Book of Thomas

Klyne Snodgrass notes that saying 65—66 of Thomas containing the Parable of the Wicked Tenants appears to be dependent on the early harmonisation of Mark and Luke found in the old Syriac gospels. He concludes that, " Thomas , rather than representing the earliest form, has been shaped by this harmonizing tendency in Syria. If the Gospel of Thomas were the earliest, we would have to imagine that each of the evangelists or the traditions behind them expanded the parable in different directions and then that in the process of transmission the text was trimmed back to the form it has in the Syriac Gospels.

It is much more likely that Thomas, which has a Syrian provenance, is dependent on the tradition of the canonical Gospels that has been abbreviated and harmonized by oral transmission. Nicholas Perrin argues that Thomas is dependent on the Diatessaron , which was composed shortly after by Tatian in Syria. Williams analyzed Perrin's alleged Syriac catchwords and found them implausible. Bart Ehrman argues that the historical Jesus was an apocalyptic preacher, and that his apocalyptic beliefs are recorded in the earliest Christian documents: Mark and the authentic Pauline epistles.

The earliest Christians believed Jesus would soon return, and their beliefs are echoed in the earliest Christian writings. The Gospel of Thomas proclaims that the Kingdom of God is already present for those who understand the secret message of Jesus Saying , and lacks apocalyptic themes. Because of this, Ehrman argues, the Gospel of Thomas was probably composed by a Gnostic some time in the early 2nd century. Wright , former Anglican bishop and professor of New Testament history, also sees the dating of Thomas in the 2nd or 3rd century. Wright's reasoning for this dating is that the "narrative framework" of 1st-century Judaism and the New Testament is radically different from the worldview expressed in the sayings collected in the Gospel of Thomas.

It is simply the case that, on good historical grounds, it is far more likely that the book represents a radical translation, and indeed subversion, of first-century Christianity into a quite different sort of religion, than that it represents the original of which the longer gospels are distortions Thomas reflects a symbolic universe, and a worldview, which are radically different from those of the early Judaism and Christianity.

The harsh and widespread reaction to Marcion 's canon , the first New Testament canon known to have been created, may demonstrate that, by AD, it had become widely accepted that other texts formed parts of the records of the life and ministry of Jesus. Tatian's widely used Diatessaron , compiled between and AD, utilized the four gospels without any consideration of others.

Irenaeus of Lyons wrote in the late 2nd century that since there are four quarters of the earth The late 2nd-century Muratorian fragment also recognizes only the three synoptic gospels and John. Bible scholar Bruce Metzger wrote regarding the formation of the New Testament canon, "Although the fringes of the emerging canon remained unsettled for generations, a high degree of unanimity concerning the greater part of the New Testament was attained among the very diverse and scattered congregations of believers not only throughout the Mediterranean world, but also over an area extending from Britain to Mesopotamia.

The question also arises as to various sects' usage of other works attributed to Thomas and their relation to this work. The Book of Thomas the Contender , also from Nag Hammadi, is foremost among these, but the extensive Acts of Thomas provides the mythological connections. The short and comparatively straightforward Apocalypse of Thomas has no immediate connection with the synoptic gospels, while the canonical Jude — if the name can be taken to refer to Judas Thomas Didymus — certainly attests to early intra-Christian conflict.

The Infancy Gospel of Thomas , shorn of its mythological connections, is difficult to connect specifically to our gospel, but the Acts of Thomas contains the Hymn of the Pearl whose content is reflected in the Psalms of Thomas found in Manichaean literature. These psalms, which otherwise reveal Mandaean connections, also contain material overlapping the Gospel of Thomas. As one of the earliest accounts of the teachings of Jesus, the Gospel of Thomas is regarded by some scholars as one of the most important texts in understanding early Christianity outside the New Testament.

It is an important work for scholars working on the Q document , which itself is thought to be a collection of sayings or teachings upon which the gospels of Matthew and Luke are partly based. Although no copy of Q has ever been discovered, the fact that Thomas is similarly a 'sayings' Gospel is viewed by some scholars as an indication that the early Christians did write collections of the sayings of Jesus, bolstering the Q hypothesis.

Most scholars do not consider Apostle Thomas the author of this document and the author remains unknown. Menard produced a summary of the academic consensus in the mids which stated that the gospel was probably a very late text written by a Gnostic author, thus having very little relevance to the study of the early development of Christianity. Scholarly views of Gnosticism and the Gospel of Thomas have since become more nuanced and diverse. In the 4th century Cyril of Jerusalem considered the author a disciple of Mani who was also called Thomas.

Mani had three disciples: Thomas, Baddas and Hermas. Let no one read the Gospel according to Thomas. For he is not one of the twelve apostles but one of the three wicked disciples of Mani. Many scholars consider the Gospel of Thomas to be a gnostic text, since it was found in a library among others, it contains Gnostic themes, and perhaps presupposes a Gnostic worldview.

Some modern scholars believe that the Gospel of Thomas was written independently of the canonical gospels, and therefore is a useful guide to historical Jesus research. By finding those sayings in the Gospel of Thomas that overlap with the Gospel of the Hebrews , Q, Mark, Matthew, Luke, John, and Paul, scholars feel such sayings represent "multiple attestations" and therefore are more likely to come from a historical Jesus than sayings that are only singly attested.

The material in the comparison chart is from Gospel Parallels by B. Throckmorton, [78] The Five Gospels by R. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. For the infancy gospel, see Infancy Gospel of Thomas. Part of a series on Gnosticism. This section needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.

They were damaged by their discoverers, a group of peasants who broke the jar open and manhandled its contents. Books that did not make it into the New Testament by Bart Ehrman, pp. Archived from the original on 8 October Retrieved 4 February I Cairo, plates 80, line 10 — 99, line Grenfell and Arthur S. Jesus Outside the New Testament: In Meyer, Marvin; Hughes, Charles.

Images of Jesus in History and Christology. An Aramaic Approach to Q: Sources for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. In Robinson, James MacConkey. Leiden, New York, Cologne: The Secret Gospel of Thomas. Paul and God's Temple. Leuven, Netherlands; Dudley, MA: Archived from the original on 30 January Retrieved 9 January Retrieved 29 January Beilby and Paul Rhodes Eddy. Bock, The Missing Gospels Nashville: Most scholars regard the book as an early second-century work.

Snodgrass , "The Gospel of Thomas: Critical Concepts in Religious Studies. Lives of Jesus and Jesus outside the Bible. The Case for the Real Jesus. How Modern Scholars Distort the Gospels. Shedinger, "Thomas and Tatian: Jesus, apocalyptic prophet of the new millennium revised ed. The New Testament and the People of God. Metzger , The Canon of the New Testament: The Gospel According to the Hebrews. Let us go and be baptized by him. Unless perhaps, what I have just said is a sin of ignorance.

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Jesus said, "Go, sell all that you have and distribute to the poor; and come, follow me. You shall love your neighbor as yourself and many of your brothers, sons of Abraham, are covered with filth, dying of hunger, and your house is full of many good things, none of which goes out to them?

Jesus said, "From Adam to John the Baptist, among those born to women, no one is greater than John the Baptist that his eyes should not be averted. But I have said that whoever among you becomes a child will recognize the Father's kingdom and will become greater than John. You therefore, I want to be the Twelve, to symbolize Israel. They call it the Gospel of the Hebrews , for in truth Matthew alone in the New Testament expounded and declared the Gospel in Hebrew using Hebrew script.

As Jesus came up from the water, Heaven was opened, and He saw the Holy Spirit descend in the form of a dove and enter into him. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine and looked for the one until he found it. After he had toiled, he said to the sheep, 'I love you more than the ninety-nine. Zostrianos Letter of Peter to Philip.

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Views Read Edit View history. In other projects Wikimedia Commons Wikiquote. This page was last edited on 17 November , at Rather, you have become like the Judeans, for they love the tree but hate its fruit, or they love the fruit but hate the tree. Jesus said, "Whoever blasphemes against the Father will be forgiven, and whoever blasphemes against the son will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven, either on earth or in heaven.

Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorn trees, nor are figs gathered from thistles, for they yield no fruit. Good persons produce good from what they've stored up; bad persons produce evil from the wickedness they've stored up in their hearts, and say evil things. For from the overflow of the heart they produce evil. Jesus said, "From Adam to John the Baptist, among those born of women, no one is so much greater than John the Baptist that his eyes should not be averted. But I have said that whoever among you becomes a child will recognize the Father's kingdom and will become greater than John.

And a slave cannot serve two masters, otherwise that slave will honor the one and offend the other. Nobody drinks aged wine and immediately wants to drink young wine. Young wine is not poured into old wineskins, or they might break, and aged wine is not poured into a new wineskin, or it might spoil. Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in a single house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move from here!

Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who are alone and chosen, for you will find the kingdom. For you have come from it, and you will return there again. Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where have you come from? If they say to you, 'Is it you? If they ask you, 'What is the evidence of your Father in you?

His disciples said to him, "When will the rest for the dead take place, and when will the new world come? He said to them, "What you are looking forward to has come, but you don't know it.

What is the gospel of Thomas?

His disciples said to him, "Twenty-four prophets have spoken in Israel, and they all spoke of you. He said to them, "You have disregarded the living one who is in your presence, and have spoken of the dead. He said to them, "If it were useful, their father would produce children already circumcised from their mother. Rather, the true circumcision in spirit has become profitable in every respect. Jesus said, "Congratulations to the poor, for to you belongs Heaven's kingdom. Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate father and mother cannot be my disciple, and whoever does not hate brothers and sisters, and carry the cross as I do, will not be worthy of me.

Jesus said, "Whoever has come to know the world has discovered a carcass, and whoever has discovered a carcass, of that person the world is not worthy. His enemy came during the night and sowed weeds among the good seed. The person did not let the workers pull up the weeds, but said to them, 'No, otherwise you might go to pull up the weeds and pull up the wheat along with them.

Jesus said, "Congratulations to the person who has toiled and has found life. Jesus said, "Look to the living one as long as you live, otherwise you might die and then try to see the living one, and you will be unable to see. He saw a Samaritan carrying a lamb and going to Judea. He said to his disciples, "that person He said to them, "So also with you, seek for yourselves a place for rest, or you might become a carcass and be eaten. Salome said, "Who are you mister? You have climbed onto my couch and eaten from my table as if you are from someone.

Jesus said to her, "I am the one who comes from what is whole. I was granted from the things of my Father. Jesus said, "I disclose my mysteries to those [who are worthy] of [my] mysteries. He said, 'I shall invest my money so that I may sow, reap, plant, and fill my storehouses with produce, that I may lack nothing. Anyone here with two ears had better listen! Jesus said, "A person was receiving guests. When he had prepared the dinner, he sent his slave to invite the guests. The slave went to the first and said to that one, 'My master invites you.

I have to go and give them instructions. Please excuse me from dinner. The slave went to another and said to that one, 'My master has invited you. I shall have no time. The slave went to another and said to that one, 'My master invites you. I shall not be able to come. The slave returned and said to his master, 'Those whom you invited to dinner have asked to be excused. He said, "A [ He sent his slave so the farmers would give him the vineyard's crop. They grabbed him, beat him, and almost killed him, and the slave returned and told his master.

His master said, 'Perhaps he didn't know them. Then the master sent his son and said, 'Perhaps they'll show my son some respect. Jesus said, "Show me the stone that the builders rejected: Jesus said, "Those who know all, but are lacking in themselves, are utterly lacking. Jesus said, "Congratulations to you when you are hated and persecuted; and no place will be found, wherever you have been persecuted.

Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who have been persecuted in their hearts: Congratulations to those who go hungry, so the stomach of the one in want may be filled. Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not have that within you, what you do not have within you [will] kill you. Jesus said, "I will destroy [this] house, and no one will be able to build it [ A [person said] to him, "Tell my brothers to divide my father's possessions with me.

Jesus said, "The crop is huge but the workers are few, so beg the harvest boss to dispatch workers to the fields. He said, "Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but there is nothing in the well. Jesus said, "There are many standing at the door, but those who are alone will enter the bridal suite. Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a merchant who had a supply of merchandise and found a pearl. That merchant was prudent; he sold the merchandise and bought the single pearl for himself.

So also with you, seek his treasure that is unfailing, that is enduring, where no moth comes to eat and no worm destroys. Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. Jesus said, "Why have you come out to the countryside? To see a reed shaken by the wind? And to see a person dressed in soft clothes, [like your] rulers and your powerful ones?

They are dressed in soft clothes, and they cannot understand truth. A woman in the crowd said to him, "Lucky are the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you. He said to [her], "Lucky are those who have heard the word of the Father and have truly kept it. For there will be days when you will say, 'Lucky are the womb that has not conceived and the breasts that have not given milk.

Jesus said, "Whoever has come to know the world has discovered the body, and whoever has discovered the body, of that one the world is not worthy. Jesus said, "Whoever is near me is near the fire, and whoever is far from me is far from the Father's kingdom. Jesus said, "Images are visible to people, but the light within them is hidden in the image of the Father's light. He will be disclosed, but his image is hidden by his light. Jesus said, "When you see your likeness, you are happy.

But when you see your images that came into being before you and that neither die nor become visible, how much you will have to bear! Jesus said, "Adam came from great power and great wealth, but he was not worthy of you. For had he been worthy, [he would] not [have tasted] death. Jesus said, "[Foxes have] their dens and birds have their nests, but human beings have no place to lay down and rest. Jesus said, "How miserable is the body that depends on a body, and how miserable is the soul that depends on these two. Jesus said, "The messengers and the prophets will come to you and give you what belongs to you.

You, in turn, give them what you have, and say to yourselves, 'When will they come and take what belongs to them? Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Don't you understand that the one who made the inside is also the one who made the outside? Jesus said, "Come to me, for my yoke is comfortable and my lordship is gentle, and you will find rest for yourselves. He said to them, "You examine the face of heaven and earth, but you have not come to know the one who is in your presence, and you do not know how to examine the present moment.

In the past, however, I did not tell you the things about which you asked me then. Now I am willing to tell them, but you are not seeking them. Don't throw pearls [to] pigs, or they might Jesus [said], "One who seeks will find, and for [one who knocks] it will be opened. Rather, give [it] to someone from whom you won't get it back. Jesus [said], "The Father's kingdom is like [a] woman. She took a little leaven, [hid] it in dough, and made it into large loaves of bread. Jesus said, "The [Father's] kingdom is like a woman who was carrying a [jar] full of meal.

While she was walking along [a] distant road, the handle of the jar broke and the meal spilled behind her [along] the road. She didn't know it; she hadn't noticed a problem. When she reached her house, she put the jar down and discovered that it was empty. Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a person who wanted to kill someone powerful.

Gospel of Thomas

While still at home he drew his sword and thrust it into the wall to find out whether his hand would go in. Then he killed the powerful one. The disciples said to him, "Your brothers and your mother are standing outside. He said to them, "Those here who do what my Father wants are my brothers and my mother. They are the ones who will enter my Father's kingdom. They showed Jesus a gold coin and said to him, "The Roman emperor's people demand taxes from us.

He said to them, "Give the emperor what belongs to the emperor, give God what belongs to God, and give me what is mine. For my mother [ Jesus said, "Damn the Pharisees! They are like a dog sleeping in the cattle manger: Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who know where the rebels are going to attack. Jesus said, "What sin have I committed, or how have I been undone? Rather, when the groom leaves the bridal suite, then let people fast and pray. Jesus said, "Whoever knows the father and the mother will be called the child of a whore.

Jesus said, "When you make the two into one, you will become children of Adam, and when you say, 'Mountain, move from here! Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine and looked for the one until he found it.

After he had toiled, he said to the sheep, 'I love you more than the ninety-nine. Jesus said, "Whoever drinks from my mouth will become like me; I myself shall become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to him. Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a person who had a treasure hidden in his field but did not know it.

And [when] he died he left it to his [son]. The son [did] not know about it either. He took over the field and sold it. The buyer went plowing, [discovered] the treasure, and began to lend money at interest to whomever he wished.

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Jesus said, "Let one who has found the world, and has become wealthy, renounce the world. Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will roll up in your presence, and whoever is living from the living one will not see death. Does not Jesus say, "Those who have found themselves, of them the world is not worthy"?

Jesus said, "Damn the flesh that depends on the soul. Damn the soul that depends on the flesh.