Jesus said, "Those who know all, but are lacking in themselves, are utterly lacking." (67 Thomas)

Another translation offers, "He who knows the All, but fails to know himself, misses everything."

Scholars dispute if the knowing all is an earnest know thyself, a dismissive know-it-all, or a mystical knowing of the universe.

In any case none of this knowledge is of value if we lack in ourselves.

In very everyday ways we are aware of this truth. We have met those who pursue knowledge primarily to compensate for self-doubt. The self-doubt undermines the credibiltity of their knowledge.

There are no gospel parallels to this saying, but it reminds me of the prologue to Corinthians 13: "If I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."

Tielhard de Chardin counsels, "First, develop yourself... (this) is the collaboration, trembling with love, which we give to the hands of God, concerned to attire and prepare us for the final union through sacrfice. Understood in this way, the care which we devote to personal achievement and embellishment is no more than a gift begun." (The Divive Milieu)

Jesus said, "Show me the stone that the builders rejected: that is the keystone." (66 Thomas)

What is rejected will become what is most essential. What others (most?) considered insufficient will become what is essential. What seems bad will become very good.

This aphorism also follows all of the synoptic accounts of the parable of the vineyard. In Mark, Matthew, and Luke the saying is used to explain the parable. In this way we are - or thousands of sermons have - led us to understand that the rejected Jesus is the keystone.

But to me it seems likely Jesus was referencing Psalm 118:22, here in context:

כ זֶה-הַשַּׁעַר לַיהוָה; צַדִּיקִים, יָבֹאוּ בוֹ.
This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter into it.
כא אוֹדְךָ, כִּי עֲנִיתָנִי; וַתְּהִי-לִי, לִישׁוּעָה.
I will give thanks unto Thee, for Thou hast answered me, and art become my salvation.
כב אֶבֶן, מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים-- הָיְתָה, לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה.
The stone which the builders rejected is become the chief corner-stone.
כג מֵאֵת יְהוָה, הָיְתָה זֹּאת; הִיא נִפְלָאת בְּעֵינֵינוּ.
This is the LORD'S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.
כד זֶה-הַיּוֹם, עָשָׂה יְהוָה; נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בוֹ.
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

In the psalm the gate is our troubles, our "straits" in the King James version. All the challenges, troubles, and hurts... all that I am inclined to reject... can bring us through the wall that separates us from fulfillment, completeness, wholeness.

If we will love and honor Reality - especially at its most difficult - there we can find purpose and we will rejoice and be glad in it.

He said, A [. . .] person owned a vineyard and rented it to some farmers, so they could work it and he could collect its crop from them. He sent his slave so the farmers would give him the vineyard's crop. They grabbed him, beat him, and almost killed him, and the slave returned and told his master. His master said, "Perhaps he didn't know them." He sent another slave, and the farmers beat that one as well. Then the master sent his son and said, "Perhaps they'll show my son some respect." Because the farmers knew that he was the heir to the vineyard, they grabbed him and killed him. Anyone here with two ears had better listen! (65 Thomas)

We are reasonably confident of the farmers' motivation.

The parable is explicit the owner was seeking to collect his portion of the crop.

But how do we explain the owner's persistent naivete and willingness to risk his son?

And what will the owner do now? In the synoptic Gospels' version of the story he will destroy the farmers and give the vineyard to others.

In Isaiah the owner destroys the vineyard.

If the last 2000 years provides a clue the owner will continue to send his servants and invite us into covenant with him.

The scriptural parallels are Isaiah 5:1-7, Mark 12:1-9, Matthew 21:33-41, and Luke 20:9-16.

Above is another illustration of Thomas encountering the risen Christ.

Jesus said, Someone was receiving guests. When he had prepared the dinner, he sent his slave to invite the guests. The slave went to the first and said, "My master invites you." The first replied, "Some merchants owe me money; they are coming to me tonight. I have to go and give them instructions. Please excuse me from dinner." The slave went to another and said, "My master has invited you." The second said to the slave, "I have bought a house, and I have been called away for a day. I shall have no time." The slave went to another and said, "My master invites you." The third said to the slave, "My friend is to be married, and I am to arrange the banquet. I shall not be able to come. Please excuse me from dinner." The slave went to another and said, "My master invites you." The fourth said to the slave, "I have bought an estate, and I am going to collect the rent. I shall not be able to come. Please excuse me." The slave returned and said to his master, "Those whom you invited to dinner have asked to be excused."The master said to his slave, "Go out on the streets and bring back whomever you find to have dinner." Buyers and merchants [will] not enter the places of my Father. (64 Thomas)

"Please excuse me." There is always an excuse and usually a good excuse for not attending, not paying attention, not accepting the invitation, not entering into the joy of God's purpose.

There are practical and urgent matters that have claimed our attention. Surely God understands. Surely he will excuse us.

I expect God understands all too well. Despite our busy boorishness we continue to be invited. But until we accept the invitation we have chosen to exclude ourselves from the full experience of God's love.

The synoptic parallels are Luke 14:15-24 and Matthew 22:1-10.

Jesus said, There was a rich man who had a great deal of money. He said, "I shall invest my money so that I may sow, reap, plant, and fill my storehouses with produce, that I may lack nothing." These were the things he was thinking in his heart, but that very night he died. Anyone here with two ears had better listen! (63 Thomas)

By the standard of most of the world I am rich. Yet I spend a great deal of my time and energy thinking about how to accumulate more.

No matter our current condition we can feel vulnerable and want more. The sense of vulnerability and neediness is real.

But when we look to money, investments, and our own plans to fill these needs, we are looking into a bottomless pit.

Jesus honored honest work. Many of his parables are drawn from the world of work. He was attentive to the requirements of our daily bread.

But we should avoid the error of thinking that the benefits we derive from work will cause us to "lack nothing." I cannot possess what is most valuable, but I can love it.

The synoptic parallel is Luke 12:13-21.

Jesus said, "I disclose my mysteries to those [who are worthy] of [my] mysteries. Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." (62 Thomas)

A mystery is something hidden, something secret, but also more. It is something tantalizing, something powerful.

To understand a mystery - to break its code - intellectual consistency is often unhelpful, even an impediment.

A mystery is inconsistent with our expectations otherwise it is not a mystery. A mystery is incoherent with the facts or at least our initial impression of the facts.

In the book of Daniel there is an Aramaic word - raz - that may be the word Jesus used. In that book of mysteries we read: "But as for me, this mystery has not been revealed to me for any wisdom residing in me more than in any other living man, but for the purpose of making the interpretation known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind." (Daniel 2:30)

To know mystery open your mind to paradox, open your life to ambiguity, expose what you believe to its contradiction.

If the left does not agree with the right do not be troubled, rather seek another way. Be open to an understanding that transcends your current categories.

We create categories, frames, and more as tools for understanding. But some understanding is beyond the scope of our present tools.

Above from the Hunterian Psalter is Thomas encountering the risen Jesus and Jesus saving Peter. In each case an interesting coincidence of faith and doubt, being open and closed, understanding and ignorance.

Jesus said, "Two will recline on a couch; one will die, one will live." Salome said, "Who are you, mister? You have climbed onto my couch and eaten from my table as if you are from someone." Jesus said to her, "I am the one who comes from what is whole. I was granted from the things of my Father." "I am your disciple." " For this reason I say, if one is (whole), one will be filled with light, but if one is divided, one will be filled with darkness." (61 Thomas)

A more literal translation of the Coptic has Jesus saying, "I am he-who-exists out of-he-who is equal or fully integrated or whole.

Whole - the Greek is holos - is all, completely, entire, full, throughout. Jesus is quoted as using holos when he quotes scripture: "And you shall love the Lord your God will all your heart, and will all your soul, and will all your mind, and with all your strength."

The Shema quoted by Jesus is from Deuteronomy 6:5. Here the Hebrew for all or whole is kol which also means totality, everything, anything, completely, and continually.

We are called to wholeness. We are called to God. Jesus comes from what is whole. So do we. We are to return and in returning complete ourselves.

Does our return also complete God?