, so he already knew these stories were being created and circulated by some in the region. Paul warned about getting caught up in proving endless genealogies, as used in the opening of the Gospel of Matthew. Another very questionable account found in the Gospels, Matthew and Luke, claims Jesus was miraculously born of a virgin. This is most likely the very “myth” Paul was referring to here because we know that neither Paul nor Jesus taught of such a birth. It was common tradition among Greek philosophy to believe that human deities (gods) were born supernaturally. To their credit, neither Mark nor John contains a virgin birth story or a long family lineage, which makes them more accurate and reliable regarding the life and teachings of Jesus. It is likely that over zealous men trying to bolster their religious recruitment efforts added those embellishments to the then existing Gospel of Mark to create the Gospel of Matthew. I wonder how many Bible readers know about all the “bad” men involved with their Good Book? Bible readers beware, lest they be deceived. Truth is not defined by what any man writes in a book, but only by what God speaks to our hearts.

So, my main point of this preface is this-- the Bible is just a collection of spiritual and/or historical writings that have been chosen, doctored or culminated into book form by natural, imperfect men. While it certainly contains inspired writings, divine wisdom and spiritual truths, it is absolutely NOT perfect. For this reason, the truth within it must be gleaned, strained and sifted out from what carnal minds and dark traditions have mixed in throughout the ages. We must look past the foolishness of men and see the wisdom of God. We must throw out the errors of the carnal nature and collect the divine truths of the Kingdom. So, continue to read your Bible; in fact, read more than just one translation! By all means, seek! But when you seek, seek the Truth, not what your “itching ears want to hear.” Anyone who asks the questions and seeks the answers will find the truth concerning the Bible and its history. Because natural men have had their unclean hands involved through its conception, compilation and culmination, the Bible is neither entirely holy nor inerrant. And it is certainly not the Word of God! It is merely the “letter” of men attempting to express the Word of God, which by the way is Spirit. Yes, the TRUE Word of God is Spirit and is the Son of God who FULLY does expresses God! So I hope that all Christians would quit beating others with their Bibles and the various passages they have memorized. How many Christian preachers know every word of the Bible, but don’t really know the Word of God? You might be wondering, “How can this be!” Ask Jesus because he encountered such men in his day. So we would be foolish to believe that man and his nature did not repeat the same mistakes of the past. All Christians who are really interested in the Truth should do a little more climbing up and around the mountainside. They should not be afraid to look beyond the Bible for God’s Truth and wisdom just as all Hindus should look beyond the Vedas and all Muslims should look beyond the Koran. Look for Truth everywhere and when you find it, share it with the world! In this way, the light of the Truth will illuminate the path back to God. I believe that it is time to shine a little more light!

 

Another Gospel,

(The same wonderful Truth!)

In 1945, some very ancient documents were discovered in a cave near the town of Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt. In all there were 13 papyrus scrolls containing 52 different writings, some of which were too damaged to read. However, there was one document that was nearly all in tact called the Gospel of Thomas. When first discovered this and the other documents of Nag Hammadi Library were branded as apocryphal by the church establishment, which should not come as a surprise. By this time, they had already closed the official Canon, as well as their minds. However more recently, many theologians and Bible scholars believe the Gospel of Thomas may have actually taken its form BEFORE any of the four canonical Gospels in the New Testament! It stands today as one of the oldest documents pertaining to Jesus and his teachings. There is little doubt that this particular Gospel was hidden away by a sect of Christian monks called the Gnostics around 390 AD to keep it from the destructive hands of Rome. This Gnostic Gospel is unlike the synoptic Gospels of the New Testament because it doesn’t focus on the earthly Jesus, but it does find common ground concerning his teachings. Because of its simple, less “refined” style the Gospel of Thomas is thought by a growing number of Bible students, including myself, to be a more credible source of Jesus’ teachings. Adding to its authenticity, parts of another “Gospel of Thomas” were discovered in northern Egypt around 1900. These fragments have been dated back to between 130 - 250 C.E. making older than any existing New Testament Gospel.

Every scribe of the 2nd and 3rd Centuries must have been kept very busy transcribing Christian manuscripts or actually composing dictation from eyewitnesses of Jesus’ ministry. As it turned out, there were many accounts (Gospels) describing Jesus’ wisdom and life that were in circulation throughout the Mediterranean by 3rd Century. Though only a fraction of these survived destruction by being hidden from Rome’s religious leaders who were expunging all sects, documents and teachings that didn’t fit their design of what Christianity was suppose to be. Constantine and other leaders began to formulate a doctrine that would quickly close the door on any spiritual wisdom or insight thereby leading Christianity into those darker ages. While Rome was more interested in gaining power over the people, the Gnosis monks sought to know God through Christ Jesus directly. These true spiritualists lived a life of peace, poverty and humility by keeping their lives clear of worldly distractions. They wanted only to teach that Christ and knowledge was the way to God. But as history shows, the western Church had a different notion of how salvation was attained. It quickly put itself between humanity and Christ, between man and God and even between man and his salvation. The Roman Catholic Church made itself the “way” to salvation- the only bridge by where man could enter heaven. In doing so, the most powerful religion in the world’s history was born.

While claiming that Christ was their head and only motivation, this political juggernaut wielded a tremendous amount of control using the fear of eternal damnation as its primary leverage. They even created practices call Indulgences where any living soul could BUY a dead soul out of their suffering in purgatory! Fortunately, Martin Luther and others had something to say about this! It should be plain to see that Rome was all about making their church more rich and powerful in the shadow of fear and ignorance. The ignorance of Christ’s message was maintained because laypeople were not allowed to read the New Testament writings. Conversely, the Gnostics were Truth seekers interested in one thing- knowing God. To this end they believed any sincere soul could come to know God directly through spiritual experience and knowledge. Obviously because the spiritualistic and Christ-centered Gnostics were much more pacifistic than their Roman-led counterparts, there were quickly put down with many of their documents destroyed.

For a religion that was supposedly based on Jesus, the ultimate pacifist, Christianity’s checkered past should make every Christian question each declaration, doctrine and article it ever created. It has arguably been more violent and brutal than any other religion of the past 2,000 years. It seems obvious to me that everything Jesus hated about his own religion was translated into Christianity after his death. Christendom created under Roman rule simply became the resurrection of another form of Judaism with another order of Pharisees, more laws to obey and modern sacrifices to offer. Instead of calves and lambs, Christians have been instructed to sacrifice 10% of their income. Even today, the televangelist on TV promises that you will certainly be blessed with 10 or 30 times more! For far too long, Christian leaders and carnal commandments have kept many souls petrified in the darkness of ignorance and deception.

Is there really any doubt that Christianity became just as bogus and corrupt of a religion as what Jesus encountered in Jerusalem? Are there still some of my Christian friends who do not believe me? Do you suppose Jesus would have personally carried out the stake burnings of the so-called witches and heretics? Or perhaps you picture Jesus being a Grand Inquisitor or a hooded administer of torture upon the unbelievers? Maybe Jesus would have been more suited leading a Crusade into a foreign country with a Bible in one hand and a sword in the other shouting, “Convert or be killed!” to the pagans? If your answer to each of these absurd questions is NO, then why in God’s name would you believe a single word, tenet or doctrine concocted by these same violent fools! Get real my Christian friends, and be enlightened! Come to realize all the fallacies from those misaligned, misguided and misinformed men have tainted the truths of Christianity.

Again, due to many in the western Church that were spiritually ignorant and naturally violent, many of Jesus’ higher messages never made it into the canonized Gospels of the N.T. These truths were easily removed because spiritual enlightened souls are peaceful by nature and would not fight back. The Gnostics, sincere seekers of Truth and followers of Christ, were such a kind as this. Their movement may have been squelched out, but the Truth they sought can never be extinguished. God made a way for their truths to be preserved! The Gnostics didn’t strive for control or power; they wanted to intimately know God. In fact, “Gnosis” is a Greek word that means “knowledge” or “act of knowing.” While this word is foreign to most vocabularies today, the word “agnostic,” which we do use, is simply its opposite that means “not knowing” or “knower of nothing.” Which do you want to be? I don’t know about you, but I would rather be a “knower” especially where God is concerned. The Gnostics separated themselves from other Christian sects because they believed with strong conviction that we could have personal and actual contact with God and His Truth. They believed that the teachings of Jesus Christ carried esoteric truths that would lead man into a direct relationship with God. Even beyond the Gospel of Thomas, there is strong evidence that Jesus taught “secret truths,” many of which Paul also shared in his letters. Consider what Jesus said near the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry to the twelve men he had taught day and night for nearly three years.

John 16:12
"I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

How much time and energy do you suppose Jesus invested in these twelve souls? Yet after all this, Jesus still didn’t feel they were ready for the higher lessons of God’s Truth. This fact should open many eyes to how hard the Truth is to bear. We move toward the Truth gradually by the result of gathering knowledge and then applying this wisdom to our life’s choices. Just as a math student needs a good understanding of algebra to perform calculus, the spiritual student must begin with the basics. This is why Paul preached the basics he called “milk” more than the advanced teachings concerning Christ. Yet, any spiritual student who is ready for the “meat” will quickly realize that the Gospel of Thomas is full of hearty spiritual sustenance. At the same time it beautifully harmonizes and supports the same messages found in the other Gospels and Paul’s Epistles. While it is possible, if not likely, that none of the Gospels (including Thomas’) was written firsthand, this doesn’t keep us from finding the truth placed within them. What I hope to show in this article is that the Gospel of Thomas is worthy material for every Truth seeker to read, so Christians should not be discouraged just because an ignorant few have wrongfully disparaged it. Let us know go through this once hidden treasure and bring to light that same wonderful Truth of God-- Christ is our salvation!

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The Gospel of Thomas

Translated by Stephen Patterson and Marvin Meyer

THE GNOSTIC SOCIETY LIBRARY

The Nag Hammadi Library

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These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas recorded.

Apparently somewhere along the way, Thomas must have stopped doubting that Jesus was the Christ! And if we are to accept this opening statement at face value, he also apparently knew how to write. But again, it is likely, or at least probable, that the apostle Thomas did not write these words down, which we know is true of all of the Gospels. Prior to the 1st and 2nd Centuries, stories were mostly kept alive through an oral tradition of repeating them in detail to every generation over an over. While it is improbably that Thomas penned these words, it is certainly possible that the apostle Thomas told his teachings from Jesus to others who later had the means to copy them to papyrus. Either way, our goal is not to establish the accuracy of authorship, but rather our purpose is to find God’s Truth within these “secret” sayings.

The word “secret,” I believe, is a very interesting and deliberate way to describe the sayings of Jesus. It was long believed even before this Gospel was discovered that Jesus had secret, more esoteric teachings that he only told to those who could accept them. Of course his many disclaimers we read in the New Testament also support this theory. Jesus knew that not everyone was ready for everything he had to tell them. I believe it is quite likely that he taught the disciples one on one according to their spiritual understanding. We don’t read much about Thomas in the other Gospels, but if Jesus really did command them to go out and tell other about him, then it is a certainty that Thomas shared his knowledge of Jesus with others. There would certainly be cause to doubt the Gospel of Thomas if none these sayings matched what is found in the New Testament. However, as we will see, this guarded treasure not only corresponds with the N.T., but it also fortifies the message of Christ by being an outside source of Jesus’ ministry.

1. And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death."

It is no surprise that the first passage sets a very “Gnostic” tone. Some might be suspicious of this because the Gnostics were all about discovering the “interpretation” to increase their knowledge. While the Gnostics encouraged their members to seek and find the answers for themselves, the Church leaders in Rome wanted complete authority over Scripture interpretation. To this day, the Catholic Church still holds the Pope’s authority as divine and infallible. This would have created a great discord between the Gnostics and Rome. The Gnostic monks didn’t believe that an established church system, especially one joined with the most powerful government of the world, was needed to come before God, but leaders of the Church certainly did. The Catholic Church for centuries taught that if you were not baptized into their camp, you would end up into a blazingly hot, endless campfire. The Gnostics would have rejected such a notion because they maintained that each of us could come to the same realization that Jesus did. Now, the question really is- did the Gnostic monks add this passage to support their beliefs? While anything is possible, we should acknowledge that there is good evidence in the New Testament to support this Gnostic tenet of faith. There should be no doubt that Jesus put a premium on understanding his teachings and finding the truth.

John 8:31
"If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

It is obvious that this passage from John does indeed spiritually concur with Thomas:1. Also in Matthew 13:11, we read that Jesus gave the KNOWLEDGE of the SECRETS of the Kingdom to his followers. Then in Luke 11:52, Jesus rebukes the experts of the law because they were taking away the key to the divine KNOWLEDGE of God. It is undeniable that the Gnostics understood that Jesus was here to teach us about God and the Kingdom, but as every Truth seeker and finder should know, having this knowledge is not enough. We must put our knowledge into action. For example, what if you know that if you put your hand in the fire it will be burned? This knowledge does you little good if you don’t apply it to your life. Knowing where the door is and finding the door doesn’t mean that we have chosen to enter through the door.

Jesus is called Rabbi- a teacher. Jesus came to not only teach us who, what and why we are, but also how to reach that reality. We are spirit that has “fallen” into this world and has accepted our natural world and natural selves as reality. We have shamefully accepted that we are suffering and dying in union with the flesh. The Gnostics strongly believed that the flesh (carnal nature) was our enemy, and, as we will see, there are many times when Jesus agrees with this. To be set free from our carnal disposition, we must come to realize and accept our higher life with God, which is Christ. Only in this way we will ever be set free from never having to “taste death” again. In other words, Jesus is saying that if we understand and accept the spiritual truths he taught, we will follow him to a higher level of consciousness. This higher awareness brings the soul into our true life and union with the spirit where life is eternal.

2. Jesus said, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all. [And after they have reigned they will rest.]"

This is a remarkable passage, so I must definitely remark about it! The Truth has a way of shocking us like a jolt of electricity, but Truth seekers take heart because Jesus knows exactly what you are going through! He knows because he has scaled the mountain of Truth and reached its summit! Like us all, he was born a babe that had to grow and learn in all things. Yet now, he stands there on the mountain’s peek calling out to encourage all that can hear his voice. He says, “Keep seeking until you find! Keep climbing until you reach the top!” While the road is rather narrow and the steps can often be steep, God gives us His strength to ascend His holy mountain.

As we goes higher and higher, we begin to see the Truth more clearly. What we see may disturb us because it does not “fit” into our beliefs- what we thought we saw. I was a little disturbed to realize that this world is Hades. I was shocked when God revealed that we are being reincarnated into this world again and again to learn our lessons. I was also unnerved to find out that God is all there is. Why fight God? While these revelations are certainly disturbing to our faith at first, we marvel at the plan of God. We are amazed to realize that we are part of this plan and of God. Yes, the wind can get pretty strong at those higher elevations along the mountainside, but what ever is falls from our beliefs wasn’t meant to be there anyway. All that is untrue cannot be carried up with us. We reach the top just as God’s perfect Son- an heir to God. There, as co-heirs with Jesus in Christ, we reign over all. There we have come to realize that God is all in all! To come to this realization is to come into the Kingdom of God. The one who lives by the Spirit of Christ is the one who reigns over all in the Kingdom. Here there is no fear, no death and no more work! Here the Sons of God rest in God’s peace and rule all other kingdoms with God’s love.

3. Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."

Wow, this is some spectacular wisdom from the mind of Christ! I wish more would accept this familiar teaching. This passage enhances and strengthens the message Jesus was trying to convey in Luke 17:21 where Jesus said that the Kingdom of God was within us. Of course in Luke we know that Jesus was addressing the religious “leaders” of this truth because they had some serious misconceptions about the Kingdom. Yet, unfortunately that same spiritual ignorance that Jesus was dealing with then is still prevalent today! Naturally minded souls continue to look UP into the sky and out into the world when they speak of God and His Kingdom instead of within! Heaven isn’t in the sky above your head. If you believe this then you are deceived by the serpent and will follow the birds of the air. You are chasing shadows of the world. However, God’s reality is certainly ABOVE this world, but in a spiritual sense! God’s Kingdom is a higher state of consciousness and life in the Spirit of Christ! Here Jesus adds that not only is the Kingdom within you, but also outside of you. The reality of all things is spirit, so this entails that God is all in all. Therefore so is His Kingdom.

Now, the second part of this verse might sound a like “New Age” philosophy, and it is! Jesus the Christ was the beginning of that New Age, if only Christians could see this. In this third saying Jesus said, “When you know yourselves, then you be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father.” A fairly well known Latin phrase is NOSCE TE IPSUM, which means KNOW THYSELF. Philosophers have said that this is what life is all about, and I have to agree. Yet there is one little caveat here; we must come to know our TRUE self. Our true self is not the person of THIS world, but the one who was born of God that came into this world. All of you Christians of traditional beliefs should read the words of the Bible more carefully. This teaching should not be foreign to you if you have been given the eyes to see it. Consider how this passage from Thomas spiritually aligns with what Paul wrote to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 13:9
For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Paul is speaking about us becoming and knowing our true, perfect self. This is nearly identical to what Jesus said: “When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father.” Do you understand the spiritual essence of what Jesus and Paul are saying here? They are saying we are spiritually maturing and growing in knowledge of who we are. We may not be clearly seeing our true self (who is Christ) right now, but we will once we come to fully know and BE our TRUE self! They are both saying that one day we shall fully know our true self, even as I AM (God) is fully known. We are God’s image that must become perfect like our Father to show God the image of Himself. This is our purpose- to reflect the glory and be the image of God! We can only do this in Christ where our true self (life) has been kept hidden and safe for ages and ages. So in this light, real “poverty” is when we don’t know our true self in Christ. This is spiritual poverty where the soul is lost in deception and the spirit feels homeless because he hasn’t returned to his Father’s house. Finally, Jesus says, “You are the poverty.” Paul said that nothing good could come from him. He said that “Paul” had died and CHRIST now lived in and through him. Paul knew that his true life was found in the spirit (in Christ), not in the natural (or worldly) Paul.

4. Jesus said, "The person old in days won't hesitate to ask a little child seven days old about the place of life, and that person will live. For many of the first will be last, and will become a single one."

We can consider this passage in either spiritual or natural ways and still arrive at the same conclusion. First, let’s take a look at a more natural perspective. In Matthew 21:16 as the children were giving praises, Jesus reminds his skeptics that “from the lips of children” comes wisdom and praise. Being a father myself, I have found that my kids seemed to have a mysterious wisdom before they discovered the world. In other words, before their natural senses became plugged to their surroundings (and before they watched much television), they had a higher spiritual acumen about life. Knowing God has very little to do with one’s level of worldly knowledge. If you think about it, a child that comes into the world only knows their self. They don’t know the world or even their natural parents. All they know is who they truly are and as God knows them, but this is hard for them to communicate. Yet, when they do we receive the wisdom from the mouth of babes!

With a little spiritual insight, we should understand that any that follow Jesus are called “children” as in Mark 10:24. With this understanding, consider that Jesus said this particular child was “seven” days old. Of course the seventh day is the Lord’s Day of completeness. As we grow spiritually, we could think of it as progressing through the “days” of our development. When a Son of God enters the 7th “day” of his development he is complete in Christ. Then if one asks this Son of God (in his 7th Day) about life, he is asking one who is in the life and mind of Christ. Jesus was such a Son living in his 7th Day of life. He was God’s mature Son revealed to the world; he was Christ. Many of God’s children are coming into their 7th Day of life, spiritually speaking. We, spirit, come again and again into this world to learn about God and how to love as He does. In this way, we become like “workers” for the Father in the field of the world, which leads us to the second part of this passage.

Jesus says that many of the first will be last, which coincides with the New Testament parables he taught about those “workers” including what is described in Matthew 20:1-16. There, Jesus is telling about the workers that were hired at different times of the day, but all received the same reward. He finishes that parable with, “So the last will first, and the first will be last.” In other words, some of the workers (Sons of God) will be in the field (world) longer than others. We have all been here before. Our spirit is our life and true self that comes into this world to find God, work for God and become God’s image. Yes Jesus! The harvest is large, but the workers are few! In Thomas, Jesus adds that these workers “will become a single one.” We here on the earth make up the Body of Christ. Once our consciousness is raised, this Body will awaken having the mind of Christ, so that all will become a single One.

5. Jesus said, "Know what is in front of your face, and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you. For there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed. [And there is nothing buried that will not be raised.]"

We are talking about divine disclosure here! Jesus makes similar proclamations in the other Gospels that there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed. Some religious teachers might tell their inquisitive students that something is a “mystery” that we can’t know all the answers. Yet, this is not the truth because contrary to human belief (or disbelief), Jesus said that every answer could be ours. He said to seek and you will find. Even Paul zealously taught that God’s secrets are there for us to discover. I honestly believe this because of what God has revealed to me. My desire was to know what life is for, and God has answered me. Here, Jesus said to them, “Know what is in front of your face…” So what or WHO was in front of them? Jesus wanted them to see Christ through his being. Even beyond this, when we look in a mirror we see the image of our flesh. Now, look more closely into the eyes of the one looking at you in the mirror. Through this opening to the soul is your true self, your spirit. Can you see the one giving you life? Know him because he knows God.

6. His disciples asked him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How should we pray? Should we give to charity? What diet should we observe?" Jesus said, "Don't lie, and don't do what you hate, because all things are disclosed before heaven. After all, there is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, and there is nothing covered up that will remain undisclosed."

Like all devout Jews, the disciples knew their religion, but Jesus knew the Truth. They were focused on following rules and laws, but Jesus simply followed God. They had been taught what was right and proper, but Jesus knew in his spirit what was holy and perfect. Jesus gave them a basic lesson for any interested in finding the Truth. Don’t lie! Lies and deceptions will take us down the mountain because they are the polar opposite of truth. He also adds that we should not do what we hate. In other words, if you hate fasting but do it because you were “taught” it was the right thing to do, then you should stop. Suppose you were taught to go to church every Sunday, but it really didn’t feel right maybe because of what they were teaching you. In your heart, you knew it is not feeding your soul or spirit. What should you do? Should you keep living a lie? No, you should follow your heart (spirit) and keep your mind focused on God. God can only speak to us Spirit to spirit. God sees every lie we live, so we had better live by the truth of our spirit. We can do nothing more than this.

7. Jesus said, "Lucky is the lion that the human will eat, so that the lion becomes human. And foul is the human that the lion will eat, and the lion still will become human."

To some who read this particular saying, they will find it completely nonsensical. This one seemingly bizarre passage may keep many from taking this Gospel seriously. But to me this is really good, deep stuff! Lions, humans and God- Oh my! All of you Scriptural literalists can leave the room now if you haven’t already! Of course we must think spiritually when we read the sayings of Jesus because this is how he thought- SPIRITUALLY! I suppose most of you have heard about the “food chain” of the (natural) world, but have you heard about the “consciousness chain” (spiritual) of heaven?

As I have attempted to explain in The Meaning of Life and God Is, the reality of all things is spirit from God. In this world, spirit lives in and animates through consciousness, which lives in and animates through matter. In this way, higher forms of life (spirit, consciousness) are built upon lower life forms in a kind of pyramid of consciousness. In the natural world, man is atop this pyramid with all of creation supporting him. Of course we see this natural law of dependency is vividly expressed in the story of Genesis and scientifically supported by the process of evolution. After the “Big Bang” energy from a single source created the atoms that would later constitute minerals and compounds. Then these compounds later became the basis to support and make up plant life. Plants, of course, are here to feed the animals. In turn, the lower animals support and build the fabric of the eco system for the higher ones. So in the natural, we see that the higher forms are living off and supported by the lower forms. This natural support system of life is a shadow of what God is doing spiritually through the evolution of consciousness.

While the lion may be called “the king of the jungle,” man is truly the king of the animal kingdom with respect to consciousness. We are the most intelligent and spiritually conscious creatures created in God’s image. Yet understand that it isn’t man’s physical form that sets him apart from the animal kingdom, but rather his mind and spirit. Mankind is being called by God to now leave the animal kingdom to build a higher Kingdom in another level of consciousness. God is depending on us to do this because there is no other way to bring about His Kingdom. To become God’s image (Christ) is our purpose in life. Yes, we are spirit on an evolutionary trip in consciousness, and this world is just a realm, or dimension, we are passing through. It is by the will of God that we have passed through all of life to reach our present human form. Paul said that all of creation eagerly waits for the Sons of God to be revealed (Romans 8:19). Why do you suppose this is? This is because ALL of creation is spirit too! By following Christ Jesus, we are leading the rest of creation to liberation!

So, how does all of this relate to lions and humans? Well, when Jesus says that a lion eaten by a human will become human, he isn’t speaking of their flesh. When Jesus said we should eat his flesh, did he mean his actual, physical flesh? No, certainly not! Still Jesus did say that if any eat his flesh and drink his blood they would have his life. This transfer of life is, of course, spiritual. Flesh feeds on flesh, but spirit feeds on spirit. With respect to Jesus’ words, the flesh of Christ is God’s Consciousness and the blood of Christ is God’s Spirit. This is the ideal diet for any that seek God. We should not eat what the lion eats, as this would be a carnal diet of a beast. Again, “eating” is meant to mean our spiritual consumption. What we feed our minds and spirits has a direct affect on our spiritual health. Also consider what is written in Revelation 3:20. Christ says he will eat with us and us with him. Heaven is a divine feast of consciousness in Consciousness and spirit in Spirit! Some have said that we are what we eat. When we consume only the Spirit and Mind of Christ then we become the image of God!

8. And he said, "The person is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of little fish. Among them the wise fisherman discovered a fine large fish. He threw all the little fish back into the sea, and easily chose the large fish. Anyone here with two good ears had better listen!"

This parable is similar to that found in Matthew 13:47 where Jesus was describing the Kingdom. We are the fish in the sea, and sooner or later God is going to catch you. Yet, if you are not big enough, you will be thrown back into the sea, which is the world. God is looking for the Big Fish like our brother Jesus. Jesus was a keeper! So many read the words, but fail to understand. Many are called (caught), but few are chosen (kept). We are the fish, the wheat, the sheep and the children that God is raising to maturity, but we will not leave this world until we are ready for the next. We must learn how to love as God loves.

9. Jesus said, "Look, the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and scattered (them). Some fell on the road, and the birds came and gathered them. Others fell on rock, and they didn't take root in the soil and didn't produce heads of grain. Others fell on thorns, and they choked the seeds and worms ate them. And others fell on good soil, and it produced a good crop: it yielded sixty per measure and one hundred twenty per measure."

Obviously, this parable is found nearly verbatim in the New Testament, and it’s meaning should be clear. God is the sower, and we are His seeds. Still there is an important point to remember here. God seeds are spiritual and therefore not perishable, so our spirits are continually planted until they bring forth a good crop. In Gardening by God, I went into detail about each of these different circumstances we find ourselves “planted” in this world. When planted into this world we are called to bring forth sixty or a hundred fold thereby feeding the souls hungry for the Truth and Love of God.

10. Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and look, I'm guarding it until it blazes."

This is a wonderfully illuminating passage! Jesus essentially expresses this same sentiment in Luke 12:49. Understand that Jesus came here to “cast fire upon the world” of the spiritual kind! God is a consuming fire and His Son is the best kind of pyromaniac! Each of us began as a spark from God that is able to become a holy flame and add to the divine fire of Love. As I wrote about in Revelation- (The End of the World as We Know It), the “lake of fire” had its beginning with this spiritual fire Jesus set during his life. Jesus started the fire and every soul burning with the Spirit of Christ is causing the LAKE to get larger and the FIRE to get hotter! Not only did Jesus start this divine fire, but he is also guarding it until the day when the whole world is refined into God’s holy Kingdom.

11. Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away. The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. During the days when you ate what is dead, you made it come alive. When you are in the light, what will you do? On the day when you were one, you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?"

In Mark 13:31 Jesus also said that heaven and earth would pass away, but his words will never pass away. Thomas:11 is similar, but it goes much deeper into details of what this really means. Let’s take this sentence-by-sentence. First, Jesus says that all that we see will pass away. The universe is a finite manifestation that will end when it has fulfilled God’s purpose. Next, Jesus says that the people on the earth are DEAD. They are dead in sin, spiritually unconscious of God, and do not know that they are spirit from God. If they only knew that they were spirit then they would know that “the living will not die.” When we ate of the tree of knowledge, we “ate what is dead.” In doing so, we created the deception of death, which, in turn, made sin and Satan come to life. Once we realize that we are the light (Son of God, Christ) then we will have to make a decision. What will we do? More importantly, WHO will we be? At this moment, we are back in the garden with two trees standing before us. One is the tree of life and the other of death. Understand that before Eve was taken out of Adam, man was one spirit being. To accomplish God’s will Eve (mind) was taken out of Adam (spirit) to help him through the world. So God took Eve out of Adam, man became two- mind and spirit. Our spirit and mind were separated by the deception of the world. When we realize our true self (Christ) what will we do about the old, natural self? I think you know the answer to this. Crucify him!

12. The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that you are going to leave us. Who will be our leader?" Jesus said to them, "No matter where you are you are to go to James the Just, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being."

Here is one passage that you will not find in the Bible, but I believe it still has Biblical support to validate its claim. You might recall that there were two different disciples named James, but only one of them, Jesus’ brother, became a leader. The other “James” and his brother John were the ones who selfishly asked to sit next to Jesus in his Kingdom. “James the Just” sounds like a name Jesus would give to the man he chose to head up the movement after he left. So we shouldn’t automatically disregard this passage as inaccurate because James did become the head of the church in Jerusalem. I find it very plausible that Jesus said this or something along these lines so that James would be Jesus’ earthly successor. It seems the others, especially Peter, were more likely to argue about such matters. So I find it more likely that Jesus appointed James in charge. Of course, some believe that Jesus had no brother at all.

It is no secret that Christians are divided on whether Jesus had any natural siblings because they wrestle with the Virgin Mary story and concept. Catholics are taught that Mary is and always will be a virgin, so Jesus was her only child. The Protestants are taught that Mary and Joseph had children after the miraculous birth of Jesus. The Eastern Orthodox Church teaches that Jesus had stepbrother and sisters, born of Joseph and a previous wife. Well, it is interesting that in November 2002, an ossuary (a limestone box used in burials) was found in Jerusalem that had the inscription- “James (Jacob), son of Joseph, brother of Jesus.” This discovery lends more credence to the fact that Jesus was born naturally and had natural brothers and sisters, as in described in Matthew 13:54-56. So I accept that “James the Just” was the younger brother of Jesus and perhaps Jesus was just showing a little nepotism here. Either way, it is historically accepted that James did become their leader after Jesus left. Also let us understand that not only did heaven and earth come into being for the sake of James, but also for YOU and ALL! Life is all about you when you are all about God.

13. Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to something and tell me what I am like." Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a just messenger." Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher." Thomas said to him, "Teacher, my mouth is utterly unable to say what you are like." Jesus said, "I am not your teacher. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring that I have tended." And he took him, and withdrew, and spoke three sayings to him. When Thomas came back to his friends they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?" Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the sayings he spoke to me, you will pick up rocks and stone me, and fire will come from the rocks and devour you."

First, notice that thus far the Gospel of Thomas has now mentioned James, Simon Peter and Matthew by name helping again to fortify the authenticity of this document. Now in the New Testament, we find Jesus asking his disciples essentially the same question, “Who do you say I am?” It is interesting here that Jesus says he is not their teacher BECAUSE they have become drunk, but not on wine. The living water (wisdom, truth) coming from Jesus was more like an intoxicating wine. Because his teachings (water) were so “spirit” filled they really didn’t know which way was up! This is the dumbfounding effect that spiritual knowledge has on a natural mind. Jesus was trying to teach them but they were having difficulty handling the “strong stuff!” In time, they would better be able to drink that living water from his mouth without falling over.

While the New Testament labels Peter as the one who realizes Jesus spiritual identity, here is seems Thomas is the enlightened one. Then the question we are left asking here is what three sayings did Jesus say to Thomas? Did Jesus tell Thomas that he (Jesus) was the Son of God? Possibly, but I doubt this would have been cause enough for others to stone Thomas. My guess is that what he told Thomas had something to do with who he (Thomas) truly was, which was also a Son of God. This would have been considered blasphemy and punishable by death, as Jesus surely found out. And this is why Thomas didn’t tell them any of these “doubly” secret sayings. I can only hope he has told us!

14. Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, you will be condemned, and if you give to charity, you will harm your spirits. When you go into any region and walk about in the countryside, when people take you in, eat what they serve you and heal the sick among them. After all, what goes into your mouth will not defile you; rather, it's what comes out of your mouth that will defile you."

Here we seem to encounter several “apparent” contradictions regarding fasting, praying and charity, but are they? All truths must harmonize, so must seek for an accord in the teachings of Jesus. I believe Jesus’ intent here is related to Thomas:6 where Jesus told them to be true to their hearts (spirits). Jesus lived according his spirit, which was the Spirit of Christ. Many religious souls are living by the rules and rituals that have been placed in their minds by men. The mature Sons of God follow the spirit within where God’s voice (will) can be heard. So while others were simply fasting to “show off” their dedication to the law and God, Jesus was saying this wasn’t the best way and could even be harmful. In John 4:23, Jesus says that true worship is not done in temples made of stone, by chanting repetitive prayers or by fasting, but it is done in SPIRIT and TRUTH. For the same reason, Jesus taught that we should pray and give charity in private, so this is likely his intention in saying these startling comments. In other words, he is saying that we should not do what we hate. If we don’t follow our hearts then we do harm to our spirits.

Also, we need to understand that producing “good fruit” will not necessarily make others happier; good fruit is created by simply doing God’s will. In this way, we feed our spirit making our true self stronger while at the same time we are starving the ego making our false self weaker. Jesus didn’t give everyone what they wanted. Jesus didn’t feed all the hungry of Judea. Jesus didn’t heal all the ailments of the sick. Jesus simply did God’s will in his life. Jesus knew better than any man before him that our spirit is not fed by eating natural bread. For the spiritually mature, natural food is an afterthought. Food is simply fuel to keep the body going; it is neither holy nor unholy. The Jewish dietary laws were simply shadows of a higher reality. This is why Jesus ate and drank whatever his heart desired and at the table of sinners. For several reasons this, of course, offended the religious leaders of his day. But Jesus tells his disciples to eat whatever is offered to them and to heal others (according to their faith and God’s will).

Lastly, Jesus reiterates a saying that is also recorded in Mark 7:18, which is that food and drink cannot defile us. Food, like the body, is neither good nor evil. In fact, we can think of the body and the food it takes in as not even being real. These are part of the shadow world. However, our thoughts, words and actions are real because they come from our consciousness. Because spirit and consciousness are real, we judged for what we create from them.

15. Jesus said, "When you see one who was not born of woman, fall on your faces and worship. That one is your Father."

On the surface this passage seems to be referring and possibly giving merit to notion of a “virgin birth,” but I don’t think so. While this teaching may be unlike any passage we find in the other Gospels, its message is not foreign to the New Testament or Christianity. Again as discussed in Born of the Spirit, there are TWO ways to be born and live in this world. One can either be born of the flesh (woman) or one can be born of the spirit (God). Spiritually speaking, no child of God is born of a woman. Then the One born of the spirit that is revealed to the world is the mature Son of God and is Christ. Christ is the Father of all mankind. He is before all, over all, through all, the cause of all and the reason for all (Colossians 1:15). If any ONE is in Christ he is a co-heir with Christ and an heir of God (Romans 8:17). So then understand that the “one” not born of a woman in this passage is also what Jesus calls the “living one” in verses: 37, 52, 59 and 111. This One is our Father and the One we should worship.

16. Jesus said, “Perhaps people think that I have come to cast peace upon the world. They do not know that I have come to cast conflicts upon the earth: fire, sword, war. For there will be five in a house: there’ll be three against two and two against three, father against son and son against father, and they will stand alone.”

Jesus knew that Christ must first divide before He unites, which coincides with his sentiments expressed in Luke 12:51 and Matthew 10:34 where the word “sword” is also used. This is strong language from an absolute pacifist who never harmed anyone, but Jesus knew that ground needed to be broken before planting more seeds. Jesus told us in many parables that God divides the shaft from the wheat and the sheep from the goats, so yes there is division. The Word of God even divides the spirit from the soul. In the past 2,000 years we have certainly witnessed much bloodshed in the name of Christ, but the natural comes before the spiritual. In other words, the time has come upon the earth for a spiritual war like they have never seen before! Christ does this with a holy fire, a double-edged sword and spiritual warfare against the enemy. God is sovereign and everything is working in accord to bring about His Kingdom.

17. Jesus said, “I will give you what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no hand has touched, what has not arisen in the human heart.”

The only place you will find a passage similar to this one is in Paul’s first letter to Corinthians, which strengthens my argument that the Gospel of Thomas is possibly more valuable than the other four. It enhances the message of Jesus, as Paul knew it. I see this ancient Gospel as a more genuine account of Jesus’ secret teachings, which is supported by Paul higher teachings. Jesus taught us that the Kingdom of God is beyond our natural senses, and this is what Christ Jesus is going to give to those who follow him. Heaven is a realm of spiritual freedom in a paradise of Consciousness where thoughts and imagination are reality.

18. The disciples said to Jesus, “Tell us, how will our end come?” Jesus said, “Have you found the beginning, then, that you are looking for the end? You see, the end will be where the beginning is. Congratulations to the one who stands at the beginning: that one will know the end and will not taste death.”

Christ is the beginning and end of all things and all life. In the Book of Revelation Christ declares three times that He is the Alpha and Omega. Yes, we all have come from Christ (the Word of God) and Christ is our glorious end. What I see in this and other verses is that his disciples were usually thinking naturally while Jesus was usually answering spiritually. Like many naturally minded souls today, the disciples were worried about their death, or end. Jesus was basically saying, “What! You think you have found the beginning? In other words, have you then found Christ? Well, if you have found Christ then you have also met the end of your old self. Now, your new, true self lives!”

19. Jesus said, “Congratulations to the one who came into being before coming into being. If you become my disciples and pay attention to my sayings, these stones will serve you. For there are five trees in Paradise for you; they do not change, summer or winter, and their leaves do not fall. Whoever knows them will not taste death.”

This passage picks up where the last one left off. So who is the One who came into being before coming into being? Christ is the ONE and ONLY who fits this description. Christ is all in all, yes, even in the stones. They are part of the Kingdom and they serve Christ. Now, what are the five trees in Paradise? They are five spiritual senses to replace our natural senses. Since there is no flesh in Paradise, only our consciousness must be fed from these spiritual trees. Because the lower world shadows a higher spiritual world, it is logical that we will have five spiritual senses to KNOW life in the higher world.

20. The disciples said to Jesus, “Tell us what Heaven’s kingdom is like.” He said to them, “It’s like a mustard seed, the smallest of all seeds, but when it falls on prepared soil, it produces a large plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky.”

The ones who can “fly” are the ones who will find rest and shelter in the Kingdom. Do you hear what I am saying! This familiar parable is unquestionably found many times within the New Testament writings, but here Jesus adds a special, little caveat. The seed falls on PREPARED SOIL. Ah, yes! We must remember the parable of the seeds being sown. But not only is the “planting” of Christ happening on a very personal level, but is also being played out on a global scale. What I have tried to show and teach is that God has evolved life on the earth for the sake of mankind. God created everything here for us because we are here for God. Some will argue that the world was created and others will say it has evolved. I am the mediator, and I say God created evolution! Through evolution, God “prepared” a “soil” suitable for the planting of man (dust, soil). Once man was ready (prepared), the Christ Seed began to grow! The Kingdom of God grows within us, as Christ becomes our King.

21. Mary said to Jesus, “What are your disciples like?” He said, “They are like little children living in a field that is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, ‘Give us back our field.’ They take off their clothes in front of them in order to give it back to them, and they return their field to them. For this reason I say, if the owners of a house know that a thief is coming, they will be on guard before the thief arrives and will not let the thief break into their house (their domain) and steal their possessions. As for you, then, be on guard against the world. Prepare yourselves with great strength, so the robbers can’t find a way to get to you, for the trouble you expect will come. Let there be among you a person who understands. When the crop ripened, he came quickly carrying a sickle and harvested it. Anyone here with two good ears had better listen!”

Here is the first verse in the Gospel of Thomas that is referring to Mary (we assume Mary Magdalene). She asks Jesus about his disciples, and he describes them some very interesting ways. He calls them little children, which coincides with the “little ones” in the N.T. These little children are God’s offspring who are said to be living in a field (world) that is not theirs. The world belongs to those who are of the world. As we know, these “children” of God are IN the world, but not OF the world. So these children are the followers of Christ in this lower world and have a strong sense that this world is not their true home. Then Jesus says that they (disciples of Christ) will take off their clothes and return the field to those who are of this world. This is to say we must remove the “clothes” that the world has dressed us in. Adam and Eve were given animal skins to cover their nakedness, but God didn’t give them the fur of dead animals to do this. God allowed mankind to cover himself with a false self, an ego. Well, we need to get naked again! Just as Paul and Peter wrote in Romans 12:2 and 1 Peter 1:14 respectively, we must stop conforming to the ways of this foreign world.

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.

The time has come to cast off our animal natures and put on our new clothes- the glory and life of Christ! The natural mind cannot know God’s perfect will, so our minds must become God-conscious as Jesus’ mind was. Only the mind of Christ can be God’ Son and do God’s will. Until that day (Day of Lord) when we are clothed with the nature of God, we are to guard ourselves from the world. Many will try to steal our faith, our hope and our love, but we must stand strong in these three forces of heaven. The “crop” is ripened when our spirit has matured into the fullness of Christ, the Son of God. Then God will come quickly to harvest you and store your life in heaven.

22. Jesus saw some babies nursing. He said to his disciples, “These nursing babies are like those who enter the (Father’s) kingdom.” They said to him, “Then shall we enter the (Father’s) kingdom as babies?” Jesus said to them, “When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom].”

Wow! What a wonderful passage here! Jesus said in other Gospels that we must enter the Kingdom like children, but here we get considerably more elaboration. Again, his disciples were thinking naturally- “shall we enter the kingdom as babies?” The Kingdom isn’t a physical garden for the body, but rather is a paradise for the mind and spirit! Only those “born of the spirit” can enter this Kingdom. Jesus was trying to tell them they must be born again to enter (eat of) that higher life. Like babes that nurse, our life is sustained by being connecting to Christ, who is the Vine of divine life. So those born of God are spirit babies that draw their life directly from Christ.

As Jesus teaches here and in the New Testament, there is more than faith required of us before entering the Kingdom of God. Jesus begins with the condition that we must “make the two one.” This then becomes the central theme throughout the rest of the passage. We are caught in the world of duality where we are two- natural vs. spiritual. We see double; we think double; we live double. To become one we must make our spirit everything we are. We must see spiritually, think spiritually and live spiritually. Then our inner person will be our outer person because the light of our spirit will shine from us. Then our male (spirit) and female (soul) will be one because there is no male or female in Christ. Both Jesus and Paul taught this, but many don’t understand because they think naturally. Lastly, Jesus says that if you can make an image in place of an image, then you will enter the Kingdom. Man was created to be an image of God, but Christ is the image of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). So, man must become Christ by destroying the false image of self he has created, which is the ego. If we put Christ (Image of God) in place of the ego (man’s image of himself), then we will enter the Kingdom. It is just that simple and is just that difficult.

23. Jesus said, “I shall choose you, one from a thousand and two from ten thousand, and they will stand as a single one.”

Yes, God does the calling and then the choosing. I think some tend to ignore that fact that many are called, but few are chosen. Like the Harvester in saying 21, God only picks us when we are ready. Jesus plainly teaches that many are on the path of destruction while very few find the narrow gate that leads to his life. How is this harsh teaching and universal salvation reconciled? The answer is in time. There can be no doubt that ALL will be saved, but this takes many, many lifetimes to accomplish. During each lifetime in the flesh, we (spirit) learn new lessons and gain more wisdom. We are learning that we are spirit from God who must love as God loves. So, like a Father, God chooses us (calls us) when we are ready to return home to be ONE. This unity can only happen when we are ready to surrender to and then live in the Spirit of Christ as Jesus did. Only there in Christ can we “stand as a single one.” This single One is the Spirit, Mind and Body of the Son of God being God’s perfect image in the Kingdom.

24. His disciples said, "Show us the place where you are, for we must seek it." He said to them, "Anyone here with two ears had better listen! There is light within a person of light, and it shines on the whole world. If it does not shine, it is dark."

Jesus’ disciples seemed to sense (at least to some degree) that Jesus was flying higher than them. They wanted whatever it was he had and wanted to be wherever he was. Yet, the “place” where Jesus was is in Christ- a higher state of mind and spirit. We don’t have to go anywhere to be in this higher reality because Christ is in YOU and in ME and in ALL! Do you understand? Christ Jesus is in His Kingdom and His Kingdom is in you and all. In John 1:4 and 1:9 we read that Christ is that light within everyone in this world. Then in Matthew 6:23 we read that if a person keeps this light covered with their darkened mind and domineering ego, our light is darkness. Christ will transform us from the inside out like a holy fire burning. His divine light will destroy the darkness of the world, and His holy heat will consume all that stands in the way of God’s perfect will.

25. Jesus said, "Love your friends like your own soul, protect them like the pupil of your eye."

This saying represents the most basic tenet of Christ’s teachings, yet I don’t think many fully realize why Jesus taught this. While loving others as our self is the nice thing to do and makes the world a better place, what Jesus is talking about reaches much deeper. Our love for others springs from our spirit, which recognizes that whatever I do to others, I do to Christ. So as I AM treating other is how I AM treating my true self. Christ is all in all. In this oneness, we cannot do harm to one member of the body without causing pain for the whole. Because of this direct relationship, the law of Karma must balance itself. All the sins of mankind must be atoned for in one way or another. Love covers a multitude of sin (1 Peter 4:8). Along with love, there is forgiveness. When we forgive others we are truly forgiving our self because we have all sinned. By releasing the prisoner, we no longer have to stand guard over the prison cell. Forgive others and you will be forgiven. Do not judge others and you will not be judged. This is the universality of Christ.

Again we get a little extra in this passage from Jesus. He says, “protect them like the pupil of your eye.” In Matthew 6:25, Jesus says that if our eyes are good then our whole body will be full of light. And of course, the pupil of the eye is where light enters. So we are called to protect them because they too bring LIGHT into the world. Everyone has the light of Christ, but not everyone is letting Him shine into the world and their being.

26. Jesus said, "You see the sliver in your friend's eye, but you don't see the timber in your own eye. When you take the timber out of your own eye, then you will see well enough to remove the sliver from your friend's eye."

Because eyes and vision were is so important to Jesus one might think he was an optometrist! Well, Jesus did heal a few that were naturally blind, but the truly blind are those who couldn’t see that he was Christ. This saying is really about judgment, and is another good example of this Gospel’s clear correlation to those other “canonized” Gospels. As was just discussed in the previous passage and what few seem to realize is that we are forgiven if we forgive. In the same way, if we don’t judge others, we will not be judged (Luke 6:37). Christians are convinced that they will be saved by faith in Jesus, but they miss the full significance of what this actually means. True and mature faith in Jesus means that Christ becomes our life, our only life. In this way, we forgive others by God’s grace and we only judge others by God’s wisdom, not our own.

27. "If you do not fast from the world, you will not find the (Father's) kingdom. If you do not observe the sabbath as a sabbath you will not see the Father."

Jesus says in Thomas:14 that fasting for the sake of fasting is a sin, but here he says what we should give up- the WORLD! This is the best kind of fasting that breaks the carnal mind and opens our eyes to find the door of the Kingdom. Fasting from the world is how Jesus lived every day of his life. He lived for God and not the world. We are led to believe that this “fasting” is related to observing the Sabbath. So how is it that any man can see God (the Father)? Let us recall what Jesus said about the “pure in heart” would see God. Fasting from the world is a purification of the soul. We know that the purpose of the Sabbath was to be a holy day where we are at rest. Genesis says that on the seventh day, God rested. So then to “observe the sabbath as the sabbath” means that we must rest from our work (will) and be holy in that day of the Lord. In other words, stop trying to be holy by following the law (Galatians 2 and 3), but rather be holy because you are God’s child. By ignoring the world and doing God’s perfect will we are observing the every day as holy.

28. Jesus said, "I took my stand in the midst of the world, and in flesh I appeared to them. I found them all drunk, and I did not find any of them thirsty. My soul ached for the children of humanity, because they are blind in their hearts and do not see, for they came into the world empty, and they also seek to depart from the world empty. But meanwhile they are drunk. When they shake off their wine, then they will change their ways."

To me this passage sounds exactly like something Jesus the anointed man of God would have said. Every element of this passage is expressing His higher truths that many times go undiscovered by Christians. First, Christ tells us that He took his stand in the world and in the flesh. Of course, this is what the writer of the Gospel of John wrote too!

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Next, Christ Jesus says that most of mankind was intoxicated (from the world), so they were not thirsty for the spiritual truths he was sharing. His soul (mind, emotions, will) ached for these children because their hearts (spirits) were blind. These children came into the world this way and will leave this way. In other words, they (spirit) have incarnated into the flesh, but are unaware of how desolate they are. Once they have had their fill of the worldly toxins and shake off its effects, they will change their ways. Essentially, the same thing is being said in the first chapter of John.

John 1:10
He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.

Whoever wrote the Gospel of John had some deep spiritual insight, which is why I find it one of the more valuable Gospels of the Bible. It doesn‘t focus on the man of flesh, but rather the Word that became flesh. Even in its first verse, this Gospel relays an important realization we must come to understand.

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

This higher, spiritual concept about God and Christ is not unique to the Gospels of John and Thomas. A remarkably similar passage was written hundreds of years before this in the ancient Hindu document called the Vedas, which only helps to prove that the Truth is not confined by our religions. The Word made flesh is Jesus who stood in our midst. He found us all drunk on the toxins of the world. Those who do not “change their ways” will leave this world empty. We are here to awaken and feed our spirit by seeking and then doing the will of God. Once the “wine” of the world wears off, humanity will be VERY hungry for the Bread of Life.

29. Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, that is a marvel, but if spirit came into being because of the body, that is a marvel of marvels. Yet I marvel at how this great wealth has come to dwell in this poverty."

You tell ‘em Jesus! Do you know what is the “great wealth” that has come to dwell in this poverty? Your spirit is of great wealth (Luke 12:7) that has come to dwell in this poverty (Hades). Yet, this is all God’s plan and everything is going according to His will. Life, as we have come to know it, all began after that Big Bang when God created all things including all flesh. So yes, the flesh did come into being because of the spirit. Animation and life in the flesh sprung from the inanimate and lifeless; this is the marvel we call evolution. Yet the marvel of marvels is spirit coming into being (life) as the result of flesh! Is this task impossible for God? Of course it is not because all things are possible for God. In fact, it is God’s will that His life come into existence through ours.

Consider the fact that man can extract energy from matter, and even create small particles of matter from light (energy). So in essence, we have proven that all things created are, in fact, condensed light (energy). Because this world is a shadow of God’s reality, we can understand then that all created things are, in fact, spirit. Then also see that God, who is Spirit, is all in all. So the marvel of marvels has happened through the man Jesus! Through him (flesh) the Spirit of Christ came into being in this world. God’s life was expressed in the life of a man. Yet this is the purpose of every child of God- to bring Christ to life in our flesh. Our spirit has fallen into the pit of hell, but God is lifting us out as Christ is resurrected from the dead. The Lamb of God that was sacrificed before the creation of the world is being raised from the dead through mankind. This is God’s glorious plan of salvation and restoration!

30. Jesus said, "Where there are three deities, they are divine. Where there are two or one, I am with that one."

Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the three deities who create the Divine, and are also three ways of knowing God. It is through these realms of the Divine that God can be omnipresent in our lives. From the deepest hell to the highest heaven, God is there with us. Our spirit can never be separated from God who is Spirit and the Father of all spirits. The outer realm of life is in the physical manifestation of the universe where the Holy Spirit resides in every atom and every cell. In this way, the Holy Spirit can speak to us on a natural level through every facet of nature. The Holy Spirit helps to turn us back to God, so that we can come to know the Son of God as our LORD God.

Christ Jesus says that when there are two or one, “I am” is with that one. This is the LORD God, the Son, who is between the Holy Spirit and the Father, so the Son is with either the Holy Spirit or the Father or both. While the Holy Spirit is our Helper, the Son is the only conduit back to the Father. The Son is the only way from this (outer, lower, darker) world (hell) into the Kingdom of God.

31. Jesus said, "No prophet is welcome on his home turf; doctors don't cure those who know them."

Unfortunately this is so true because minds tend to close. Once the world has created its impression of a particular person it can be very difficult to change it. For this reason, the people that saw Jesus grow from a child into a man knew him only as the carpenter’s son. Upon his returned, they could neither see him as God’s Son nor could they be healed. Miracles require faith to release God’s power in our lives. In the same way, to have his life in us we must be able see and then believe Christ is our life. This rejection Jesus encountered was nothing new. Throughout the ages, most of God’s prophets were also shunned by the world. Even today God is revealing more mature Sons, but so very few in the world can recognized their divinity. Christ is the divine destiny of every child of God. By this higher life in the Spirit of God we are empowered to bring the Kingdom of God to earth.

32. Jesus said, "A city built on a high hill and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden."

We read of this same wisdom in Matthew 5:14. The “city” Jesus is speaking about is the City of God- the New Jerusalem. Yet, this city isn’t going to be centered in country of Israel. No, this holy city of God is going to be centered in the OTHER Israel- the one that Paul wrote about in his Epistles. Any that are chosen of God have become part of Israel because they have been called out of the world- the Ecclesia. So God’s holy city is in the center of this Ecclesia and in the center of everyone who has been called out of the world into God’s domain. Understand that God through Christ Jesus started building a Kingdom in us and through us. We are becoming God’s dwelling place and this city of God will be fortified and glorified! He is building it upon the mountain of Truth where everyone can see it. The Truth will never change, never fall and will never be hidden from those whose sights are aimed to heaven. Sure, some are not looking up to see it yet, but God’s city built with love and on Truth simply patiently waits to be acknowledged and then ascended in the fullness of time. Remember, time is nothing to God.

33. Jesus said, "What you will hear in your ear, in the other ear proclaim from your rooftops. After all, no one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, nor does one put it in a hidden place. Rather, one puts it on a lampstand so that all who come and go will see its light."

The message of saying 32 continues here. If you ask for the Truth and then hear it, you should share it with the world! Give the Truth freely because no single man or religion owns it. The only way to end the darkness is to increase the light. Even a little light makes it easier to see in this world of darkness. Yes, the Truth of God is light, and Love of God is warmth. They both radiate from the Son of God from heaven to earth. If Christ has spoken His Truth to you, tell it to the world! If Christ has warmed your soul with His Love, share it with the world! This is what we are all called to do, so that “ALL who come and go will see its light.”

34. Jesus said, "If a blind person leads a blind person, both of them will fall into a hole."

As is the case with most of the passages of this Gospel, saying 34 is lacking a context. However this passage clearly matches what Jesus taught in the New Testament concerning the religious leaders of his day. Unknowingly, these spiritually blind souls were leading many away from the Kingdom of God and deeper into a hole of deception, ignorance and pride, which is the equivalent of hell. They might have had good intentions, but they were spiritually inept. These blind guides knew their religion inside and out, but these shadows are not the reality of salvation. No religion has ever saved anyone, yet I am afraid this fraudulent delusion of religion is still prevalent today. Christianity is a religion, but Christ is the reality and the way.

35. Jesus said, "One can't enter a strong person's house and take it by force without tying his hands. Then one can loot his house."

It is said that Christ comes like a thief in the night, but I don‘t believe this is the intent of this particular passage. Instead this passage corresponds with the teaching in Matthew 12:29 and Luke 3:27 where the context is evil spirits occupying others’ “houses.” As we have gathered from other similar passages, your “house” is your exterior being wherein your spirit and consciousness reside. Jesus is saying that these evil spirits have entered your being and tied up your strong person’s hands, which is your spirit. Your spirit should be the man of your house, but others can enter and tie him up and steal your mind and body. Surely we have seen this happen throughout society. Science and physiology try to put the blame on a chemical imbalance when a mind has gone insane, but evil spirit do exists. If not, then Jesus was the craziest man to ever walk the earth. He spoke to them and cast them out. To keep them out, make your spirit strong by doing the will of God.

36. Jesus said, "Do not fret, from morning to evening and from evening to morning, [about your food--what you're going to eat, or about your clothing--] what you are going to wear. [You're much better than the lilies, which neither card nor spin. As for you, when you have no garment, what will you put on? Who might add to your stature? That very one will give you your garment.]"

The meaning here is clear. Jesus is telling us not to worry about earthly things. Of course, this passage is almost identical to those found in Luke 12:22 and Matthew 6:25. While many are familiar with this lesson, it doesn’t seem that many have taken this to heart. It also does seem that many know WHY we should not be concerned with worldly things. The reason that things like food, clothes and the body are not important is because we are spirit from God and do not actually NEED these things to live. We only need God. Jesus was trying to show us how he lived- by the spirit! We must stop believing and living as if we are flesh. This is why many live in fear. They are afraid that if they don’t get any food they will die. They are afraid that if they have nothing to wear they will be naked. They see themselves as a body, so they want to be taller, thinner, prettier and so on. We are spirit from God who only need to realize who we are thereby taking on the nature of our Father in heaven.

37. His disciples said, "When will you appear to us, and when will we see you?" Jesus said, "When you strip without being ashamed, and you take your clothes and put them under your feet like little children and trample then, then [you] will see the son of the living one and you will not be afraid."

Here is another example of the Gospel of Thomas sharing Jesus’ higher spiritual wisdom. While it is likely that Jesus’ disciples again were thinking naturally, Jesus answers them spiritually. They were likely asking when Jesus would return after his death and resurrection, but Jesus is telling them when Christ will appear in THEM. Suppose they did take Jesus’ words literally; then there would have been 12 naked men running around Judea! I don’t recall that every being disclosed in the Acts of the Apostles or anywhere in the books of the New Testament! While it is possible that Jesus was referring to the act of baptism where some were naked before entering the water, the meaning goes far deeper than any superficial ceremony. So what did Jesus mean that we must strip without being ashamed?

We must shed the coverings the world has put on us. I am not a white male American Catholic of short stature. I am who God says I am. I am God’s Son. When Christ is our life, we are not flesh and not ashamed of the flesh. The shame comes from believing the lie of the devil ego. Sin is a state of mind and spirit. It has nothing to do with the flesh. Just as Paul taught in Romans 7:17, “I am” not sinning, but it is the old nature still living in us. When we realize that we are the children of God, we need no earthly costume because the glory of God surrounds us. When we remove the false coverings the world puts on us, we have broken that deception that caused Adam to hide from God. We will see Christ in and as our self and will not be afraid or ashamed. Our true covering is the grace of God shining with the glory of God!

38. Jesus said, "Often you have desired to hear these sayings 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."

Jesus became Christ during his lifetime. In other words, Jesus was the first to reach full Christ-consciousness. He was the full embodiment of the Word (Son of God) in human form. He words were only the product of the Truth. After Jesus left this world, who has spoken of the Truth as Jesus did? Who has brought about miracles as Jesus did? We have been seeking Christ for about 2,000, but as Jesus told us in the early passage Christ will appear in us in due time.

39. Jesus said, "The Pharisees and the scholars have taken the keys of knowledge and have hidden them. They have not entered nor have they allowed those who want to enter to do so. As for you, be as sly as snakes and as simple as doves."

In Matthew 12:34 and 23:33, Jesus called the Pharisees a “brood of vipers.” He said they followed their father the devil and were making their converts twice the “sons of hell” that they were. These are strong words that all that call themselves spiritual scholars should heed. Religious zealots always have some truth, but so many of them take this “truth” from God and bury it in a pile of dung! They bury it under their notions, ideas, rules, regulations and doctrines. There is only one commandment that is from God, yet Moses and Aaron produced hundreds of “laws” for the Jews to follow. Jesus made it very simple. If you are born of the Spirit, then be your Father’s Son. Be spirit and exude love. With divine wisdom and peace, we can love each other as God loves us.

40. Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted apart from the Father. Since it is not strong, it will be pulled up by its root and will perish."

It seems obvious to me that religion is the grapevine planted apart from the Father that will be pulled up to perish. We know that Christ is the True Vine that gives life. Still, religions do seem to feed the hungry soul of man, but do they feed man’s spirit? In other words, religious are predominately soul-based in that they primarily consist of human emotion, reasoning and rules. Emotion isn’t true worship. Philosophy isn’t true worship. Following rules isn’t true worship. To truly worship God we must know God (Truth) and live by God’s will (Spirit). This is why true worship is done in Spirit and Truth and why every religion will fail in the end.

41. Jesus said, "Whoever has something in hand will be given more, and whoever has nothing will be deprived of even the little they have."

While some may have a hard time accepting this spiritual truth, it is certainly found in the N.T. teachings of Jesus. I know many Christians are reluctant to accept evolution. Charles Darwin’s theory about the survival of the fittest not only applies to nature but the higher world too. Jesus explains that survival of the fittest isn’t a theory, but rather it is a God-given fundamental of life. God wants to save all, but He is going to help those who help themselves. He is going to strengthen those who are trying, those who care and those who are making progress. If God gives you a spiritual gift and you do nothing with it, your gift will be taken away and given to another.

So ultimately salvation is a choice. God chooses us and we choose to Him. Everyone one of us must utter those same fateful words of Jesus, “Not my will, but your will be done.” If God asks us to do something and we say, “No” then what should God do? God will find another way in another time. God will find another child willing to work in the field. God will find another quest that will come to His banquet. God is looking for “yes men”- those spirits that are willing to do His will. Many fail to realize that only the strongest will is left standing- God’s. If God’s desires ALL, then you can trust it will be as God wills. You can fight all you want, but you only bring pain and misery while falling deeper into your personally created hell. Grace falls upon all, but to those who do God’s will, they will be blessed with even more faith and love. They grow faster and stronger for the sake of the Kingdom, but the weak are deprived so that they may learn their choice was wrong. Hell is not eternal, but it is a long was we choose to make it.

42. Jesus said, "Be passersby."

This is the shortest and maybe the most difficult passages to understand because there is no apparent context. Is Jesus telling us to ignore others? It would then contradict the parable of the Good Samaritan who did not pass by another who was in need. Again, we can find a harmony here in light of what we read in the previous saying. We must live according to the spirit; we must follow our hearts. Jesus didn’t heal everyone around him, but only those who it was God’s will to be healed. If God says to keep on walking, then this is what we do. What many fail to realize is that divine Love doesn’t always feel good. If this were the case, then there would be no suffering or pain in the world. Pain and suffering are necessary as the growing pains of consciousness. Jesus witnessed many that were suffering; yet he didn’t make everyone “feel” good. In fact, he made some very sad and upset because he told them the Truth. He helped those had an adequate faith and were ready to take another step closer to God.

43. His disciples said to him, "Who are you to say these things to us?" "You don't understand who I am from what I say to you. Rather, you have become like the Judeans, for they love the tree but hate its fruit, or they love the fruit but hate the tree."

This passage seems to follow within the context of saying 42, but also seems to be missing a few words telling us who is exactly saying what. But I will assume that Jesus said, “You don’t understand who I am…” after being asked, “Who are you to say these things to us?” by his disciples. In this context then, Jesus is basically reprimanding his closest followers because they just didn’t understand his lifestyle and mission from God. Christ Jesus is saying that he is the tree and his works are the fruit. While some loved the sweet fruit of his healings, forgiveness and peace they didn’t like the message of Truth. It was too difficult for them to swallow. There were others who loved Jesus’ message, but hated his miracles perhaps because it undermined the authority of the Pharisees. The main point is that the Judeans were always finding something wrong with either Jesus or his ministry. And it seems that even his followers were questioning his authority, which leads us right into the next passage.

44. Jesus said, "Whoever blasphemes against the Father will be forgiven, and whoever blasphemes against the son will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven, either on earth or in heaven."

This familiar verse echoes what we read in Matthew 12:31 and Luke 12:10. Many have tried making sense of this teaching, but to do this we need to understand an important point. We must understand the differentiation between the Trinity of God especially who is the “holy spirit” spoken of here. In several different articles, I have attempted to shine some light into this mysterious area. I see that the Holy Spirit represents God in the natural world. So the Holy Spirit is called our “helper” and “comforter” in this world. Because many in this world are spiritually asleep (dead) it is called Hades- the place of the dead. So the Holy Spirit is God’s presence in Hades. So while we are in this world being qualified, we cannot blaspheme the Holy Spirit of Truth and get away with it. We must pay for this sin because we live under the law of karma. In Christian terminology this means we must reap what we sow in this world. We should also note that all sins are not the same. Sins of the soul are far worse than the sins of flesh. Blaspheming the Holy Spirit would be the soul rejected the Truth when she hears it.

Yet this condemnation is only associated with this world, which again is a function of the Trinity distinction. When considering the Father and Son, we are forgiven because we are not in their “world” or Kingdom yet. We are in the world, where the Holy Spirit represents God. The sinner cannot offend the Father because the Father only knows His Son. We cannot offend the Son because He is our Savior. So as we mature in spirit and consciousness, we will enter the Kingdom of the Son where there can be no sin. This is where all are one in the Mind of Christ. This is a Kingdom of the Word and the Kingdom of Consciousness where anything imagined is reality. This is a paradise and expression of love that no man can imagine. Beyond this Kingdom will be the ultimate union of God and His Word. Here Consciousness is drawn back into the Spirit of God (the Son returns to the Father) so that God is known to be all in all in the rest of eternal peace.

45. Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorn trees, nor are figs gathered from thistles, for they yield no fruit. Good persons produce good from what they've stored up; bad persons produce evil from the wickedness they've stored up in their hearts, and say evil things. For from the overflow of the heart they produce evil."

Here again, we read a passage consistent with New Testament teachings. Jesus often compared humans to trees- good and bad ones producing good and bad fruit. We know that in this world, we say there are good people and bad people, but the root of the problem is found in the heart (spirit) of a person. If our heart has stored up “wickedness” then it will likely expressed this in word and deed. As I see it, the “heart” being the center of life in our being is nearly equivalent to the spirit. Every spirit in human form is here to learn that he is a child of God. Sometimes the spirit is rebellious, which can lead to a whole host of problems. After learning some tough lessons, God’s children will mature in Truth and Love. Then the spirit (heart) is filled with goodness, holiness and forgiveness, which will then be expressed through the thoughts of the soul and the deeds of the body. Know that the only good trees come from the good Seed, who is Christ.

46. Jesus said, "From Adam to John the Baptist, among those born of women, no one is so much greater than John the Baptist that his eyes should not be averted. But I have said that whoever among you becomes a child will recognize the (Father's) kingdom and will become greater than John."

While John the Baptist is the greatest servant of God, he is never called a Son of God. Some many believe this distinction is Jesus’ alone; however, Paul did refer to the sons of God that would be revealed in time. The reason John was a great servant and not a son was because John was still in a natural state of mind. He was from the “old school” you could say and not “born of the Spirit.” John the Baptist really marked the end of the great prophets who were born of women and served God in the age of the law. However Jesus the Christ marked a new beginning when the Sons of God started coming of age. Jesus was the firstborn of many that would be God’s Word made flesh. So those born and also mature in the Spirit will realize, or as Jesus says, “recognize,” God’s Kingdom within them. In doing so they will become greater than all the prophets including John the Baptist because all sons are greater than even the greatest servant. Keep in mind thought that for those not ready to live as spirit, being a servant of God is a noble and perfect way to live. Even so, the servant cannot enter the Kingdom of God. Only the Sons of God live in the house of God’s higher reality.

47. Jesus said, "A person cannot mount two horses or bend two bows. And a slave cannot serve two masters, otherwise that slave will honor the one and offend the other. Nobody drinks aged wine and immediately wants to drink young wine. Young wine is not poured into old wineskins, or they might break, and aged wine is not poured into a new wineskin, or it might spoil. An old patch is not sewn onto a new garment, since it would create a tear."

Again, most Christians should be familiar with this spiritual message of commonsense. We find Jesus saying this Mathew 6:24 among other places. It is not wise to mix the old and the new. Jesus presented a new covenant between God and man. For those ready to become Sons of God, they could now end their servitude to the law. We cannot be both a servant to the law and a Son to God. All of our attention must be on the Father. We must do only what we see Him doing with no regard to the laws and regulations of men. The Sons of God are led by Love not the law, by the spirit not by the letter.

Again, the law is intended for the natural man not those born of the spirit. So Jesus isn’t abolishing the law, but he saying we must put an end to dualism. Make your choice. We cannot mount two horses or bend two bows. While the natural man can serve God in the flesh, there is only one way to truly worship God- in Spirit and in Truth. The mind must focus either on the spirit or the flesh, the truth or the deception. Something interesting that was discovered in human psychology is that the human mind is incapable of focusing on two things simultaneously. So it is clear; we must be single-minded and focused on Christ.

48. Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in a single house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move from here!' and it will move."

If we can accept it, mountains are just another manifestation of this dream world. The one who knows he is in a dream is able to control the dream. Jesus the awakened Christ was never said to have moved any mountains, but he was reported doing some pretty supernatural acts. In this world, we have the laws of nature, but because this is a dream (a world of shadows) there are higher laws that transcend them. In the spirit, there is a higher reality with higher powers. We know that if two or more agree in the same SPIRIT as Jesus, it will be given to them. This facet of faith is well known, but perhaps not well understood. The release of spiritual power comes as the result of pure faith aligning our will with God‘s perfect will. We don’t cause miracles by our will, but we join God and His will in the knowledge of their result. Now understand what Jesus is saying in this passage. He says that our spirit and God’s spirit must make peace in our being (house). Then we can move mountains because we are ONE with God. One means peace. One means God’s will be done. There is no doubt in God. There is nothing impossible for God.

49. Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who are alone and chosen, for you will find the kingdom. For you have come from it, and you will return there again."

This is a real beauty! In many of my writings, I have tried to explain that all has come from God, and all is spirit. This passage really speaks to this truth. In A Picture of God, I have attempted to show that all is in God and from God, but there are different levels of realization of this and therefore different levels of existence. All has come from God and continuously has its being in God. So we can understand that creation is a manifestation found within the lowest (or most outer) realm of God’s being. Yet, this is only where man finds himself now because we have come (down) from the higher world called heaven (the Kingdom). It is not a physical place since spirit needs no space, but instead it is a higher state of consciousness and life.

When Jesus says, “Congratulations to those who are alone and chosen,” he is basically saying that it is lonely at the top. Again, we can liken our journey back to God to ascending up a mountain. Many live at the lower levels and in the valley, but fewer and fewer are found as we walk toward the top where God is. All the prophets of every age have realized this feeling of loneliness. Yet, as Jesus surely knows, if you do feel alone you are blessed! Because the higher you go, the closer you are to God and to your salvation! We will return from where we came because it is Gods’ will and strength that is leading us up to Him.

50. Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where have you come from?' say to them, 'We have come from the light, from the place where the light came into being by itself, established [itself], and appeared in their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?' say, 'We are its children, and we are the chosen of the living Father.' If they ask you, 'What is the evidence of your Father in you?' say to them, 'It is motion and rest.'"

If this were the only passage found in the Nag Hammadi Library, the discovery would have been a wonderful success! This is another shining example proving the Gospel of Thomas is truly full of spiritual insight, as it expounds on some of the more esoteric and profound teachings of the New Testament. Saying 50 expounds on something commonly taught in Christianity, but perhaps not completely understood. We are the light of an otherwise very dark world.

So what or who is this light within us? While Jesus told us that we are the light of the world, in the Gospel of John, the Word of God is the true light that gives light to every man who comes into the world. Then in the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says that we have “come from the light.” So how can all of this come together into spiritual harmony? It is easy if we just realize what Paul said in Colossians concerning the Word of God who created all things are holds them together. The Word of God is Christ, the Son of God, the Light and Father of us all.

Jesus says we have come from the place where the Light (Word) came into being by itself and established itself and appeared in the image of a man. This is the way of the Word of God. The Word of God was spoken (sent) into the void of nothingness to create an image of God. Adam was the infant image of God, but Jesus is the mature image of God that has come to fruition. Jesus goes on to say that if they ask us if we are the Light (Christ, Word of God), we should declare that we are the children of the Light and have been chosen by our Father. If they ask what is our evidence? We will tell them it is the motion of all the life around you. And it is the rest of eternal peace within you.

51. His disciples said to him, "When will the rest for the dead take place, and when will the new world come?" He said to them, "What you are looking forward to has come, but you don't know it."

The question posed by the disciples is a very interesting one. When will the dead get to rest? Does this sound like a contradiction? It isn’t if you understand who is dead. Some might believe that the dead are already resting. In fact, during funerals it would be common for someone to say that this person has gone to their rest. The truly “dead” do not rest at all. Recall when Jesus said, “Let the dead bury their own dead!” Jesus was speaking spiritually, which is the only death and life that truly matters. What the natural mind of man does not understand is that death isn’t when the body expires. Death is when our spirit is unaware (unconscious) of God. Without this spiritual awareness we are deaf, dumb and blind being unable to communicate with God. So the “dead” Jesus was referring to are those who are lost in the darkness (ignorance) of Hades (this world). For ages and ages, mankind has been as if dead, coming into this (old) world spiritually stillborn. Slowly but surely we are being awakened (quickened) by God into a higher life that will create a new world! So while sin has separated man from God in his consciousness, Christ is the One who can bring us back together in unity with our Father.

In saying 51, Jesus is telling them that the Kingdom (new world) had already come through him. The natural mind wants to see, hear and touch the new world, but God’s Kingdom is not a matter of spatiality or physicality. It is not even a matter of time because time, matter and space are the illusion. God and His life are the reality. Jesus brought the reality of God’s Kingdom to earth, but their natural minds could not perceive or accept it. However, the naturally minded could not see God’s Word in the flesh because they expected to see a great and powerful king that would put down his enemies with force. They didn’t understand that the “force” used in God’s Kingdom is Love, which is constantly pulling everything back into oneness. This divine gravity is within us, pulling us away from the world and back to God. Jesus is our future because we shall be as he was in the world!

52. His disciples said to him, "Twenty-four prophets have spoken in Israel, and they all spoke of you."

He said to them, "You have disregarded the living one who is in your presence, and have spoken of the dead."

This passage is similar to Jesus’ response to the resurrection question with one difference. Here refers to the prophets as “dead,” but in Mark 12:28 and other places of the New Testament Jesus says that they are still alive in God’s eyes. To help bring this into harmony let’s consider what Jesus Christ said in John 8:58. He said, “I tell you the truth; before Abraham was born, I am!” We must be clear who is speaking in these different passages. In John 8:58, Christ is speaking because Christ is the anointed spirit of Jesus who was before Abraham. Christ is also the “I AM” who spoke to Moses. Everyone who climbs up God’s mountain will find the same “I AM” waiting to teach, heal and save them. Then we should see that to Christ, who is also our LORD God, these prophets are alive because they are spirit. This explains the New Testament verse and leads us to the meaning of Thomas:52.

In this passage Jesus is speaking as the son of man and not the Son of God. To Jesus, the man of 2,000 years ago, these men are dead. Jesus wanted them to see the “living one” in him. We find Jesus referring to the “living one” in second person language many times later in the Gospel of Thomas. We even see this in the New Testa