Gospel of Thomas, Saying 61

October 23, 2000

This is a saying attributed to Jesus from the Gospel of Thomas, a new

translation of Saying 61:

Therefore I say: If someone becomes like God, he will become full

of light. But if he becomes one, separated from God, he will be

full of darkness. ( " The Fifth Gospel, " Patterson, Robinson, Bethge,

Trinity Press International)

What kind of " Light " is this Saying talking about? In my view the Gospel

of Thomas is in the tradition of contemplative or mystical Christianity

and the " Light " of Thomas referred to here is not metaphor but mystical.

Other teachings from the middle east about Light and God as Light.

The Egyptian mystic Evagrius described that, for him, often his time

of prayer was " interrupted " by the manifestation of " the Holy Light of

the Trinity. " He spoke of reaching a mystical level where it was no

longer necessary to pray, because the Light of God engulfed his vision.

In a stage of contemplative prayer that he called " Pure Prayer, " Evagrius

says, " Prayer ceases, and one becomes astonished, is caught up in wonder

at the Light of God. " " The person who has entered the Place of the Mysteries

remains in wonder at them, and this is the true prayer which opens the

Door to the Treasures of God. " ( " The Syriac Fathers On Prayer and the

Spiritual Life " )

A Syrian Orthodox mystic once said:

All the chambers of the heart are filled by that blessed Light,

and there are no shapes or forms or anything material, or number

or color; rather that Light Who cannot be separated out into

shapes and forms is Single owing to the simpleness of the Faculty

of Sight. ( " The Syriac Fathers " )

In the New Testament is a parallel saying of Jesus to Thomas 61:

If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of

Light.

James

santmat

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