mountainman

The Acts of Thomas
From "The Apocryphal New Testament"
M.R. James-Translation and Notes
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924


The conquest of the world is planned by the Apostles.
Regions would fall to the conquest and be divided.
The christian god was a god of war.
Thomas acknowledges the superiority of the Indians regarding asceticism.
He acknowledges he is not fit to travel.
He has a vision of Jesus, but refuses to obey Jesus.
According to the Battle-Plan he was to cover India,
but Thomas wants to pike out.
He refuses the command of Jesus.


Jesus touts the sale of a slave carpenter to a travelling Indian.
Jesus sells his slave Judas, and leads him away to his new master.
Documents are prepared - the exchange was legal.
The apostle confirms his previous master was Jesus, his Lord.

WTF is going on?

There will be no mutiny in this strategy.
The price of failure to obey commands
is to be sold into slavery.

More later ......

mountainman

The Parody that is known as "The Acts of Thomas"
aka Judas

This non canonical "Act" is lengthy.
Much has been written of it by scholars.

One interesting "insertion" by design into this text
occurs well into the story, and is put into the mouth
of Thomas (aka Judas) and is called by various names
one of which is The Hymn of the Pearl.

It is recognised as older that the Act in which it
has been preserved. Does anyone have any more
specific or interesting citations about the source
of this "Hymn"?

Here is the text:

Hymn of the Pearl


L# Line_Text

1 When I was an infant child in the palace of my Father
2 and resting in the wealth and luxury of my nurturers, out of the East,
3 our native country, my parents provisioned me and sent me.
4 And of the wealth of those their treasures they put together a load
5 both great and light, that I might carry it alone.
6 Gold is the load, of them that are above (or of the land of the Ellaeans
or Gilaeans), and silver of the great treasures (or of Gazzak the great)
7 and stones, chalcedonies from the Indians and pearls from the Kosani (Kushan).
8 And they armed me with adamant
9 and they took off from me (Gr. put on me) the garment set with gems, spangled
with gold, which they had made for me because they loved me
10 and the robe that was yellow in hue, made for my stature.
11 And they made a covenant with me, and inscribed it on mine understanding,
that I should forget it, and said:
12 If thou go down into Egypt, and bring back thence the one pearl
13 which is there girt about by the devouring serpent
14 thou shalt put on the garment set with gems, and that robe
whereupon it resteth (or which is thereon)
15 and become with thy brother that is next unto us (Gr. of the well- remembered)
an heir (Gr. herald) in our kingdom.
16 And I came out of the East by a road difficult and fearful, with two guides
17 and I was untried in travelling by it.
18 And I passed by the borders of the Mosani (Maishan) where is the resort
of the merchants of the East,
19 and reached the land of the Babylonians .
20 But when I entered into Egypt, the guides left me which had journeyed with me.
21 And I set forth by the quickest way to the serpent, and by his hole I abode
22 watching for him to slumber and sleep, that I might take my pearl from him.
23 And forasmuch as I was alone I made mine aspect strange, and appeared
as an alien to my people.
24 And there I saw my kinsman from the East, the free-born
25 a lad of grace and beauty, a son of princes (or an anointed one).
26 He came unto me and dwelt with me,
27 and I had him for a companion, and made him my friend and partaker
in my journey (or merchandise).
28 And I charged him to beware of the Egyptians, and of partaking
of those unclean things (or consorting with those unclean men).
29 And I put on their raiment, lest I should seem strange, as one
that had come from without
30 to recover the pearl; and lest the Egyptians should awake the serpent against me.
31 But, I know not by what occasion, they learned that I was not of their country.
32 And with guile they mingled for me a deceit, and I tasted of their food.
33 And I knew no more that I was a king's son, and I became a servant unto their king.
34 And I forgat also the pearl for which my fathers had sent me,
35 and by means of the heaviness of their food I fell into a deep sleep.
36 But when this befell me, my fathers also were ware of it, and grieved for me
37 and a proclamation was published in our kingdom, that all should meet at our doors.
38 And then the kings of Parthia and they that bare office and the great ones of the East
39 made a resolve concerning me, that I should not be left in Egypt,
40 and the princes wrote unto me signifying thus (and every noble signed his name to it, Syr.):
41 From the (thy) Father the King of kings, and thy mother that ruleth the East,
42 and thy brother that is second unto us; unto our son that is in Egypt, peace.
43 Rise up and awake out of sleep, and hearken unto the words of the letter
44 and remember that thou art a son of kings; lo, thou hast come under the yoke of bondage.
45 Remember the pearl for the which thou wast sent into Egypt (Gr. puts this after 46).
46 Remember thy garment spangled with gold,
47 Thy name is named in the book of life,
48 and with thy brother whom thou hast received in our kingdom.
49 and the King [as ambassador] sealed it
50 because of the evil ones, even the children of the Babylonians
and the tyrannous demons of Labyrinthus (Sarbug, Syr.).
51 .
52 It flew and lighted down by me, and became all speech.
53 And I at the voice of it and the feeling of it started up out of sleep
54 and I took it up and kissed it and read it.
55 And it was written concerning that which was recorded in mine heart.
56 And I remembered forthwith that I was a son of kings,
and my freedom yearned (sought) after its kind.
57 I remembered also the pearl for the which I was sent down into Egypt
58 and I began (or came) with charms against the terrible serpent,
59 and I overcame him (or put him to sleep) by naming the name of my Father upon him,
60 .
61 And I caught away the pearl and turned back to bear it unto my fathers.
62 And I stripped off the filthy garment and left it in their land,
63 and directed my way forthwith to the light of my fatherland in the East.
64 And on the way I found my letter that had awakened me,
65 and it, like as it had taken a voice and raised me when I slept,
so also guided me with the light that came from it.
66 For at times the royal garment of silk before mine eyes,
67 .
68 and with love leading me and drawing me onward,
69 I passed by Labyrinthus (Sarbug), and I left Babylon upon my left hand
70 and I came unto Meson (Mesene; Maishan) the great,
71 that lieth on the shore of the sea,
72 .
73 from the heights of Warkan (Hyrcania?) had my parents sent thither
74 by the hand of their treasurers, unto whom they committed it
because of their faithfulness>.
75 But I remembered not the brightness of it; for I was yet a child
and very young when I had left it in the palace ot my Father,
76 but suddenly, [when] I saw the garment made like unto me as it had been in a mirror.
77 And I beheld upon it all myself (or saw it wholly in myself)
and I knew and saw myself through it,
78 that we were divided asunder, being of one; and again were one in one shape.
79 Yea, the treasurers also which brought me the garment
80 I beheld, that they were two, yet one shape was upon both,
one royal sign was set upon both of them.
81 The money and the wealth had they in their hands, and paid me the due price,
82 and the lovely garment, which was variegated with bright colours
83 with gold and precious stones and pearls of comely hue
84 they were fastened above (or in the height)
85 .
86 And the likeness of the King of kings was all in all of it.
87 Sapphire stones were fitly set in it above (or, like the sapphire
stone also were its manifold hues).
88 And again I saw that throughout it motions of knowledge were being sent forth,
89 and it was ready to utter speech.
90 And I heard it speak :
91 I am of him that is more valiant than all men, for whose sake
I was reared up with the Father himself.
92 And I also perceived his stature (so Gr.- Syr. I perceived in myself
that my stature grew in accordance with his working).
93 And all its royal motions rested upon me as it grew toward the impulse of it
(And with its kingly motions it was spreading itself toward me).
94 And it hastened, reaching out from the hand of unto him that would receive it
95 and me also did yearning arouse to start forth and meet it and receive it.
96 And I stretched forth and received it, and adorned myself
with the beauty of the colours thereof (mostly Syr.; Gr. corrupt)
97 and in my royal robe excelling in beauty I arrayed myself wholly.
98 And when I had put it on, I was lifted up unto the place
of peace (salutation) and homage
99 and I bowed my head and worshipped the brightness of the Father
which had sent it unto me.
100 for I had performed his commandments, and he likewise that which he had promised,
101 and at the doors of his palace which was from the beginning I mingled among ,
102 and he rejoiced over me and received me with him into his palace,
103 and all his servants do praise him with sweet voices.
104 And he promised me that with him I shall be sent unto the gates of the king,
105 that with my gifts and my pearl we may appear together before the king.

Another translation of this is available here
"Robe of Glory"; Mead

Commentary there (1908) indicates an inference that that at least
someone then thought that this was the lengthier version of what
Matthew preserved:

Does this imply they thought the author was Jesus?
What other ideas have been put forward about
this "Hymn of the Pearl"?

It is written entirely in the first person.


Best wishes,


Pete Brown

mountainman

For those whjo may be interested in approaching the origins
of gnosticism from a non-Eusebius sourced basis, may I suggest
a veritable hidden "Pearl of Buried Wisdom" in the text known
as The Hymn of the Pearl.


Enjoy .... "The Hymn of the Pearl".

And for those who are "christian-centric" someone
conjectured that the Matthew Pearl Merchant
reference was an abbreviated form of this text.

Best wishes,


Pete Brown

mountainman

FWIW, here is the extract set of lines
from the Nag Hammadi "Acts of Peter
and the 12 Apostles" which deal with
the parable of the pearl.

Core Allegory of the Pearl:
the Embodied Soul


24 His voice was resounding as he slowly spoke, crying out in the city, "Pearls! Pearls!" 1
28 What is it you seek from me?" 1
31 And having said these things, he cried out, "Pearls! Pearls!" 1
45 He answered, saying to them, "If it is possible, come to my city, so that I may not only show it before your (very) eyes, but give it to you for nothing." 1
49 He answered (and) said to them, "If it is possible, you yourselves come to my city, so that I may not only show you it, but give it to you for nothing." 1
57 "And also (concerning) the road to the city, which you asked me about, I will tell you about it. 1
58 No man is able to go on that road, except one who has forsaken everything that he has and has fasted daily from stage to stage. 1
59 For many are the robbers and wild beasts on that road. 1
60 The one who carries bread with him on the road, the black dogs kill because of the bread. 1
61 The one who carries a costly garment of the world with him, the robbers kill because of the garment. 1
62 The one who carries water with him, the wolves kill because of the water, since they were thirsty for it. 1
63 The one who is anxious about meat and green vegetables, the lions eat because of the meat. 1
64 If he evades the lions, the bulls devour him because of the green vegetables." 1
72 He said to me, "This is the name of my city, 'Nine Gates.' 1
73 Let us praise God as we are mindful that the tenth is the head." 1
95 He said, "In uprightness of heart I will show it to you. 1
97 For he does not reveal himself to every man, because he himself is the son of a great king. 1
98 Rest yourselves a little so that I may go and heal this man and come (back)." 1
99 He hurried and came (back) quickly. 1
106 He answered and said, "It is I! 1
107 Recognize me, Peter." 1
108 He loosened the garment, which clothed him - the one into which he had changed himself because of us - revealing to us in truth that it was he. 1
115 He gave them the unguent box and the pouch that was in the hand of the young disciple. 1
118 I will give you your reward. 1
119 To the poor of that city give what they need in order to live until I give them what is better, which I told you that I will give you for nothing." 1
133 He answered them, "Rightly have you spoken, John, for I know that the physicians of this world heal what belongs to the world. 1
134 The physicians of souls, however, heal the heart. 1
135 Heal the bodies first, therefore, so that through the real powers of healing for their bodies, without medicine of the world, they may believe in you, that you have power to heal the illnesses of the heart also.



I have provided justification for "unwrapping the pearl"
from its shell here

The major reference appearing in the Constantinian texts
is the following (leaving aside Revelation)




Best wishes



Pete Brown