The Gospel of Thomas

[M. T. Cross]

First - apologies if this is the wrong forum.

Has anyone ever read the Gospel of Thomas HERE

If so, thoughts?

[John317]

I've read parts of it. It's a gnostic "gospel." For me it's only of interest as a historical document that sheds light on what some of the early gnostic Christians believed. Many of the sayings are similar to the real Gospels, but they've been altered for the purpose of teaching "another gospel."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Thomas

The agnositc Bible scholar, Bart Ehrman, says that it is was written by gnostics during the second century.

Wikipedia--

Quote:

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[citation needed], and lacks apocalyptic themes. Because of this, Ehrman argues, The Gospel of Thomas is likely composed by a Gnostic some time in the early 2nd century.[60]

[John317]

I would be very interested to know how you see it.

[M. T. Cross]

I'm not sure what I think of it.

It contains verses that contain philosophy from other beliefs,or close to those philosophies. It contains contridictions, but that is par for the course with most things involving anything related to the Bible, scripture or gospel. Parts of it to me shed great light, others put up a veil of mystery.

[LifeHiscost]

Many of the sayings are similar to the real Gospels, but they've been altered for the purpose of teaching "another gospel."

[M. T. Cross]

But is it really contrary to anything in the bible?

[LifeHiscost]

But is it really contrary to anything in the bible?

You're probably familiar with the fact that the federal government doesn't study counterfeit bills to determine what conclusion should be reached re: acceptance of a bill. With the same principle in mind, I don't study books to find out if they speak the Truth. If I read a book, I read if it sounds of interest and only stop when it is found to speak contrary to the Word.

Not having read the "gospel" of Thomas, the Word given merely warns the result of accepting different than the Word.

God blesses!

[John317]

But is it really contrary to anything in the bible?

When I read it, it doesn't ring true. The Jesus of that book says things that, based on the NT Gospels, I don't believe Jesus would have said. It would be like getting to know someone really well and then hearing a version of what that person is supposed to have said and you know they never would have said those things.

I believe the four NT Gospels are real history. I don't mean the writer wrote them as biography or history as we know it today. Obviously the writers wrote in order to persuade people to believe in Christ. But I don't believe the writers falsified anything or put words in Jesus' mouth that He never said.

I believe the Gospel of Thomas puts words in Christ's mouth that He never uttered.

Do you have a belief about this one way or the other? That is, do you accept the Gospel of Thomas as a true and reliable respresentation of what Christ taught?

[John317]

These are some of the the sayings that I don't believe Jesus actually spoke:

(1) And he said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death."

(7) Jesus said, "Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man."

22) Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples, "These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom."

They said to him, "Shall we then, as children, enter 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; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kingdom."

(30) Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him."

(43) His disciples said to him, "Who are you, that you should say these things to us?"

<Jesus said to them,> "You do not realize who I am from what I say to you, but you have become like the Jews, for they (either) love the tree and hate its fruit (or) love the fruit and hate the tree."

(59) Jesus said, "Take heed of the living one while you are alive, lest you die and seek to see him and be unable to do so."

(68) Jesus said, "Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted. Wherever you have been persecuted they will find no place."

(80) Jesus said, "He who has recognized the world has found the body, but he who has found the body is superior to the world."

(85) Jesus said, "Adam came into being from a great power and a great wealth, but he did not become worthy of you. For had he been worthy, he would not have experienced death."

98) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a certain man who wanted to kill a powerful man. In his own house he drew his sword and stuck it into the wall in order to find out whether his hand could carry through. Then he slew the powerful man."

(100) They showed Jesus a gold coin and said to him, "Caesar's men demand taxes from us."

He said to them, "Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, give God what belongs to God, and give me what is mine."

[LifeHiscost]

I'm glad you posted that, John. That is one bill I needn't read to find whether it is a counterfeit.

God blesses!

[John317]

I do believe it's pretty obvious all right. :-)

[M. T. Cross]

Other than the one about the lion, which makes no sense at all, I can;t see why you would not think those are things that Jesus might have said.