Beginning of Thomas

(I think David has suggested that each of us take one or more of these sayings and share your comments with the rest of us. I have in mind to publish ten more about next Wednesday.)

Thomas

These are the secret words which the living Jesus spoke, and Didymus Judas Thomas wrote them down.

Didymus and Thomas both mean twin, and the intent seems to be that Judas was the brother (twin?) of Jesus.

(1) And he said: He who shall find the interpretation of the words shall not taste of death.
(Look also at 18, 19, and 85:

(18) The disciples said to Jesus: Tell us how our end shall be. Jesus said: Have you then discovered the beginning, that you seek after the end? For where the beginning is, there shall the end be. Blessed is he who shall stand in the beginning, and he shall know the end and shall not taste of death.

(19) Jesus said: Blessed is he who was before he came into being. If you become my disciples and hear my words, these stones shall minister unto you. For you have five trees in Paradise which do not move in summer or in winter, and their leaves do not fall. He who knows them shall not taste of death.

(85) Jesus said: Adam came into being out of a great power and a great wealth, and yet he was not worthy of you. For if he had been worthy, he would not have tasted of death.

Read also Genesis 3 for the Hebrew understanding of life and death. Then read John 8:51.)
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(2) Jesus said: He who seeks, let him not cease seeking until he finds; and when he finds he will be troubled, and if he is troubled, he will be amazed, and he will reign over the All.
(See Matthew 7:7-8)
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(3) Jesus said: If those who lead you say unto you: Behold, the Kingdom is in heaven, then the birds of the heaven will be before you. If they say unto you: It is in the sea, then the fish will be before you. But the Kingdom is within you, and it is outside of you. When you know yourselves, then shall you be known, and you shall know that you are the sons of the living Father. But if ye do not know yourselves, then you are in poverty, and you are poverty.
(cf Luke 17:21)
Leloup's translation has the last lines thus:
"if you do not know yourself,
you will live in vain
and you will be vanity.
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(4) Jesus said: The man aged in his days will not hesitate ask a little child of seven days about the place of life, and he shall live. For there are many first who shall be last, and they shall become a single one.
(cf Luke 13:30)
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(5) Jesus said: Know what is before thy face, and what is hidden from thee shall be revealed unto thee; for there is nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest.
(cf Luke 8:17) Look also at sayings 6 below:
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(6) His disciples asked him and said unto him: Wilt thou that we fast? And how shall we pray? Shall we give alms? And what rules shall we observe in eating? Jesus said: Do not lie; and that which you hate, do not do. For all things are revealed before heaven. For there is nothing hidden which shall not be manifest, and there is nothing covered which shall remain without being uncovered.
(cf also Luke 12:2 and Matthew 10:26)
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(7) Jesus said: Blessed is the lion which the man shall eat, and the lion become man; and cursed is the man whom the lion shall eat, and the lion become man.
(cf 1 Peter 5:8)
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(8) And he said: Man is like a wise fisherman, who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the wise fisherman found a large good fish. He threw down all the small fish into the sea; he chose the large fish without trouble. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Look also at
(76) Jesus said: The kingdom of the Father is like a merchant was who had a load (of goods) and found a pearl. That merchant was wise. He sold the load, and bought for himself the pearl alone. You also, seek after his treasure which does not perish but endures, where moth does not enter to devour, nor does worm destroy.
(cf Matthew 13:45-46)
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(9) Jesus said: Behold, the sower went forth, he filled his hand, he cast. Some fell upon the road; the birds came and gathered them. Others fell on the rock, and sent no root down to the earth nor did they sprout any ear up to heaven. And others fell on the thorns; they choked the seed, and the worm ate them. And others fell on the good earth, and brought forth good fruit unto heaven, some sixty -fold and some an hundred and twenty -fold. (Matthew 13:3-9 Mark 4:2-9 Luke 8:4-8)
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(10) Jesus said: I have cast fire upon the world, and behold I guard it until it is ablaze. (Acts 2:1-4)