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Gospel of Thomas · 29 of 114 · tr. Thomas O. Lambdin

Logion 29

Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of wonders. Indeed, I am amazed at how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty."
Themes
◆Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

The phrase 'wonder of wonders' suggests the ineffability of the divine mystery beyond simple description.

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◆Cosmic Dualismtheology

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

The passage explicitly contrasts flesh and spirit, as well as poverty and wealth, establishing an ontological opposition.

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◆Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The divine 'wealth' is concealed or hidden within the apparent 'poverty' of the material body.

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◆Divine Sparkscosmology

Fragments of divine light or spirit trapped inside material bodies, awaiting liberation and return to their source.

The 'great wealth' (spirit) making its home in 'poverty' (body) mirrors the Gnostic concept of divine light trapped in matter.

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◆Inner Lightanthropology

The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.

The 'great wealth' residing inside the body suggests a luminous divine quality present within the human person.

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◆Kingdom Withinanthropology

The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.

The text asserts that the divine 'wealth' has made its home within the human condition of 'poverty'.

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◆Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology

The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.

The human body containing the divine wealth reflects the cosmic structure within the individual.

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◆Self Knowledgesoteriology

The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.

Recognizing the divine wealth within one's own poverty is implied as a key insight for the listener.

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◇Paradox As Teachingethics

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

[auto] The passage centers on the paradoxical wonder of spirit inhabiting flesh and wealth residing in poverty.

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Related passages · 6 parallels
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 3 (part 8)
“Without it the form of the spirit would not be knowable; it is the corporeity of the spirit. To be sure, it is not a bodily, tangible substance, like the bodies of men, but has nevertheless substantial and visible qualities which the spiri…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the spiritual and the corporeal, emphasizing the wonder and mystery of their interplay. They share a conceptual parallel in their contemplation of the divine manifesting through material or substantial forms.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 9 (part 3)
“2.) "Many a soul in her malignity would become a devil within one hour if the external life did not prevent it, so that her complete ignition cannot take place." ( Forty Questions , xvi. 12.) "In examining our own selves we find that, on t…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the spiritual and the physical, and the wonder or consequence of their interaction. They discuss the interplay between the higher, divine aspects of humanity and the earthly, material aspects, highlighting the tension and transformation that occurs.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 9 (part 10)
“The conditions of these animal elementals in the constitution of man are some of those causes of his bodily ills of which modern medical science is entirely ignorant. 191:1 This is the way in which the "personalities" mentioned in the Book…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the spiritual and physical aspects of human existence, highlighting the interplay and the wonder of their coexistence. They discuss the nature of the soul and its connection to the body, albeit from different mystical traditions.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 11 (part 3)
“Now can I truly say, 'The soul of Christ is my brother, and the body of Christ is the nutriment of my soul.'" ( Three Principles , xxii. 78.) p. 229 But if Christ had come only from a terrestrial virgin He would not have come from above,…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the spiritual and the physical, emphasizing the divine origin of the spiritual within the human. They share a mystical perspective on the incarnation and the nature of the soul.
◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 11 (part 6)
“90.) "The living Word that dwelt within the eternal virgin attracted to itself the flesh of Mary—that is to say, the essences from the corporeal body of Mary—and thus there grew in nine months a complete human being with soul, spirit, and f…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the divine and the human in the context of incarnation. They discuss the union of spirit and flesh, though from different theological perspectives.
◆neoplatonism|Iamblichus: On the Mysteries|Chapter VI
“Moreover, the gifts arising from the manifestations are not all of them equal, nor have the same fruits. But the presence [44] of the Gods, indeed, imparts to us health of body, virtue of soul, purity of intellect, and in one word elevates…”
Both passages explore the relationship between the spiritual and material realms, highlighting the interplay and the wonder of their coexistence. They both emphasize the transformative power of the spiritual on the material, though they use different metaphors and contexts.