Prayers for Upcoming South Africa/London/Belfast Trip; Finishing the Gospel of Thomas
Spent the first part of the program on my upcoming trip to South Africa, London, and Belfast, and then finished reading the Gospel of Thomas (which I had begun a number of weeks ago). John Samson and Rich Pierce will be filling in while I am traveling. Your prayers and support most appreciated!
Comments are turned off for this video
Transcript
And greetings welcome to the dividing line the last one I will be doing anyways for a while as I leave tomorrow evening for a extended trip
Heading first well flying through Heathrow of course and I call last trip they changed where American goes into it used to be terminal 5 which
I knew like the back of my hand I mean literally there were there were shops in terminal 5. I knew exactly where The chocolates
I like were in which shop Because sometimes you have to spend you know a few hours just wandering around just sitting someplace is boring anyway
They changed over to terminal 3 which I do not know as well yet but was there last time and So we'll see
We'll see what will happen With that and whether I will become an expert on terminal 3
Let's let's hope I have the opportunities to continue to do that. There's no two ways about it, but anyway fly from here to to Heathrow and from Heathrow to Johannesburg and instead of stopping in Joburg.
Oh, well, I have to stop in Joburg, but straight from Joburg to Cape Town and I will be joined in Johannesburg by Rudolf Bischoff and So if you'd like One of my thoughts for the program today was there are a number of you who write and say
How could we? Pray for you. How could we pray for this this trip?
Sure, I mean there's the practical thing about helping to pay for trips like this and for upcoming trips so we do remind folks that we need that assistance as well, but Especially over the next couple of weeks if you could obviously, you know, the big thing always that I ask people to pray for is
I'm gonna spend I estimate 35 hours at least in sealed
Metal or carbon tubes depending on which kind of plane I'm in Because You know 747s are metal and what's that what's that new
Boeing one? That's a 777 that's carbon I've been I've been in one carbon plane so far
That's a little freaky because I ride a carbon bike and I've seen carbon. I've seen carbon bikes crash and Of course,
I've seen aluminum bikes crash too so but Carbon can just sort of go and Yeah, anyway
That would be a long ways up for it to go like that. But anyway Well, we'll be spending a lot of time in sort of hermetically sealed tubes with all sorts of folks with all sorts of diseases and You know the first time
I went overseas 2005 well really overseas to London man,
I just got as sick as it I'm not sure why we say as sick as a dog cuz not all dogs get sick, but Anyway, you know what?
I mean? I was really really really ill and I've done really well since then.
I always pray about it, but I also take all sorts of Steps some which are quite effective
To maintain my health while while I'm traveling, but that's obviously the biggest thing It's always under the hand of God So if you would if you would pray along those lines,
I almost get I almost always get some little something But keeping it a little something that's manageable is totally different than being flat on your back like it was the first time
I went to went to London in 2005 and So your prayers for that would be greatly appreciated safety, obviously
Just so you know what to be praying for It's a lot of work for Rudolf Bischoff when
I get down there You know I I wouldn't I don't think I'd be going to South Africa if it weren't for the tremendous amount of work that Rudolf does and and then you know having a traveling companion who knows what he's doing and local and has things under control extremely extremely important so We won't be spending a lot of time together this trip unfortunately
But we will be going from Joburg down to Cape Town. I've never been to Cape Town I can't talk about who we're gonna be ministering with when
I get back obviously. I'll be able to but New brothers that I'll be meeting for the first time down in in Cape Town everyone tells me the
Cape Town is just the garden spot of South Africa and So, you know,
I've seen some pictures. It looked pretty impressive The only the only sightseeing
I want to do is to find some place to run along the seashore Like I've done in in Durban That would be sort of cool
Looks like it'll be like the mid 70s while I'm there and mid 50s at night so that's that's about best you can you can ask for I would imagine and We'll be doing a so pray for the the ministry there will be doing an entire conference on Scripture reliability
Inerrancy the the canon interpretation, you know, just bibliology as a as a whole
We'll be covering there in in Cape Town this coming this coming weekend inerrancy
Let's see, what are the I guess that there are some specific titles here Click Okay Scripture and modern -day apostles.
Oh Well, I'm not sure where that one came from. But I I guess we can we can address that one
Yeah, there's a number of things here scripture and the interfaith movement
Titles sometimes get added without my necessarily knowing these things so cool Yay We'll do some thinking.
I've got lots of time between now and then not much to do on those on those planes quite honestly
So that's gonna be over through the the weekend of the 8th there in Cape Town then we fly back to Johannesburg and Then drive out to Potsdam and Didn't get chance last time
I was there to go out to Northwest University in Potsdam, but we'll be this time lecturing on the various errors of Bart Ehrman and obviously are
My intention is that these will be recorded and we'll let you know as soon as they're available
When they when they come out and then on Tuesday Christology in the
New Testament and the Quran. I think it's University of Johannesburg. I think it's if I'm recalling correctly,
I could be wrong but if I'm recalling correctly, it's in the Senate chambers at the
University of Johannesburg, which is where I did a debate before it's sort of in the round type thing and Uncle John John Gilchrist and I will be teaming up and discussing this with Muslims now,
I I Don't that must be the dialogue with Bashir Varnia So I thought we were debating in the mosque in La Nasia or maybe that's what that is.
I don't know I'm just looking at the thing. I Thought there was something at the mosque in La Nasia I was pretty certain there was
But I don't see it here Which doesn't necessarily mean anything, but I don't see it here. I'm just looking at my calendar
I don't have all the emails and everything else up So on and so forth. So anyway, then we fly back to London and I know what one of the two
Programs that we're gonna be recording on unbelievable are is what one of the two is
And It required me to download a 15 year old debate and listen to it on a lengthy ride
No, no the Saturday on Saturday I listened to a 15 year old debate
To be prepared for that. I won't give you any more, you know Unbelievable comes out after we've already done these things obviously
But I don't want to Get too far ahead But it'll be it. It's someone
I've debated before has nothing to do with Islam So a lot of you I think you can be happy about about this and then we're looking at a second program
So we'll see if we can put two programs back -to -back there on on unbelievable and then
I'll be speaking there in London Should have the details on this.
We're having a little problem putting the specifics together at the moment, but Should hear back from someone maybe today.
Hopefully possibly not yet My understanding is she's out until tomorrow. The email
I got back was May 3rd Okay, that she would be back in the so hopefully we'll have more details about London at that particular point in time and then on Monday flying up to Belfast and it's actually not
I Won't be in Belfast. I'll be in a in a About out an hour outside of toward the
North Sea Yeah, I just realized that I made a mistake on the Announcement there and I have that in Dublin again
I don't where in the world Dublin came into my brain because that's up in Belfast. So I need to fix that Yeah, well,
I'm just looking at my calendar But yeah Dublin you do definitely have
Dublin stuck on the brain no, it's it's north east of Belfast and be speaking on the reliability of The New Testament they're just spending the night and then start the journey back from Belfast Belfast to Heathrow Heathrow back here to To Phoenix, which
I'll tell you one thing it it breaks that trip up Flying from here to South Africa.
I'm gonna be pretty tired by the time I get to Cape Town No two ways about it Breaking breaking it up having an opportunity of being in London for a little while Though I will have to make sure to be throwing a few pounds on my
Oyster card because we're gonna be having to run around London a bit and you do that using the tube and So I'm sort of looking looking forward to that.
That's always fun. So Lots of things to be praying for it. Yes, sir. Now you were saying about your your time in South Africa in Johannesburg Your When you're at the
University of Johannesburg, I guess is that pot just room? No. Okay, so that's
November May 10th Tuesday your dialogue with uncle John Gilchrist.
It's you and against Bashir Varnia and Mohammed koo koo
V koo Vedya as Is that in at the University of Johannesburg? Yes.
Oh So that's where that is last I had seen that was supposed to be at the mosque in inland Asia but if changed if that has been changed,
I have not been notified of it and maybe Rudolph needs to give me an update on that.
But the last last last official Information he gave me was your imposter shroom on Monday talking about Bart Ehrman two sessions and Then the next night you're at University of Johannesburg with John Gilchrist Bashir Varnia and Mohammed koo
Vedya Okay Well, that'll be interesting that'll be interesting
I just got just got distracted by a Clementine quote that was just provided to me on Twitter and God made trees and you and me and January and all the frozen crackers
Because I I had told Clementine that I had these crackers
From frozen the movie and in this box and she kept asking me about well she she spent the night a
Saturday night and Went through about three bags of frozen crackers in the process and I sent them home with her
So evidently they've they've made an impact upon life. So that's good. That's good Anyway, so that's the upcoming trip and I would deeply appreciate your prayers for each one of those events
Obviously, you know We're all subject to the limitations of these bodies and you know,
I've gotten sick on trips before and man, it makes it tough to do debates or Presentations or all sorts of things like that.
But then there's all sorts of stuff of folks who make this possible I mean You know
Rudolph is gonna be spending a tremendous amount of time away with me when I'm in South Africa When we get to London and Belfast there are people that have to take time out of their schedules and and stuff like that.
So Your prayer is definitely appreciated for for health for blessings upon the presentations when we're specifically speaking to Christians that They would be encouraged
That the church would be strengthened In the midst of the difficulties that they have especially there in in South Africa But especially for those when when we're engaged, you know, there will be a debate in in London with Adnan Rashid We just scheduled that On the subject is the
Trinity man -made or divinely Mandated and so that'll be a that'll be a challenge as well and so We have at least two debates currently not including the unbelievable broadcast so it could be as many as four if you include the unbelievable broadcast and lots and lots of teachings, so Your prayers for this trip very very much appreciated and That gives you an idea of what we're gonna be doing and I guess brother
John Sampson and You will be doing some things while while I'm gone as well
Yep, we're looking at pretty much burning the place down. Okay, no problem at all well,
I I've enjoyed this the studio and all it's meant so hopefully the the
Tribbles will still be here Come on. Oh Time for batteries,
I think the batteries finally gave in Yep. Oh That's sad
It's just a little teeny it's all that's that's terrible I need
I need new batteries for my tribble Problems Kirk never had obviously
Actually, it's got a little weight to it If those have fallen off out of that thing remember the trouble of tribbles and anyway
I think they I think the other the tribbles are more like these because there's nothing in this and you could You could throw this at full speed at somebody's face and they would never really find that to be objectionable
Anyway, you know right before the program started Someone tweeted
Chris Williams tweeted Story time with grandpa Jimmy and I I would have forgotten again.
I I intended to get back to this I would have forgotten I So I'm thankful for through I have a few things on my mind at the moment.
So I am thankful for the reminder and If you recall on story time with with grandpa
Jimmy We had started the gospel of Thomas and we had gotten through the first 40 verses of the gospel of Thomas and then
I I Don't know what happened. Maybe went out of town. Who knows and the brain stopped working and I Forgot to finish up the gospel of Thomas, I'm not sure
I'm gonna do the whole thing today Because it's fairly lengthy, but we have been reading some of the
Gnostic Gospels on the program Just so that people have a familiarity with them.
It's it's the the weight that these have in silencing
Christians and things like that is primarily in Inversely proportional to a person's knowledge of These documents so in other words the more you know about them
The more you can recognize that they really don't have anything to do with Jesus and the
Apostles with the the time frame of the apostolic period and and they come from a different worldview and and once you understand that then it's like Why is everybody so up in arms about these things but the less you know about them then the weightier they become and so you may recall we had read a couple of The more
You know the proteo -evangelium of James and and the infancy gospel of Thomas We we read through these so you because you keep hearing them all the time you you hear
These things being cited and all the rest of stuff and The gospel of Thomas is much longer than the others and so we only read as I recall the first 40 verses of the gospel of Thomas What are you doing out there?
It's I need to open your door. So there's a little breeze through here. It's get a little warm You know supposed to be 98 on Friday It's supposed to be a hundred tomorrow
Wednesday, what are you talking about? It's warming up out here I'm just looking for a little airflow. That's all.
Oh, okay. Well, you know, I I had said it You know, I've I can control my my stuff here from my from my phone.
It's set at 72 Is it yeah, but you're normally complaining your door was closed and your office sucks air through where I'm sitting and So you're just clogging things up, man
Yeah, yeah. Okay. Anyway back to storytime with uncle
Jimmy and the gospel of Thomas which is a hundred and fourteen verses long.
We read the first 40 Verse 40 says Gia said a grapevine has been planted outside of the father, but being unsound will be pulled up by its roots and destroyed
Gia said whoever has something in his hand will receive more and whoever has nothing will be deprived of even the little he has by the way, you can
Some of these you can sort of what you have a phone in your hand
Can you get more? Oh, whoever has something in his hand will receive more the stuff
I have to put up with folks. That's Y 'all would be shocked at the Obviously many of these do
Reflect a knowledge of the biblical Gospels Obviously, it's a huge amount of discussion about How much the authors well, you know, this is a collection of sayings not a one particular author but Which Gospels they knew all that kind of stuff?
But then you have this Gnostic spin, you know that it appears in in all of this
So for example number verse 42 Gia said become passers -by
That's it. You know It's it's not supposed to have a context and it's not supposed to be one of those things where you actually can really figure out
What in the world it's about? the The Gnostics weren't concerned about exegesis or the communication of a particular worldview
Understanding that kind of stuff. It's meant to be somewhat Well, it's meant to be theological play -doh that you can then form into whatever you wish.
That's that's sort of That's sort of that's all 43
His Disciples said to him who are you that you should say these things to us
Gia said to them You'd not realize who I am from what I say to you But you have become like the
Jews they either love the trees and hate its fruit or love the fruit and hate the tree Gia said whoever blasphemes against the father will be forgiven and whoever blasphemes against the son will be forgiven
But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either on earth or in heaven now that It's pretty much
Straightforward straight up out of the canonical Gospels. That's the subject of the impartable sin now
How the Proto -Gnostics understood that good question, but that's
Clearly dependent upon the canonical Gospels. The Gospel of Thomas should never be seen as being concurrent with But secondary to the canonical
Gospels including the Gospel of John Uh Gia said grapes are not harvested from thorns nor figs gathered from thistles
For they do not produce fruit a good man brings good from his storehouse the evil man brings forth evil things from his evil storehouse
Which is in his heart and says evil things for out of the abundance of the heart he brings forth evil things again
Slightly changed but pretty much straight from the canonical Gospels Gia said among those born of women from Adam until John the
Baptist there is no one superior to John the Baptist and his eyes Should not be lowered before him Yet I have said whichever one of you comes to be a child will be acquainted with the kingdom and will become superior to John Verse 47
Gia said it is impossible for a man to mount two horses or to stretch two bows
I'm just thinking about the stretch two bows part And it is impossible for a servant to serve two masters
Otherwise, he will honor the one and treat the other contemptuously No man drinks old wine immediately desires to drink new wine and new wine is not put into old wine skins lest they burst
Nor is old wine put a new wine skin lest it spoil it an old patch is not sewn on a new garment because a tear
Would result okay most of that Again very much dependent on the canonical
Gospels for their their source Verse 48
Gia said if to make peace with each other in this one house They will say the mountain move away, and it will move away
Gia said bless are the solitary and elect for you will find the kingdom for you are from it and To it you will return 50
Gia said if they say to you where did you come from say to them we came from light The place where the light came into being on its own accord and established itself and became manifest through their image
If they say to you is it you say we are its children We are the elect of the Living Father if they ask you
What is the sign of your father in you say to them it is movement and repose Now that one just hung a hard left and and left the canonical
Gospels and the Gia's tradition behind and became very very Gnostic 51 his disciples said to him when will the repose the dead come about and when will the new world come he said to them
What you look forward to has already come, but you do not recognize it His disciples said to him 24 prophets spoke in Israel and all of them spoke in you
He said to them you have omitted the one living in your presence and have spoken only of the dead 53 his disciples said to him is
Circumcision beneficial or not he said to them if it were beneficial their father would beget them already circumcised from their mother
Rather the true circumcision in spirit has become completely profitable Gia said bless the poor for yours is the kingdom of heaven pretty much straight quote 55
Gia said whoever does not hate his father and his mother cannot become a disciple to me and whoever does not hate his brothers And sisters and take up his cross in my way
Will not be worthy of me. I'm I I wonder honestly Exactly what in my way
Means there That particular edition 56
Gia said whoever has come to understand the world has found only a corpse and Whoever has found a corpse is superior to the world it hangs left very frequently
That's all I can say Gia said the kingdom the father is like a man who had good seed his enemy came by night and sowed weeds among the good
Seed the men did not allow them to pull up the weeds He said to them I'm afraid you will go Intending to pull up the weeds and pull up the weed along with them
We're on the day of harvest the weeds will be plain invisible and they will be pulled up and burn Pretty much straight from the canonical
Gospels. Gia said blesses man who has suffered and found life 59
Gia said take heed of the living one while you are alive lest you die and seek to see him and be unable to Do so 60 they saw a
Samaritan carrying a lamb on his way to Judea. He said to his disciples that man is Round about the lamb
They said to him so he may kill it and eat it. He said to them while it is alive He will not eat it, but only when he has killed it and it has become a corpse
They said to him he cannot do so. Otherwise He said to them you to look for a place for yourself within repose
Lest you become a corpse and be eaten. I don't make him up.
I just read him 61 Gia said two will rest on a bed.
The one will die and the other will live Salome said who are you man that you have come up on my couch and eaten from my table
Gia said to her I am he who exists from the undivided. I was given some of the things of my father and then there's a
Ellipses seemingly indicating possibly textual unrecoverable textual corruption.
I He'll be filled with light, but if he is divided he'll be filled with darkness. I don't make him up I just read him 62
Jesus said it is to those who are worthy of my mysteries that I tell my mysteries do not let your left hand know
What your right hand is doing? 63 Gia said there was a rich man who had much money He said
I shall put my money to use so that I may so Replant and fill my storehouse with produce with the result that I shall lack nothing such were his intentions
But that same night he died let him was ears here. Now that just sounds now that one to me sounds like a rather naturally
Summarized version of a canonical story Okay Got it 64 it's a long one
Gia said a man had received visitors and when he had prepared the dinner He sent his servants to invite the guests.
He went to the first one said to him my master invites you He said I have claims against some merchants. They are coming to me this evening
I must go and give them my orders. I asked to be excused from the dinner He went to another and said to him my masters invited you
He said to him I have just bought a house and required for the day I shall not have any spare time He went to another and said to him my master invites you he said to him
My friend is going to get married now. I'm preparing the banquet. I shall not be able to come. I asked to be excused
From the dinner he went to another and said to him my master invites you He said to him.
I have just bought a farm and I'm on my way to collect the rent I shall not be able to come I asked to be excused the servant returned and said to his master
Those whom you invited to dinner have asked to be excused the master said to his servant go outside to the streets and Bring back those whom you happen to meet so they may dine
Businessmen and merchants will not enter the places of my father's again
Pretty close with some Interesting variations
Almost sounds like an oral version of the gospel stories at that point.
Maybe a lot of these are Just people who had heard preaching or things like that, which is interesting
He said there was a good man who owned a vintage number 65 He said there was a good man who owned a vineyard He leased it to tenant farmers so they might work it so and he might collect the produce from them
He sent his servant so the tenants might give the produce of the vineyard They seized his servant and beat him all but killing him the servant went back and told his master the master said perhaps he did not
Recognize them. He sent another servant the tenants beat this one as well Then the owner sent his son and said perhaps they will show respect to my son because the tenants knew that he was
That it was he who was there to the vineyard They seized him and killed him let him who has ears here.
So again, very common gospel stories, but without any context it's a you know, obviously some have wondered if there is a relationship between the mythical queue and Documents like this because they don't show a lot of Contextual concern
I I Keep wanting to say is 66. I've been obviously preparing for debates and Islam Gia said show the stone which the builders have rejected that one is a cornerstone
Gia said if one who knows the all still feels a personal deficiency. He is completely deficient.
So You'll have one You know
Verse directly from the gospel tradition and the next one is just Way out there someplace and that's just the nature
There really isn't there's no flow there's no context it's just Throw it all together 68
Gia said blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted wherever you haven't persecuted they will find they will find no peace
Who's they? Not worried about context 69 Gia said blessed are they who have been persecuted within themselves?
It is they who have truly come to know the father blessed are the hungry for the belly of him who desires will be filled 70
Gia said that which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves
That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you
If you just look like, you know what you're talking about you can get right past these things 70
I'm starting to think that you need to get one of those facial expressions where you squint and nod Well, that's what most professors.
Yeah, you need to squint. They teach off is the great wisdom
Can't can't just can't do it I'm sorry.
I was reading Some tweets from David Eaton Yes, well
I Guess he ran into Paul Williams Another interesting story, but we digress.
Oh my this this I'm getting distracted here between Twitter And evidently
David's in London And then good old
George George say Just got it just got a text message.
Can you debate Shabir Ali on the Trinity the second Saturday of August? hmm a lot of that would depend on where and I started doubt it in light of the fact that Well, he said
Saturday didn't he which would be the 13th
I forget when I'm I think
I'm Preaching the 31st and probably the 7th
Possibility just not sure where I'm thinking you should text him back and say will it be on bicycles?
You can debate him on bicycles You know, sometimes
I think I need to have a control to your microphone in here then it would be fair and Better what can
I say? I'm already getting caught up in the in the gospel of Thomas here. Yes. Yeah I'm sorry that I keep
I'm being distracted by my seat. It's the digital age. You know, I looked over I saw my phone
I saw the message You Know what, you know what we had to do this is this is this is a thought
Well, what I had to do is write to Shabir and Say I'll tell you what
Love to do the debate, but we have to be done with the book beforehand
There's a thought Motivation for both of you or or Whoever is behind the most in the book gets less time
How's that I think that might work that might work I'm think I'm thinking this one
Oh David tells me that Paul Williams says
I'm an Islamophobic bigot. Well, tell Paul Williams that when he's willing to Stand up and defend the things he says against people he knows can actually
You know respond from a position of having taught Greek and Hebrew and things like that then
Let us know till then You know What can
I say? But I appreciate your come trying to converse with with the gentleman maybe there's maybe there's others that can reach the man
I obviously am NOT the one to do that, but remind me to respond to brother George and see what he has
He has in mind Brother Lane right now is trying to Arrange a
Calvinism debate at the end of May over in SoCal That's coming.
That'd be really short notice But we've actually been talking this guy for quite some time
There may be a few extra debates popping into the schedule here on short notice and I would assume
If something works out with George that I would be SoCal as well Which you know, it's easy to at least that's easy to get to you know there's lots and lots and lots and lots and lots of flights into Southern, California and I'm sure
Lane will pick me up and take me wherever I need to go. So that's sort of works out Anyway this
Kofi Kofi just Just posted a picture not sure if Gnostic gospel or guy on shrooms
Because I'm reading the Gospel of Thomas, which yeah Hey some of it clearly you can see direct connection to the canonical gospels and the very next one it's like Just just no
There's no flow there's no editing But there's not supposed to be because the idea in the
Gnostic mind is not the communication ironically of truth In a meaning in a propositional sense.
Was there something you were going to? No, you just you're probably best. Oh, that's good
Okay, if when you say that it probably is best that we just move on. Where was
I? Not making great progress here in story time with uncle
Jimmy Did you see those pictures on Facebook from yesterday with the adorable? Absolutely adorable
I'll tell you that That dress is about four sizes too big, but it's still looked awful cute
You can you can get away with it when you're three and a half years old. You can it doesn't matter. You're just I Won't mention what what
David Eaton just said about But you're right that is that is the appropriate terminology there.
Anyway back to The Gospel of Thomas by the way
The cough I'm cool. I'm fine when I you you got to understand the mind of the addict and I'm addicted to cycling and so I'm gonna be off bike for two weeks and That's like going cold turkey, you know, and so I Have ridden every single day now for over a week.
I did 72 miles this morning Tomorrow I'm gonna do 50 52 somewhere around there
It's all just meant to minimize the damage of two weeks off now many kilometers.
I did last week 500 500 kilometers, that's 310 miles in one week
So I'm pretty much I won't be behind when I get back basically by the way, oh
I can't tell you Drat I've been trying to buy a new and The new version of a book of the guy
I'm debating on unbelievable. I've been trying to buy it through Kindle You know how we do it
Three times I've tried I never get a notification don't know what's going on I wanted to try to record it overnight last night and I never got it
But one of the guy who the one debate we know we're gonna be doing there's gonna be a bunch of you
They're gonna be like, oh good You're going back to that subject at least revisiting that subject that you've done I have debated this subject before we debated like I said 15 years ago that that sort of narrows it down You can sort of figure out who it is
Just from that really because I'm not sure how many debates I did that year but Good David, we'll see you.
Definitely. I'll see you in London. Just make sure to introduce yourself Okay back to The Gospel of Thomas, you know, it's a lot of translations there were five
I think five translations of this that I could have chosen When I pulled it up here earlier, where am
I I am Do we didn't do the vineyard do we how did
I get past this? This is weird.
Well, that was some squirrel man It was a big squirrel. It was it was it was a it was a reddish gray score completely off Well, no, wait a minute no the vineyard we did cover the vineyard
In fact, I think that was the last thing you did cover there you did
Evidently my short -term memory has disappeared. I thought I was in the 60s and I must have hit something and scrolled
This is really really really really weird because I remember this one
I was getting close to 70 Okay, let's just let's just Start here with 66
Gia said show me the stone which the builders have rejected. That one is the cornerstone. Does that sound familiar? No, I'm literally gonna have to go back and Figure out where in the world we went and I'll listen to it and pick it up from there
Because this is really really weird it's like Looks it's it's almost like I hit a button and went to a different translation or something
I mean, I know we did John the Baptist. Yeah, I'll tell you what
I'll go back and listen and figure out where we were. And I don't know just maybe it's just Gnosticism eventually just rots the brain
But this is I thought I started with 40. I know
I know I've I know I read Gia said become passers -by and I know
I read through 61. I thought I was right down near 70 I'll tell you what, let me just pick up a 70 if I missed one, you know what the world's there's no context here
You know, it's it's Gnostic No one worries about context I'll pick up a 70. Gia said that which will which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves
That what you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you That's why
I don't remember where I am because if it doesn't make a lot of sense, it doesn't stick it
It's just Teflon, you know Teflon Gia said
I shall destroy this house and no one will be able to build it dot dot dot which I'm not sure if that means that there is manuscript corruption or what a
Man said to him tell my brothers to divide my father's possessions with me He said to him old man who has made me a divider.
He turned to his disciples and said them. I Am NOT a divider am I? I'm sorry.
I I try not to be flippant but That one seems particularly strange
Gia said the harvest is great but labors are few beseech the Lord therefore to send out labors to the harvest
Well, we know where that one came from He said Oh Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but there is nothing in the cistern 75
Jesus said many are staying at the door, but it is the solitary who will enter the bridal chamber
I love watching rich sitting out there going Gia said the kingdom the father is like a merchant who had a consignment of merchandise and who discovered a pearl
The merchant was shrewd. He sold the merchandise and bought the pearl alone for himself You to seek is unfailing and enduring treasure where no moth comes near to devour and no worm destroys
Well now that's interesting. Isn't that interesting? There there you get a really interesting
Idea of how a story gets Mutated and joined with other stories in an oral transmission process
What a hundred and twenty years down the road that one's
That one's interesting really really interesting Let's see here 77
Gia said it is I who am the light which is above them all it is. I who am the all For me from me did the all come forth and unto me did the all extend
Now now listen this this is one of the more important ones split a piece of wood and I am there
Lift up the stone and you will find me there now In the past when
I've read some of the more important sections of The Gospel of Thomas, that's one that I've focused on Because you really get a sense of the
Gnostic Concept there and and one of the fundamental areas where there's a real disjunction a real break between the worldview of the
Gnostic Gospels and the Gospel of Thomas specifically and the worldview of the Bible Because that's pantheism, you know
Split a piece of wood. I am there Lift up the stone you'll find me there No, that's not what
Gia said When Gia's was incarnate Lift up the stone and Gia's is not there.
Okay, unless he happens to be hiding under the stone 79 a woman from the crowd said to him blessed are the womb which bore you in the breast which nourished you he said to her
Blessed are those who have heard the word of the Father and have truly kept it For they will be for there will be days when you will say blessed are the womb which has not conceived the breast which have not given milk
It sounds like it came from what? Huh? Did I hear that correctly?
It's attributed to the woman saying both sayings No, he said to her.
Oh, okay. The second part was he said to her Yeah Few changes there, but definitely from the gospel tradition 80
Gia said he who has recognized the world has found the body But he was found the body is superior to the world
Gia said let him who has grown rich be king and let him who possesses power renounce it rich be king
Gia said he who is near me is near the fire and he who is far from me is far from the kingdom
I know the first start that the first first part there sounds like a Garth Brooks song, but I Don't think
Garth had anything to do that 83 Gia said the images are the images are manifest to man
But the light in them remains concealed in the image of the light of the father
He will become manifest, but his image will remain concealed by his light. I don't write him folks 84
Gia said when you see your likeness you rejoice But when you see your images which came into being before you and which neither die not
I Which neither die it's got to be a typo and which neither die nor become manifest how much
You will have to bear 85
Gia said Adam came to being from a great power and a great wealth, but he did not become worthy of you
For had he been worthy he would not have experienced death Gia said the foxes have their holes and the birds have their nests but the son of man has no place to lay his head and rest
That's almost direct quote Excuse me,
Gia said wretched is the body that is dependent upon a body and Wretched is the soul that is dependent on these two two
Wretched is the body that is dependent upon a body. So there's two bodies and Wretched is the soul.
Well, I get that the wretched is the soul dependent upon these two Innocence isn't the soul should not be dependent upon a body
Oh well 88 Gia said the angels and the prophets will come to you and give you those things
You already have and you to give them those things which you have and say to yourselves
When will they come and take what is theirs? 89
Gia said why do you wash the outside of the cup? Do you not realize that he who made the inside is the same who made the outside?
90 Gia said come unto me for my yoke is easy and my lordship is mild and you will find repose yourselves pretty close to Matthew 11 they said to him tell us who you are so we may believe in you
He said to them you read the face the sky and of the earth But you have not recognized the one who is before you and you do not know how to read this moment
Sounds like Matthew there Gia said seek and you will find yet what you asked me about in former times and which
I did not tell you then now I desire to tell But you do not inquire after it
Gia said do not give what is holy to dogs lest they throw them on the dung heap do not throw the pearls to swine lest they dot dot dot it dot dot dot evidently textual corruption
Gia said he who seeks will find he who knocks will be let in 95 Gia said if you have money don't lend an interest, but give it to one from whom you will not get it back 96
Gia said the kingdom of the father is like a certain woman She took a little leaven concealed in some dough and made into large loaves let him who has ears hear
We're close enough to finish this up. We really are Gia said the king of the father is like a certain woman who was carrying a jar full of meal
While she was walking on the road still some distance from home the handle the jar broke and the meal emptied out behind her on The road she did not realize it.
She had noticed no accident when she reached her house She sat down the jar and found it empty just go
See if you're Gnostic you go Gia reminds me of certain people on Fox News Gia said the kingdom the father is like a certain man who wanted to kill a powerful man in his own house
He drew his sword and struck it into the wall in order to find out whether his hand could carry through Then he slew the powerful man
So so is that kind of like an ancient version of shooting a shot in the air like a warning shot?
No, okay. No, I Can tell
I can guarantee you one thing right now No one born in Prescott would ever make a good
Gnostic. I'm still waiting for Sedona Sedona Prescott I'm still waiting for the quote where Jesus said he's all dressed up with nowhere to go
That's a different Gnostic. Okay, I'm not sure 99 the disciples said to him your brothers and your mother are standing outside He said to them those here who do the will of my father are my brothers and my mother
It is they who will enter the kingdom of my father Sounds pretty close. We only have 14 more to go 15 actually, so we're gonna make it
We're gonna we're gonna press through here. They showed Jesus a gold coin said to him Caesar's men demand taxes from us
He said to them give Caesar what belongs to Caesar give God what belongs to God and give me what is mine
Little strange addition there. Jesus said whoever does not hate his father and his mother as I Do cannot become a disciple to me and whoever does not love his father and his mother as I do
Cannot become a disciple to me for my mother Dot dot dot but my true mother gave me life.
I'll bet you there are entire books written on that one. I'll bet there are Probably waste of paper, but there are.
Jesus said woe the Pharisees for they are like a dog sleeping in the manger of oxen For neither does he eat nor does he let the oxen eat
Jesus said fortunate is the man who knows where the brigands will enter So that he may get up muster his domain and arm himself before they invade
Sounds like the strongman They said to Jesus come let us pray and let us fast
Jesus said what is the sin that I have committed or wherein have I been defeated? But when the bridegroom leaves the bridal chamber then let him let them fast and pray
Jesus said he who knows the father and the mother will be called the son of a harlot It gets weirder as we go along seemingly
Jesus said when you make the two one You'll become the sons of man and when you say mountain move away
It will move away We're almost done that was 106 there's only 114
Jesus said the kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred Sheep one of them the largest went astray
He left the 99 sheep and looked for that one until he found it Then when he had gone to such trouble, he said to the sheep.
I care for you more than the 99 Jesus said he who will drink from my mouth will become like me
I myself shall become he and the things that are hidden will be revealed to him I'm getting pretty
Gnostic here 109 Jesus said the kingdom is like a man who had a hidden treasure in his field without knowing it and after he died he
Left it to his son. Well, he probably left it to his son before he died, but you know what I mean The son did not know about the treasure
He inherited the field and sold it and the one who bought it went plowing and found the treasure He began to lend money and interest to whomever he wished
That's a weird Twisting of the story Jesus said whoever finds the world and becomes rich let him renounce the world 111
Jesus said that heavens and the earth will be rolled up in your presence and the one who lives from the living one will Not see death
Does not Jesus say whoever finds himself is superior to the world? 112
Jesus said woe to the flesh that depends on the soul Woe to the soul that depends on the flesh a lot of woe going on here two more number 113
His disciples said to him when will the kingdom come? Gia said it will not come by waiting for it
It will not be a matter of saying here it is or there it is rather the king of the father is spread out upon the earth and men do not see it and finally one of the more famous Aya of the
Gospel of Thomas number 114 Simon Peter said to him let
Mary leave us for women are not worthy of life Gia said I myself will lead her in order to make her male
So that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males For every woman who will make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven
Which may be why the Gospel of Thomas is more popular with a lot of people today Well, there's a little confusion about this male and female thing.
I Don't know but there is there is the Gospel of Thomas and You say why in the world read?
the Gospel of Thomas or all the other Gnostic Gospels that you have read
Partly so that you have at least a familiarity with the character
Gospel Thomas sayings gospel no context no flow no ability to do any meaningful exegesis and a wild -eyed mixture of oral traditions primarily clearly secondary dependent upon the canonical
Gospels Combined with stuff that quite honestly one of the reasons the
Gospel Thomas is so popular today is Think about what you're required to do
To get your dissertation approved. You gotta come up with something that no one's thought of before some new area of research
Well, I'll tell you what What I just read would allow all sorts of very
Innovative interpretation shall we say and that's what's happening. You're getting a lot of of that going on Yes, okay, so Chris Williams by the way if any of you did not like My Spain the last half the program reading the rest of the
Gospel Thomas. It's Chris with a K KRIS Williams on Twitter reminded me that I had only gotten through the first 40 and There we go.
So we we have now read the Gospel of Thomas Completely on well,
I think it was completely so I got lost there around in the 60s and 70s might might have skipped something somewhere
But you get the gist of what the Gospel of Thomas is all about So, there you go
I'm glad we got that done before I left because I didn't didn't want that hanging over my head, you know the whole time
I was gone and Well, then even worse is if you had decided to finish reading the
Gospel of Thomas I really don't think I could have finished you don't think oh you talk about squirrel.
Oh And then it reminds me so so we're gonna have
John Samson in on Thursday and Tuesday and Then you're gonna do the
Thursday and I control all things. Yes I'm gonna bring the keyboards into the the studio and work my magic through the miracle of Bluetooth and operate
Keyboards and and hope that all works Oh, so you put stuff up there and then you just use the blue Bluetooth keep well, no sort of all the stuff that's normally over here
Yeah, I I set up and then I bring the keyboard over and everything's numerically
Each of the shots that you look at. Yeah So like, you know this shot would be one and that shot would be two and then this shot would be three and Then your the laptops would be another number
So I just hit the corresponding numbers on the keyboard and that's how it works. Oh fully
Okay. Well, but if it no worky Yes. Yes. Well, we'll do our best trouble and You you will remind hopefully you and John we mind folks to be praying for us while we're away
It won't just be all right. We got rid of that jerk. Let's have some fun around here Let's do something worthwhile, you know, cuz
I don't really get a chance to listen At least till I get back so and We will have the continuation of the
ESV only movement, which I've heard is pretty stalled Because Ben, you know that type of thing really needs to be pushed a lot and really had
John hasn't had the chance to be Doing that very much recently. So we'll probably have the continuation of the
ESV only movement here on on the program But it's not really the cultic
ESV. It's just sort of weird British stuff, so Thanks for listening today folks your prayers seriously appreciated as we head for South Africa tomorrow and Two weeks away and then
Lord willing back with you and Hopefully some great reports for you as well. Thanks for listening.