Sorrow and Suffering Gospel of Thomas Saying 58

Gospel of Thomas Saying 58

(58) Jesus said: Blessed is the man who has suffered; he has found life.

This life is naturally fraught with sorrow and suffering and great challenges. Trials and tribulations come and go and they are unavoidable. If you must endure sorrow and suffering, than let it not be without purpose and meaning. Seek to draw from it the blessings that may be found in it, so that when the period of sorrow or suffering has passed, you will have the good from it. When you meet the challenges of life in this way, you will naturally be blessed and your faith will grow stronger and you will find life.

58)# Jesus said, "Blessed is the [spiritual] man who has suffered [for the testimony of Jesus] and found life [Christ in you, the hope of glory - who gives one the Keys of Knowledge of the Kingdom so they too become a fountain of life to others]."

Lost Books

Lost Books 

Just from the writing of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures, alone, we learn of a number of books and letters, in the Hebrew Scriptures: the book of the wars of Yahweh (Numbers 21:14), the book of Jashar (Joshua 10:12,13 2 Samuel 1:18-27), the book of the acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11:41), the book of Annals of the Kings of Israel (1 Kings 14:19; 2 Chronicles 20:34; 2 Chronicles 33:18), the book of Annals of the Kings of Judah (1 Kings 14:29; 15:7), the Annals of Samuel the seer (1 Chronicles 29:29), the History of Nathan the prophet (2 Chronicles 9:29) the Annals of Shemaiah the prophet and of Iddo the seer (2 Chronicles 12:15) the Annals of Jehu son of Hanani (2 Chronicles 20:34) an unknown and untilled writing of Isaiah (2 Chronicles 26:22) the Annals of Hozai (2 Chronicles 33:18) and an unknown lament for Josiah by Jeremiah (2 Chronicles 35:25) and in the Christian Scriptures we know that Paul sent to the Christians of Corinth before he wrote 1 Corinthians (1 Corinthians 5:9), a letter that some of the Corinthians had sent to him (1 Corinthians 7:1), a letter forged in Paul’s name to the Thessalonians (2 Thessalonians 2:2). 

The historical reality is that most of the non-canonical books mentioned in our early surviving sources have been lost. Some were destroyed when Christian leaders found their teachings dangerous. Others simply disappeared out of general disinterest, in any event, most of the writings that survive from early Christianity have come down to us in the Christian Scriptures itself. 

Other lost text we learn about from the nag hammadi scriptures

Since you asked that I send you a secret book which was revealed to me and Peter by the Lord, I could not turn you away or gainsay (?) you; but I have written it in the Hebrew alphabet and sent it to you, and you alone. (The Apocryphon of James)


I also sent you, ten months ago, another secret book which the Savior had revealed to me. Under the circumstances, however, regard that one as revealed to me, James; but this one ... [untranslatable fragments] (The Apocryphon of James)

You will find the effect of these names and the force of the male entities in the Archangelic (Book) of the Prophet Moses, and the names of the female entities in the first Book of Noraia. (On the Origian of the world)

They had intercourse with one another, and each one begot seven, so that they amount to forty-nine androgynous demons. Their names and their effects you will find in the Book of Solomon.

"My father, the progress that has come to me now, and the foreknowledge, according to the books, that has come to me, exceeding the deficiency - these things are foremost in me." 

Other hidden codices revealed in the nag hammadi scriptures

The great Seth wrote this book with letters in one hundred and thirty years. He placed it in the mountain that is called 'Charaxio,' in order that, at the end of the times and the eras, by the will of the divine Autogenes and the whole pleroma, through the gift of the untraceable, unthinkable, fatherly love, it may come forth and reveal this incorruptible, holy race of the great savior, and those who dwell with them in love, and the great, invisible, eternal Spirit, and his only-begotten Son, and the eternal light, and his great, incorruptible consort, and the incorruptible Sophia, and the Barbelon, and the whole pleroma in eternity. Amen.

The Holy Book of the Great 


But I said, "Sir, am I also from their matter?"
"You, together with your offspring, are from the primeval father; from above, out of the imperishable light, their souls are come. Thus the authorities cannot approach them, because of the spirit of truth present within them; and all who have become acquainted with this way exist deathless in the midst of dying mankind. Still, that sown element will not become known now. Instead, after three ages it will come to be known, and it has freed them from the bondage of the authorities' error." 
Then I said, "Sir, how much longer?"
He said to me, "Until the moment when the true man, within a modeled form, reveals the existence of the spirit of truth, which the father has sent. 
Then he will teach them about everything, and he will anoint them with the unction of life eternal, given him from the undominated generation.
Then they will be freed of blind thought, and they will trample underfoot death, which is of the authorities, and they will ascend into the limitless light where this sown element belongs.
Then the authorities will relinquish their ages, and their angels will weep over their destruction, and their demons will lament their death.
Then all the children of the light will be truly acquainted with the truth and their root, and the father of the entirety and the holy spirit. They will all say with a single voice, 'The father's truth is just, and the son presides over the entirety", and from everyone unto the ages of ages, "Holy - holy - holy! Amen!'"
The Reality
of the Rulers

the archons daniel 7

The four winds of heaven could be four angelic rulers of the heavens, and the wind means four types of leadership to be given to four different types of leaders who all shall not be in power at the same time.

These leaders shall be born out of the race of mankind which is the sea.

The First Leader........... The Lion, he shall rule for a short period of time, then will be force to advocate his seat of authority and live as a citizen.

The Bear........... A strong leader by whose very spoken word shall cause fear and death to befall a great and large number of people to die and as long as he is in power he shall fear none.

The Leopard......... The third angel ( wind) shall endow four governments ( country leaders) to rule together as one nation.

The leadership and governing system of the previous beast shall still stand until the fourth beast arises to power.

The Fourth Beast........ This beast and his angel shall not make themselves known openly as the the three beast before it but shall appoint and set up ten nations who shall be under it's authority.

By this Angel's command the fourth beast shall put to an end the previous governing system, beliefs and leadership, that was set up by the former angels who gave power to their leaders, establishing a new system of leadership that angel who has given it's power to the Beast over them.

This beast by the word from it's angel shall offer peace to this world, once this peace has Been established then all power shall be given to that angel while the people will be forced to worship it through it's Image, it is after this shall sudden destruction come upon all nations and men then shall the end of things come.

The fourth wind and beast is the religious beliefs and churches that shall come into power and many shall die and kill in the name of their beliefs the churches are ignorant of Christ and preach that ignorance, but Christ will save those who truly believe in him although the preaching of the churches are foolishness, this is what we must unlearn.

the archons can be called the great winds that give power to the beasts, and the archons are beasts themselves,

But I say to you brothers and sisters has not the first wind come and the first Beast soon to Rise.

Is Gnosticism Post Doctrinal?

Is Gnosticism Post Doctrinal?

Many People seem to think that being a Gnostic is Post Doctrinal claiming "Gnostic Is Not about Doctrines! That’s Orthodox."

Valentinian Cosmology is pretty complicated doctrinal things and some modern Gnostics have a tendency to think that Gnosticism is post doctrinal and that dogma and doctrine are bad things but to the classical Gnostics they were important and and for us as modern Gnostics they're important because cosmology (Cosmogony is the study of the creation of the universe.) determines anthropology (Christian anthropology is the study of the human ("anthropology") as it relates to God) our view of mankind.

From The Nag Hammadi Library we can see disagreements over doctrine. These disputes are about the nature of Jesus, the resurrection,

Melchizedek From The Nag Hammadi Library Translated by Søren Giversen and Birger A. Pearson

Furthermore, they will say of him that he is unbegotten, though he has been begotten, (that) he does not eat, even though he eats, (that) he does not drink, even though he drinks, (that) he is uncircumcised, though he has been circumcised, (that) he is unfleshly, though he has come in the flesh, (that) he did not come to suffering, <though> he came to suffering, (that) he did not rise from the dead, <though> he arose from the dead.

The Gospel of Philip

Naked and Not Naked


Some people are afraid that they may arise from the dead naked, and so they want to arise in flesh. They do not know that it is those who wear the [flesh] who are naked. Those who are [able] to take it off are not naked.

“Flesh [and blood will] not inherit God’s kingdom.” What is this flesh that will not [57] inherit? It is what we are wearing. And what is this flesh that will inherit? It is the flesh and blood of Jesus.

For this reason he said, “One who does not eat my flesh and drink my blood does not have life within.” What does this mean? His flesh is the word and his blood is the holy spirit. Whoever has received these has food, drink, and clothing.

And I also disagree with others who say that the flesh will not arise. Both views are wrong. You say that the flesh will not arise? Then tell me what will arise, so we may salute you. You say it is the spirit in the flesh, and also the light in the flesh? But what is in the flesh is the word, and what you are talking about is nothing other than flesh. It is necessary to arise in this sort of flesh, since everything exists in it.

In this world those who wear clothes are superior to the clothes. In heaven’s kingdom the clothes are superior to those who wear them.

saying 22

Jesus saw some little ones nursing. He said to his disciples, "These little ones who are nursing resemble is those who enter the kingdom." They said to him, "So shall we enter the kingdom by being little ones?" Jesus said to them, "When you (plur.) make the two one and make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside and the above like the below, and that you might make the male and the female be one and the same, so that the male might not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye and a hand in place of a hand and a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image - then you will enter [the kingdom].

Saying 22 
This Saying is generally seen by scholars as an allusion to baptism and early Christian concern with the need for rebirth in order to enter God's Kingdom.

In this Saying adults are compared to little children who are able to enter the kingdom, and little children are examples of persons who have put on the new man that is put on the Christ-self are able to enter the kingdom. Thus the kingdom is to be received as a little child. We must humble ourselves as little children. This saying does not mean that we enter the kingdom as children but it means to be converted and become as little children a man without humility cannot be saved. We are brought up with pagan beliefs, and naturally catch their views and spirit. It may be a hard lesson, but we must discard these if we are to come into harmony with the mind of Christ. He requires us to humble ourselves as little children. It is the requirement of the Spirit of God. The current pride and arrogance of society have their source in the mere propensities of nature, which, while having a useful place in subjection to wisdom, become as inconvenient and destructive and ugly as the unregulated predatory instincts of the savage. “To be carnally minded is death: to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” The humility of a little child is not inconsistent with the highest wisdom and executive resource. Jesus illustrates the combination in its highest form; and He could exercise reserve, fulminate angry condemnation, and proceed to high-handed extremity, as in the expulsion of the traders from the temple, while filling the place of a servant in meekness and gentleness. He himself sums up the character, in the words: “Be ye wise as serpents, harmless as doves,”.

To become a child is to become like Christ Jesus who in the days of his flesh was child-like. So what does it take to be like Christ ? Humility and servitude and the ability to identify oneself with Jesus through receiving the knowledge of the truth from the word of God both the spirit-word and Christ Jesus our knowledge of him and our faith in him.
To become an infant means to cleave unto God, as though sucking at your mothers breast in such away that you and the divine are one and the same and there is no division between you and the beloved. You are the beloved and the beloved is you.
This is done when you make the two one. The two are the flesh and the divine nature or the Deity, which must be brought into harmony and united. Making the two into one is a common theme in the bible about marriage, here Jesus is taking about the heavenly marriage when the head and the body become one the second Adam and Eve, the Lamb and his wife. Now the marriage does not begin until after the judgment of the house of God. but are relationship with Christ begins when we are baptised into Christ, when we put on Christ this is the beginning of our spiritual relationship with him or a moral marriage that is done by putting on the mind of Christ. But when he returns the true believers will be conformed to the image of Christ that is to be consubstantial with the Lamb and the Deity this is the true marriage the first is only a type of the second. 

“The outside like the inside.” this part of the saying is about washing (Saying 89). We should wash ourselves by the water of the word. First we need to believe the exceeding great and precious promes by the faith of which they can alone become the partakers of the divine nature. Without faith in these things there is no true washing no purification, from moral defilement. The washing of water by the word is to be born of the water a moral resurrection from the dead by washing the inside and the outside thus making them both clean. 
Circumcision was an outward symbol, but the external and the outward rite of the law, is not in itself of value. It is the inward disposition that matters. Here the Lord Jesus is telling the outward Jews to become inwardly ones, a real Jew for true circumcision is of the heart, in the cutting away of the sins of the flesh. Thus after cutting away the passions of the flesh from our consciousness we will also see a change in our life and actions. For The outer actions must be shaped upon the pattern of the inner man, so that the outer actions and the inner man are integrated and harmonious, completely reflecting each other. Your thoughts, feelings and emotions, words and deeds must follow the way of the inner self or Christ-self, so that, indeed you are the Holy One. This is the meaning of righteousness being rightly ordered according to the image of the Lord or the Christ-self. 

When you make the above like the below. Here this should ready when you make the below like the above. Perhaps a mistake was made in copying of the text, nevertheless, there is a profound truth in these words, for when Jesus comes again and raise the true believers from the dead they with Jesus will bring heaven upon the earth, thus making the above like the below. Thus, the multitudinous Son of Man or the Man of the One will join the upper thing with the low things; the earth will be glorified, receiving heavenly glory. What was above will be below as Jesus says your Kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, when Jesus first came he give teaching from above if he had not come the lower things could not have been joined with the upper. Jesus comes the second time to give Abraham the truth, which Yahweh had previously told him that through your seed all the earth and those living on it in the last things of the years of completion shall be blessed. And this is what Jesus means when he says your Kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven thus making the things below into the things above. Also the one sat on the throne in the book of rev is both Yahweh and the lord Jesus Christ, Yahweh is sat on the throne in heaven above and the lord Jesus is sat on the throne of Yahweh below on earth and Yahweh being manifested in Jesus Christ and the holy ones he is ruling in both the heavens and the earth thus making the below like the above when the kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven.

“When you make the male and the female one and the same.” In Christ Jesus, you are neither male nor female but a new man, which is androgynous for all true believers are being transformed into the divine mind and nature being sons of the living Father. 
Male and female means to develop the desire to receive for the sake of imparting, so that one is perfectly transparent to the spirit-word. Receiving so that you might impart is a complete self-transcendence. Female means receptivity and receiving and male means sharing, imparting or giving. Alternatively, Man is for strength, judgment, and achievement. Woman is for grace, sympathy, and ministration. Between them, they form a beautiful unit -- "heirs together of the grace of life" Obviously, the two are interdependent and interconnected to the extent that one cannot exist without the other, like the body and the soul. In fact, the male and female represent two distinct operations of the same capacity like the body and the soul. 

But in Christ Jesus you are neither male nor female so that the male be not male nor the female, female, being shaped into the image of the Lord above (1Cor 15:47-49) an image that contains within itself all opposites in perfect union including the male and female. Not only do you become like the Holy One, but also the Holy One comes to manifest as you. In this instant, you become the flow of divine grace the divine presence and power living and moving in the world

Therefore, Christ came to correct the separation that was from the beginning. There was both unity and equality in Eden before sin made its ugly appearance. The man and the woman were as one rejoicing together before God, which was brought to an end by the seductive suggestion of the serpent, and its terrible fruit of sin. The unity in Eden was broken, and because the woman was first in the transgression, she was brought into subjection to her husband (1Tim 2:12-14). After God told the serpent, He would provide a Redeemer who would bruise its head and release man from its power (sin). sentence was than pronounced upon the woman: Gen 3:16 And to the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy pains and thy groanings; in pain thou shall bring forth children, and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. Your desire... to Your husband: Woman's desire to man, Christ: Song 2:16; 6:3. Man's pre-eminence over his wife: Eph 5:22-24. "Desire" is "teshuwqah", found in the OT only here and in Gen 3:16; 4:7; Song 7:10. Eve’s desire was for what she had lost, but hoped to regain it through him. This expresses a desire to return, a desire for oneness, a desire that the individual will (even HIS will!) should be subordinated to the needs of the unit which is the couple: "And the two will become one flesh" (Eph 5:31; cp Jn 17:21; Act 4:32; 27:23; 1Co 6:19,20). Instead "teshuwqah" some read "teshuwbah" return. Thus the Concordant translation renders: “By your husband is your restoration and he shall rule over you”. the LXX and the Syriac also render it as “return.” all these meanings are most significant. Eve was reminded that her restoration, return, was subject to her husband, and that he must exercise the rule over her. Eve, however, was typical of the bride of Christ, and these words spoken to her have an added significance when related to the bride. The restoration of the bride is subject to her husband (Christ), and he must bear rule over her, if she would attain unto it. 
What is the restoration? 

That unity for which Christ prayed the Father when he declared: John: 17:20,21 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 

This expresses the complete union of marriage; that oneness that shall only be experienced when the marriage of the lamb hath come. For the moment, the bride is espoused as a “chaste virgin” to Christ, and in this relationship, there is partial restoration. Thus, Paul wrote: Galatians: 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Paul taught that in Christ there is a restoration of oneness. We experience that initially at baptism, for no matter of which sex we might be, we are than made personally responsible to Christ. But the “oneness” there indicated, is but a token of the complete restoration in the future, when Christ’s prayer will be fulfilled, and when, taking her to himself in the bridal chamber, he will acknowledge that they are “one flesh” (Eph 5:31). Meanwhile, the second Eve remains in subjection to her husband (1Tim 2:11-12 Eph 5:22 Col 3:18) 

To make your “eyes in place of an eye and a hand in place of a hand and a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image” Thomas demands obscurely that people should not have the eyes, hand, foot that they have but those things in some other from and this refers to the putting off the old man. Therefore, this refers to the entire man having new eyes in place of the old, ears replacing ears hands for hands feet to feet all who have put off the old and earthly man and from whom Jesus has removed the clothing of the kingdom of men have put on the new and heavenly man, Jesus Christ. so that once again the eyes are joined to new eyes, ears to ears, hand to hand, to be completely pure and being the heavenly image both moral and corporeally.

“Wherefore, if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.” This is connected with the exhortation to “Despise not one of these little ones,” and must therefore refer to matters of attitude or relation to them. What can it mean but that we must be ready to part with anything rather than remain in a position that involves hostility to the undoubted friends of Christ? Jesus even gives it an application to brethren in the wrong. We are not to give them up without effort at reclamation in the particular way prescribed.

The “cut it off” in Mark means to “fashion eyes in the place of an eye” for no one would really cut off their hand or foot Mark and Thomas are taking about the same thing the thinking of the flesh our sinful desires.

Eye in place of the eye indicates the enlightened view of a high level of awareness associated with the centre in the head and is associated with a conscious union with God through Christ and by putting on the Christ-consciousness. A hand in place of a hand indicates action found upon this enlightened view. A foot in place of a foot indicates directing one’s whole life according to the will of God. An image in place of an image is to development of the body or body of light (body of the resurrection) that is both moral and corporeal. Morally when you let the word of the kingdom enter into you when you live according to the spirit of truth and so embody the holy kingdom. As Jesus says in Saying 3, the kingdom is within you.

22) ##Jesus saw infants [the Elect] being suckled [by their true spiritual mother]. He said to His disciples, "These infants being suckled are like those who enter the Kingdom." They said to Him, "Shall we then, as children, enter the Kingdom?" Jesus said to them, "When you make the two [the higher/inward (spiritual) substance and the lower/outward (fleshly) form)] one, and when you make the inside [where the Kingdom of God actually is] like the outside [where they allege it to be - you make it this way by your fruit] and the outside like the inside [replacing their image with the Fathers which is spread out over the earth - see v-113], and the above [heavenly] like the below [earthly], and when you make the male [spirit] and the female [soul] one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female [you become One in spirit]; and ##when you fashion eyes [two levels of seeing] in the place of an eye [one level], and a [right] hand [which knows what Jesus is doing (in His Power)] in place of a [left] hand [which doesn't (in your own power], and a [right] foot [which walks in the Way, the Truth and the Life] in place of a [left] foot [which doesn't], and a likeness [image of God] in place of a likeness [image of man]; then will you enter [the Kingdom]."

Non-Mythological Gnosis

non-mythological gnosis

seeking salvation through gnosis (‘hidden wisdom’),

Originally gnosis had no mythological associations and was simply “knowledge of the

divine mysteries reserved for an elite

first Jewish Gnosis had no mythologies to it, it saw the Law and the Deity as part of its orthodox beliefs

Book of Proverbs 25:2 ¶ It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter.

Psalm 19:2 One day after another day causes speech to bubble forth,
And one night after another night shows forth knowledge

isa  11:2 the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of Jehovah; 3 and there will be enjoyment by him in the fear of Jehovah.

9 They will not do any harm or cause any ruin in all my holy mountain; because the earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea

12 For wisdom is for a protection [the same as] money is for a protection; but the advantage of knowledge is that wisdom itself preserves alive its owners

(Proverbs 3:18) She (Wisdom) is a tree of life to those taking hold of it, and those keeping fast hold of it are to be called happy

There are many says in the New Testament which attest to the gnostic view:

Seek and you will find,” “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you,” “My kingdom is not of this world,” “The flesh profiteth nothing”…)

They are all about seeking and finding hidden gnosis. They are also seen in the parables of the hidden treasure, the found pearl, and the captured fish of great price (Mt 13:44-50).

Such sayings also have nothing to do with the later mythology of Gnosticism. They
are all about seeking and finding hidden gnosis

(Ephesians 4:13) until we all attain to the oneness in the faith and in the accurate knowledge of the Son of God, to a full-grown man, to the measure of stature that belongs to the fullness of the Christ;


(Philippians 1:9) And this is what I continue praying, that YOUR love may abound yet more and more with accurate knowledge and full discernment;

Peter exhorts us to "grow in knowledge" (2 Pet. 1:5-6), and the word is "gnosis". He assures us that if we follow his advice we will be "neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (v. 8).  But in this statement the word is "epignosis", and
similar comparisons will be found elsewhere. The question is; What is the significance of these two words? And if we have "gnosis" (knowledge), when can we claim to have "epignosis" (deeper knowledge)?

Both words are derived from the verb "ginosko" which signifies the act of taking in knowledge, in such a way as to establish a relationship between the one knowing and the object known. For example:

John 17:3 This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ

In such a context, the verb implies the one knowing, and not merely an academic knowledge.

When the preposition "epi" is added to the noun or verb, transforming it into "epignosis" or "epignosko", it suggests a fuller knowledge or recognition of the object known. Hence the question posed us: When does one reach "gnosis" to move on to "epignosis"?

Salvation by Knowledge
their taking in knowledge of you John 17:3

Saying 54

Saying 54 

The way to deeper knowledge of God is through the lonely valleys of soul poverty and abnegation of all things. The blessed ones who possess the Kingdom are they who have repudiated every external thing and have rooted from their hearts all sense of possessing. They are 'poor in spirit.' They have reached an inward state paralleling the outward circumstances of the common beggar in the streets of Jerusalem; that is what the word 'poor' as Christ used it actually means. These blessed poor are no longer slaves to the tyranny of things. They have broken the yoke of the oppressor; and this they have done not by fighting but by surrendering. 

Though free from all sense of possessing, they yet possess all things. 'Theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' Let me exhort you to take this seriously. It is not to be understood as mere Bible teaching to be stored away in the mind along with an inert mass of other doctrines. It is a marker on the road to greener pastures, a path chiselled against the steep sides of the mount of God. We dare not try to bypass it if we would follow on in this holy pursuit. We must ascend a step at a time. If we refuse one step we bring our progress to an end.

54)## Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor [in spirit - "The sacrifices to Elohim are a broken spirit; A broken and crushed heart, O Elohim, You shall not despise."], for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven [when one loses all hope in themselves and the "humanity" they have known, one becomes as a child crying out for its mother - it is her groaning and praying on our behalf that gets the Fathers attention to our plight and hunger which is why tribulation is necessary - in this condition our Father will hear our prayers and if persistent enough (as the woman and the troubled judge) and call us to Christ]." 

Circumcision Gospel of Thomas Saying 53

Saying 53
like the books in the NT, Thomas rejects circumcision, What counts is true, spiritual circumcision (cf., Philippians 3:3)." spiritual circumcision was the important thing was emphasized even in Old Testament times (cf. Deuteronomy 10.16; Jeremiah 4.4; Ezek 44:9); in Colossians 2:11, where the true circumcision is linked with the stripping off of the body of flesh. A circumcision 'spiritual and not literal' is mentioned in Romans 2:29, and the question here assigned to the disciples is asked by Paul himself in Romans 3:1 - but with a very different answer. Other passages to which reference may be made include Romans 2:25, 1 Corinthians 7:19, and Galatians 6:15.

Paul says, "that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace." It is circumcision of the heart, of which circumcision of the flesh is but the sign of the circumcised heart of Abraham, that confers a title to the land and all its attributes. Before Israel can inherit the land for ever, and so be no more expelled by " the Horns of the Gentiles," they must "circumcise the foreskin of their hearts, and be no more stiff-necked"; and "love the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul, that they may live. (Deut. 10:16; 30:6) This may seem to some to put their restoration a long way off. And so it does, if the circumcision of their hearts is to be effected by the instrumentality of the Society for the Conversion of the Jews. By the well-meant endeavours of this body, it never can be accomplished; for the Society and its agents are themselves deficient in this particular.

53) His disciples said to Him, "Is circumcision [works of the flesh - self-sacrifice] beneficial or not?" He said to them, "If it were beneficial, their [earthly] father would beget them already circumcised from their [earthly] mother. Rather, the true circumcision [of the heart] in spirit has become [over time] completely profitable [circumcision of the flesh (an act of faith not of the child but of the parents) was an allegorical reference pointing towards the circumcision of the heart and as with all allegories and parables in the bible - these visible, lower/outward (carnal) manifestations have a deeper invisible, higher/inward (spiritual) manifestation in those who receive it and benefit from it]."

Gospel of Thomas Saying 48

48) Jesus said, "If two make peace with one another within a single house they will say to a mountain 'go elsewhere' and it will go elsewhere."

Saying 48
The house is your body and the two that have to make peace are your passions and your reason your heart and mind. As long as you are in two minds or double-minded (see the above saying) and the heart is veiled to the truth there can be no peace between the mind and heart.
Faith is essential. By faith, you are empowered to walk the path in holiness and faith bring forth knowledge and growe in faith and knowledge until you are established in the perfect faith of Christ Jesus. Faith is not idle, but labours always for Yahweh and Christ Jesus.

48)## Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other [if one is able to see that the Old and New Testaments are in perfect harmony from a spiritual sense] in this one house [of God], they will say to the mountain [state/religious establishment],##'Move Away,' and it will move away."

Gospel of Thomas Saying 47

(47) Jesus said, "A person cannot (at the same time) mount two horses or draw two bows. And a slave cannot serve two masters, but truly will honor the one and scoff at the other. No person drinks vintage wine and immediately desires to drink new wine. And new wine is not put into old wineskins lest they burst. And vintage wine is not put into new wineskins lest it go bad. And old patches are not sewed to new garments, for a rip will develop."

Saying 47
"It is impossible for a man to mount two horses or to stretch two bows. And it is impossible for a servant to serve two masters; otherwise he will honour the one and treat the other contemptuously.“ Here Jesus is speaking about serving the law of Moses and the law of faith to mount an horses or to stretch a bow implies action the action of obeying the law of Moses and the law of faith you can not do both “otherwise he will honour the one and treat the other contemptuously.“
The Lord Jesus is speaking also about serving God or our desires the Two Masters. The impossibility of living for God and for yourself is stated here in terms of masters and slaves. No one can serve two masters. One will inevitably take precedence in his loyalty and obedience. So it is with God and mammon. They present rival claims and a choice must be made. Either we must put God first and reject the rule of materialism or we must live for temporal things and refuse God's claim on our lives.
"We claim, and often tell God in prayer, that it is our 'sole desire to serve Him in immortal strength throughout eternity.' Some say 'humble desire' -- though we always wonder at the depth, or even the understanding, of 'humility' of those who tell God they are humble (doubtless we do it ourselves too, as in many other things we wonder about in others). But about this claim to desire to serve God totally and forever, We can show right now whether this is sincerity or just fancy words. If we really do desire to 'serve God throughout eternity,' we shall be serving Him now with all our present mortal strength and life, and mind and goods, or else all our fine words are froth. We shall recognize that we have no time to spare -- yea, we shall have no desire -- for anything else except providing the bare necessities of life so that we may wholly serve Him. Does our way of life confirm or belie our so noble protestations? Do we think God is deceived by mere words?

By serving Jesus, One cannot be a true and faithful lover of the beloved unless there is only the beloved in one’s life.

“No man drinks old wine and immediately desires to drink new wine. And new wine is not put into old wineskins, lest they burst; nor is old wine put into a new wineskin, lest it spoil it.“
if new wine was put into old wineskins. The pressure caused by the fermentation of the new wine would burst the old skins because they had lost their elasticity. The life and liberty of the Gospel ruins the wineskins of ritualism. and new wine is also a symbol of restored Israel to the land of Canaan under the seed of Jacob, and of Judah the inheritor of the mountains of Yahweh; and his elect shall inherit it (the land of Canaan), and my servants shall dwell there. (Isa. 65:8,9)
“An old patch is not sewn onto a new garment, because a tear would result." here Thomas changes the thought from that of the new patch and the old garment presumably because he is thinking of life in the new world (Saying 51)."
To try to mix law and grace would be like putting an a old patch, shrunk cloth to patch a new garment. When washed, the patch would shrink, ripping itself away from the old cloth.
The new way of life (which Christ brings) cannot be pached with an old and useless cloth. The new "garment" must be used in its entirety. The old patch/garment saying 37 (fig-leaf covering) must be put aside completely in favour of the new garment (skins, required bloodshed). "Put off old man; put on new man" (Eph 4:23,24; cp Exo 28r; Isa 61:1,3,10). The new life in Christ does not need a "patch" of the old; it is a new "whole". Cp Jos 9:4,13; Psa 119:83. A cloth not properly prepared for a garment: Lk 5:36n. only a new garment will suffice for a new life: Lk 15:22. Thus A true Gnostic will not allow his new doctrine (the law of faith) to be encumbered with relics from the past."
A Judaistic Christianity which, with a profession of Grace and the Gospel, attempts to keep the law and fosters legal righteousness is a greater abomination in the eyes of God than professing Israel in the past, worshipping idols. Thus does the King warn His disciples against the admixture of the old ... and the new. ... And yet this is what has been done throughout Christendom. (Sabbath laws, Leant, Christmas, Esther, idols of the saints) Judaism has been patched up and adapted everywhere among the churches and the old garment is labelled "Christianity." The result is a confusing mixture, which is neither Judaism nor Christianity, but a ritualistic substitution of dead works for a trust in the living God. The new wine of free salvation has been poured into the old wineskins of legalism, and with what result? Why, the skins are burst and ruined and the wine is spilled and most of the precious life-giving draught is lost. The law has lost its terror, because it is mixed with grace, and grace has lost its beauty and character as grace, for it is mixed with law-works.

47)### Jesus said, "It is impossible for a man to mount two horses [continue in two (diametrically opposed) covenants] or to stretch two bows [fight for and against each side of an argument]. And it is impossible for a servant [of Christ (the Elect)] to serve two masters [God and Satan (god of mammon)]; otherwise he will honor the one and treat the other contemptuously [this cannot be avoided]. No man drinks old wine [religious (Babylonian) dogma] and immediately desires to drink new wine [it is difficult to get anyone to leave behind the things of which they are accustomed to and start in a whole new direction (Way) - those who have built their foundation upon the sand (old wine) are perfectly happy until a great storm comes along and tears it down - the truth will do just that to any who receive it]. And new wine [true spiritual meaning of the Word which puts an end to the dogma] is not put into old wineskins [those who are hard hearted and set like stone in their old ways, ordinances and traditions], lest they burst [these having no place for enlightenments will even lose what they had (old wine) if they do not repent and turn back to the Father after taking in the new wine]; nor is old wine [religion] put into a new wineskin [the babes in Christ who have been called out from the world], lest it spoil it [this kind of activity is commonplace in worldly churches (religions) who bind their adherents by traditions, customs and ordinances which effectively keeps them from any further seeking of the truth]. An old patch is not sewn onto a new garment [a spiritual man cannot solve his problems by going back to the rudiments of the world or by works of the law], because a tear would result [his faith would begin to have holes in it]."

Gospel of Thomas Saying 46

 Jesus said, "From Adam unto John the Baptist there has been none among the offspring of women who has been more exalted than John the Baptist, so that such a person's eyes might be broken. But I have said that whoever among you (plur.) becomes a little one will become acquainted with the kingdom, and will become more exalted than John."

Saying 46
"From Adam to John the Baptist, among those who have been born of women, there is none greater than John the Baptist!

Here Jesus is not speaking very highly of Adam or John but or of any one who is born from below. Adam was born through the spirit of the Deity and mother earth thus he is born from below or born of a woman (mother earth).

But for fear that the eyes <of such a one> should be lost I have said: He who among you becomes a little one will become acquainted with the Kingdom and will become higher than John!"

Here Jesus is not saying that we have to reclaim what Adam lost who was a type of him who was to come just as we in the image of Adam are a type as well for “Our flesh is not true flesh, but only an image of the true” Gospel of Philip Nag Hammadi Scriptures p. 174. 

For our image and flesh to become the antitype we have to put on Christ and become the twin brothers of Christ the second Adam and being flesh of his flesh the true believers are his wife the second eve

Here Jesus is saying that any one who is born from above and become the new man will know the kingdom, and will become more exalted than John. Only when we become a child do we know the kingdom. But here Jesus is not speaking about everyone but the chosen few “for whoever from among you will become a child,” April D. DeConick translation this man will know the kingdom for many are called but few chosen

46)## Jesus said, "Among those born of women [after the flesh], from Adam [who was born of the women when he fell to her temptation] until John the Baptist ["Elijah" who prophesied the consummation of the Old Covenant and the commencement of the New Covenant], there is no one so superior to John the Baptist that his eyes  should not be lowered (before him) [for he was a true prophet of God]. Yet I have said whichever one of you comes to be a child [one of the Elect] will be acquainted with the Kingdom [which is in you] and will become superior to John [being born of spirit]."

Grapes are not harvested from thorn-bushes Gospel of Thomas Saying 45

Saying 45 (45) JJesus said: Grapes are not harvested from thorn-bushes, nor are figs gathered from hawthorns, [f]or they yield no fruit. [A go]od man brings forth good from his treasure; a bad man brings forth evil things from his evil treasure, which is in his heart, and he says evil things, for out of the abundance of his heart he brings froth evil things.


The truth can not be harvested from the can not be harvested from the Pharisees because they have evil in their heats.
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.
Now if your heart is good and true, your words and actions will accord with one another and be good and true but if your heart is false and bad your words and actions will bear the taint of the evil inclination. This is where we should know ourselves to know your enemy that is know yourself only when you know yourself will you know your enemy you have to observe your thoughts emotions, and feelings, where your mind and heart naturally tend to wonder. When you loo and see, listen and hear your thoughts and emotions, do they reflect the inward man the Christ-Consciousness or the thinking of the flesh. In this way, you will discover what is in your storehouse which is your heart and take an inventory of the stocle that fills it whether foods good for the soul or poisons that bring the soul (a person) to sorrow, suffering, and death. Only with self-control can you direct thought and emotion as you wish. You can master your mind and heart through consistent self-discipline and in doing so you will have put on the Christ-Consciousness
As we have seen, James defines sin as the outcome of a man's own lust. Hence, the action of lust in the mind is the action of the New Testament Satan, or Adversary. All sin proceeds from the desires of the flesh. This is declared in various forms of speech in the Scriptures, and agrees with the experience of every man.
Out of the heart: The heart, centre of thoughts, not emotions. One heart for all men. All human nature is in same category. Evil thoughts: Everything that follows ARE "evil thoughts" in the first place -- that is the point! Out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies . . . (Matt. 15 :19).
The carnal mind is enmity against God: it is not subject to the law of God neither indeed can be (Rom. 8:7). Now the works of flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like (Gal. 5:19, 21).
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life . . . is of the world (1 John 2 :16).



45)## Jesus said, "Grapes [the fruit (hidden spiritual Word in the NT scriptures)] are not harvested from thorns [worldly Christo-pagan organizations and their adherents who have not the life in them], nor are figs [fruit of the Old Testament] gathered from thistles [worldly Jewish organizations...as above], for they do not produce fruit [any true spiritual food]. A good man [Jesus] brings forth good from his storehouse [those who have Christ in them sitting upon HIs throne in their hearts]; an evil man [the man of lawlessness] brings forth evil things from his evil storehouse [those who have the devil in them sitting upon the throne in their hearts], which is in his heart [so all of this is about our own individual spiritual condition whether we wish to believe it or not], and says evil things [to bind people to a religion]. For out of the abundance of the heart he brings forth evil things [that confuse and bewilder people so they can never know the mysteries of the Kingdom]."