The Parables of Jesus contain an outer and an inner meaning. Behind the literal words lies another range of meaning, another form of knowledge. Maurice Nicoll
“A PARABLE is a medium of connection between a lower and a higher meaning. But it is necessary to look more closely at the basis of parables and the reason they exist. In ancient teaching, Man is taken as a link between a higher and a lower world, between ‘heaven’ and ‘earth’. Man lives physically on earth by the light of the sun but psychologically he lives by the light received by his level of understanding, which is light from ‘heaven’, a far more wonderful light. As a man grows in understanding, he stands more in this light and it can be said that it is only by means of receiving some fraction of this light that a man can think at all. A language exists, that was once known, that connects Man on the level of the Earth with Man on the level of Heaven. It is in this language that parables are cast. It is a specific language, speaking, in terms of earthly objects, of meanings that these earthly objects represent at a higher level. In this language everything on earth represents something belonging to the understanding. Objects represent ideas. All physical things have definite psychological meanings – not arbitrary subjective meanings invented by Man, but objective meanings – that is, meanings quite apart from Man’s subjective associations.” Maurice Nicoll, The Mark, The Parable of the Sower, Part Two, p58.
“EVERY word used in a parable in the Gospels, or in a description of a miracle, has a special meaning, belonging to this language which connects the visible things of the world with the understanding of the mind of the Higher Emotional Center. A parable is only alive when it is based on this language for then it has connection with higher levels. Everything literal that is constructed rightly in terms of this language conducts force from higher levels and so has life in it. This is the basis of miracles, for a miracle is brought about by attracting the laws of a higher world to act in a lower world.” Maurice Nicoll, The Mark, The Parable of the Sower, Part Three, p60.
“The idea behind all sacred writing is to convey a higher meaning than the literal words contain, the truth of which must be seen by Man internally. This higher, concealed, inner, or esoteric, meaning, cast in the words and sense−images of ordinary usage, can only be grasped by the understanding, and it is exactly here that the first difficulty lies in conveying higher meaning to Man. A person’s literal level of understanding is not necessarily equal to grasping psychological meaning. To understand literally is one thing: to understand psychologically is another. Let us take some examples. The commandment says: “Thou shalt not kill. ” This is literal. But the psychological meaning is: “Thou shalt not murder in thy heart. ” The first meaning is literal: the second meaning is psychological, and is actually given in Leviticus. Again the commandment: “Thou shalt not commit adultery” is literal, but the psychological meaning, which is more than this, refers to mixing different doctrines, different teachings. That is why it is often said that people went whoring after other gods, and so on. Again, the literal meaning of the commandment: “Thou shalt not steal” is obvious, but the psychological meaning is far deeper. To steal, psychologically, means to think that you do everything from yourself, by your own powers, not realizing that you do not know who you are or how you think or feel, or how you even move. It is, as it were, taking everything for granted and ascribing everything to yourself. It refers to an attitude. But if a man were told this directly, he would not understand. So the meaning is veiled, because if it were expressed in literal form no one would believe it, and everyone would think it mere nonsense.” Maurice Nicoll, The New Man, The Language of the Parables – Part One, p2.
The object of all sacred writings is to convey higher meaning and higher knowledge in terms of ordinary knowledge as a starting point. The parables have an ordinary meaning. The object of the parables is to give a man higher meaning in terms of lower meaning in such a way that he can either think for himself or not. The parable is an instrument devised for this purpose. It can fall on a man literally, or it can make him think for himself. It invites him to think for himself. A man first understands on his ordinary, matter−of−fact or natural level. To lift the understanding, whatever is taught must first fall on this level to some extent, to form a starting−point. A man must get hold, of what he is taught, to begin with, in a natural way. But the parable has meaning beyond its literal or natural sense. It is deliberately designed to fall first on the ordinary level of the mind and yet to work in the mind in the direction of lifting the natural level of comprehension to another level of meaning. From this point of view, a parable is a transforming instrument in regard to meaning. The parable is also a connecting medium between a lower and a higher level in development of the understanding.” Maurice Nicoll, The New Man, The Language of the Parables – Part One, p4.
“Take the parables concerning the treasure hidden in a field, the pearl of great price, and the lesson of the poor widow’s two copper coins: Is it not evident from them that for the world of values the axiom in question should be the part can be greater than the whole?” Valentin Tomberg, Meditations on the Tarot, p498-499.
Logion 1
I who write this am Thomas, the Double, the Twin.
Yeshua, the Living Master spoke,
and his secret sayings I have written down.
I assure you, whoever grasps their meaning
will not know the taste of death.
Read more Impressions on the Parables of Jesus.
Page numbers for Maurice Nicoll’s The New Man refer to Martino Fine Books, Eastford CT, 2019
Page numbers for Maurice Nicoll’s The Mark refer to Thomas Nelson & Sons, New York, 1954
Quotations from the Gospel of Thomas are from Lynn C Bauman, Ward J Bauman, Cynthia Bourgeault, The Luminous Gospels (Praxis 2008)
Read the Impression introducing the Gospel of Thomas.
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