Brother of Yeshua

Segment 1

Why is this important? When rightly understood, the scriptures are an allegorical representation of what can be portrayed as the Cosmology of Mind and Being (see An Inconvenient Truth). Which means that both the twelve tribes of Israel, as well as the twelve disciples of Jesus, are representations of the Divine Pattern that is holographically replicated into the mind of each and every person who is personified as the Prodigal Son -- and the primary objective of the scriptures is to bring about the development and Anointing (Messiah/Christ) of the mind of the individual seeker. But herein lies the problem that is restored and presented in the Gospel of Thomas: Because the mind is comprised of twelve spheres which are allegorically portrayed in the pattern of the Tree of Life -- divided across the spectrum of the Tree of Duality (aka The Knowledge of Good And Evil) -- and while those spheres of mind that look outwardly perceive an entirely different reality than their paradoxical opposite spheres of mind that look inwardly -- it is through the process of discovery and inner intuitive reflection that we begin to develop the spheres of mind necessary to tap into the Inner Source of Knowledge and receive the Divine Manna and Spiritual Knowledge (aka Gnosis). In the Doctrine of the Trinity the Holy Spirit is Feminine -- with the term Sophia being interpreted the Wisdom of the Comforter or Holy Spirit being drawn from the Intuitive/Feminine Spheres of Mind. Therefore, when our modern culture which is totally outward looking, inhibits the development of the Feminine Intuitive Spheres of Mind through our modern process of relying upon outward teachers to convey information to the student and young impressionable minds, we inhibit the development of those Intuitive Spheres of Mind that are necessary to tap into that Inner Source of Enlightened Knowledge -- i.e., the Divine Manna of the Kingdom.

Segment 2

In the same way that an unused limb begins to atrophy -- and a person who awakens from a long coma cannot even physically function -- so too do the Intuitive Spheres of mind that fail to develop and become balanced with the Linear Spheres of Mind. Recently in a presidential debate, Dr. Ben Carson who is a retired neurosurgeon, noted that he was the only candidate who had taken out half a human brain. Then he noted that if you went to Washington, D.C. you might think that someone had beaten him to it. What Dr. Carson is totally unaware of is the reality that by virtue of our system of our cultural teaching, virtually all the population is limited to using half of their potential mind -- and because of the mental imbalance, it remains virtually impossible to tap into the Inner Source of Knowledge that the Church Father Origen was making reference to. Therefore, if it is true that each of us has the innate ability to tap into a Source of Truth and Knowledge that is greater than all the works ever composed by man, then when we attempt to teach and program the child's mind in the traditional environment of what we portray as learning, we inadvertently obstruct the child's ability to tap into this Inner Source of Knowledge -- thereby rendering the child mentally impotent.

Segment 3

Why can someone who is educated in our traditionally cultural manner be portrayed as being mentally flat-lined and spiritually impotent? Because when the pattern of mind is rightly understood, it is divided across the spectrum of four mental-trinities which comprise the mind as patterned in the diagram of the Tree of Life -- with the Feminine Intuitive Column being limited by the three Linear-Male Spheres which are paradoxical opposites within the Divine Pattern of Mind and Being -- and this reality of Mind is demonstrated in saying 22 of the Gospel of Thomas when Jesus was asked by his disciples about children entering into the Kingdom: Jesus said to them, "When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; ...then will you enter the kingdom." This Original Teaching that was suppressed by the Gentile Church which portrayed itself as Orthodox, can only be understood within the spectrum of the pattern of the Tree of Life -- and therefore, it has little to no meaning to modern man. And unless each person brings the reality portrayed in this teaching about in their own Mind and Being, they they will remain mentally flat-lined and spiritually impotent. -- incapable of advancing beyond the level of what the Apostle Paul portrayed as that of an "animal-soul" level of comprehension (see Organic Man Ruled Over By His Lower Animal Nature). That the foregoing teaching which is contained in the Gospel of Thomas was important to the first century followers of Jesus, is demonstrate in The Second Epistle of Clement where this ultra-important teaching that was removed from the Gospels modern Christians use is quoted as stating: Let us expect, therefore, hour by hour, the kingdom of God in love and righteousness, since we know not the day of the appearing of God. For the Lord Himself, being asked by one when His kingdom would come, replied, 'When two shall be one, that which is without as that which is within, and the male with the female, neither male nor female .

Segment 4

What Clement is stating in accord with the Original teachings is that when the seeker/believer brings this condition about within their own Mind and Being, that the predicted and expected Kingdom will come within them as promised -- as stated in Jesus' teachings on the Key of Knowledge (see The Third Fatal Mistake - Not Proving The Truth).

Segment 5

It is important to recognize that when Clement wrote the above in his Epistle to a congregation of Christians, he did so in the expectation that they would understand the great truths he was presenting. That the Kingdom or End Times would and could only come when "...two shall be one, that which is without as that which is within, and the male with the female, neither male nor female . And the fact that this statement that is in the Gospel of Thomas and was contained in a first century Epistle from an elder to a congregation of believers in that time-frame, could not be contained and understood in a letter or epistle to a congregation today, is merely one example of the fact that the dogma and thinking of the modern Church has virtually nothing in common with the original teachings of Jesus known as TheWay. Which provokes the question: Has the requirements to enter the Kingdom changed in order to accommodate the dogmatic corruption of the Church? Has Truth and Higher Spiritual Reality been discarded and thrown away, because the Church threw this body of essential Knowledge pertaining to the Coming of the Kingdom away? Or, does modern Christians dwell in a self-imposed Diaspora of abject Spiritual Ignorance which was brought about by the massive corruption of the scriptures (see BibleCorruption.com ), and the suppression of the body of essential knowledge that is necessary to restore the lost prodigal son to his rightly place in the Edenic Kingdom of Origination.

Segment 6

When Jesus conveyed to Nicomedus that "...Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" -- and when Nicomedus did not understand the threefold process of birth, Jesus then asked how he could be a teacher, and not know these spiritual realities: "...Nicodemus answered and said to Him, How can these things be? Jesus answered and said to him, Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? It is important to grasp the reality of the words that when Nicodemus did not grasp the reality of achieving the next stage of birth, that Jesus replied: Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things?" (John 3:1-12 NKJ). Thus, if the next stage of birth was brought about by saying the sinners prayer as is commonly practiced by modern Christians, then Jesus never would have replied to Nicodemus in this manner. But in the same way that genetically, the embryo that forms the body when an infant is born into this world is the merger and balance of 23 pairs of chromosomes from the mother and father, what is being presented in the words of the Gospel of Thomas -- i.e., "When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female..." -- is the means by which the Feminine-Intuitive and Male-Linear opposite spheres of mind within the pattern of the twelve spheres of the Tree of Life must be brought into a state of Evolved Wholeness and Oneness, in order for the mind of the seeker to evolve beyond what Paul portrays as an "animal-soul" level of consciousness (see Organic Man Ruled Over By His Lower Animal Nature), and for the Kingdom to come in the manner that was promised in the Gospel. And that the later fourth century Church of Rome threw this essential knowledge that the first-century Christian clearly understood, does not in any manner change the requirements of birth that Jesus set forth in the Gospel. In the words of that 60s philosopher Bob Dylan during that time of his life when he was a student of Hebrew Mysticism, when he said: "He whos not busy being born, is busy dying"!

Segment 7

There are Two Ways -- i.e., what Jesus portrayed as the "narrow path" of TheWay of Life, and the "broad-way" that the vast majority of mankind walks to their own demise. And if you fail to bring about the next stage of birth -- with the Second Coming and End Times coming within you, while you are still in the physical body -- it will be impossible to accomplish this necessary next stage of birth in the after-life when you pass from this world. Thereby fulfilling the statement: "Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom" (Matt 16:28 NKJ). As stated in the Gospel of Philip: "Those who say that first they shall die and (then) they shall arise are confused. If they do not first receive the resurrection (while) they live, they will not receive anything (when) they die" Therefore, it is impossible to fulfill the requirements of the Gospels without first fulfilling the teaching of Jesus when he stated: "When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; ...then will you enter the kingdom."

Segment 8

And it is for this reason that the narrow path of TheWay is portrayed as difficult that few find -- i.e., regardless of what your pastor, minister, priest, clergy or inspired preacher tells you, if you fail to find the "narrow gate that is difficult and which leads to life, and only the very few ever find it" that permits entrance into the Kingdom within you (Luke 17:20-21) while you are still alive in the physical body, you will have walked the broad-way that is walked by the multitudes to their own self-destruction. The Gospel of Thomas opens with the profound statement: And [Jesus} said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death." The only way to find the meaning of the above statement with respect to overcoming the male/female columns of Duality of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, is to remerge what is allegorically personified as Adam and Eve into their original condition of Adam/Eve, and eat the Life-Giving Fruit in the Center of the Tree of Life ( http://TreeOfLife.Nazirene.org ). Which means that to "find the interpretation of these saying" , the seeker/disciple must bring about the next stage of birth by "making the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; ...then will you enter the kingdom."

Segment 9

The Gospels continually warn us that the path or the second birth and entrance into the Kingdom is not easy. The strife of the inner war within ourselves as embodied in the symbols of Armageddon is seen in the words: "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22 NKJ). In the words of Jesus: "And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me" (Matt 10:38 NKJ). Thus, in the same way that a woman travails in labor to bring a child into this world, we must ourselves endure the "many tribulations" of spiritual labor to be born into the Kingdom of God. Since the Kingdom is within us, and Armageddon is therefore not an historical event -- but more factually, a spiritual event in the life of the disciple in search of Truth -- we must then totally re-evaluate everything we think we know about both the Gospel Message, and the life we are presently living. In fully comprehending these biblical statements in relation to the whole purpose of the teachings of The Way, let us again examine the definitive statement which conveys to us the very essence of the Gospel -- and especially the Revelation of John: "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie" (Rev 22:14-15 NKJ). If the text of the Revelation represented the end of the world, as is commonly believed by the majority of Christians today, then we must pose the question: Why are those who remain outside the city portrayed as "dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie" ? Armageddon, then, indicates the disciples personal tribulation described as the "pangs of birth", as he endeavors to overcome his own lower carnal nature through the crucifixion of what is symbolized by the flesh, in order that he can possess the Knowledge of the fruit of the Tree of Life, transcend the natural barriers of this world, and "enter through the gates into the city" .

The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance

(Socrates)

Segment 10

The catalyst to perceiving and understanding the true meaning of the text of the Gospel of Thomas, like all scriptures, is in the proper application of what saying thirty-nine portrays as the proper use of the Key of Knowledge. While the Christians, like the Jews before them who threw away the Key of Knowledge, look for the Kingdom to come outwardly upon the earth, the Gospel itself states that the Kingdom will never come upon the earth so as to be seen by men, because it is within you -- and it is therein that you must seek it: "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God comes not with observation: Neither shall they say, See here! or, see there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you" (Luke 17:20-21). If it is true, and the Kingdom is within you, then the question that Christians should be asking, is how must it be entered? The answer is the proper application of the Key of Knowledge by turning the scriptures within your own mind and being -- i.e., "How terrible it will be for you experts in religious law! For you hide the key to knowledge from the people. You don't enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering" (Luke 11:52). Thus, in understanding these words spoken to the Pharisees, the questions must be asked: How did the Pharisees and Jewish authorities "...hide the key to knowledge from the people" ? Why did Jesus condemn the leaders of the Jews for failing to enter the Kingdom themselves? -- i.e., "...You don't enter the Kingdom yourselves"! And how did the religious leaders of the Jews "...prevent others from entering?" That the primary objective of the Gospel is to prepare and enable the seeker/disciple to enter the Kingdom, is further demonstrated in Jesus' condemnation of the blind religious leaders as seen in the words: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to" (Matt 23:13 NIV). Which means that the Kingdom of God is not something that will come if we wait for it -- but rather, it is a reality which man must seek and find -- within himself (see The Third Fatal Mistake).

Segment 11

In what is known as the Gospel Of The Nazirenes there is what is called The Seven Parables Of The Kingdom -- wherein it is written: "The kingdom of heaven is like to a city built four-square on the top of a high hill, and established on a rock, and strong in its surrounding wall, and its towers and its gates, which lie to the north, and to the south, and to the east, and to the west. Such a city does not fall, neither can it to be hidden. Its gates are open to all, who, having the keys, will enter therein." The Keys to the Gates are the proper use of the scriptures whereby the seeker of the Kingdom turns the scriptures within themselves to use as the Key of Knowledge to gain entrance to the Kingdom. When the Kingdom is properly understood as a Higher Spiritual Reality that must be entered while still physically alive in the body-vessel, the true meaning of the Book of Revelations begins to unfold as the spiritualization and purification of the body into The Final Temple.

The Bible continually warns us that the path or the second birth and entrance into the Kingdom is not easy (see The Transformation). The strife of the inner war within ourselves as embodied in the symbols of Armageddon is seen in the words: "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22 NKJ). Thus, in the same way that a woman travails in labor to bring a child into this world, we must ourselves endure the "many tribulations" of spiritual labor to be born into the Kingdom of God. Since the Kingdom is within us, and Armageddon is therefore not an historical event -- but more factually, a spiritual event in the life of the disciple in search of Truth -- we must then totally re-evaluate everything we think we know about both the Gospel Message, and the life we are presently living. In fully comprehending these biblical statements in relation to the whole purpose of the teachings of The Way, let us again examine the definitive statement which conveys to us the very essence of the Gospel -- and especially the Revelation of John: "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city. But outside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie" (Rev 22:14-15 NKJ).

Segment 12

If the text of the Revelation represented the end of the world, as is commonly believed by the majority of Christians today, then we must pose the question: Why are those who remain outside the city portrayed as "dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie" ? Armageddon, then, indicates the disciples personal tribulation described as the "pangs of birth", as he endeavors to overcome his own lower carnal nature through the crucifixion of what is symbolized by the flesh, in order that he can possess the Knowledge of the fruit of the Tree of Life, transcend the natural barriers of this world, and "enter through the gates into the city" .

The "...teachers of the law and Pharisees" were portrayed as hypocrites who do not themselves enter the Kingdom, while as counterfeit shepherds they inhibit those who are trying to enter, because they interpreted the scriptures outwardly in ritual, tradition and the dogmatic interpretations of carnal men -- as is done by the Christians today. Yet, because the foundational paradigm of mind and being is built upon the second rarely acknowledged reality above, Jesus warned his followers not to be called rabbi or teacher, because their is ONLY ONE TEACHER which they must seek out to learn from (see The One Teacher). And as stated by the Apostle Peter, if you seek Truth then "...you have to learn them from Him alone, because He alone knows the truth." To the degree that Peter warns that the true meaning of the scriptures are beyond the comprehension of human wisdom and understanding -- i.e., "...therefore great care is to be taken, that when the law of God is read, it be not read according to the understanding of our own mind. For there are many sayings in the divine Scriptures which can be drawn to that sense which every one has preconceived for himself; and this ought not to be done. For you ought not to seek a foreign and extraneous sense, which you have brought from without".

Segment 13

Yet, in a total rejection of this core Gospel teaching, Christians not only seek to learn from the people of this world -- i.e., "...For you ought not to seek a foreign and extraneous sense, which you have brought from without" !!! And again in total rejection of core Gospel teachings, the doctrines and interpretations of the scriptures are drawn totally from the very limited perspective of human organic reasoning -- i.e., "...therefore great care is to be taken, that when the law of God is read, it be not read according to the understanding of our own mind" . Why? Because human reasoning is totally earth-bound, and incapable of understanding even the true reality of what is seen in the earth -- i.e., based upon "...the basic principles of this world" . In 2 Peter 1:20 the Apostle condemns and rejects what he portrays as "private interpretations" of the scriptures -- i.e., "Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation" . The objective was to have no divisions within the Congregations -- i.e., I appeal to you, that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Cor 1:10 NIV). And someone who even suggests a manmade opinion or doctrine, should be rejected as a heretic who has been turned out of TheWay -- i.e., Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him. You may be sure that such a man is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned (Titus 3:10-11 NIV). The Greek meaning of the word divisive is one who promotes a sect -- i.e., a doctrine of belief. And on this important point the Church Father Turtullian writes: On this point, however, we dwell no longer, since it is the same Paul who, in his Epistle to the Galatians, counts 'heresies' among 'the sins of the flesh,' who also intimates to Titus, that 'a man who is a heretic' must be 'rejected after the first admonition,' on the ground that 'he that is such is perverted, and committeth sin, as a self-condemned man.' Indeed, in almost every epistle, when enjoining on us (the duty) of avoiding false doctrines, he sharply condemns heresies. Of these the practical effects are false doctrines, called in Greek heresies, a word used in the sense of that choice which a man makes when he either teaches them (to others) or takes up with them (for himself).

Segment 14

For this reason it is that he calls the heretic self-condemned, because he has himself chosen that for which he is condemned . In the original Gospel teachings, it was considered a sin of the flesh , because schisms and divisions are the result of natural man clinging to ideas of a carnal nature.

Segment 15

The objective and the purpose of all the Gospels is to seek out and enter the Inner Kingdom -- i.e., "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death." The proper interpretation of the sayings of the Gospel of Thomas can ONLY be revealed to the seeker by The One Teacher that Jesus commanded to seek out. And the disciples knew the Truth, because their minds had been opened to the spiritual meaning of the scriptures -- i.e., "Then opened He their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures" (Luke 24:45) -- which opening of the mind enabled them to enter and dwell in the Kingdom while they were still physically alive in the body-vessel. In the Bible translation known as The Message, the above reality of Jesus' words with respect to the usage of the Key of Knowledge is portrayed in true clarity. In this translation when Jesus turned to the Jews who had claimed to believe in him and said: "If you stick with this, living out what I tell you, you are my disciples for sure. Then you will experience for yourselves the truth, and the truth will free you"(John 8:31-32 TheMessage) -- and once again, neither Christian or Jew who have thrown away the Key of Knowledge can understand these words which are of the utmost importance. Jesus didn't say that they would believe the truth -- or that they would discern what they believed would be dogmatic truth out of the scriptures or some book written by other men -- but rather, Jesus conveyed to them that if they follow in TheWay, that they "...will experience for yourselves the truth, ...and it is this SELF-EXPERIENCED TRUTH that ...will free you" from the error and ignorance that consumes the people of this world -- and especially the blind guides who portray themselves as rabbis and teachers.

Segment 16

The result of the works and actions of our cultural archons, our accepted experts, our religious, philosophical and educational authorities who have all built their paradigm of foundational thinking upon the first of the above scenarios of mind and being, not only has modern man been alienated from his true self that is portrayed in the words: "...But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty" -- but the whole of our society and culture dwells in an intellectual and spiritual abyss of profound ignorance, because we have compounding our error by building error upon error. If the mind of the child is not an empty void that needs to be filled and programmed with the wisdom of the men of this world -- and in contradistinction, possess the innate ability to tap into a Source of Knowledge that exceeds all the religious and philosophical teachings of mankind -- then when we attempt to teach the child through rote programming of what must be recognized as the anti-knowledge of this world, our good intentions do more to alienate the child from their own True Self (see SoulSelf.org), and obstruct their path into the Kingdom and the Promise of Life.

Segment 17

Thus, Jesus taught that those who seek to enter into Life, must "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it" (Matt 7:13-14 NKJ) -- and it is imperative to understand that the word translated "destruction" , in no manner represents what is actually being presented by the interpreters of the Greek biblical texts. Quoting the footnote on this word in the Schofield Reference Bible which reads: There is no thought in these various words of annihilation but of something that is ruined and thus unsuitable or unable to fulfill its original purpose . Entering in "...by the narrow gate" , is to bring about and achieve the next stage of birth that provides entrance to the Inner Kingdom and the higher reality of our soul and true self. If you fail to attain the next stage of birth that Jesus said is necessary to enter into Life, as a soul-image that has failed to become manifest, as portrayed in Gospel of Thomas saying 84, you can neither reincarnate or can you go to Glory as the dogma of the Church assumes. And in the same way that a woman does not perish if one of her eggs fails to evolve into a fetus, neither does the soul perish when one of its images which is projected into this world, fails to evolve through the three stages of birth. And in the same way that the woman's egg that fails to become an embryo is "...thus unsuitable or unable to fulfill its original purpose , so too is the embryonic image of the soul that is projected into this world "...unsuitable or unable to fulfill its original purpose. And this purpose, is to bring about the necessary threefold birth that enables the soul to enter into what Jesus portrayed as Life. To further demonstrate the higher reality of birth that was portrayed to Nicomedus in the Gospel of John (see Cosmic Ovum And Sperm), Jesus stated: "...Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" -- and this fact is a true reality of life.

Segment 18

"If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing,

it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it.

On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it,

I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning." (Mahatma Gandhi)

A Portrait Of Justinian And Theodora: The problem is that it is impossible for us to understand the true depth of the scriptures, until we first become aware of our own depth with respect to our pre-existent soul and spiritual natures. That there exists a great void in our perception of the Gospel today, can be attributed to another very important historical element that is missing from the understanding of the modern believer -- which element is the knowledge of the events that transpired in the year 553 A.D. when the Emperor Justinian condemned the Church Father Origen -- a man who lived in the second to third century, and was truly a saint and enlightened soul.

Justinians wife, Theodora, who was a Monophysite -- or one who does not believe that Jesus possessed a human nature -- viewed the teaching of the church that man has a pre-existent soul as heresy. Fundamentally she opposed the doctrines of the original Messianic followers of Jesus who claimed that he was a man who had evolved to a state of perfection, and thus became the Son of God by virtue of his Holiness. Moreover, Theodora rejected the Gentile Christian belief which is prevalent today -- i.e., that Jesus was the pre-existent Son of God who was born into a human body to redeem the sins of mankind. As a Monophysite, Theodora believed that Jesus was God, and he never possessed a human form or nature whatsoever.

Segment 19

Summary Of Encyclopedia Britannic Article

Who Was Justinian?

The Encyclopedia Britannica article portrays Justinian as a shallow-minded opportunist who used the Church which was totally under his control, as a means to control the people through the doctrine of "one life then heaven or hell" dogma. And in contradistinction, while Justinian is portrayed as soft and indecisive, his wife the empress Theodora, was an indomitable freight train of decisiveness and strength. It should be clearly understood that she was not merely his consort but was empress regnant which means she had the legal right to interfere and run the empire. Officials took an oath to her as well as to Justinian. In the great Nika insurrection of 532, her courage alone saved her husband from being overthrown. According to Procopius the historian, Theodora was the daughter of a bear feeder of the amphitheater at Constantinople, and she began working as an actress (regarded as an extremely low vocation) while still a child. Later she became a well-known courtesan and eventually met Justinian in Constantinople. Justinian's aunt, who was the empress at the time, forbade the marriage, but upon her death Justinian repealed a law which prohibited senators from marrying women of the stage. In 527, at the death of Justinian's uncle the emperor Justin, Justinian and Theodora became rulers of the Roman Empire. He was forty-four and she was twenty-four. According to Procopius as written in the Encyclopedia Britannica, "She surrounded herself with ceremonious pomp, and required all who approached to abase themselves in a manner new even to that half-Oriental court. She constituted herself the protectress of faithless wives against outraged husbands, yet professed great zeal for the moral reformation of the city, enforcing severely the laws against vice, and confining five hundred courtesans, whom she had swept out of the streets of the capital, in a "house of repentance" on the Asiatic side of the Bosphous strait. Procopius portrays her as acting with the greatest cruelties. The Encyclopedia Britannica goes on to state that we are able to gather from other writers that Theodora was indeed extremely harsh and tyrannical. The following is an excerpt from the Anecdota by Procopius describing Justinian.