Métanoïa
This is another Greek word used by Jesus that has come down
to us without ever having been translated is Métanoïa. Nor, like
the other two, can it be adequately translated into English.
We just have to try to seek out the meaning Jesus intended.
In Thomas
it is used only once, at the end—a culmination—of
logion 28:
then they will transform their Knowing.
However Jesus uses it quite frequently in the N.T. Gospels,
and it is also used in the O.T.
The problem in studying those examples is that when Jerome translated
the early Greek texts of the N.T. into Latin he used the term poenitare =
to feel sorry. He had some justification for doing this, for
in several contexts, specially in the O.T. and as used by John
the Baptist, it can carry the meaning of 'penitence, feeling
sorry, feeling pain or regret' (Nicoll p.93). Thus it is used
for repenting for misdeeds or evil ways, or repentance by sinners.
Maurice Nicoll
is the foremost writer on the meaning of Métanoïa. He has a
whole
section in 'The Mark', with four chapters considering
different aspects of its use in the N.T. Gospels. In the first
he spells out that it is a compound word, the first half meaning
a transformation—not merely a change. And that this transformation
results in something fundamentally different from what went before.
The second half of the word derives from the Greek NOUS, which
means mind. Hence the 'word Métanoïa therefore has to do with transformation
of the mind in its essential meaning' (p.93). He goes on,
with extensive discussion and examples, to develop the theme
'A new mind means an entirely new way of thinking, new ideas,
new knowledge, and a new approach to everything in life'.
Now, because Nicoll was a scientist (a psychologist who had
learnt much from Carl Yung) he sees this transformation to be
a task of the mind, for thinking. In the end that is a matter
for the intellect and hence for understanding. However, he did
not of course have Thomas, and nor is there elsewhere the concept
that in Thomas there are three levels of significance of the
concept of knowing, and that the highest of these is a Knowing-for-certain
that is the antithesis of believing.
This sort of Knowing is something that happens at a higher level
than the mind, it is something that happens deep within oneself.
It is not an understanding, it is an awareness and a conviction.
H.McG.R.
Essays
- Hidden & Clues
The Gospel of Thomas starts with 'These are the hidden logia'.
Admittedly this not said by Jesus, nevertheless the key-word is one used
frequently by him, therefore it behoves us to recognize
the intended meaning and its implications. It turns out that
it may be one of the words of the lost language of parables that
carries a distinctive meaning.
- Coherence
In 'Jesus untouched by the Church' the description of an experiment of sorting cards to make groups
of sayings with like-for-like meanings, it is written "it was discovered
that a coherent set of spiritual Teachings were revealed"
- Searching
Gospel of Thomas is for people who are searchingsearching
for inner peace, tranquillity, timeless certainties, happiness and
joyousness in this life, in the here and now. It is for those who
at some time in their lives even if not now search for answers to
mankind's most fundamental questions "From whence did I come? To
where will I go?" It may even go some way to give solace to those
who search for release from sufferingthe greatest scourge
of mankind.
- Stone
Maurice Nicoll, one of the great spiritual teachers of the West
during our times, writes in his book 'The New Man' (1950) "All sacred
writings contain an outer and an inner meaning. Behind the literal
words lies another range of meaning, another form of knowledge.
According to an old-age tradition, Man was once in touch with this
inner knowledge and inner meaning"
- Monakhos
There are three significant words in Thomas that have come down
to us in untranslated Greek. We cannot tell whether they were originally
spoken in Aramaic, but by their very nature that seems unlikely.
Therefore they were spoken by Jesus in Greek, and it means that
when he used them he was speaking to the Hellenists. Thomas did
not have to translate them, they were not translated into Coptic,
and they cannot be translated into English. All we can do is to
try to grasp the meanings that Jesus intended.
- Metanoia
This is another Greek word used by Jesus that has come down
to us without ever having been translated is Métanoïa. Nor, like
the other two, can it be adequately translated into English.
We just have to try to seek out the meaning Jesus intended.
- Makarios
Another of our untranslated and untranslatable Greek words
in Thomas is makarios. It is used in the beatitudes of the N.T. Gospels, where
it is almost always rendered as 'blessed'. This rendering of the
word can be very misleading, for it can be confused with 'blest',
an entirely different word. The difference lies in the person concerned.
A state of blessedness exists within a person; being blest involves
another person outside oneself.
- Empty Desert
In our little island in a temperate climate we can have no real
awareness of an empty, uninhabited desert. Wherever you are a
person or house is likely to be seen. Whichever way you look
there will be trees and beyond them some hills will arise. But
even though the climate of Palestine was more temperate in Jesus'
time, he and all his listeners must have been fully aware of
the desert around them and deeply aware of its emptiness.
- Knowing not Belief
Here is a typical Teaching that was discovered in the Gospel. In 'Jesus untouched by the Church' the sayings
that are relevant to this particular Teaching are grouped together,
without being in any way altered. These are typeset to show they are our words, not those of Jesus.
They are merely to prompt the reader's understanding, but it is for the
reader to discern the real significance of the Teaching.
- Happiness and Joyousness
Happiness is one of the themes Jesus speaks of most often in the Gospel
of Thomas. Only knowing and finding occur more often. The theme of happiness
comes in ten of the sayings, which are scattered
throughout the Gospel. What it must imply is that as Jesus and
his disciples travelled around during his ministry, this must
have been a frequently recurring theme. It may be unexpected
that Jesus spoke of it so oftenbut there are many aspects
of the Gospel of Thomas that come as a surprise to us.