Jesus said: This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away; and those who are dead are not alive, and those who are living will not die. In the days when you ate of what is dead, you made of it what is living. When you come to be light, what will you do? On the day when you were one, you became two. But when you have become two, what will you do?
In the Gospel of Thomas, a collection of sayings attributed to Jesus, there lies a profound exhortation that resonates with the spiritual truths found within the Bible. Jesus proclaims, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away; and those who are dead are not alive, and those who are living will not die" (Gospel of Thomas, Saying 11). This declaration echoes the prophecy of Isaiah, stating, "And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll" (Isaiah 34:4).
Central to this saying is the notion that the dead are not alive, a concept deeply embedded in the fabric of the one true faith as delineated in the Bible. Contrary to the beliefs of many other religious traditions, the Bible teaches that death is not a gateway to eternal life in heaven but rather a state of unconsciousness. This truth is reiterated throughout both the Gospel of Thomas and the Scriptures (e.g., Ecclesiastes 9:5, Psalms 115:17, 146:3-4).
Sayings 15, 51, 52, 59, along with biblical references such as Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10 and Psalms 115:3-4, underscore the theme of the unconsciousness of the dead. They emphasize that death is a state of non-being, where individuals are unaware of the affairs of the living world. This aligns with the biblical notion that in death, there is no consciousness or knowledge (Ecclesiastes 9:5) and that the dead do not praise the Lord (Psalms 115:17).
Furthermore, Saying 87 and 112, along with the reference to Genesis, highlight the interconnectedness of the body, flesh, and soul. This echoes the biblical concept that humanity is comprised of both physical and spiritual elements, and these aspects are intricately linked. The unity of body, flesh, and soul underscores the holistic nature of human existence, emphasizing the importance of both physical and spiritual well-being.
The interpretation of these sayings goes beyond a mere understanding of physical death; they also speak to spiritual death—the separation from God due to sin. Those who remain spiritually dead, unenlightened by the truth, face not only physical death but also spiritual death, symbolized by a second death after judgment. In contrast, those who are spiritually alive in Christ experience eternal life, marked by a profound union with God.
The Gospel of Thomas, much like the Bible, emphasizes the transformative power of truth and the significance of spiritual awakening. Through faith in Christ and adherence to His teachings, believers transition from spiritual death to life, from darkness into the everlasting light of God's presence.
In essence, these additional sayings reinforce the central themes of spiritual consciousness, interconnectedness of body and soul, and the transformative power of truth found within the Gospel of Thomas. They complement the broader narrative of Jesus's teachings, inviting believers to contemplate the nature of life, death, and eternity in light of divine truth.
In light of these additional sayings, the concept of eating dead and living things takes on a broader spiritual significance. It encompasses not only physical nourishment but also spiritual sustenance, highlighting the importance of feeding the soul with divine truth rather than relying solely on worldly pleasures. Just as the body requires sustenance for physical life, the soul requires spiritual nourishment for eternal life.
Therefore, the admonition to eat dead and living things in the Gospel of Thomas goes beyond mere dietary practices; it serves as a metaphor for embracing spiritual truths and rejecting spiritual death. By partaking of the living bread—the teachings of Christ—and rejecting the dead works of the flesh, believers find true fulfillment and eternal life in Him.
Moreover, Jesus's words in Saying 11 align with the biblical teaching that the spiritually dead will face a second death after judgment, while those alive in Christ will attain everlasting life. The distinction between the dead and the living is not merely physical but spiritual, highlighting the importance of being spiritually alive through faith in Christ.
The imagery of eating dead and living things in the saying symbolizes the consumption of spiritual nourishment. The dead represent adherence to the Law of Moses, which fails to impart eternal life, while the living symbolize partaking of Christ's flesh and blood through belief in His testimony as revealed in the Scriptures (John 6:54, Revelation 22:14). Thus, truth nourishes life, leading believers from darkness into the light of Christ.
"When you are in the Light, what will you become?" Jesus's question invites contemplation on the transformative power of light, equating it with moral enlightenment and unity with God. As believers walk in the light, they become united with God, transitioning from a state of oneness to a divine partnership, symbolized by the union of man and woman in marriage (Genesis 2:24).
This transition from oneness to twoness signifies both unity with God and the potential for division. Through faith in Christ, believers become united with God, yet this unity also distinguishes them from the world, making them "two" in their spiritual journey.
Ultimately, the saying challenges believers to ponder their spiritual state and trajectory. Will they remain spiritually dead, adhering to temporal laws and doctrines, or will they embrace the life-giving truth of Christ, transitioning from darkness into the eternal light?
In conclusion, the Gospel of Thomas, like the Bible, illuminates profound spiritual truths concerning life, death, and light. Through reflection on Jesus's teachings, believers are invited to transcend mere existence and embrace the abundant life found in Him. As they walk in the light, they become united with God, shining as beacons of truth and righteousness in a world enveloped by darkness.
This saying is an exhortation of Isaiah 34:4 And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. Cp. Isaiah 13:13
“The dead are not alive” here we have one of the spiritual truth of the one true faith found only in the Bible the dead are not alive and the kingdom is not in the sky cp. Saying 3, every other bible based faith and religion teaches we go to heaven when we die or that only some go to heaven to rule with Christ. If death is not death than what the Bible says about death is a lie.
However it is not only the bible that teaches that the dead are unconscious and know nothing and this is summed in the words of Jesus here in saying 11 "The dead are not alive." compare sayings 59, 60.
So like the Bible and the true believers of the Bible, the Gospel of Thomas does not teach that we go to heaven to rule with Christ or that the soul live on after death. The GTh teaches that the dead are unconscious and know nothing so The dead are not alive Cp. Saying 15, 51, 52, 59, Ecc 9:5, 10 Ps 115: 146:3, 4. And the body, the flesh, and the soul are equivalent in value or interdependent Saying 87, 112 Gen
The eating of dead and living things are not a doctrine of vegetarianism for the dead things are dead animals compare saying 60 87 111 112 which are killed and than eaten to sports life thus making the dead thing living. The dead and living things are also rational principles cp. 13 61 108 111 this is the same in the bible it is spiritual meat Ps 73:24. Thus, the dead principle would be the Law of Moses, which does not bring everlasting life only a long life in this life if they live by it. Now the living principle is the bread that is the flesh of Christ and if we do not eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood we have no life in us. But we only eat and drink his flesh and blood by believing the written testimony of the Logos concerning Jesus, set forth in the Bible and become the subject of repentance and remission of sins in the name of Christ Jesus, eats his flesh and drinks his blood. Cp. Rev 22:14 Jn 6:54. Truth eats life no one nourished by truth will die. This is the meaning of eating living things which bring us out of darkness and into the light.
On the day when you come into the light you became two. When you are two, what will you become? Two can be a figure both of unity and of division. Man and woman form the basic family unit (Gen 1:27 2:20,24) we become two when we are united with God we are two because God is with us and we are walking with him we are walking in the light and we are no longer one but two.
11) Jesus said, "This heaven [the errant Christo-pagan system of worship] will pass away, and the one above it [errant Judaism] will pass away. The dead [those who are "of" the two heavens named] are not alive [have not found the Life, the resurrection (“Christ in you”)], and the living [those who have “Christ in them”] will not die. In the days when you consumed [put your faith and trust in false teachings of men] what is dead [the lower/outward (fleshly) forms], you made it what is alive [a falsehood has no life of its own, one must give it life by believing and accepting it as true]. When you come to dwell in the light [come to learn the truth about all of these things], what will you do [great question but I am guessing it is best answered by; “choose this day whom you will serve”]? On the day [you sinned] when you were one [still in harmony with the spirit (for most of us, this is lost pretty early in life!)] you became two [you were separated from the Father (duality of mind) eating only from the tree of knowledge, the lower form]. But when you become two, what will you do [try like crazy to recover that lost unity]?"
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