Again the Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a net, and “is not attainable by everyone in any one particular cycle of time.” Mauarice Nicoll

Selection in the Kingdom of Heaven

“In the teaching about the Kingdom of Heaven and its relation to humanity on earth as given in the thirteenth chapter of Matthew, three further parables follow upon the four great introductory parables which we have studied. These three parables refer to the idea of selection. One of them is as follows:

Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. So shall it be in the end of the world; the angels shall come forth and sever the wicked from among the righteous, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Matt, xiii, 47−50.)”

“Let us consider this parable in connection with those thoughts that arise in the mind about unfairness or injustice. Everything that is said about the higher level of the Kingdom, from the very first parable about it, seems unjust. It is quite clear that the Kingdom of Heaven is not attainable by everyone in any one particular cycle of time. It is also clear from other parables about it, such as that of the marriage feast to which those invited did not come, that of those who can reach it few make the attempt. But let us first consider the Parable of the Net and the separation of the good and bad caught by it. Here the idea of selection is obvious. The good are gathered into vessels and the bad cast away. The same idea of the separation of the good from the bad appears in the Parable of the Tares.”

The Justice of Selection

“Is the idea of selection really unjust? Is it not justice? And is it not true that in ordinary life, selection plays a major part? Are not people selected for their particular jobs? People accept the idea of selection by examinations, and so on, and do not regard it as unjust if some pass and others fail. They even accept the theoretical idea of natural selection by the survival of the fittest and do not regard it as unjust. One thing eats another: weeds fight with plants. Nor do you expect all the seeds you sow in the ground to come up. You do not think it unfair if they do not. Wherever life exists there is a struggle. People vary very much in their capacities. In every form of human society, selection is at work. Some are good at one thing, some at another. In every department of human skill, some will be best and some will be worst, and a selection of the best must be made. All human education is based on the principle of the selection of the best. One does not expect, say, a school of engineering to select the worst students and send them out into the world as capable engineers. Such a proceeding would be not merely meaningless, but definitely unjust. For a thing to be in a place where it does not belong is unjust. You cannot, In short, separate the meaning of justice from that of selection if you come to think of it.” Maurice Nicoll, The New Man, p213-214.

Inner Selection and Personal Transformation

“The other two parables are again about selection, but they refer to inner selection. And here we must notice that the idea of buying and selling is used. Buying means, to begin with, on this personal level, taking, and selling means getting rid of.

“The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: and having found one one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matt, xiii, 44 46.)

“These two parables are about the individual. They are about what an individual man must do internally, in himself, to gain the level of the Kingdom of Heaven. He must become a good merchant and know what to buy and what to sell.” The New Man, p214-215

Natural and Spiritual Selection

“It is similar for the whole of evolution. For there is natural selection and there is spiritual selection—or election. The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah had sinned against Nature and had been rejected by natural selection, but they would have been able to survive if ten righteous men had been found amongst them. Then spiritual selection would have spared them, owing to the ten righteous men. The fact of having evolved and of having given shelter to ten righteous men among them would have been sufficient to justify the continuance of their existence, although their customs were contrary to Nature. ‘Spiritual selection’ would have prevailed, therefore, over ‘natural selection’ or, in other words, esotericism would have determined and saved the exoteric life.” Valentin Tomberg, Meditations on the Tarot, p237-238.

The Danger of False Selection

“Esotericism is therefore not a life and activity which seeks secrecy. It is based on the mentality and psychology of the crew, and its ‘secrets’ are secrets only in so far as the mentality and psychology of the passengers is such as to refuse to participate in responsibility. At the same time there is no more serious error than that of wanting to ‘organize’ a community or fraternity which would be called to play either the role of an instrument of spiritual selection or election, or even the role of a spiritual élite. For one can neither assume the function of election nor consider oneself as elect. It would be morally monstrous if a group of people were to say: ‘We shall choose ten righteous men for our time’, or ‘we are the righteous of our time’. Because one does not elect; one is elected. Knowledge of the fact of ‘spiritual selection’, or election, and of the role that it plays in the history of mankind and in evolution in general can therefore certainly give rise to the birth of a false esotericism, i.e. to the formation of groups, communities or fraternities which believe themselves authorized to elect, or believe themselves to be elect. ‘False prophets’ and ‘false elects (Christs)’—of which the Gospel speaks—are, and will be, produced by false esotericism cultivated by those who assume the right of election or ‘spiritual selection’.” Valentin Tomberg, Meditations on the Tarot, p238.

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Logion 8
 Yeshua says...
A true human being
can be compared to a wise fisherman
who casts his net into the sea
and draws it up from below full of small fish.
Hidden among them
is one large, exceptional fish
which he seizes immediately,
throwing back all the rest without a second thought.
Whoever has ears let them understand this.

Logion 76
Yeshua says...
The Father's Realm can be compared
to a merchant who discovered a pearl
hidden in a consignment of goods.
Wisely, he returned the goods
and bought the single pearl instead.
You too must seek out for yourselves
an enduring treasure
in that realm where moths cannot devour
nor insects come to destroy.

Logion 109
Yeshua says...
The divine Realm is like a man
who owned a field with treasure hidden away in it.
Unaware of it he died, leaving it to his son
who also knew nothing about it.
After taking possession of the land
the son practically gave it away for nothing.
But the one who bought it began plowing
and discovered the treasure,
and immediately started lending money at interest
to whomever he pleased.

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Page numbers for Maurice Nicoll’s The New Man refer to Martino Fine Books, Eastford CT, 2019

Valentin Tomberg, Meditations on the Tarot, Jeremy Tarcher, 1985

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.