Beyond Nondual Orthodoxy (The Gospel of Thomas)

In this episode I am exploring sayings 38 and 39 in the Gospel of Thomas. Both have parallels in the canonical gospels, but not exactly. Once again context – or more exactly lack of context – is an important factor in the interpretation of these sayings of Jesus. I will read the sayings in Thomas for you.Jesus said, "Often you have desired to hear these sayings that I am speaking to you, and you have no one else from whom to hear them. There will be days when you will seek me and you will not find me."Jesus said, "The Pharisees and the scholars have taken the keys of knowledge and have hidden them. They have not entered nor have they allowed those who want to enter to do so. As for you, be as sly as snakes and as simple as doves."View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

In this episode I am looking at two sayings in the Gospel of Thomas, sayings 36 and 37. Both have to do with clothing. Here they are: Jesus said, "Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear." His disciples said, "When will you become revealed to us and when shall we see you?" Jesus said, "When you disrobe without being ashamed and take up your garments and place them under your feet like little children and tread on them, then will you see the Son of the Living One, and you will not be afraid."View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

Today I am covering two sayings in the Gospel of Thomas. Sayings 34 and 35. I am doing this because they are short, and they are making the same point. They are also very similar to sayings that we find in the New Testament gospels. For that reason, the difference in interpretation of these sayings really is a matter of context. Here are the two sayings as found in the Gospel of Thomas: Jesus said, "If a blind person leads a blind person, both of them will fall into a hole." Jesus said, "One can't enter a strong person's house and take it by force without tying his hands. Then one can loot his house.”View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

Today I am going to cover two sayings in the Gospel of Thomas, sayings 32 and 33. There are actually three sayings in these two verses. One about being built on a mountaintop, one about shouting from a housetop, and one about shining from a tabletop. I am grouping them together because they have the same theme and in the canonical gospels they are found together. And they are all about how the nondual Reality of the Kingdom of God shines forth for all to see. Here are the sayings: Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden." Jesus said, "Preach from your housetops that which you will hear in your ear. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a lampstand so that everyone who enters and leaves will see its light."View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

Today we look at the 31st saying of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas. Jesus said, “No prophet is accepted in his own village. No physician heals those who know him.” There are slightly different translations. "No prophet is welcome on his home turf; doctors don't cure those who know them." “A prophet is not accepted in the hometown. A doctor does not heal those who know the doctor.” “No prophet is accepted in his own village. No physician heals the people who know him well.”View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

In the 30th saying in the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus deals with the topic of the Trinity. At least it seems like he is referring to the Trinity. He may be talking about tritheism or even polytheism. He is certainly talking about duality and nonduality. See also the episode entitled “Trinity and Nonduality.” at this link: https://youtu.be/PvRbrosAhtU View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

This episode explores the 29th saying of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas.  Jesus said, "If the body came into being because of spirit, that is a marvel, but if spirit came into being because of the body, that is a marvel of marvels. Yet I marvel at how this great wealth has come to dwell in this poverty." In this saying Jesus is leading people beyond metaphysical and philosophical questions in order to point them to Reality that is beyond ideas. It is common in religious and spiritual circles for people to be dogmatic about their views. That is as true in nonduality as it is in Christianity.View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

This episode explores the twenty-eighth saying of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas. Jesus said, "I took my stand in the midst of the world, and in flesh I appeared to them. I found them all drunk, and I did not find any of them thirsty. My soul ached for the children of humanity, because they are blind in their hearts and do not see, for they came into the world empty, and they also seek to depart from the world empty. But meanwhile they are drunk. When they shake off their wine, then they will change their ways."View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

This edition of the Tao of Christ is a little different. For one thing it is shorter than usual. Also I am taking a break from the Gospel of Thomas. I will get back to it in a week or so. Today I am reading my blog post for today. I have a blog that I publish once or twice a week called Spiritual Reflections by Marshall Davis. Normally it is just in a written format, but today I thought I would record it in an audio format as well. If you are interested in subscribing to my blog you can find my blog here:https://spiritualreflections.substack.com/View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU

This episode is on the 27th saying of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas. It is actually two sayings. One is about finding the Kingdom of God. The other is about seeing the Father. These are both ways of talking about spiritual awakening. He talks about this in the context of the spiritual disciplines of fasting and Sabbath. The first is about true fasting. The second is about true Sabbath-keeping.It reads: "If you do not fast from the world, you will not find the Kingdom. If you do not observe the sabbath as a sabbath you will not see the Father." I understand these sayings as talking about space and time – spacetime - from a nondual perspective. In other words the world is not what you think it is. View Marshall's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Marshall-Davis/author/B001K8Y0RU