A Householder and Food the gospel of Philip

A Householder and Food

There was a householder who had everything: children, slaves, cattle, dogs, pigs, wheat, barley, chaff, fodder, [oil], meat, and acorns. The householder was wise and knew the food of each. He fed the children [baked] bread [and meat]. He fed the slaves [oil and] grain. [He fed] the cattle barley, chaff, and fodder. He threw the dogs some bones. He fed the pigs acorns [81] and gruel.

So it is with the disciples of God. If they are wise, they understand discipleship. Bodily forms will not deceive them, but they will examine the condition of each person’s soul and speak appropriately with the person. In the world many animals have human form. If the disciples of God identify them as pigs, they feed them acorns. If cattle, they feed them barley, chaff, and fodder. If dogs, they throw them some bones. If slaves, they feed them what is preliminary. If children, they feed them what is complete.

There was a householder who had every conceivable thing, be it son or slave or cattle or dog or pig or corn or barley or chaff or grass or [...] or meat and acorn. Now he was a sensible fellow, and he knew what the food of each one was. He served the children bread. He served the slaves […] and meal. And he threw barley and chaff and grass to the cattle. He threw bones to the dogs, and to the pigs he threw acorns and slop. Compare the disciple of God: if he is a sensible fellow, he understands what discipleship is all about. The bodily forms will not deceive him, but he will look at the condition of the soul of each one and speak with him. There are many animals in the world which are in a human form. When he identifies them, to the swine [self-centered and faithless] he will throw acorns [acorns have the meat (the truth) hidden inside a hard shell and the swine will not notice it at all when they eat for if they did notice it they would just “trample it underfoot” anyway and “return to the mire”], to the cattle [those domesticated by the “state” (their master) trusting what it feeds them – these are not able to reason very well] he will throw barley and chaff and grass [these will digest truth along with the lies over and over again (four times literally) and still not be able to process it to any benefit but will continue in their blissful ignorance], to the dogs [people of faith in the many non-Hebrew/Christian religious sects of the world] he will throw bones [these do not yet feed from the crumbs of their masters table and also must crack through the hard outer layer that hides the truth inside for these too would only “return to their own vomit” even if they heard the truth]. To the slaves [these are not yet sons i.e. do not have Christ in them but are able to “hear the word” and recognize that they are sinners] he will give only the elementary lessons [through parables and allegories to help them transition from the “letter” to the “spirit” of the Word], to the children [the gestating sons of God whose hearts are able to bear all truth at any personal cost] he will give the complete instruction [from “the tree of life” these intently “listen to what the spirit says”]. (Philip 92)