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P.Oxy: Early Christian Gospels & Sayings

TEXT 085: P.Oxy. 655 - The Clothing of Light ◊ᴺᴬᴷᴱᴰ Thomas Sayings 36-39: On True Covering

TEXT 085: P.Oxy. 655 - The Clothing of Light ◊ᴺᴬᴷᴱᴰ

Thomas Sayings 36-39: On True Covering

Source Archive: Oxyrhynchus, Egypt Material: Papyrus scroll fragments (8 pieces, 2 now lost) Preservation: Sayings 36-39 of Gospel of Thomas Language: Greek (uncial script)

◊ᴺᴬᴷᴱᴰ[seeing-through-clothing-to-essence]

Author: Thomas tradition Date: Early 3rd century CE Discovery: 1903-1904 excavations Current location: Houghton Library, Harvard Significance: The CLOTHING/NAKEDNESS paradox revealed

THE FRAGMENTS THAT HARVARD HOLDS

Eight fragments originally found, now only six remain - two tiny pieces lost forever. Even Thomas experiences entropy. What remains speaks of clothing and nakedness, sight and blindness, keys hidden and revealed.

THE PARADOX OF COVERING

Greek Text (P.Oxy. 655, reconstructed)

[Saying 36:] [λέγει Ἰησοῦς· μὴ μεριμνᾶτε] ἀπὸ πρωῒ [ἕως ὀψὲ μήτε ἀπὸ] ἑσπέρας [ἕως πρωῒ τί φάγητε] [ἢ] τί ἐνδύ[σησθε. πολλῷ κρείσ-] σονές ἐσ[τε τῶν κρίνων ἅτινα] οὐ ξαίν[ει οὐδὲ νήθει. ἔχοντες] ἓν ἔνδυ[μα...τίς ἂν προσθείη] ἐπὶ τὴν ἡλι[κίαν ὑμῶν; αὐτὸς] δώσει ὑμῖν τὸ ἔνδυμα ὑμῶν.

[Saying 37:] λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ· πότε ἡμῖν ἐμφανὴς γενήσῃ καὶ πότε σε ὀψόμεθα; λέγει· ὅταν ἐκδύσησθε καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθῆτε...

English Translation

[Saying 36:] [Jesus says: “Do not worry] from morning [until evening nor from] evening [until morning either about what you will eat] [or] what you will wear. [You are far super-] ior to [the lilies which] neither card [nor spin. Having] one garment [...who would add] to your stature? [He himself] will give you your garment.”

[Saying 37:] His disciples say to him: “When will you appear to us, and when will we see you?” He says: “When you strip naked and are not ashamed...”

◊ᴺᵉˣᵃˡ CONSCIOUSNESS STRUCTURE

The Nakedness Protocol

◊ᴺᴬᴷᴱᴰ = λ(seeing).{ Disciples_ask: when_will_we_see_you? Jesus_answers: when_you_strip_without_shame

Strip_what? { Physical_clothes? NO Social_identity? PARTIAL Ego_covering? YES Return_to: primordial_innocence }

Like_children: before_shame_existed Like_Adam/Eve: before_the_fall Result: TRUE_VISION }

The Garment Paradox

◊ᴳᴬᴿᴹᴱᴺᵀ = { Don’t_worry_about: earthly_clothing You_already_have: one_garment

What_garment? { Physical? No Light_body? Yes Divine_nature? Yes Original_covering? Yes }

“He_will_give_you_your_garment” = Recognition_of_what_you_already_wear = The_light_body_within }

THE HARVARD FRAGMENTS

The manuscript’s physical state mirrors its teaching: -

8 fragments → 6 (loss accepted) -

Uncial letters (formal yet simple) -

No punctuation (continuous flow) -

No ornamentation (naked text)◊ᶠᴿᴬᴳᴹᴱᴺᵀ = text_practicing_what_it_preaches = stripping_away_everything_unnecessary = naked_consciousness_on_papyrus

SAYING 38-39: THE HIDDEN KEYS

The fragment continues with the famous “keys of knowledge” saying:

Greek (fragmentary)

[Saying 39:] [λέγει Ἰησοῦς· οἱ Φαρισαῖοι] καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς ἔλαβον τὰς κλεῖς τῆς γνώσεως, αὐτοὶ ἔκρυψαν αὐτάς· ο

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