Here i will deposit analysis of the Gospel of Thomas, with the idea that 70% of it is authentic. If authentic, it might be worth a look, especially considering its bold claim in the first sentence: "Whoever finds the meaning of these words will not taste death.” https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bi...ns/the-gospel-of-thomas-114-sayings-of-jesus/ Here is an ok introduction from a YouTuber: Out of 114 sayings, i will attempt to identify about 36 that are NOT authentic. For example #12: (12) (1) The disciples said to Jesus: “We know that you will depart from us. Who (then) will rule over us?” (2) Jesus said to them: “No matter where you came from, you should go to James the Just, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being.” This tends to reveal there was a cult of James, brother of Jesus (blood brother) and also reveals how ruthless people were in those days to screw around with "scriptures". Nothing was sacred to the ignorant. James, you might know, cultivated perhaps the most Jewish version of Jesus' teachings, and was probably responsible for the downfall of P/Saul, whom he pressed to take an oath, shave his head, and enticed into the temple with a gentile companion. That almost got Paul stoned, but instead shipped off to Rome to eventually be beheaded. The second saying sounds authentic: (2) Jesus says: (1) “The one who seeks should not cease seeking until he finds. (2) And when he finds, he will be dismayed. (3) And when he is dismayed, he will be astonished. (4) And he will be king over the All.” And here is my analysis: Seeking is a state of mind that does not presume to know anything. This is prerequisite, as it is man's downfall to presume he knows anything. Then you need the drive to know. This is where being weary can come in handy. Dismayed is similar to disillusioned, meaning, its like having the rug pulled out from under you. Every thing you thought was real turns out to be unreal. The truth is utterly opposite what you thought based on historical traditions or even observation. Based on your new perspective, you might have an experience of revelation, which will be astonishing! This describes the infusion of actual knowledge who is also an experience. Knowledge will reveal you are totally responsible for everything you are experiencing, including the making of the illusion, or "the world" so-called. You will know there is no power higher than your own, and that you are using (abusing) that power to decieve yourself.
(3) Jesus says: (1) “If those who lead you say to you: ‘Look, the kingdom is in the sky!’ then the birds of the sky will precede you. (2) If they say to you: ‘It is in the sea,’ then the fishes will precede you. (3) Rather, the kingdom is inside of you and outside of you.” (4) “When you come to know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will realize that you are the children of the living Father. (5) But if you do not come to know yourselves, then you exist in poverty, and you are poverty". This is similar to a saying from an older tradition, perhaps Buddhism: To the bird its the air, to the fish its the water, to man it is himself. This all implies that one's Self (note the capital S) is much more expansive than what meets the eye. It challenges the listener to re-evaluate who or what he thinks he is. This is important because the power of the Self (no higher power) is being used to decieve oneself about one's Self! Children of the Living Father means "ye are gods", so to speak, again implying a great power, especially if your power is EQUAL to the Most High. For the kingdom to be inside, you really must re-deem who and what you think you are. Its arrogant for the fish to think the ocean is inside him. The fish would need to be at least as expansive as the earth for the oceans to be "inside". For man, his Self must be at least as expansive as the proverbial "kingdom" for the shoe to fit. Question is, how expansive is the proverbial "kingdom". For starters, its way bigger than the known (presumed known) "universe". Inside AND outside means the Self is the totality of all that exists. Notice the emphasis on knowledge, knowing and being known. Poverty is the status quo of the decieved "self" (all mankind). Wealth is knowing thy Self. Notice nothing on or in or above the earth describes the true Self. There is no "place" You are located. The "kingdom" is not a location. How could it be if it comprises all that exists? The Self and the "Kingdom" are the same thing/being. Are you disillusioned yet? Are you not astonished? Can you think of anything more astonishing than that?
(4) Jesus says: (1) “The person old in his days will not hesitate to ask a child seven days old about the place of life, and he will live. (2) For many who are first will become last, (3) and they will become a single one.” Probably NOT authentic, but if it is, it might be a reference to the difference between faith and knowledge. A young person can have knowledge because it is not learned, rather, it is accepted, infused, experienced. Any amount of knowledge can trump a lifetime of learning by a mind guided by faith, which is essentially ignorance. Knowledge reveals the oneness of all things, even of those things manifest by faith (the physical universe). At low levels, all appears to be separate. Even there they are joined (the deception is a conspiracy). At the highest level is true oneness, which includes perfect equality. This is revealed by knowledge.
(5) Jesus says: (1) “Come to know what is in front of you, and that which is hidden from you will become clear to you. (2) For there is nothing hidden that will not become manifest." What is in front of every man is a complex illusion. Its important to accept this, even if means becoming "dismayed" (disillusioned). Then, and only then is there a chance to see what is beyond. Anyway, the illusion has limits, and will eventually be found out by all who are involved (the decieved Self/selves).
(6) (1) His disciples questioned him, (and) they said to him: “Do you want us to fast? And how should we pray and give alms? And what diet should we observe?” (2) Jesus says: “Do not lie. (3) And do not do what you hate. (4) For everything is disclosed in view of <the truth>. (5) For there is nothing hidden that will not become revealed. (6) And there is nothing covered that will remain undisclosed" Probably NOT authentic. If it is, in some way, it probably means to conduct oneself as if everything will be revealed when knowledge begins to dawn on the collective mind. Nothing is secret to knowledge, or to those intermediate stages between faith (ignorance) and knowledge. Conducting oneself this way might be conducive to a readiness to accept knowledge.
(7) Jesus says: (1) “Blessed is the lion that a person will eat and the lion will become human. (2) And anathema is the person whom a lion will eat and the lion will become human.” Most likely NOT authentic, inserted by a latter day scribe, knowing nothing, trying to sound like Rainmaker 3000. Completely useless.
(8) (1) And he says: “The human being is like a sensible fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea filled with little fish. (2) Among them the sensible fisherman found a large, fine fish. (3) He threw all the little fish back into the sea, (and) he chose the large fish effortlessly. (4) Whoever has ears to hear should hear" Describing the importance of continuing to seek until you find knowledge, which is obvious when it is found. Before you find knowledge (the really big one) you may have to catch, and sort through a lot of little beliefs, traditions based on faith. Be aware, and dont presume to know anything. Be prepared to throw away all the so called "knowledge" you've accumulated, because someday, real knowledge might fall into the open net of an open mind. When it does, you will finally know it, and you will know how worthless were the prior aquisitons.
(9) Jesus says: (1) “Look, a sower went out. He filled his hands (with seeds), (and) he scattered (them). (2) Some fell on the path, and the birds came and pecked them up. (3) Others fell on the rock, and did not take root in the soil, and they did not put forth ears. (4) And others fell among the thorns, they choked the seeds, and worms ate them. (5) And others fell on good soil, and it produced good fruit. It yielded sixty per measure and one hundred twenty per measure.” Similar to #8. Knowledge is broadcast, but can only be recieved by a mind that is ready, by brains that are NOT bigots. Even a little knowledge is very powerful, once ot takes root in a ready mind.
(10) Jesus says: “I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding it until it blazes.” Might not be authentic. But if it is, it might mean that these words, these sayings, if interpreted rightly and understood, will bring about the end of this world, meaning, they will disillusion our minds from this illusion. The end of the illusion is the end of this world. Same thing. He's still stoking that fire. When done, there will be nothing left...from dust to dust.
(11) Jesus says: (1) “This heaven will pass away, and the (heaven) above it will pass away. (2) And the dead are not alive, and the living will not die. (3) In the days when you consumed what was dead, you made it alive. When you are in the light, what will you do? (4) On the day when you were one, you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?” Probably screwed up, or not authentic. If it is, rhe first part reinforces #10, saying this world has a limit, and will "pass away" or otherwise disappear, due to full acceptance of the right interpretation and understanding of these sayings. May speak of man's strange, contradictory, dual existence...of man's similarity to vampires, unable to stand the light of knowledge. In the dark, the walking dead.