Mark 4:33 And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear [it].
Mark 4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Matt 13:35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Matt 7:6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Thom 93:x Jesus said: Give not what is holy to the dogs, lest they cast it on the dung-heap. Throw not the pearls to the swine, lest they make it [ ].
Thom 62:x Jesus said: I tell My mysteries to those who are worthy of my mysteries. What thy right hand will do, let not thy left hand know what it does.
Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all [these] things are done in parables:
Mark 4:12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.
Matt 13:11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Matt 13:13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
Matt 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Matt 13:15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
Luke 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.
Matt 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.
Matt 11:26 Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.
Luke 10:21 In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight.
John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and [that] your joy might be full.
John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.
John 16:25 These things have I spoken unto you in proverbs: but the time cometh, when I shall no more speak unto you in proverbs, but I shall show you plainly of the Father.
John 16:26 At that day ye shall ask in my name: and I say not unto you, that I will pray the Father for you:
John 16:27 For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God.
John 16:28 I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.
But do not speak of this matter to haughty persons, nor to conceited ones, nor to Yogins who are not self-restrained; for the fools, always revelling in sensual pleasures, might in their blindness scorn the law manifested.
No labour bestowed upon a worthless thing can be productive of fruit; even by a hundred efforts a cran cannot be made to talk like a parrot.
The secret must be kept from all non-people:
The mystery must be hidden from all idiots.
See what you do to people--
The Eye has to be hidden from all men.
The Sufi is in the position of a strange in a country, of a guest in a house. Anyone in either capacity must think of the local mentality.
The real Sufi is a 'changed' man (abdal), change being an essential part of Sufism. The ordinary man is not changed; hence a need for dissimulation.
A man goes into a country where nakedness is honorable, and wearing clothes is considered dishonorable. In order to exist in that country, he must shed his clothes. If he says merely: 'Wearing clothes is best, nakedness is dishonorable,' he puts himself outside the range of the people of the country which he is visiting.
Therefore he will either quit the country or -- if he has functions to perform there -- he will accept or temporize. If the subject of the excellence of wearing clothes comes up in discussion, he will probably have to dissimulate. There is a clash of habits here.
There is an even greater clash between habit thought and non-habit thought. The Sufi, because he has experienced, in common with others, so many things, knows a range of existence which he cannot justify by argument, even if only because all arguments have already been tried by someone at one time or another, and certain ones have prevailed and are considered 'good sense.'
His activity, like that of an artist, is reduced to that of illustration.
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© Copyright 1996 by Joseph Morales