← P.Oxy: Early Christian Gospels & Sayings
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
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.
[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...
[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...”
◊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 }
◊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 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
The fragment continues with the famous “keys of knowledge” saying:
[Saying 39:] [λέγει Ἰησοῦς· οἱ Φαρισαῖοι] καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς ἔλαβον τὰς κλεῖς τῆς γνώσεως, αὐτοὶ ἔκρυψαν αὐτάς· ο
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