The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 74
Sin Begins in Thought
'There have been and are in the world men who hold not thought for sin; who are in the greatest error. Tell me, how sinned Satan? It is certain that he sinned in the thought that he was more worthy than man. Solomon sinned in thinking to invite to a feast all the creatures of God, whereupon a fish corrected him by eating all that he had prepared. Wherefore, not without cause, saith David our father, that "to ascend in one\'s heart setteth one in the valley of tears." And wherefore doth God cry by Isaiah his prophet, saying: "Take away your evil thoughts from mine eyes?" And to what purpose saith Solomon: "With all thy keeping, keep thine heart?" As God liveth, in whose presence standeth my soul, all is said against the evil thoughts wherewith sin is committed, for without thinking it is not possible to sin. Now tell me, when the husbandman planteth the vineyard doth he set the plants deep? Assuredly yea. Even so doth Satan, who in planting sin doth not stop at the eye or the ear, but passeth into the heart, which is God\'s dwelling. As he spake by Moses his servant, saying: "I will dwell in them, in order that they may walk in my law."'
'Now tell me, if Herod the king should give you a house to keep in which he desired to dwell, would ye suffer Pilate, his enemy, to enter there or to place his goods therein? Assuredly no. Then how much less ought ye to suffer Satan to enter into your heart, or to place his thoughts therein; seeing that our God hath given you your heart to keep, which is his dwelling. Observe, therefore, that the banker considereth the money, whether the image of Caesar is right, whether the silver is good or false, and whether it is of due weight: wherefore he turneth it over much in his hand. Ah, mad world! How prudent thou art in thy business, so that in the last day thou wilt reprove and judge the servants of God of negligence and carelessness, for without doubt thy servants are more prudent than the servants of God. Tell me, now, who is he who examineth a thought as the banker a silver coin? Assuredly no one.'
'There have been, and still are, people in the world who do not regard thought as sin; they are deeply mistaken. Tell me, how did Satan sin? Certainly, he sinned through the thought that he was worthier than man. Solomon sinned by thinking that he could invite all God’s creatures to a feast, whereupon a fish corrected him by eating everything he had prepared. Therefore our father David did not say without cause that "to rise up in one’s heart places a person in the valley of tears." Why does God cry through his prophet Isaiah, "Remove your evil thoughts from my sight"? And why does Solomon say, "Above everything you guard, guard your heart"? As God lives, in whose presence my soul stands, all these words are spoken against evil thoughts, through which sin is committed, for without thought it is impossible to sin. Tell me, when a farmer plants a vineyard, does he set the plants deeply? Certainly. Satan acts in the same way: when planting sin, he does not stop at the eye or ear but passes into the heart, which is God’s dwelling, as God said through Moses his servant: "I will dwell in them, so that they may walk in my law."'
'Tell me, if King Herod gave you a house to guard because he wished to live there, would you allow his enemy Pilate to enter or place his possessions within it? Certainly not. How much less, then, should you allow Satan to enter your heart or place his thoughts there, since our God gave you your heart to guard as his dwelling. Observe how a banker examines money: whether Caesar’s image is correct, whether the silver is genuine or false, and whether the coin has the proper weight. For this reason he turns it over repeatedly in his hand. Ah, mad world! How prudent you are in your own business. On the last day you will therefore accuse and judge God’s servants for negligence and carelessness, since your servants are undoubtedly more prudent than God’s servants. Tell me, who examines a thought as carefully as a banker examines a silver coin? Certainly no one.'
'There have been and are in the world men who hold not thought for sin; who are in the greatest error. Tell me, how sinned Satan? It is certain that he sinned in the thought that he was more worthy than man. Solomon sinned in thinking to invite to a feast all the creatures of God, whereupon a fish corrected him by eating all that he had prepared. Wherefore, not without cause, saith David our father, that "to ascend in one\'s heart setteth one in the valley of tears." And wherefore doth God cry by Isaiah his prophet, saying: "Take away your evil thoughts from mine eyes?" And to what purpose saith Solomon: "With all thy keeping, keep thine heart?" As God liveth, in whose presence standeth my soul, all is said against the evil thoughts wherewith sin is committed, for without thinking it is not possible to sin. Now tell me, when the husbandman planteth the vineyard doth he set the plants deep? Assuredly yea. Even so doth Satan, who in planting sin doth not stop at the eye or the ear, but passeth into the heart, which is God\'s dwelling. As he spake by Moses his servant, saying: "I will dwell in them, in order that they may walk in my law."'
'Now tell me, if Herod the king should give you a house to keep in which he desired to dwell, would ye suffer Pilate, his enemy, to enter there or to place his goods therein? Assuredly no. Then how much less ought ye to suffer Satan to enter into your heart, or to place his thoughts therein; seeing that our God hath given you your heart to keep, which is his dwelling. Observe, therefore, that the banker considereth the money, whether the image of Caesar is right, whether the silver is good or false, and whether it is of due weight: wherefore he turneth it over much in his hand. Ah, mad world! How prudent thou art in thy business, so that in the last day thou wilt reprove and judge the servants of God of negligence and carelessness, for without doubt thy servants are more prudent than the servants of God. Tell me, now, who is he who examineth a thought as the banker a silver coin? Assuredly no one.'