Song of Mark, Phase Eleven: Gifted Sophia

PHASE ELEVEN

GIFTED SOPHIA

Section I--A Ministry Begun
(Sunday even, the twenty-sixth day of March)

_A_ ND so it was that I began my teaching ministry by Levi's house. And a large multitude was again gathered together unto me, and avoiding any further confrontation, I immediately went up into the boat with my disciples, and stood anchored in the sea: and all the people sat upon the land by the sea-side of Alepheus.

02 And before we departed, I taught them many of John's doctrines in parables, and saith unto them in the way of the sower: Hear ye me all! Behold, the Sower went out to sow. And whilst he sowed, some seeds fell by the way-side, and the crows of the air came and ate it up. And other seeds fell upon rocky ground, where it had not much earth; and it shot up immediately, because it had no depth of earth; but when the sun was risen, it was scorched because it had no root, and it withered away. And some fell among weeds; and the weeds grew up, and choked it, and it yielded no fruit. But some fell upon good ground; and brought forth flowers that grew up into fruits, and increased and yielded, one seven, another eleven, and yet another seven times eleven.

03 And some who were fishers and carpenters by trade, not fully understanding the way of the sower, asked me the meaning of this parable.

04 And I saith unto the truth seekers: To you who hath ears to hear, but do not understand the way of the Sower, it is also given to know the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven: But to them that are without understanding, all things are said as if in a mystery. That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand. Lest at any time they should be enlightened to the ways of the Baptist, and their sins should be forgiven them.

Section II--The Good Teacher
(And the Parable of the Seed Explained)

05 And I saith unto them: For those of you who seek the true meaning of this new kind of parable, I shall now explain the parable of the seed to you: They that soweth, whether male or female, soweth the word of God.

06 And these are they by the way-side, where the word of God is sown, and as soon as they have heard it, immediately Lucifer cometh and taketh away the word that was sown in their hearts.

07 And the rocky-roaders likewise, are they that are sown upon rocky ground: Who when they have heard the word of God, immediately receive it with joy. And they have no root in themselves, but are only for a time: And then when tribulation and persecution ariseth for the word they are presently scandalized.

08 And fruitless men are others who are sown among weeds: These are they that hear the word, and the cares of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts after other things entering in choke the word, and their words are made as fruitless as thorns.

09 And these are the yielders of God's word, who are the good seeds of God, that are sown upon the good earth, and who yield good fruit: Who hear the word, and receive it as true, the one yielding seven, another eleven, and yet another seven times eleven.

Section III--A Secret Doctrine

10 And I saith unto them in my secret doctrine concerning John's assassination: Doth a light come into this world to be set on a lamp-stand? or to be put under a bushel? For there is nothing hid, which shall not be made manifest: Neither was it done in secret, but that it may come to light. But if any one now have ears to hear: Let them hear: Peter murdered John!

11 And I saith unto them: Take heed of what you hear and in how you weigh it. In what measure you shall believe, it shall be measured to you again, and more shall be given to you, if not in this world then in the next to come. For those that hath wisdom, to them shall be given: But they who hath not, likewise that also which they hath in this present lifetime, shall be taken away from them in their next lifetime to come.

12 And I saith unto them: So is the Kingdom of Heaven, as if a man should cast seed into the earth, and should sleep, and rise, night and day, and the seed should spring, and grow up whilst he knoweth not. For the earth of itself bringeth forth fruit, first the stalk, then the flower, and afterwards the full fruit. And when the fruit is ripe, immediately he putteth in the blade, because the harvest is come.

13 And I saith unto them: To what shall I liken the Kingdom of Heaven? or to what thing shall I compare it? The citadel of Beth`an, [that is to say, the House of An, or the House of Oni; or the House of Heaven, or the House of Peace, of the House of Doves], may be compared to a grain of mustard seed: Which when it is sown in the earth, is smaller than all the seeds that are in the earth, yet when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches, so that the doves of the air may dwell under the shadow thereof. For such is the nature of the Kingdom of God, also.

14 And with many such parables, I taught them, according to as many as were able to receive it. And without parable I did not speak to them; but to those who remained with me after I left my mother's side, I explained all things without the use of parable.

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