Gospel of Thomas - Class notes on sensus plenior

[goatguy-too]

(14) Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will give rise to sin for yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned; and if you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits. When you go into any land and walk about in the districts, if they receive you, eat what they will set before you, and heal the sick among them. For what goes into your mouth will not defile you, but that which issues from your mouth - it is that which will defile you."

 

I heard a radio pastor mock the Gospel of Thomas using this saying. But he does not understand that it is the genre of riddle. Rather than see how it isn't true literally, you ask "How is it true in the language of riddle?"

 

They key to understanding this riddle is the word "you".

 

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 

If you do any of the things in the riddle apart from Christ you will be condemned. This is original sin. When you do something that you think is right, you are not acknowledging that God is God, and have made him a peer to you with the claim that you can determine right and wrong for yourself.

 

The second half is the same as quoted in scripture.

[goatguy-too]

(15) Jesus said, "When you see one who was not born of woman, prostrate yourselves on your faces and worship him. That one is your father."

 

This is God himself :

 

Nu 23:19 God [is] not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do [it]? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

[goatguy-too]

(16) Jesus said, "Men think, perhaps, that it is peace which I have come to cast upon the world. They do not know that it is dissension which I have come to cast upon the earth: fire, sword, and war. For there will be five in a house: three will be against two, and two against three, the father against the son, and the son against the father. And they will stand solitary."

 

(17) Jesus said, "I shall give you what no eye has seen and what no ear has heard and what no hand has touched and what has never occurred to the human mind."

 

see my comments in the other GOT thread.

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/31789-gospel-of-thomas/page-10#entry491057

 

http://thetaobums.com/topic/31789-gospel-of-thomas/page-10#entry491377

Edited January 30, 2014 by goatguy

[goatguy-too]

(18) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be."

Jesus said, "Have you discovered, then, the beginning, that you look for the end? For where the beginning is, there will the end be. Blessed is he who will take his place in the beginning; he will know the end and will not experience death."

 

Jesus is the alpha and omega (Re 1:8), the beginning and the end. Seek him, find him and you won't experience death.

[goatguy-too]

(19) Jesus said, "Blessed is he who came into being before he came into being. If you become my disciples and listen to my words, these stones will minister to you. For there are five trees for you in Paradise which remain undisturbed summer and winter and whose leaves do not fall. Whoever becomes acquainted with them will not experience death."

 

The first sentence is the answer to the riddle. Christ is the only one who pre-existed his incarnation.

Another key to this riddle comes from Matthew. Partucularly take note of the last word.

 

Mr 8:24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.

 

The five trees in the garden of Eden are all symbols of Christ:

 

1. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil - a literal tree

 

2. The tree of life - a literal tree

 

3. Adam - a man like a tree

 

4. Eve - a man like a tree

 

5. God in the garden - though not a man, he was 'walking'.

 

Since the explanation of each may take a bit, I'll split them in their own posts.

 

Summer קיץ comes from the root קוץ meaning summer, grieved, thorn.

Winter חרף also means reproach.

Leaf also means branch. And branch is used for tribe.

 

The five trees are all Christ. He is undisturbed (unmoving in his determination to face the cross) through grieving and reproach. And who does not lose his branches, or tribes... those who belong to him are secure.

[goatguy-too]

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil

 

There must be an understanding of good and evil before the tree can be understood. The symbols of darkness and light represent Love and Holiness (not evil and good as so many would claim). The Trinity lived in darkness before God said "Let there be light".

His nature of Love is expressed in joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance.

His nature of Holiness is expressed in law, justice, and separation.

Though he was holy before creation, there was no way to express it since the Trinity existed in perfect Love. There was nothing to be separate from. Holiness was hidden in his name. Elohim has a pun, a lo khoom, meaning 'not dark'. The light was hidden.

As soon as he had created, he was different from his creation and could declare his holiness in the declaration, "Let there be light".

We have a problem understanding God as being Holy, and being Love since we cannot comprehend those attributes being mixed up. If we see a criminal get mercy rather than punishment, we say that there is no justice. If we are the criminal and get justice, we say there is no mercy.

The solution to this was that God revealed himself through symbols of holiness, and symbols of love, and then bringing all the symbols together on the cross of Christ.

The Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was nothing more than a symbol of God's holiness. It was the only thing in all creation withheld from newly created Adam for the purpose of expressing the idea of holiness. No matter how intimate the relationship between man and God was, man would never become God. God must be acknowledged as God in order for the relationship to exist.

By eating the fruit of the tree in defiance of God's command, Adam made the claim that he was peer to God. The creation thought himself equal to the creator. When man does what is right in his own eyes, he is declaring that he is God; the one who defines good and evil.

 

The nature of evil
This is illustrated in a very offensive riddle. If Larry decides to do something because he thinks it is good, and Joe decides to do the very same thing because God says it is good, have they both done a good thing? The answer is "no."

Larry has determined that he is capable of defining good, something which is already defined by the nature and character of God. He has declared that he is a peer to God. This is the essence of evil. When we decide what is good and evil for ourselves we declare that we are a god. Often, we go beyond that and judge God saying that he is incompetent or even evil in the way he runs his universe and we declare that we are greater than God.

The mere act of living, without considering what God says; going about our business instinctively is the very same original sin. This is why God says,

 

Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye [are] the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

God placed himself in the same circumstances through his incarnation. Jesus said:

Joh 5:19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.
Joh 5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Intimacy with God cannot exist without a proper acknowledgement of who he is.

 

Ro 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Ro 1:19 ¶ Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed [it] unto them.

 

Adam could eat of the Tree of Life all he wanted as long as he acknowledged God as God. But when he ate of the forbidden tree, he was denied the Tree of Life.

God confirmed this lesson in the results. Since Adam did not learn that God was Holy/separate, he was separated even more by expulsion from the garden. He would be in discord with God, other men, himself and his environment.

The cross of Jesus is the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and our test is the same as that of Adam. We acknowledge that Jesus is God, that God is God, or we choose to declare that we are gods.

Edited November 9, 2013 by goatguy

[goatguy-too]

The tree of life as a symbol of Christ

 

The tree of life also points to the cross of Christ. In the garden Adam could eat of it all that he wished until he violated God's holiness (see Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil above). Intimacy with God is not possible if he is not acknowledged to be God.

Jesus said that the bread represented his body which was given for us on the cross, and the wine represented his blood. The blood represents life (Le 17:11) Since his blood was poured out on the cross, the cross is a tree of life, in symbols, as well at the means to life for all who believe.

 

Just as the Tree of Life was offered and given freely, so is the Life offered through the cross. The doctrine of salvation by faith alone is first taught in Genesis, although the term 'salvation' is probably not properly understood by most who use it.

Edited November 10, 2013 by goatguy

[goatguy-too]

Adam as a symbol of Christ

Adam was the first son of God in the flesh (Lu 3:38). Jesus was the Son of God in the spirit before the incarnation

[goatguy-too]

Eve as a type of Christ

This one is difficult to see if you cannot divorce yourself from the literal meaning.

Here are the hints to the riddle:

 

1Ti 2:14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.

 

The female represents those who do not see clearly. Jesus in the flesh has put off omniscience (Php 2:6-8). As a result , in the flesh he is female compared with Adam representing the Son, who was not deceived.

2Ch 33:13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he [was] God

Twelve year old Manasseh represents Christ as a child. His name means forgetfulness or giving bread. The passage indicates that when Jesus would return to Jerusalem after his visit at age 12, he would know that he was God. Eve took of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil hoping to become a peer to God. Jesus recognized that he really was a peer to God.

Ge 2:21 ¶ And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

 

Eve came from the rib of Adam. The word מצלעתיו rib comes from the root צלע meaning limping. The hieroglyphics of the first and last letter are similar: Holiness and grace descend from heaven. The first hits the Messiah point (in the lower right corner) where the revelation of God meets the flesh in the square text template. The other does not. The Son who knew he would be the Messiah became the son who did not know he was the Messiah and had to learn it from the hidden scripture. The center letter represents a shared heart. Eve was the flesh of Adam as a symbol of Christ being the flesh of the Son.

[goatguy-too]

God walking counted as a tree

God walking in the garden is interpreted to be a tree in the riddle. Here are the hints:

 

Le 27:30 And all the tithe of the land, [whether] of the seed of the land, [or] of the fruit of the tree, [is] the LORD’S: [it is] holy unto the LORD.
Mt 12:33 Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by [his] fruit.

 

The fruit of the tree is the Lord's, therefore the Lord is a tree. This riddle is confirmed by the second verse, that a tree is known by it's fruit.

[goatguy-too]

(20) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what the kingdom of heaven is like."

:He said to them, "It is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds. But when it falls on tilled soil, it produces a great plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky."

 

From Matthew:

 

Mt 13:31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

Mt 13:32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

 

This saying of Thomas is suggestive that Thomas wrote before Matthew did. Matthew felt compelled to explain the riddle in greater detail. Here are the hints:

 

Herbs (also a symbol of Christ) were made for man to eat: (Ge 1:29, Ge 3:18)

 

Jesus was the ''least'' among the seed of the woman because he came to serve us all. The greatest thing man can eat is the body of Christ, and so he is the greatest herb. The cross is the tree of life. Those who live in the spirit (the sky) find shelter in the cross.

[goatguy-too]

(21) Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are your disciples like?"

He said, "They are like children who have settled in a field which is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, 'Let us have back our field.' They (will) undress in their presence in order to let them have back their field and to give it back to them. Therefore I say, if the owner of a house knows that the thief is coming, he will begin his vigil before he comes and will not let him dig through into his house of his domain to carry away his goods. You, then, be on your guard against the world. Arm yourselves with great strength lest the robbers find a way to come to you, for the difficulty which you expect will (surely) materialize. Let there be among you a man of understanding. When the grain ripened, he came quickly with his sickle in his hand and reaped it. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."

 

The disciples settled into the field which was not their own. They had taken up residence in 'earthly Israel', they were still of the flesh.

 

When the religious rulers demand they give back the people into their control, the disciples made themselves naked (exposed their own sin) or 'put off the flesh' in order to focus on the spiritual reality that the kingdom of God was a teaching of peace.

 

The one who comes as a thief is Christ (1Th 5:2, 2Pe 3:10). The disciples prepared themselves spiritually so that hey would not lose their spiritual prize.

 

The grain (seed) is always Christ. When he is ready, he will harvest quickly.

[goatguy-too]

(22) Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples, "These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom."

They said to him, "Shall we then, as children, enter the kingdom?"

Jesus said to them, "When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kingdom."

 

Thomas has recorded hints for interpreting the Bible.

 

When you make the two one

 

When you find two things together in scripture, they are one thing. This does not mean they are the same, there is a distinction which must be made. One is of a heavenly or spiritual nature, and one is of a earthly or fleshly nature:

 

Father and son are one (Joh 10:30,

Heaven and earth are one creation (Ge 1:1, Eph 1:10)

Soul and spirit (Heb 4:12)

Joints and marrow (Heb 4:12)

Thoughts and intents of the heart (Heb 4:12)

Adam and Eve one flesh (Ge 2:24)

Cain and Abel one picture of Christ

Fat and oil

Body and soul

Abraham and Lot as a picture of Christ

Ishmael and Isaac as a picture of Christ

Esau and Jacob as a picture of Christ

Isaac and the ram as a picture of Christ

 

When you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside

 

There are a number of applications for this hint.

 

That which is inside, like the seed of Abraham is included in his covenant.

That which is inside the covenant (Israel) is like that which is outside the covenant (Gentiles). They are both sinners in need of a redeemer kinsman.

 

That which is outside the covenant (the Gentiles) must be brought into the kingdom.

That which is our outer man must not be a hypocrite to our inner man.

That which is hidden in scripture must agree with that which is plain.

 

The above like below

 

God has revealed himself through four voices (Prophet, Priest, King, Judge). These voices not only speak from time to time throughout scripture, but they speak simultaneously through the same scripture. Every OT scripture has four legitimate meanings as each voice speaks. Most Christians have only read 1/4 of their Bible if they have read it from cover to cover.

 

For example, in the account of the rod of Moses turning into a serpent when he met God at the burning bush (Ex 4:2):

 

The voice of the king speaks literally

 

Moses's rod turned to a serpent, he cast it to the ground, and picked it up again.

 

The voice of the Judge speaks a judgement to Moses

 

God says in figure, Moses, you have wielded my authority wrongly when you killed the Egyptian, but you are forgiven, pick it up again and this time do it right.

 

The voice of the Prophet speaks of Christ in the flesh

 

When the final temptation of Christ came at Gethsemane, he did not want to be made to be sin (2Co 5:21) and balked from drinking of the cup placed before him ([Lu 22:42]]; in figure, he threw the snake to the ground. But he resolved himself to follow the will of the Father and picked it up again.

 

The voice of the Priest speaks of the eternal Son

 

The priest tells us that the Son, in eternity before creation, did not wish to be made to be sin. He was the son who said he would not do it and then did in the parable (Mt 21:28).

 

That which is an earthly historical account, speaks of that which is above.

 

Men and women the same

 

Previously we saw that both Adam and Eve were symbols of Christ. This tells us that to understand scripture, gender has nothing to do with literal gender, they are figures used in riddle. Literally, there is no male of female in Christ (Ga 3:28). Those who legalistically apply roles to gender do not understand scripture (Eph 5:32 ).

 

But figuratively, the male represents those who see clearly, and the female those who don't. Christ is male relative to us, but female relative to the Son, because of limiting his omniscience in the incarnation. The teacher should be male, one who understands, those who do not understand (females) should learn quietly and then inquire of their husband (Christ). In the same way that we are both sheep and goats, we are both male and female; understanding some things and not understanding others.

 

Jumping to Thomas's riddle #114, why would Mary need to be made male? Because the blind must see! Those who don't understand must be taught! The kingdom of heaven is teaching, and everyone must be taught in order to understand it. By the way, her name, Mary, means rebellious. Those who are rebellious must be taught.

 

This is also the solution to the riddle in Jeremiah that says all men will become pregnant (Jer 30:6). Women must become men, (those who are blind must see) and those who see must be fruitful and multiply (through teaching).

 

Hands, eyes, feet and places

 

When you understand that these things are figures, you will understand the teaching.

 

Hands - works

Eyes - Understanding

Feet - you life, or 'walk'

Ears - You are drawn without understanding like a sheep to it's master's voice.

Head - authority

Lips - words

Place names all mean something

[goatguy-too]

(23) Jesus said, "I shall choose you, one out of a thousand, and two out of ten thousand, and they shall stand as a single one."

 

• 10 = Christ as the dual-natured man
• 100 = church
• 1000 = king
• 10000 = ??
• 100 = 10 x 10 When we become dual-natures men 'like' Christ, then he and us together make the church
• 100 = 1000 / 10 The church is the tithe (the increase) of the king.
• 1000 The king rules over the flesh. As we become spiritual people and learn to control the flesh, we become kings.

The two taken from 10000 are 10, us, as dual-natured men, and 1000, which means we are kings over the flesh. This is confirmed by 100 x 100 which says that the two shall be one, our spirit and flesh will be as one.

[goatguy-too]

(24) His disciples said to him, "Show us the place where you are, since it is necessary for us to seek it."

 

 

He said to them, "Whoever has ears, let him hear. There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness."

 

Light = Holiness

Darkness = grace. One who is evil or sinful, but who has not been destroyed is receiving grace. He is in darkness.

 

As men, we are only made holy when God imputes his holiness to us (2Co 5:21). Christ was holy by his divine nature. The symbol of the Nazarite tells us that Jesus did not need holiness imputed to him, nor did he need grace. This is seen in the symbols of wine (grace) and strong drink (the law) which the Nazarite swears not to drink.

 

The one who is holy has holiness withing and he brings holiness to the whole world. This is primarily a picture of Jesus as the one who redeems the world. If Jesus is not judging the world with his holiness, he is giving it grace.

 

For us, if holiness has been imputed to us, we bring it to the world. Lot was judged by God to be a righteous man (2Pet 2:8) and did not destroy Sodom while he was in it. By one man, all of Sodom was saved. It was only when he was gone that God destroyed it.

Edited November 11, 2013 by goatguy

[goatguy-too]

(25) Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye."

 

The word for pupil is אישון translated 'apple of his eye'. It literally means 'man of him' like our 'man after his own heart'. Jesus said it this way:

 

Mr 12:31 And the second [is] like, [namely] this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

 

Thomas is highlighting that love does not merely love like you love your body, since men may do things destructive of the body in order to satisfy the love of their soul.

 

Herein is the riddle:

 

The word for eye עין is the name of the letter ע. Hieroglyphically it represents Christ in the flesh before he knew he was the Messiah.

 

Thomas interprets the saying of Jesusthat we should protect our 'neighbor' as though he were a child of your own flesh.

 

Sometimes the sayings of Christ are difficult, even impossible without being empowered by him to do so. It should be no wonder that so many Christians are unable to live up to what Christ taught.

Edited November 11, 2013 by goatguy

[goatguy-too]

(26) Jesus said, "You see the mote in your brother's eye, but you do not see the beam in your own eye. When you cast the beam out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to cast the mote from your brother's eye."

 

The beam of the passover ritual is a symbol of the cross (Ex 12:7). The eye represents understanding. The word in Greek for mote is 'straw' which is something that passes away (1Co 3:12-13).

 

The saying has nothing to do with sin as so many would say. It is about understanding the scriptures.

 

You can see a minor doctrine that someone else holds, and which will pass away. All the while you do not understand the cross which demands that you love that brother. When you understand love, as Christ taught it, then you will approach the correction of a minor doctrine in that love.

 

Within a few hundred years of Christ the church forgot how to read the scriptures this way, and they were willing to kill those who were pronounced to be heretics. This completely violates the teaching of Christ.

[goatguy-too]

(27) <Jesus said,> "If you do not fast as regards the world, you will not find the kingdom. If you do not observe the Sabbath as a Sabbath, you will not see the father."

 

The kingdom of heaven is teaching, as we have seen before. It is a teaching that the flesh is the source of original sin. Instinctive living, without considering what God has said declares that we are a god capable of doing what we think is right. We must fast from this in order to understand the teaching of the kingdom which begins with acknowledging God as God, and grows as we enter into a more intimate relationship.

 

The word שבת Shabot or Sabbath when interpreted by way of hieroglyphics is ש the Spirit ב come in, and the ת tov makes the previous an object.

 

Thomas says if the Spirit does not come into you, you will not see the Father. (Ac 19:2)

 

[goatguy-too]

(28) Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I found all of them intoxicated; I found none of them thirsty. And my soul became afflicted for the sons of men, because they are blind in their hearts and do not have sight; for empty they came into the world, and empty too they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will repent."

 

This saying is understood when we know that wine represents grace.

 

When Jesus appeared in the world, they were sinful, but because they had not been destroyed, they were receiving grace in abundance. They did not understand.

[goatguy-too]

(29) Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of wonders. Indeed, I am amazed at how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty."

 

 

This riddle speaks of Jesus's 'coming of age' when he recognizes that he is God in the flesh.

His body came into existence because of the Spirit of God overshadowing Mary. Wrestling with his flesh he recognized that he was first and foremost Spirit as he always did what the Father asked. It was a a great wonder how God could dwell in Christ.

[goatguy-too]

(30) Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him."

 

 

This is a very clear (and early) teaching of the Trinity.

Where there is the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, they are all three deities. Before someone runs off and claims that Thomas said there were more than one God, they must understand the complete riddle.

Where there are two... I am with him. The two are treated as though they are one. I am with him.

Where there... is one, I am with him Whether the one is the Father, or the Holy Ghost, Christ is with him.

All three are God. They are each individually God. And while Christ was in the flesh, he did not cease to be God.

[goatguy-too]

(31) Jesus said, "No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician heals those who know him."

 

The first half is plain teaching:

 

Lu 4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.

 

The second half is the riddle. The word ידע yada means 'to know'. It is used to speak of the intimate relationship between a man and his wife. It also means 'to teach'.

 

Adam taught his wife and she concieved... Jesus taught his disciples and they became new life. Jesus said to many "I never knew (taught) you, depart from me" .

 

One who is known by the great physician (Christ) (Isa 53:5 ), is already a new life, and is not in need of healing.

[goatguy-too]

(32) Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden."

 

The difference between a city and a town is a wall, in the scriptures. The city represents the kingdom of heaven...remember that the kingdom is 'teaching'. The wall around the Kingdom of Heaven is the law of Moses. It hedged the law of love. It became a barrier into the law of love as it became a tool for the self-righteous to justify themselves. Ans it is a guard so that we are not deceived by the flesh to just do what we want, ignoring love of God and men.

 

The mountain, or high place is the place we meet God. This is Christ himself. When we move a mountain to the sea, we move Christ into the hearts of men. If God had wanted a literal mountain in a literal sea, he would have put it there.

The New Jerusalem, the new teaching of peace, cannot fall nor can it be hidden. Like leaven, it will continue to grow until it fills the whole lump.

[goatguy-too]

Since there has not been much discussion, I just started documenting them all. I hope that the silence is not because I have caused offense and you just don't know how to confront me. Though I doubt that since confronation is usually easy in forums.

 

This is all original material, and I appreciate that you would allow me to post it here for feedback. Though after losing a couple posts, I am now puting it in my own wiki before posting here.

[goatguy-too]

(33) Jesus said, "Preach from your housetops that which you will hear in your ear. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a lampstand so that everyone who enters and leaves will see its light."

 

The hidden things of Christ should be made public, not kept secret. The word גג housetop means 'pursue in heaven and earth'. Thomas says to make it well known. Augustine actually killed the practice of interpreting the scriptures in this way. He pushed for favoring the Septuagint, a translation in Greek, rather than the original Hebrew. This hid much of the hidden meaning behind the translation.