Theos-Talk Archives (March 2004 Message tt00568)

> From: "Joe Mendoza" <joemendoza21@hotmail.com>
> Reply-To: GospelofThomas@yahoogroups.com
> To: GospelofThomas@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [GospelofThomas] Saying #64
> Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2004 23:45:16 -0000
>
> 64 Jesus said, A person was receiving guests. When he had prepared the
> dinner, he sent his slave to invite the guests. The slave went to the
> first and said to that one, "My master invites you." That one said,
> "Some merchants owe me money; they are coming to me tonight. I have to
> go and give them instructions. Please excuse me from dinner." The
> slave went to another and said to that one, "My master has invited
> you." That one said to the slave, "I have bought a house, and I have
> been called away for a day. I shall have no time." The slave went to
> another and said to that one, "My master invites you." That one said
> to the slave, "My friend is to be married, and I am to arrange the
> banquet. I shall not be able to come. Please excuse me from dinner."
> The slave went to another and said to that one, "My master invites
> you." That one said to the slave, "I have bought an estate, and I am
> going to collect the rent. I shall not be able to come. Please excuse
> me." The slave returned and said to his master, "Those whom you
> invited to dinner have asked to be excused." The master said to his
> slave, "Go out on the streets and bring back whomever you find to have
> dinner."
>
> Buyers and merchants [will] not enter the places of my Father.
> ..................................................
> A continuation of the ideas of Saying #63
>
> All the excuses are Hylic excuses.
>
> None of the invited guest could come. Whoever it was that the person
> receiving guests was (and you know that it is really you and me), the
> guests were not where he thought they would be.
>
> The guests represent the Hylic's preconceptions. The first guest sees
> his meaning in accumulating money, the second in accumulating
> possessions (houses) the third in accumulating relatives and the
> fourth in accumulating land. All four guests are trying to find
> meaning in Hylic ties of wealth and genetics.
>
> The answer isn't where I think it will be. If I only look where I
> expect to find it, it will never come. I must go out into the
> streets. Look for it where I do not expect to find it.
>
> Life is not found in the Hylic, the genetic program, to find Life I
> must look beyond the wants and desires of the body.
Hi Joe-

This is one of my favorite sayings of the Gospel of Thomas. It is easy to 
misinterpret Jesus as condemning merchants and tradesmen, but that's missing 
the boat.
He is describing the High place of Love, of Freedom of spirit, and how one 
enters it. The sufis say in agreement you must enter the Abode headless. To 
enter the place of Love, one only enters when one puts aside transactions of 
the mind- i.e. "If you love me and be good to me, I'll love and obey and 
treat you well." No bargains!
To enter the place of Love beyond the Law, we must become lovers and 
sacrifice ourselves without a second thought. Easy to say.

And so, the master commands the slave- who must obey- to go out and invite 
whomever he meets- yet such an invitation is a summons, a command. Who is 
the slave who is being instructed here? Why, Jesus himself, the messenger of 
Love. What an incredible thing! Here is the Christ calling himself a slave, 
a humble messenger.

Here again, Christ is saying the same and only thing He ever said: I have 
fulfilled the Law, but what is greater than the Law is Love, and this is how 
one approaches it, to transcend the Law. That is what Paul stumbled around 
and tried to reify, imo. I have to think maybe Paul did not have these 
Logions available.

One who calls themself a lover of truth must make the same pact without 
reservations, pre-nups, clauses of future loss or gain. Otherwise, they are 
hypocrites fooling themselves.

regards-

Ali

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