Gospel of Thomas

Essay for the Master of the Gospel of Thomas Course

Reverend Sharon J. Mayer

Reverend Raymond Thompson used personal touches and interests to enhance the study of The Gospel of Thomas. His insightful studies of the course information make for interesting reading and leads one to further study of the subject matter.  The course is very interesting and thought provoking. I am not sure I agree with all of the course materials but will certainly hold Reverend Thompson’s thoughts in mind during any further study of the subject. As each of us learn based on our own lives, interests, and understanding a good lively debate will help with the study of any subject.

It is not known exactly when the Gospel of Thomas was first written and there is debate as to whether or not it was the basis of the known Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John or if they were the basis of the Gospel of Thomas. Considering that most of the early history of the teaching of Jesus would have been verbally passed along no one is really sure of the exact dates of any of the books of the known Bible. In the Book of Acts it was said that anyone teaching about Jesus should be someone who had walked with him and had personal knowledge of his teachings. As time when on most of those who had walked with him were scattered or had been killed and others who heard the information took up the teaching. Many different versions of what was said or taught were later written down. Keeping in mind that what is said is sometimes not what is heard or written down much later it is so important to find an early text to back up information and teachings.

The text was a Coptic translation from Greek and other fragments of the text have been found in other areas than the one found near Nag Hammadi so it is known that the Greek version was used in Egypt as early as the second century. It is thought that the saying of Jesus in The Gospel of Thomas are in a more traditional form that the known gospels. They also show a Gnostic point of view of what Jesus was saying and teaching as apposed to the known gospel teaching to the different cultures. It is interesting that the Gospel of Thomas was the only complete text found at Nag Hammadi. We often hear that when we are ready the truth will appear and if indeed these are the lost and “secret” saying of Jesus maybe there were to be found intact at that particular time and place to advance knowledge

So what was the text not added to the known Bible? There were multiple texts available when the church decided to consolidate according to Cannon and the books chosen were those that most reflected the thoughts of the Church Fathers of the time. With so many ideas of what was actually taught and what was to be the final teaching of the Church many writing were left out of the Bible. Many were considered too controversial to be added to the core of the church teaching. In the Coptic Gospel of Thomas there is no narrative of the passion which was the core teaching of the church. The writer was not interested in the death or resurrection of Jesus, but consolidates the sayings and states understanding of the words would lead to eternal life.  Since the church teaching was based on the death and resurrection the text did not fit into the ideas the church wanted to have as part of the Bible.  

I am sure that when each of the 114 sayings is read by  people with different backgrounds and walks along the path of knowledge there will be many perspectives of what is being read and the level of understanding will vary greatly.  Not all of us have had the encounters that Reverend Thompson experienced on his path.

Using the information given in the course and going forward will give a good grounding on what was in the text as found in Egypt. I am so very glad that all of the texts were not burned or lost to collectors and can be shared by those seeking knowledge of the early instructions given to believers. As saying one states: “Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.”

Additional reference material from my personal library used for course;

The Nag Hammadi Library; Revised addition. James M. Robinson, General Editor, copyright 1988

The Nostic Bible, Gnostic Texts of Mystical Wisdom from the Ancient and Medieval Worlds; Edited by Willis Barstone and Marvin Meyer, copyright 2003

Lost Christianities The Battles for Scriptures and the Faiths We Never Knew; Bart D. Ehrman, copyright 2003

Lost Scriptures Books that Did Not Make it into the New Testament; Bart D. Ehrman, copyright 2003.  Bart D. Ehrman chairs the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is considered an authority on the early Church and the life of Jesus.

The Secret Teaching of Jesus, Four Gnostic Gospels, Translated and with an Introduction and Notes by Marvin W. Meyer, copyright 1984

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