Bible Lesson: The Death of Jesus an Evolving Myth

[Jenny A]

There are more indications of the Gnostic point of view in the synoptic gospels (the first three that are so much alike: Mathew, Mark and Luke) In them, Jesus speaks in parables. Other secret knowledge cults in the Greco-Roman world speak in parables. Parables are understood only by the elect, the inner circle. The Gnostics were such a cult.

Here Jesus does something dear to the hearts of Gnostics. He explains that true knowledge is for the disciples and parables for others.

Then his disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that ‘looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.’

Luke 8:9-10

When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that

‘they may indeed look, but not perceive,
and may indeed listen, but not understand;
so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.’”

Mark 4:10-12

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Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says:

‘You will indeed listen, but never understand,
and you will indeed look, but never perceive.
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
and their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
so that they might not look with their eyes,
and listen with their ears,
and understand with their heart and turn—
and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. Truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it.

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Matthew 13:10-16

There is a little of this idea that true knowledge is for those who have already accepted and not for others in Paul's letters:

Brothers and sisters, I couldn’t speak to you as if you were guided by the Holy Spirit. I had to speak to you as if you were following the ways of the world. You aren’t growing as Christ wants you to. You are still like babies. 2 The words I spoke to you were like milk, not like solid food. You weren’t ready for solid food yet. And you still aren’t ready for it.

1 Corinthians 3:1-2

The Mormons who have their own secret knowledge like the milk before meat metaphor.