God, the "Great Iconoclast."
  • Alma Turner
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The Gospel of Thomas

Sayings of Jesus: 37, 38, 39


Saying 37
His disciples asked him: When will you appear to us? When will we see you? Jesus replied: When you strip naked without shame and trample your clothing underfoot just as little children do, then you will look at the son of the living one without being afraid.


​I love the image of us trampling our clothes like little children, like "who needs this shit? Get it offa me asap! Let's be free!"
​

When will we see Jesus? When we shed all the trappings and attachments and become naked; there we will be - without fear - laughing, and dancing, looking at and loving one another, the sons and daughters of the living One.

​Unity prevails over division
when each one is recognized as a child of God; in that consciousness, no oppression, manipulation, rape, abuse, jealousy, fear of the other occurs.
Jesus is us, we are in, with, of Him. We are here as him. One Body, Immanuel, the One, the mystical Body of Christ.

Another interpretation is that "clothes" are "the skin I'm in" as Sly says. Without skin, before, on, and after our dying day, it's clear we’re pure energy, housed temporarily in these wondrously complex, artfully crafted bodies, as some say, “Earth suits.”


Saying 38
Jesus said: You often wanted to hear the words I am speaking to you. You have no one else from whom you can hear them. The days will come when you will seek me and you will not be able to find me.


​It's easy to become dependent on someone I respect or allow others to respect me and diminish themselves; watch out for the ego-feeding insanity of statements like "Oh you are so great!" or "What would I do without you?" or even over-zealous, "Thank you! Thank you.!" The most delicate point in being a leader, teacher, or friend is when people start to respect you (rather than the God within you, working through you) and in so doing negate their own divine power, becoming dependent rather than empowered.

Is Jesus saying, "Cut that shit out!"
Why? because in the long run, baby, you have to internalize my words and live by them without me. Don't become consumers - in one ear and out the other.
You are not mindless receptacles but rather responsible empowered believers who share good news, teach, give hope, light the way.
Is it a warning to moving lightly around a “guru” that has the potential to become the worshipped?
By worshipping Jesus have we done exactly what he didn't want us to do?
Did he ask us to follow or to worship him?


Saying 39
Jesus said: The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys to knowledge and have hidden them. They did not go in, and they did not permit those desiring to go in to enter.
​You should be as clever as snakes and as innocent as doves.


Getting the keys to knowledge past the gate keepers (the Pharisees) takes the cleverness of snakes and the innocence of doves. The Pharisees have embedded booby traps within each soul, old ideas about obedience, about conformity, about submission, and about God.
They are alive and well today, doing a great job at keeping people away from a relationship with God.


In sponsorship, pray to find ways into each person's heart. Look for the entry points.
When sponsoring, pay attention to get past the cloud of knowing (the ego, Edging God Out) that most of us have shielding our hearts.
​To get through to someone, align with love and truth, as innocent as a dove, while navigating with the cleverness of a snake in order to access the heart of the one God has put in your path.


Sayings 40, 41, 42
Picture
  • Alma Turner
    • Alma Turner
    • Site Overview
    • Alma's Blessings
  • 12 Steps
    • Step 1: Humility >
      • Step One Questions
    • Step 2: Hope
    • Step 3: Faith
    • Step 4: Honesty >
      • Money Inventory
    • Step 5: Trust
    • Step 6: Willingness
    • Step 7: Surrender
    • Step 8: Forgiveness
    • Step 9: Justice >
      • Amend White to Black
    • Step 10: Perseverance >
      • Fear Watch
    • Step 11: Contact
    • Step 12: Service
  • Poems, Prayers, Music
    • Beloved Poems by Others >
      • I Stand at the Door by Sam Shoemaker
      • Prayer to the Great Spirit
      • The Guest House by Rumi
      • The Invitation by Oriah
      • Elohai Neshama
    • Poems by Alma >
      • Poems 2017-2020
      • More Poems by Year >
        • Poems 2021
        • Poems 2022
        • Poems 2023
        • Poems 2024
      • Clay Haiku
      • Beatitude Poems
      • Hurricane Ida Poems
      • Prayer Poems
      • Injustice Poems
    • Big Book Prayers
    • Variations on the Familiar >
      • Lord's Prayer Variations
      • Serenity Prayer Variation
      • Creed Variation
      • Psalm Variations
      • Parables etc Variations
      • Invictus Variations
    • Letters
    • Music >
      • Roberta Flack
      • Marvin Gaye
  • more
    • Bible Thoughts >
      • Count the Omer
      • yeshua hamashiach >
        • Books on the Journey to J
        • Brown or Black
        • Teacher
        • Son of Man
        • Activist
        • High Priest
        • Innocent
        • Lynched
        • Alive
        • Sayings >
          • Sayings 1-3
          • Sayings 4-6
          • Sayings 7-9
          • Sayings 10-12
          • Sayings 13-15
          • Sayings 16-18
          • Sayings 19-21
          • Sayings 22-24
          • Sayings 25-27
          • Sayings 28-30
          • Sayings 31-33
          • Sayings 34-36
          • Sayings 37, 38, 39
          • Sayings 40, 41, 42
          • Sayings 43, 44, 45
          • Sayings 46, 47, 48
          • Sayings 49, 50, 51
          • Sayings 52, 53, 54
          • Sayings 55, 56, 57
          • Sayings 58, 59, 60
          • Sayings 61, 62, 63
          • Sayings 64, 65, 66
          • Sayings 73, 74, 75
          • Sayings 76, 77, 78
          • Sayings 100, 101, 102
          • Sayings 103, 104, 105
          • Sayings 106, 107, 108
          • Sayings 109, 110, 111
          • Sayings 112, 113, 114
      • Genesis >
        • High Priest
        • Jacob is Israel.
      • Prophets >
        • Isaiah 30
        • Isaiah 54
        • Jeremiah 31:31-35
      • Frederick Douglas
    • Disciplines >
      • Fasting
      • Lectio Divina and Centering Prayer
      • Reading!
      • 12 White Steps
    • The Gospel of Thomas
    • Psalms >
      • Psalms for Mercy
      • Psalms 23, 46, 91, 139
      • Psalms 121, 1, and 32
    • The Odes of Solomon >
      • Ode 38
    • The Symbol >
      • The Circle and Triangle
    • Blog
    • Preparations
    • A Suggestion