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Gospel of Thomas · 21 of 114 · tr. Thomas O. Lambdin

Logion 21

Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are your disciples like?" He said, "They are like children who have settled in a field which is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, 'Let us have back our field.' They (will) undress in their presence in order to let them have back their field and to give it back to them. Therefore I say, if the owner of a house knows that the thief is coming, he will begin his vigil before he comes and will not let him dig through into his house of his domain to carry away his goods. You, then, be on your guard against the world. Arm yourselves with great strength lest the robbers find a way to come to you, for the difficulty which you expect will (surely) materialize. Let there be among you a man of understanding. When the grain ripened, he came quickly with his sickle in his hand and reaped it. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
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Themes
Archonscosmology

Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent.

[auto] The 'robbers,' 'thief,' and 'owners of the field' function as hostile worldly powers obstructing the disciples' safety.

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Childlike Innocenceanthropology

The infant or child as symbol of the unfallen, undivided spiritual state; return to primordial simplicity.

Jesus explicitly compares his disciples to children, symbolizing a state of simplicity or unfallen spiritual condition.

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Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

[auto] The text establishes a sharp opposition between the spiritual vigilance of the disciples and the dangerous 'world' filled with robbers.

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Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

The imagery of grain ripening and being reaped with a sickle serves as a metaphor for the final harvest or judgment.

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Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.

[auto] Salvation is linked to being a 'man of understanding' who reaps the grain, emphasizing knowledge over ritual.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

[auto] The passage concludes with the formula 'Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear,' indicating esoteric teaching reserved for those capable of understanding.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

[auto] The instruction to undress before owners to return the field uses counter-intuitive imagery to convey spiritual surrender.

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Pneumatic Electsoteriology

A spiritual elite who possess the divine spark and are predestined for salvation, contrasted with psychic (faithful) and hylic (material) persons.

[auto] The 'man of understanding' and the disciples are distinguished from the world, implying a spiritual elite capable of reaping.

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Renunciation Of Wealthethics

The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.

[auto] Disciples are instructed to undress and give back the field that is not theirs, symbolizing detachment from material possession.

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Self Examinationpraxis

Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.

The command to 'be on your guard' and keep vigil implies a practice of constant spiritual self-monitoring.

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Separation From Sourcesoteriology

The felt condition of exile from one's divine origin — Rumi's reed flute torn from its bed, Plotinus's 'we have forgotten,' the Gnostic forgetfulness; the affective wound that complements return_to_source and gives the return its motive.

The metaphor of disciples as children in a field that is not theirs depicts the soul's state of exile or displacement from its true origin.

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Related passages · 6 parallels
taoism|Tao Te Ching|Chapter 28
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Shared concept: Childlike Innocence — The infant or child as symbol of the unfallen, undivided spiritual state; return to primordial simplicity. (derived)
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Shared concept: Renunciation Of Wealth — The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle. (derived)
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Shared concept: Pneumatic Elect — A spiritual elite who possess the divine spark and are predestined for salvation, contrasted with psychic (faithful) and hylic (material) persons. (derived)
christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 13 (part 10)
“281 "The inner man continually kills the outer one by means of the love and sweetness of God, so that the external one cannot introduce into the soul-fire his earthly poisonous desire, which is infected by the devil; but the external man ca…”
Shared concept: Self Examination — Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice. (derived)