Teaching Team
Thomas Game: Round Three
It’s time for round three of the Thomas Game. If you missed the earlier rounds, just follow these links to round one and round two.
In the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas, plausibly genuine sayings of the Master, transmitted orally or through lost written sources, are preserved alongside lots of Gnostic nonsense. A quick survey of the Gospel of Thomas reveals that about fifty percent of the material contained therein is patently Gnostic and definitely did not originate with Yeshua. However, the other fifty percent does have a definite or at least plausible origin in authentic sayings of the Master. How do we know? Because most of these sayings have direct parallels and alternate forms in the synoptic Gospels, but not all of them.
A typical Gnostic saying follows a pattern of inversion and antithesis which makes it sound like deep wisdom. On closer analysis, these inversion patterns are very predictable. Actually, the original pattern can be found among the genuine sayings of the Master, such as, “The first will be last, and the last will be first.” To get the flavor of how that inversion technique works in the Gnostic gospel of Thomas, we’ll take a look at a few typical sayings:
He who has recognized the world has found the body, but he who has found the body is superior to the world. (Thomas 80)
Have you discovered then, the beginning, that you look for the end? For where the beginning is, there will the end be. (Thomas 18)
If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of wonders. (Thomas 29)
That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you. (Thomas 70)
Now that we’ve seen a few examples, I thought the next round of the Thomas Game could be a contest to see who can make the best Gnostic maxim using the inversion/antithesis pattern. The following sample templates should help you get started:
He who VERB 1 the NOUN 1 is filled with NOUN 2, but He who VERB 1 the NOUN 2 is NOUN 1.
If the NOUN 1 VERB 1 NOUN 2 (used as direct object), it will succeed, but the NOUN 2 that VERB 1 NOUN 1 (used as direct object) will prosper exceedingly.
OK. Let’s see what you’ve got for Gnosis. One warning first: If you bring forth the secret knowledge from with you, you will reveal your ignorance, but if you reveal your ignorance, the knowledge will remain secret within you.
D. Thomas Lancaster
22 Shevat 5768
Search in Blogs...
Browse through Blogs
Feeds
Use this RSS feed to track our blogs in your favorite reader.
The FFOZ Blogs RSS Feed
Blogs by Category
- Back Office
- Events and Administration
- Founder’s Blog
- Guest Authors
- Lessons from the Land
- Levertoff Documentary
- Mishlei Musings
- Publications
- Road Trip 09
- Shalom Tour
- Teaching Team
- The Siddur Project
- Torah Club
- Video Blogs
- Site Info Blog
Blogs by Author
- Aaron Eby
- Boaz Michael
- D. Thomas Lancaster
- FFOZ Staff
- Guest Authors
- Media Staff
- Hope Egan
- Seth Dralle
- Toby Janicki
More Recent Posts
- Remembrance and Repentance
- Passover and the Death of James the Just
- Hosting Your First Passover Seder
- Devil's Children
- Vacation Time
- Visit Israel with FFOZ
- A KISS from me to you
- Eating biblically? Let's chew the fat.
- Kosher Sunday School
- Messer and the Messianic Mess
Visitor Feedback:
"He who searches the pop-culture pseudo-gnostic section at Borders is filled with light, but He who relies on the biblical canon is left in darkness." -The Gospel of Crossan 1:1
A parallel version is found in the Gospel of Pagels 2:2.
Seth | January 29, 2008 1:12 PM
It was said, "Do not boil a kid in its mothers milk." If the cheese melts over the hamburger, is it not a cheeseburger? But how will you boil the mother's milk in the kid? Verily, the hamburger that melts over the cheese is a burgercheese. (McEnlightment 12:7)
Elimelech | January 29, 2008 2:25 PM
When you can balance a tack hammer on your head, you can head off your foes with a balanced attack.
-- The Sphinx, Mystery Men
Aaron Eby | January 29, 2008 4:23 PM
A person who listens to the wisdom of another will gain wisdom for themselves; yet, if the wisdom's origin is not from God what have you gained?
jay | January 29, 2008 6:22 PM
obviously (in light of recent discussions)
"If a man sitting in darkness changes a light bulb, the light may bring change to the darkness within the man."
-Illuminations, cf13w
Mrs. K | January 30, 2008 8:55 AM
He who quickens the rapture is filled with the Spirit, but he who's spirit is quickened is raptured. (Dispensatio Indultum DCLX:VI) As it is written, "The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit."
Daniel F | January 30, 2008 9:01 AM
Patient Gumby: My brain hurts.
Doctor Gumby: Oh. I see. Well, it will have to come out.
Steve Petersen | January 30, 2008 9:02 PM
from my deep gnostic mind...
He who loves the material is filled with discontent, but he who loves discontent is truly material.
If the material world conquers the spiritual it will succeed, but the spiritual that conquers the material will prosper exceedingly.
Ahhh, there is some truth to it...just a distorted focus.
Danuta Lesko | January 31, 2008 5:16 AM
from my deep gnostic mind...
He who loves the material is filled with discontent, but he who loves discontent is truly material.
If the material world conquers the spirtual it will succeed, but the spiritual that conquers the material world will prosper exceedingly.
truth out of focus...
Danuta Lesko | January 31, 2008 5:20 AM
If the hops and barley are brewed without yeast the spirit will lack both bubbles and froth, but the effervescence of excessive leaven will keep the brewer hopping and barely ahead of the binger.
webbmd | January 31, 2008 9:11 AM
Hi Thomas
IS there a book or a study reviews what is uniquie and wrong with gnostic writings so that I can have it as reference in my libary to deal with people that with these questons which need good answers.
Warren
Warren Nyack | February 3, 2008 1:33 PM
the one who loses his keys has found fear. yet the one who loses his fear has found keys.
so if you lose your keys and are late for work you should realize that working is just wasting time in this "fleshy" realm and go live in a hole or on a rock and think up weird saying till you die. just gnostic advice though, please take full responsibilty for your own actions. bring some water and tp, a little fleshy indulgence cant hurt!
DTL Replies: Nice. I always lose my keys.
brucks | February 10, 2008 1:23 AM
This might look good on a T-shirt . . .
He who drinks from the well gets his shirt wet, but he who drinks with a wet shirt is well. (Crozzy 11:7)
Jeff C. | February 18, 2008 4:04 PM