The Gospel of Thomas Fully Interpreted: Logion 91 to 100
Logion 91
They said to him, “Tell us who you are so that we may believe in you.” He said to them, “You read the face of the sky and of the earth, but you have not recognized the one who is before you, and you do not know how to read this moment.”
Interpretation:
It was not up to Jesus to say who he was, it was up to his students to realize for themselves, and at this point the students had much to learn and understand. If Jesus had said that he was the son of God then he would not be seen as humble, and he would only be claiming what others had previously claimed to be.
In scriptures the sky is likened to the conscious mind, and the earth is likened to the subconscious mind. It is the face of the sky that reveals what is to come (the future), and it is the face of the earth that reveals what was (the past). The student had not recognized the one before them, they had not recognized the soul that is. This is because they had not recognized their own souls, and so they did not know how to read the present moment.
It is the Self’s True Image that is the Alpha and Omega, i.e. the first and the last, but there is also an in between, that is why the soul is described as; ‘what is, what was, and what is to come’ in Revelation 1:8 KJV.
Logion 92
Jesus said, “Seek and you will find. Yet, what you asked me about in former times and which I did not tell you then, now I do desire to tell, but you do not inquire after it.”
Interpretation:
To seek is to search for understanding, and this is done by questioning and considering everything with an open mind. If we continue seeking we will eventually find what we are searching for, but if we stop seeking we will never find what we were searching for.
In former times the students asked many questions in their search for Truth and Understanding, but they were not then ready to grasp advanced teachings, and so they were not told things that were below their level of understanding at that time.
Now the students had reached a greater level of understanding and were ready to receive advanced teachings, but now they had stopped seeking a greater understanding and did not ask about those things that they asked about in former times.
It is when we stop questioning that we submit to ignorance.
Logion 93
<Jesus said,> “Do not give what is holy to dogs, lest they throw them on the dung-heap. Do not throw the pearls to swine, lest they […] it […].”
Interpretation:
That which is described as holy comes from the word ‘whole.’ The Truth without understanding is not whole, in other words, the Word without the Spirit of Understanding is not whole/holy. The Word without the Spirit is a dead letter.
Those who were given the authority to teach the Old Testament taught the Word but without the Spirit of Understanding, and by doing this they gained much power and wealth for themselves. They would not have had such things if they had given the Spirit of Understanding, which is the key that they hid from the people. Jesus described the temple authorities as a dog in a manger. It follows that the people that they indoctrinated also became like dogs and full of ignorance and pride, they are lovers of worldly things and are materialistic minded. If you speak to them of spiritual things that challenge their materialistic beliefs they will treat your words as nonsense, and they will turn on you.
People who are described as being swine/pigs, are people who only care about things that give them personal pleasure. They will do anything and believe anything if it makes them feel good. If it doesn’t they will reject it. Such people are considered to be unclean.
Pearls are revelations of hidden truths.
See also in Matthew 7:6 KJV: Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Logion 94
Jesus said, “He who seeks will find, and he who knocks will be let in.”
Interpretation:
To seek is to search for something you don’t have, but desire. It is plain to see that in Logion 1, the reader is encouraged to search for the interpretation of the secret sayings. If the reader keeps searching they will eventually find understanding.
The hands do the will of desire, and so to knock is to express the will of desire to enter the place of mysteries.
See also in Matthew 7:7 KJV: Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Logion 95
Jesus said, “If you have money, do not lend it at interest, but give it to one from whom you will not get it back.”
Interpretation:
If you have money to lend then you already have more than you need.
You should not take advantage of those who are in need, by lending them money and charging them interest, because you make their struggle even greater. What then have you done for them that is good? You will do far more good by giving the money you do not need, to those who have less than they need, and your reward will be greater.
Logion 96
Jesus said, “The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman. She took a little leaven, concealed it in some dough, and made it into large loaves. Let him who has ears hear.”
Interpretation:
In scripture the kingdom is a reference to the mind, which is ruled over by the Self’s desire. It is the mind that is referred to as the kingdom within.
The father and the son, i.e. soul are always defined as being male, whereas the mind is described as being female.
When the Self’s desire is divided it results in there being two minds, i.e. two kingdoms, one righteous and one unrighteous.
A certain woman is a reference to the mind of righteous desire.
Therefore the righteous mind took a little leaven, i.e. the spirit of wonder, and she concealed it in some dough.
Dough is flour and water, therefore spiritually this means Truth and the Spirit of Understanding. She then made them into large loaves, i.e. the bread of life, which is food for the hungry souls. Such food is given in parables to those who have the ears to hear.
See also in Matthew 13:33 KJV: Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.”
Logion 97
Jesus said, “The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman who was carrying a jar full of meal. While she was walking on the road, still some distance from home, the handle of the jar broke and the meal emptied out behind her on the road. She did not realize it; she had noticed no accident. When she reached her house, she set the jar down and found it empty.”
Interpretations:
Jesus said, “The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman
The kingdom of the father is of course the mind, and spiritually the mind is referred to as being female as in woman. Therefore this logion is referring to a certain type of mind.
who was carrying a jar full of meal.
The jar full of meal represents a place in the subconscious mind that holds memories of spiritual knowledge (meal) related to the beginning and nature of the mind.
While she was walking on the road, still some distance from home,
While traveling on its life journey, still some distance from its end.
the handle of the jar broke
The mind became distracted by the things of the material world, and its focus of attention (handle) on its spiritual memories broke.
and the meal emptied out behind her on the road.
The minds spiritual memories began pouring out and were left in the past and forgotten.
She did not realize it; she had noticed no accident.
The mind did not realize what was happening because its attention was on the things of the material world.
When she reached her house, she set the jar down and found it empty.”
When the mind reached the end of its life journey and began looking back, it found no memories of its beginning or nature. It had no knowledge or understanding of its nature or why it even existed. Its journey had been wasted on the temporary, and the mind that had become fully carnal had only oblivion in its future as all of its carnal memories were now worthless.
You too be careful and cling to spiritual Love, remember your beginning then you will have no fear of the end of this life journey. Seek the immortal not the temporary things.
Logion 98
Jesus said, “The kingdom of the father is like a certain man who wanted to kill a powerful man. In his own house he drew his sword and stuck it into the wall in order to find out whether his hand could carry through. Then he slew the powerful man.”
Interpretation:
The kingdom of the father is the mind, and the soul is formed within and of the substance of the mind. The soul is an image of the Self, created by its desire and so desire is the father of the soul.
This logion speaks of two men/souls in one divided house/mind.
In the beginning the Self’s desire had only one son that was the Self’s True Image, and it was righteous. But when desire became divided there were two fathers, one good and one unrighteous. The unrighteous desire is referred to as the devil. The unrighteous father also had a son, one filled with unrighteous desire and ignorance.
In this logion the righteous soul who is referred to as the son of God, is attempting to disempower the son of the devil. This is a battle that we all face in life, and it was one that Jesus faced when he encountered the Temple authorities.
The sword here is of course the two edged sword of Truth and Understanding, the Word and the Holy Spirit.
The wall is of course the resistance of the children of the devil.
It is Truth and Understanding that can penetrate the resistance of the minds and souls of the children of the devil, who are ignorant and full of unrighteous desire. They are the ones who love the things of the world and care only for themselves.
See also in Matthew 4:1 KJV: Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
Logion 99
The disciples said to him, “Your brothers and your mother are standing outside.” He said to them, “Those here who do the will of my father are my brothers and my mother. It is they who will enter the kingdom of my father.”
Interpretation:
Jesus did not consider physical beings as being his family, because they are of the flesh. Jesus knew that he was a spiritual being and it was other spiritual beings that he considered to be his true family. It is not physical beings that will enter the Kingdom of the father for it is a spiritual realm, and only those who do the father’s will can enter there.
See also in Matthew 12:46 KJV: While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
Logion 100
They showed Jesus a gold coin and said to him, “Caesar’s men demand taxes from us.” He said to them, “Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, give God what belongs to God, and give me what is mine.”
Interpretation:
Caesar was the ruler of this material world, and so all the material things of this world belonged to him.
God (the Self) is the ruler of its inner spiritual world, and so all spiritual things belonged to God.
That which belonged to Jesus was peace.
Caesar’s men had conquered the world in the name of Caesar, but Jesus’ spirits had conquered the world within in the name of God the Self.
See also in Matthew 22:21 KJV: They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.