The nature of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas

The nature of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas

The Gospel of Thomas use the words flesh, falsehood or death as a symbol of our sinful nature

Saying 28 Jesus said: I stood in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in the flesh. I found them all drunk; I found none of them thirsting, and my soul was afflicted for the sons of men; for they are blind in their heart, and they do not see that they came empty into the world, (and) empty they seek to leave the world again. But now they are drunk. When they have thrown off their wine, they will repent

Here Jesus came in the Flesh his soul was afflicted for the children of men.  
"I appeared to them in the flesh" is translated by LAYTON to read "I was shown forth incarnate" 

Incarnate means “having a bodily form.” ... The prefix in- means “in” and caro means “flesh,” so incarnate means “in the flesh.”

The appearing in flesh does not mean that Jesus was part of the trinity or an angel in Heaven before he was born. “to appear” means to look at behold, to allow one’s self to be seen, Jesus was in the world but the world did not know him until him made his appearance on the world stage.

We should compare this saying with saying 101 to find out the meaning of the word flesh Jesus has 2 mother's his birth mother after the flesh and his true mother the holy spirit

Saying 101) Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother as I do cannot become a disciple to Me. And whoever does [not] love his father and his mother as I do cannot become a [disciple] to Me. For My mother [gave me falsehood], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life."

For My birth mother [gave me death], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life." april deconick translation

Jesus birth mother could only give him death or falsehood which we understand to be sin in the flesh. but his true mother give him life. 

Here in saying 101 death or falsehood is an equivalent expression for human nature.

Sin, is an equivalent expression  for human nature.

Hence, the flesh is always regarded as unclean. It is therefore written, "How can he be clean who is born of a woman?" (Job 25:4) "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." (Job 14:4) "What is man that he should be clean? And he which is born of a woman that he should be righteous? Behold, God putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinketh iniquity like water?" (Job 15:14-16)

According to this physical law, the Seed of the woman was born into the world. The nature of Mary was as unclean as that of other women; and therefore could give birth only to "a body" like her own, though especially "prepared of God" (Heb. 10:5). Had Mary's nature been immaculate, as some claim, an immaculate body would have been born of her; which, therefore, would not have answered the purpose of God; which was to condemn sin in the flesh; a thing that could not have been accomplished, if there were no sin there.

This view of sin in the flesh is enlightening in the things concerning Jesus. The apostle says, "God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin" (2 Cor. 5:21); and this he explains in another place by saying, that "He sent his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom. 8:3) in the offering of his body once (Heb. 10:10,12,14).

Sin could not have been condemned in the body of Jesus, if it had not existed there. His body was as unclean as the bodies of those for whom he died; for he was born of a woman, and "not one" can bring a clean body out of a defiled body; for "that", says Jesus himself, "which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6).

Should We Worship Mary the Mother of Jesus Gospel of Thomas saying 79

Should We Worship Mary Gospel of Thomas saying 79 

Gospel of Thomas saying 79 A woman in the crowd said to him, "Blessed are the womb that bore you and the breasts that nourished you!" He said to [her], "Blessed are those who have heard the father's utterance (or Word) and truly kept it! For days are coming when you (plur.) will say, 'Blessed are the womb that has not conceived and the breasts that have not given milk!

This saying in Thomas also found in the gospel of Luke would certainly have been a fine opportunity for Jesus to pay special honor to his mother if that had been appropriate. He did not do so.

Jesus deflects praise from his mother and himself toward those who are obedient to God. So we should not worship Jesus’ mother or give her honour for she was just flesh and blood like us and we should only honour and worship Yahweh our Elohim

382 Mary, the mother of Jesus, was unique, in that she gave birth to a son by a special miracle, without the intervention of the customary physical means. This of course does not mean that she was more than human, any more than that her son was more than human. She had as much need to pray to Allah as anyone else. The Christian dogma, in all sects except the Unitarian, holds that Jesus was God and the son of God. The worship of Mary became the practice in the Roman Catholic Church, which calls Mary the "Mother of God". This seems to have been endorsed by the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.C., in the century before Muhammad was born to sweep away the corruptions of the Church of Christ . 

The woman who says how Blessed Mary is to have given birth to Jesus is thinking carnally. She believes that Mary gave life to Jesus, but flesh gives birth to flesh. God could turn stones into men (and He basically did!). Again man was created, but spirit is born of spirit. So God gives birth to spirit. 

Saying 101) <Jesus said,> "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother as I do cannot become a disciple to Me. And whoever does [not] love his father and his mother as I do cannot become a [disciple] to Me. For My mother [gave me falsehood], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life."


For My birth mother [gave me death], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life." April deconick translation

Jesus birth mother could only give him death or falsehood which we understand to be sin in the flesh. but his true mother give him life. Sin, is an equivalent expression  for human nature.

Jesus goes on to tell this woman that the lucky ones are those who hear the Word of God and do what He says.

The last part of this Saying is a warning of disaster to come, when children will be much more a burden than a blessing, but whether Jesus is speaking about 70 CE or at the end of the present age is impossible to determine so I think it is both.


Jesus says that difficult times are coming for those thinking and living carnally.  God will break us like a Potter breaks and then refashions a pot. He will shape us into perfection, which is His image!

79) #A woman [a Jew who understood that the scriptures were pointing to Christ] from the crowd said to Him, "Blessed are the womb [Judaism (Gal 1:15)] which bore you and the breasts [the Old and New Testaments] which nourished You [He spoke forth both of these as the Word of God]." He said to her, "Blessed are those [the Elect] who have heard [the higher/inward (spiritual) meaning of] the word [in both Testaments] of the Father [Spirit-level as opposed to the mother which is of the flesh and blood level] and have truly kept it [obeyed and observed it as opposed to the Jews and the "Christo-pagans who do not]. #For there will be days [2,000 years (2 spiritual days) of Messianic age] when you will say, 'Blessed are the womb which has not conceived [true Judaism] and the breasts [of true Christianity] which have not given milk [both were subverted into "worldly" religions before they ever had a chance to bring forth adequate fruit to give birth to the spirit in anyone] .'" 

The Doctrine of Sin in the Gospel of Thomas

The Doctrine of Sin in the Gospel of Thomas

The Gospel of Thomas use the word sin in two ways the first meaning is transgression of God's Law and the second meaning is about our sinful nature 

Words which are used to describe sin and transgression

There are words in the gospel of thomas which refer directly to sin and transgression these words are sin, blaspheme, and defile. There are also words which indirectly refer to sin and transgression these words are lie, evil or bad, lamb, heart, and drunk 

The word sin occurs twice in sayings 14 and 104

The word defile occurs twice in saying 14

The word blaspheme occur three times in saying 44

The word lie is used once in saying 6

The word evil or bad appears 3 times in saying 45

The word hate occurs in saying 6, 43, 55 101

next is the lamb in saying 60 the lamb could be referring to the sin-offing  

Also the Gospel of Thomas use the words flesh, body, heart, falsehood or death as a symbol of our sinful nature.

The word flesh occurs four times in sayings 28 and 29 and 112

The word body occurs five times see sayings 28 80, and 87 

The word heart occurs six times but in saying 45 it is used to describe our sinful human nature 

The word falsehood or death occurs in saying 101 see Marvin Meyer translation or the April Deconick translation

the word fault or overcome is used in saying 104 it refers to madness 

Blaspheme

[44]. Jesus says: "He who has blasphemed the Father will be forgiven, and he who has blasphemed the Son will be forgiven: but he who has blasphemed the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either on earth or in heaven."

 This is a dangerous sin because you have truly denied the presence and the power of God."

This familiar verse echoes what we read in Matthew 12:31 and Luke 12:10. 

blaspheme against the holy spirit is to reject the power of God

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 a person rejecting the Truth when they hear it

Hate

6 His students 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?
Yeshua said, Do not lie and do not do what you hate. All things are disclosed before heaven.
There is nothing hidden that will not be revealed, nothing covered that will remain undisclosed.

Do not lie and do not do what you hate is a commandment if you break this commandment  it is a sin or a transgression of divine law

12 And YOU must not swear in my name to a lie, so that you do profane the name of your God. I am Jehovah. 

12 “All things, therefore, that YOU want men to do to YOU, YOU also must likewise do to them; this, in fact, is what the Law and the Prophets mean.

Tobit 4:15 15 And what you hate, do not do to anyone. Do not drink wine to excess or let drunkenness go with you on your way. (The New Revised Standard Version )

55 Jesus said, "Those who do not hate their fathers and their mothers cannot be disciples of me, and those who do not hate their brothers and their sisters and take up their cross like me will not become worthy of me."

You must separate yourselves from unbelieving family and friends
You must hate sin and be willing to pick up your cross if you truly want to follow Jesus."

hate is used as those of the world if you do not hate those of the world you can not be a disciples of Jesus because you would have sinned by not hating those of the world.

.lamb or sin-offing

60) They saw a Samaritan carrying a lamb on his way to Judea. He said to his disciples, "That man is round about the lamb." They said to him, "So that he may kill it and eat it." He said to them, "While it is alive, he will not eat it, but only when he has killed it and it has become a corpse." They said to him, "He cannot do so otherwise." He said to them, "You too, look for a place for yourself within repose, lest you become a corpse and be eaten."

The lamb the Samaritan is carrying could be a reference to animal sacrifice that would be a sin offering. We too are lambs or sheep of God the difference is we offer spiritual sacrifices.


The words use in the Gospel of Thomas to refer to sin as the transgression of God's Law are sin, blasphemed, hate, lamb and fault/overcome

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."

 Some ground for Thomas's notion is given in Mark 2:18-20 (Matthew 9:14-15; Luke 5:33-35), where Jesus says that the sons of the bride-chamber cannot fast while he is with them. Since Thomas regards the kingdom as present rather than future, fasting (prayer, giving to charity, and dietary laws) is pointless and, indeed, sinful."

[104]. They said [to him:] "Come, let us pray and fast today!" Jesus says: "What then is the sin that I have committed, or in what have I been at fault? But when the bridegroom comes out of the bridal chamber, then they must fast and pray!"

Notice that “they” rather than “you” is the form used here, so that Jesus is implicitly is speaking about people outside the immediate audience of the saying that is the Pharisees.  

"Jesus is asked to pray and fast (see Sayings 5 and 14). Since he has committed no sin, he refuses

Although we do not know the particulars regarding this fast, it seems from Jesus’ response, that Jesus is telling these Pharisees that he had no personal reason to fast on that day. In addition, Jesus indicates that their timing for the fast was inappropriate. But when  the bridegroom comes out of the bridal chamber at the second coming than the false believers will fast and pray"


104) They [the Pharisees] said [to Jesus], "Come, let us pray today and let us fast [thinking in their fleshly minds that these lower/outward forms of worship are beneficial]." Jesus said, "What is the sin that I have committed [that I should join with you in prayer], or wherein have I been defeated [when was I overcome by the flesh]? But when the bridegroom [the Word] leaves the bridal chamber [of your heart - as a result of turning back to the rudiments of the world], then let them [those who have fallen to the robbers losing the Keys of Knowledge] fast and pray." (Lk 5:33-39; Mt 9:14-17; etc..)

The nature of sin

Next the Gospel of Thomas use the words flesh, falsehood or death as a symbol of our sinful nature.

Saying 28 Jesus said: I stood in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in the flesh. I found them all drunk; I found none of them thirsting, and my soul was afflicted for the sons of men; for they are blind in their heart, and they do not see that they came empty into the world, (and) empty they seek to leave the world again. But now they are drunk. When they have thrown off their wine, they will repent

The appearing in flesh does not mean that Jesus was part of the trinity or an angel in Heaven before he was born. “to appear” means to look at behold, to allow one’s self to be seen, Jesus was in the world but the world did not know him until him made his appearance on the world stage.

It was the word that became flesh when Jesus says I appeared in the flesh this is the Eternal spirit called the Logos or word, which is identical with Theos or Deity. Now, Theos was the Logos, that is Deity was the word and this word became flesh. This is Deity manifested in flesh. Jesus came from the seed of David according to the flesh that is in the sameness of sinful flesh but being the son of God his character was clean so he was without sin (that is transgression of God's law) but he had the sinful nature and this is how God condemned sin in the flesh when Jesus was made sin for us for it was in the flesh of Jesus that God condemned sin in the flesh and killed the one who has the power of death that is the devil which is our own desires and when desire has conceived it gives birth to sin and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death

(45) Jesus says:

(1) "Grapes are not harvested from thorns, nor are figs picked from thistles, for they do not produce fruit. (2) A good person brings forth good from his treasure. (3) A bad person brings (forth) evil from the bad treasure that is in his heart, and (in fact) he speaks evil. (4) For out of the abundance of the heart he brings forth evil."

saying 101) <Jesus said,> "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother as I do cannot become a disciple to Me. And whoever does [not] love his father and his mother as I do cannot become a [disciple] to Me. For My mother [gave me falsehood], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life."

For My birth mother [gave me death], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life."

Jesus birth mother could only give him death or falsehood which we understand to be sin in the flesh. but his true mother give him life. Sin, is an equivalent expression  for human nature.

Hence, the flesh is always regarded as unclean. It is therefore written, "How can he be clean who is born of a woman?" (Job 25:4) "Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one." (Job 14:4) "What is man that he should be clean? And he which is born of a woman that he should be righteous? Behold, God putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. How much more abominable and filthy is man, who drinketh iniquity like water?" (Job 15:14-16)

According to this physical law, the Seed of the woman was born into the world. The nature of Mary was as unclean as that of other women; and therefore could give birth only to "a body" like her own, though especially "prepared of God" (Heb. 10:5). Had Mary's nature been immaculate, as some claim, an immaculate body would have been born of her; which, therefore, would not have answered the purpose of God; which was to condemn sin in the flesh; a thing that could not have been accomplished, if there were no sin there.

This view of sin in the flesh is enlightening in the things concerning Jesus. The apostle says, "God made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin" (2 Cor. 5:21); and this he explains in another place by saying, that "He sent his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom. 8:3) in the offering of his body once (Heb. 10:10,12,14).

Sin could not have been condemned in the body of Jesus, if it had not existed there. His body was as unclean as the bodies of those for whom he died; for he was born of a woman, and "not one" can bring a clean body out of a defiled body; for "that", says Jesus himself, "which is born of the flesh is flesh" (John 3:6).


Speaking of the conception and preparation of the Seed, the prophet as a typical person, says, "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me" (Psalm 51:5). This is nothing more than affirming that he was born of sinful flesh; and not of the pure and incorruptible angelic nature.

If Christ had been a son of Adam merely, he would have been a sinner, and, therefore, unfit for sacrificial purposes. On the other hand, if he had been clothed with angelic or immaculate nature, he would have been equally disqualified, inasmuch as it was necessary that the sinning nature should suffer in him. The combination of condemned human nature with personal sinlessness character was effected through divine power begetting a son from Mary's substance. A "Lamb of God," was thus produced, guileless from his paternity, and yet inheriting the human sin-nature of his mother. The Lamb being provided, the sacrifice followed. The "Messiah was cut off." "He was wounded for our transgressions; he was bruised for our iniquities: . . . Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all."
God dealt with him representatively. (Heb 10:4) There is a great difference between a representative and a substitute. A representative is not disconnected from those represented. On the contrary, those represented go through with him all that he goes through. But in the case of a substitute, it is otherwise. He does his part instead of those for whom he is the substitute, and these are dissociated from the transgression.

Christ suffering as the representative of his people, is one with them, and they are one with him. In what he went through they went through. Hence, Paul says believers were impaled with Christ, and baptised into his death. This death he declares to have been "the declaration of the righteousness of God," which God required as the basis of the work of reconciliation and forgiveness (Rom 3:24-26).

Sinful flesh being the hereditary nature of the Lord Jesus, he was a fit and proper sacrifice for sin; especially as he was himself "innocent of the great transgression", having been obedient in all things. Appearing in the nature of the seed of Abraham (Heb. 2:16-18), he was subject to all the emotions by which we are troubled; so that he was enabled to sympathize with our infirmities (Heb. 4:15), being "made in all things like unto his brothers." But, when he was "born of the Spirit", in the quickening of his mortal body by the spirit (Rom. 8:11), he became a spirit; for "that which is born of the spirit is spirit." Hence, he is "the Lord the Spirit", incorruptible flesh and bones.



Rom. 5:12, 17, 19: “Through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned—. . . . By the trespass of the one man death ruled as king . . . Through the disobedience of the one man many were constituted sinners.”

1 Cor. 15:22: “In Adam all are dying.”

Paul's point is that since the "fall" of Adam every single member of Adam's progeny has been born into a "constitution" of sin, even before becoming actual transgressors or sinners! This "constitution" is elsewhere termed "sinful flesh" or "sin's flesh"; that is, "flesh" under the dominion of a sinful constitution and therefore subject to death (ch. 8:3; 6:9). It is this constitution to which Paul refers when he describes Christ as having been "made sin for us" (2Cor. 5:21). Though never at any time guilty of transgression, the Lord Jesus was a direct descendant of Adam, and therefore inherited the same corruptible, death-stricken nature, as have all Adam's progeny.
Thus Paul describes a realm of sin and death, a constitution or arena of domination, in which the propensities of flesh, inflamed by Adam's transgression, must be suppressed and conquered. This teaches that death is the way to life! The only means to justification is through repression of the unlawful desires of the flesh.
Man is not personally responsible for the death-stricken state into which he is born; it is not his crime but his misfortune, a calamity that has come upon him like an
unfortunate disease. Yet, in this very situation, he is provided an opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty to God. Paul found himself in this "constitution", having "a body of sin" (Rom. 6:6), being "sold under sin" (ch. 7:14), and therefore being naturally dominated by King Sin who figuratively has purchased him, along with all others in this mortal.

"Sinners" — Man is constituted a sinner, for he exists in the domain of sin, being bound by the nature that derived from sin in the first place, and is, himself, potentially a sinner. So he dwells in an arena where sin is a constant influence. Paul uses the figure of Death as a monarch reigning over his domain of sin. All mortals are subjects of that kingdom, being born into it, even though they may not approve of the principles in which it rejoices.

Jesus had our nature in order to destroy the devil. Contrast this with Rom.8:3: "God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh (that is, in our human nature) condemned sin in the flesh". This shows that the devil and the sinful tendencies that are naturally within human nature are effectively the same. It is vitally important to understand that Jesus was tempted just like us. Misunderstanding the doctrine of the devil means that we cannot correctly appreciate the nature and work of Jesus. It was only because Jesus had our human nature - the 'devil' within him - that we can have the hope of salvation (Heb.2:14-18; 4:15). By overcoming the desires of his own nature, the Biblical devil, Jesus was able to destroy the devil on the cross (Heb.2:14). If the devil is a personal being, then he should no longer exist. Heb.9:26 says that Christ was manifested "to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself". Heb.2:14 matches this with the statement that through his death Christ destroyed the devil in himself. By His death Jesus in prospect destroyed "the body of sin" (Rom.6:6), i.e. human nature, sin revealed in (the form of) our very bodies.

The Ascent of the Soul The Gospel of Mary

The Ascent of the Soul The Gospel of Mary

The Ascent of the Soul in The Gospel of Mary


"And Desire said, 'I did not see you go down, yet now I see you go up. So why do you lie since you belong to me?'
"The soul answered, 'I saw you. You did not see me nor did you know me. You took the garment (I wore) for my (true) self. And you did not recognise me.'
"After it had said these things, it left rejoicing greatly.
"Again, it came to the third Power, which is called 'Ignorance.' [It] examined the soul closely, saying, 'Where are you going? You are bound by wickedness. Indeed you are bound! Do not judge!'
"And the soul said, 'Why do you judge me, since I have not passed judgement? I have been bound, but I have not bound (anything). They did not recognise me, but I have recognised that the universe is to be dissolved, both the things of earth and those of heaven.'
"When the soul had brought the third Power to naught, it went upward and saw the fourth Power. It had seven forms. The first form is darkness; the second is desire; the third is ignorance; the fourth is zeal for death; the fifth is the realm of the flesh; the sixth is the foolish wisdom of the flesh; the seventh is the wisdom of the wrathful person. These are the seven Powers of Wrath.
"They interrogated the soul, 'Where are you coming from, human-killer, and where are you going, space-conqueror?'
"The soul replied, saying, 'What binds me has been slain, and what surrounds me has been destroyed, and my desire has been brought to an end, and ignorance has died. In a world, I was set loose from a world [an]d in a type, from a type which is above, and (from) the chain of forgetfulness which exists in time. From this hour on, for the time of the due season of the aeon, I will receive rest in silence.' "

The beginning of the vision is missing the revelation starts with the second power Desire. I would suppose that the vision is a revelation to Mary Magdalene about herself about her own enlightenment

"And Desire said, 'I did not see you go down, yet now I see you go up. So why do you lie since you belong to me?'

"The soul answered, 'I saw you. You did not see me nor did you know me. You mistook the garment (I wore) for my (true) self. And you did not recognise me.'

"After it had said these things, it left rejoicing greatly.

The Garment here is the ego or personality which the soul clothes itself with it is not the true real self which is the Christ consciousness

Again, it came to the third Power, which is called 'Ignorance.' [It] examined the soul closely, saying, 'Where are you going? You are bound by wickedness. Indeed you are bound! Do not judge!'




Ignorance judges the soul to be bound by the wickedness of the passions and lacking in discernment do not judge it commands. The soul is bound to the lower world by its physical nature which produces sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery


Mary Magdalene represents the psyche of the carnal consciousness. This psyche is demoniacal, and from it Jesus cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2). It is there that the emotions have their centres of action. It is the seat of desire.

Now the female offspring of the soul are wickedness and passion, but a healthy state of the passions and virtue is male,

The feelings and affections, which are the seat of the emotions in our unenlightened heart, belong to the soul.

The soul is ascending through different levels of the carnal consciousness or the senses until it raises to the higher self the Christ consciousness which releases the soul from the emotional errors (the demons) that have their existence in the unenlightened heart and establishes peace and repose in the consciousness

The purification of the soul is a change of mind and purpose (Acts 5:31; 11:18). Belief in the gospel of the kingdom is to have this state of mind and character according to “the law of faith.” The Gospel is intended to enlighten and purify the mind while enriching the emotions, attitudes and decisions with love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance (Gal 5:22-23) . Where the truth prevails there is 'righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit' (Romans 14:17) which will result in edification of one another (v 19).

The 7 forms of the fourth power represent the 7 demons cast out of Mary Magdalene. The powers are the Archons or the rulers of power of the senses

The 2nd Power is Desire the carnal mind craving, the 3rd Power is Ignorance it believes it has power to judge others, but the soul knows that all power belongs to God alone, the fourth Power is Wrath which has 7 forms the seven Powers of Wrath

the 7 forms of the fourth power are (spiritual) darkness, the second desire (craving), the third ignorance (of the Truth), the fourth is the zeal for death (a lack of consciousness), the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh (which enslaves the emotions), the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh (materialistic worship, born of the carnal mind), the seventh is the wrathful wisdom (false doctrines and theories born of the carnal mind, which is a counterfeit of true Wisdom). These are the seven powers of wrath (the limited and inferior thoughts and attitudes ).

Their collective character and name is wrath

The idea of seven steps of ascent to divinity (which correspond to the seven heavens) is widely known.

The Ascent of the Soul in The Gospel of Mary is not about the soul ascending to the literal heavens but the heavens which is a state of consciousness in harmony with the thoughts of God.

The Ascent of the Soul is to it free from the powers of human nature not matter

The 4 Powers are within ourselves

The 4 Powers are the 7 forms which are established as parts of our Being

They represent the senses

the powers are a personification of human nature or human qualities this is seen from the Testament of Reuben chapter 2 the concerning the seven spirits of error

Testament of Reuben

2:1 And now hear me, my children, what things I saw concerning the seven spirits of error, when I repented.
2:2 For seven spirits are established against man, and they are the sources of the deeds of youth.
2:3 And seven other spirits are given to man at creation, so that by them every human deed is done.
2:4 The first is the spirit of life, with which man's whole being is created. The second is the spirit of sight, with which comes desire.
2:5 The third is the spirit of hearing, with which comes instruction. The fourth is the spirit of smell, with which is given tastes for drawing air and breath.
2:6 The fifth is the spirit of speech, with which comes knowledge.
2:7 The sixth is the spirit of taste, for consuming food and drink; by it comes strength, because in food is the substance of strength.
2:8 The seventh is the spirit of procreation and intercourse, with which comes sin through fondness for pleasure.
2:9 For this reason, it is the last in order of creation, and the first in that of youth, because it is filled with ignorance, and leads the youth as a blind man into a ditch, and like an animal over a cliff.

3:1 In addition to all these there is an eighth spirit of sleep, with which is brought about the trance of nature and the image of death.
3:2 With these spirits are mingled the spirits of error.
3:3 First, the spirit of fornication resides in the nature and in the senses; the second, the spirit of insatiableness, in the stomach; the third, the spirit of fighting, in the liver and gall.
3:4 The fourth is the spirit of flattery and trickery, in order that through excessive effort one might appear to be at the height of his power.
3:5 The fifth is the spirit of pride, that one may be boastful and arrogant. The sixth is the spirit of lying, which through destructiveness and rivalry, handles his affairs smoothly and secretively even with his relatives and his household.
3:6 The seventh is the spirit of injustice, with which are thefts and acts of rapacity, that a man may fulfil the desire of his heart; for injustice works together with the other spirits by the taking of gifts.
3:7 And with all these the spirit of sleep is joined which is that of error and fantasy.
3:8 And so every young man is destroyed, darkening his mind from the truth, and not understanding the Law of God, nor obeying the admonitions of his fathers as befell me also in my youth.
3:9 And now, my children, love the truth, and it will preserve you: hear you the words of Reuben your father.

The Son of Man is within you The Gospel of Mary

The Son of Man is within you The Gospel of Mary

33) When the Blessed One had said this, He greeted them all,saying, Peace be with you. Receive my peace unto yourselves.

34) Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you.
35) Follow after Him!
36) Those who seek Him will find Him.
37) Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom.
38) Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.
39) When He said this He departed.

Jesus departs saying, “the Son of Man is within you,” so do not be lead astray by false teachings. The disciples weep and are very distressed by what Jesus has said.

34) Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you.
35) Follow after Him!
36) Those who seek Him will find Him.

Regarding the "Son of Man", or “Son of Adam”, “the Son of Man is within you.” another translation renders that as “the Seed of True Humanity” or child of true humanity. The Eastern term is “atman”, the true self or Spirit of Life within.

Such gendered terminology definitely requires contextualisation, however, some scholars have favoured new translations of terms that are gender neutral terms. For instance, “Son of Man” appears in earlier translations like Wilson and MacRae, yet, is abandoned by King in favour of “child of true humanity,” 43 while De Boer replaces the term with “Human Being

43 King, The Gospel of Mary of Magdala, p. 33.
44 De Boer, Mary Magdalene, pp. 81-86.

Some commentary found in a footnote of the same translation adds:

“The disciples must search within themselves, to find the Seed of True Humanity that is within each person. They must guard against those who try to lead them astray by requiring that a person conform to what is outside.” (The Complete Gospels, Robert J. Miller)

Like the Gospel of Thomas, The Gospel of Mary has recourse here to the Gospel of Luke 17:20-23 where Jesus warns the disciples not to let themselves be led astray by false signs the saying in Luke the kingdom of God is in your midst.” is turned into the affirmation that the the Son of Man is within you in the gospel of mary .

Luke 17 no one will say, 'Look here!' or 'There!' For you see, the kingdom of God is among you."

The Gospel of Luke declares that the Kingdom is already present. Believers do not need to wait for its coming because it is present in the mission of Jesus.

The Gospel of Thomas also teaches that the presence of the kingdom is within the believer and it also locates it outside of us as well which would be the Church

Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the 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 kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realise that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty."

(113) His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?" Jesus said, "It will not come by waiting for it. It will not be a matter of saying 'here it is' or 'there it is.' Rather, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it."

The Kingdom is not in the sky or the sea rather God's kingdom is already present within the believer and outside as the Church God's spiritual Kingdom

82) Jesus said, "He who is near me is near the fire, and he who is far from me is far from the kingdom."

Here in Saying 82 Jesus is identified as both fire and Kingdom for the king is the kingdom therefore we should understand that since Jesus is the Kingdom and the kingdom is within you thus the son of man is within you

The Testimony of Truth
he has to come to know the Son of Man, that is, he has come to know himself. This is the perfect life, that man know himself by means of the All. (The Testimony of Truth)


the Son of Man is within you in it is there within oneself that one must seek him and it is there that one will find him only so is it possible to follow after him

The son of man is Jesus, the true self within or the Christ consciousness we must follow him or it

Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said.

this last saying is a reference to the Saviour's earlier command to find the son of man within. to find the son of man within or to put on the perfect Man means to to know the Christ consciousness one's true self whose roots are nourished by the Good We must acquire this spiritual self or spiritual image as one's truest identity

Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you.
35) Follow after Him!
36) Those who seek Him will find Him.

Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said.

Jesus represents God's idea of man in expression (Son of man); Christ is that idea in the absolute (Son of God). The Christ is the man that God created in His image and likeness, the perfect-idea man, and is the real self of all men.

Christ is the one and only complete, ideal man in the mind of the everywhere present God; the "only begotten Son of God" and "hid with Christ in God." The "Son of man" is the thought of this spiritual man, or idea of God, and like all thoughts is subject to the limitations of its own identity. By voluntarily casting off these limitations the man identity may come into realization of its own universality as the only begotten of God. So we find Jesus referring to Himself as both the "Son of God" and the "Son of man," because He had reached a place in understanding where He realized His relation to Being. In John 7:29 Jesus explains this realization when He says, "I know him; because I am from him, and he sent me."

The body of Christ is a Corporate Being

The body of Christ is a Corporate Being

“Now you are Christ’s body, and members individually,” in a spiritual sense. (1Co 12:27

The body of Christ refer to a the higher state of consciousness which Jesus' message produces. Jesus is the first fruits or prototype of this higher consciousness the Christ-consciousness. Jesus' teachings put the body of Christ-consciousness in reach of us all.

The body of Christ is also a Corporate Being called the Son of Man (Dan 7 Rev 1) others call it the mystical body of Christ it refers to large number/body of people who are in the Christ consciousness or the Corporate Being the Son of Man the multitudinous Christ

"I will be who I will be." This proclamation of Deity at the bush announced His purpose to manifest Himself in flesh (1 Tim. 3:16). This was fulfilled in an individual, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:5,6,26), and will ultimately be so in a community: the multitudinous Body of Christ.

God told Israel that His Name was YAHWEH, meaning 'I will be who I will be' (Ex.3:13-15).
 This name was then slightly extended: "God said moreover (i.e. in addition) unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, Yahweh God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob...this is My name for ever, and my memorial to all generations" (Ex.3:15).

God's full name is therefore "Yahweh Elohim".

The Old Testament was written mostly in Hebrew, and our English translation inevitably misses out a lot of detail when it comes to translating the Hebrew words for 'God'. One of the common Hebrew words translated 'God' is 'Elohim', meaning 'mighty ones'. God's "memorial", the Name by which He wants us to remember Him, is therefore

YAHWEH ELOHIM
meaning
HE WHO WILL BE REVEALED IN A GROUP OF MIGHTY ONES.

It is therefore God's purpose to reveal His character and His essential being in a large group of people. By obedience to His word we can develop some of God's characteristics in ourselves now, so that in a very limited sense God is revealing Himself in the true believers in this life. But God's Name is a prophecy of the time to come when the earth will be filled with people who are like Him, both in character and by nature (cp. 2 Pet.1:4). If we wish to be associated with the purpose of God and to become like God to die no more, living for ever in complete moral perfection, then we must associate ourselves with His Name. The way to do this is to be baptized into the Name - i.e. Yahweh Elohim (Matt.28:19). This also makes us the descendants ("seed") of Abraham (Gal.3:27-29) who were promised the eternal inheritance of the earth (Gen.17:8; Rom.4:13) - the group of 'mighty ones' ('Elohim') in whom the prophecy of God's Name will be fulfilled

Pleroma and Kenoma 2 Corinthians 4:18

Pleroma and Kenoma 2 Corinthians 4:18

Pleroma and Kenoma can be understood via 2 Corinthians 4:18, "While we look not at the things which are seen (kenoma), but on the things which are unseen (pleroma); for the things which are seen are temporal (kenoma), but the things which are unseen are eternal (pleroma)."

How can one "look" at something unseen? Not by using your fleshy eyes, but by using your spiritual eye. When gnosis comes, you are able to "see" the unseen. Since it is unseen, it cannot be conceptualized. You can only "gnow" it.

The Archangel Michael the God of the Jews

The Archangel Michael the God of the Jews

The biblical Book of Deuteronomy stipulates that “the Most High, El, gave to the nations their inheritance” and that “Yahweh’s portion is his people, Jacob and his allotted heritage” (32:8-9). 

Daniel 10:13 But the prince of the royal realm of Persia was standing in opposition to me for twenty-one days, and, look! Michael, one of the foremost princes, came to help me; and I, for my part, remained there beside the kings of Persia.

Daniel 10:21 However, I shall tell you the things noted down in the writing of truth, and there is no one holding strongly with me in these [things] but Michael, the prince of YOU people.

Michael, michåel (Heb.)--who is like unto God?; who is like God; who is assimilated of God; Godlike; who is like expanding power. Michael represents mercy and loving-kindness.

"The archangel" (Jude 9), or "one of the chief princes" who came to help Daniel (Dan. 10:13). He is mentioned in Revelation 12:7 as the leader of the heavenly army that wars against the dragon. There are several Israelites by this name mentioned in the Bible, too (Num. 13:13; I Chron. 5:13; 6:40; 7:3; 8:16; 12:20; 27:18).

The foremost angel, both in power and authority, is Michael, the archangel. (Da 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 9; Re 12:7; Because of his preeminence and his being called “the great prince who is standing in behalf of the sons of [God’s] people,” he is presumed to be the angel that led Israel through the wilderness. (Ex 23:20-23)

Michael being "one of the chief" implies a hierarchy amongst Angels; hence Jude 9 speaks of "Michael the Archangel".

The LXX renders Dan. 12:1 as “the great Angel” (AV “great prince”). The closeness of association between the Angel Michael and His people Israel is shown by the fact that when He 'stands up' in the last days many of the people of Israel

Hebrews 1 labours the point that the Lord Jesus was not an Angel. This Angel was not the Lord Jesus, but just as Michael represented Israel (Dan. 12:1), so this Angel was the representative of the Messiah.

Michael is the Angel especially responsible for Israel, and therefore one of the most powerful Angels- "Michael one of the chief princes" (Dan. 8:13), "the great prince" (Dan. 12:1). The LXX renders Dan. 12:1 as “the great Angel” (AV “great prince”). Under Michael's control there are many other Angels similarly dedicated to the affairs of the people of Israel- Dt. 11:12 describes the land of Israel as "a land which Yahweh thy God careth for: the eyes of Yahweh thy God (i. e. the Angels) are always upon it from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year". In passing, does the phrase "Yahweh thy God" refer to the Angel which led them through the wilderness? The Angel Michael? Remember Moses was speaking to the people of Israel at this time, and as we saw earlier, they very much conceived of the "Yahweh thy God" in terms of the Angel of the presence going with them. Thus God was promising that His Angels would physically be present in the land and would be especially sensitive to the events there. The degree to which God wanted Israel to conceive of Him in terms of Angels is shown by carefully considering the command for Israel not to have chariots (Dt. 17:16 cp. Is. 2:7). As this form of transport became increasingly popular, it must have seemed as crazy as Christians being told not to possess motor cars. There must have therefore been a highly significant teaching behind it. Was the purpose of it to make Israel look to the Angel-cherubim chariots of God? The word for 'cherubim' carries the idea of a chariot; the notion of horsemen corresponds with the Angel horseriders of Zechariah and Revelation.

Zech. 1:11 describes the Angels as walking "to and fro through the earth (Heb. 'eretz'- the land, of Israel), and behold, all the earth (land) sitteth still and is at rest". "They are the eyes (Angels) of the LORD which run to and fro through the whole earth" (Zech. 4:10). It may even be that the satan Angel of Job was walking to and fro through the land of Israel (going up and down in the "earth"- land) rather than through the whole planet, inspecting the true worshippers (who would only have been located in the area around Israel in all probability). Perhaps it is to the physical presence of the Angel in the land that Ezek. 35:10 refers " Thou (the Arabs) hast said, These two nations and these two countries (Israel and Judah) shall be mine, and I will possess it; whereas the LORD (the Angel Michael) was there". Yet this same Angel ministered judgement on Israel- Ezek. 7:14 and 20:17 describe God's eye (the Angel Michael) not sparing or pitying, and in so doing goes back to the language of Is. 63 where we see that the Angel was capable of showing pity, but ceased to because of Israel's sin (v. 9,10). Ps. 83 also speaks of the Arab aggression towards Israel and therefore Michael in the last days: "They have taken crafty counsel against Thy people" (v. 3)- Israel are Michael's people. They say "let us take to ourselves the houses of God" (v. 12)- i. e. the Angel's dwelling place in the temple. They will be punished by a mighty theophany involving " a wheel. . . the wind. . the fire. . . Thy tempest. . . Thy storm" (v. 13-15)- all of which is the language of the Angel-cherubim and God manifestation in the Angels (e. g. Ps. 104:1-4).

Amos 7 speaks of God through His Angels 'standing up' for Israel as the result of the prayer of Amos and a faithful remnant. Amos sees visions of the impending judgements on Israel. After each he prays "O Lord God, forgive, I beseech Thee: who shall stand for Jacob? ('If you, his Angel-God, don't?') For he is small". The answer comes: "The Lord repented for this. It shall not be, saith the Lord". He repented for the sake of one intense prayer! Notice too Amos asking "Who shall stand for Jacob?". Michael the Angel stands for Israel in the court of Heaven, and thus it appears Amos is pointing out that if Israel is condemned and punished they will have no Angel with them- and so the Angel changes His mind.

All the Angels are righteous, but they act out the roles of the various situations on earth, and God gives His judgment upon them. Dt. 32:8 LXX suggests each nation has a representative Angel. We note that the prince of Persia "withstood". God of course could have forced him to do His will.

Michael the Angel stands for Israel in the court of Heaven (as the Angel 'God of Jacob'; Dan. 12:1), and it would appear that He is the same Angel that appeared to the patriarchs in making the promises and thus the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob was understood by them in terms of an Angel.

This is made specific in Gen. 48:15,16, where Jacob says : "God, before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac did walk, the God which fed me all my life long unto this day, the Angel which redeemed me from all evil. . . ". This Angel earlier told Jacob that He was "the God of Bethel"" (Gen. 31:11,13), where "Jacob vowed a vow saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go. . . " (28:20). Thus to him 'God' was the Angel.

Other references lend support: "The Angel of the Lord appeared unto (Moses) in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. . . He said, I am the God of. . Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. . . I have surely seen the affliction of My people (the Angels are the eyes of the Lord). . . and I am come down to deliver them. . to bring them up out of that land unto a good land (this was all done by the Angel which led Israel through the wilderness). . . the cry of the children of Israel is come unto Me (language of limitation). . . ye shall say unto (Pharaoh), The Lord, God of the Hebrews, hath met with us (Ex. 3:2,6,7,8,9,18). The Angel stresses at least three times in the chapter that He is the God of the patriarchs. Notice too how He also calls Himself the "God of the Hebrews"- i. e. the God of Israel. If "the God of Jacob" has reference to Angels, should not also "the God of Israel"? Frequently the phrase "the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel" is found in the prophets; and we have seen that "the Lord of Hosts" is invariably an Angelic title.

"The mighty God of Jacob" dwelt in the ark (Ps. 132:2,5); this was an Angel ( cp. Acts 7:46.

"The God of Hosts (Angels) is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge, Ps. 46:7,11 emphasizes. Note too the reference in v. 4 to "the tabernacles of the most high"- another Angelic phrase.

“The God of Jacob” gave a law, and he also “went out over the land of Egypt” (Ps. 81:4,5 RV)- all references to the work of the Angel on Sinai and at the Exodus.

Jacob was renamed Israel. The elders saw “the God of Israel”, or Jacob- i.e. they saw an Angel (Ex. 24:10).

Ps. 76 describes the God of Jacob as dwelling in Zion (v. 2)- where the Angel lived "At Thy rebuke. . . both the chariot and horse are cast into a dead sleep" (v. 6)- the language of Ex. 15:1 concerning the Angelic destruction of Pharaoh at the Red Sea (the "Lord" in the pillar of fire and cloud which caused their destruction was the Angel which travelled in the same pillar and talked to Moses- Ex. 14:24 cp. 33:9)

Ps. 81 has much Angelic language. "A law of the God of Jacob" (v. 4) refers to the Angels who gave the law. "I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of the land of Egypt" (v. 10)- Angelic work. The same kind of links are found in Ps. 114 between the wilderness Angel and the "God of Jacob"-"When Israel went out of Egypt. . . the (Red) Sea. . . fled. . . at the presence of the God of Jacob; which turned the rock into a standing water" (the work of the Angel standing on the rock at Rephidim).

God and his Angel(s) are interchangeable there is an angel named Yahweh who is the Archangel Michael but not the Deity himself. the Archangel Michael functions as the Deity's personal manifestation on earth

Article taken and adapted from Angels by Duncan Heaster (Christadelphian) 10-2 The Angel Michael and Israel