Tuesday 12 May 2020

let him renounce the world gospel of thomas saying 110


Saying 110

110. Jesus said, "Let one who has found the world, and has become wealthy, renounce the world."
This definitely sounds like something Jesus would have said, but this also seems to contradict what we read in Thomas:81. There he said to “let the wealthy reign,” but again, we must determine what is the context of his message. Most of the time Jesus spoke in spiritual or figurative language, but occasionally he spoke in natural terms to make a point. Truth can be found at every level. Here it appears he is speaking about natural wealth, which then flows with the rest of his teachings. To reiterate this point, we need to realize that being wealthy is not a sin, but it can certainly be a distraction that can lead us into sinful behavior. Drinking is not a sin, but it can lead us to make bad choices. Really every choice we knowingly and willingly make outside of God’s will is a sin. Sin then is really our awareness of this imperfection and misalignment with regards to God’s perfect will. So, as Jesus says, if in our minds we leave (renounce, fast from) this world, we can then better focus on God and His will. 

This sounds like 27 56 80 81 and 111. finding the world is to become rich and after becoming rich one should renounce power or renouncing the world.
The teaching on renunciation of the world also occurs in the Acts of Paul and Thecla, the Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles, and Pistis Sophia. See also Gospel of Thomas saying 27 on fasting from (or, abstaining from) the world."
Helmut Koester writes: "To be 'children of the living Father' is to be free from the society and not to be bound to the world and its values. 'Blessedness' does not depend upon the marks of success in this world. One's identity should not be determined by whatever is valuable for personal status in the social fabric of the world: householder, family member, religious leader, successful business person: [110]." (Ancient Christian Gospels, p. 128
Gerd Ludemann writes: "Like Logia 56; 80; 111.3, the logion is about the renunciation of the world. This time Jesus is addressing those who like the man from Logion 109 have profited from the world, but should now withdraw from it as rapidly as possible." (Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 641)

110) Jesus said, "Whoever finds the world [comes to understand the that the higher/inward (spiritual) understandings are cleverly hidden in the lower/outward (fleshly) images] and becomes rich [in spirit recognizing the true wealth of this knowledge], let him renounce the world [the field which has brought forth such abominations so as to hide the Key of Knowledge "making the Word of God to none affect by their traditions" and effectively destroying their and our souls in the process]."

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