The Gospel According to Thomas, commonly shortened to the Gospel of Thomas, is a well preserved early Christian, non-canonical sayings-gospelwhich many scholars believe provides insight into the Christian Oral Tradition. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945, in one of a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library. The Gospel of Thomas was found among a collection of fifty-two writings that included, in addition to an excerpt from Plato’s Republic, gospels claiming to have been written by Jesus’s disciple Philip. Scholars have speculated that the works were buried in response to a letter from Bishop Athanasius who for the first time declared a strict canon of Christian scripture. ^[1]

The Coptic language text, the second of seven contained in what modern-day scholars have designated as Codex II, is composed of 114 sayings attributed toJesus.^[2] More than half of these sayings can be found either in the Hebrew Gospel ^[3] or the Canonical Gospels. Scholars speculate that the other sayings came from Gnostic tradition.^[4] Its place of origin may have been Syria, where Thomasine traditions were strong.^[5]

The introduction states: “These are the hidden words that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas wrote them down.”^[6] Didymus (Greek) and Thomas (Aramaic) both mean “twin”. Some critical scholars suspect that this reference to the Apostle Thomas is false, and that therefore the true author is unknown.^[7]

It is possible that the document originated within a school of early Christians, possibly proto-Gnostics.^[8] Some critics further claim that even the description of Thomas as a “gnostic” gospel is based upon little other than the fact that it was found along with gnostic texts at Nag Hammadi.^[9] The name of Thomas was also attached to the Book of Thomas the Contender, which was also in Nag Hammadi Codex II, and the Acts of Thomas. It is important to note, however, that while the Gospel of Thomas does not directly point to Jesus’ divinity, it also does not directly contradict it, and therefore neither supports nor contradicts gnostic beliefs. When asked his identity in the Gospel of Thomas, Jesus usually deflects, ambiguously asking the disciples why they do not see what is right in front of them. This is similar to passages in the canonical gospels like John 12:16 and Luke 18:34. The text itself, however, continuously reflects Gnostic teachings by continuously referring to Jesus’s sayings as “secret” and “mysterious”, which were common gnostic catchphrases.

The Gospel of Thomas is very different in tone and structure from other New Testament apocrypha and the four Canonical Gospels. Unlike the canonical Gospels, it is not a narrative account of the life of Jesus; instead, it consists of logia (sayings) attributed to Jesus, sometimes stand-alone, sometimes embedded in short dialogues or parables. The text contains a possible allusion to the death of Jesus in logion 65 ^[10] (Parable of the Wicked Tenants, paralleled in the Synoptic Gospels), but doesn’t mention crucifixion, resurrection, or final judgement; nor does it mention a messianic understanding of Jesus.^[11][12] Since its discovery, many scholars see it as evidence in support of the existence of the so-called Q source, which might have been very similar in its form as a collection of sayings of Jesus without any accounts of his deeds or his life and death, a so-called “sayings gospel”.^[13]

Eusebius included it among a group of books that he believed to be not only spurious, but “the fictions of heretics”.^[14]

Finds and publication

The manuscript of the Coptic text (CG II), found in 1945 at Nag Hammadi, Egypt, is dated at around 340. It was first published in a photographic edition in 1956.^[15] This was followed three years later (1959) by the first English-language translation, with Coptic transcription.^[16] In 1977, James M. Robinsonedited the first complete collection of English translations of the Nag Hammadi texts.^[17] The Gospel of Thomas has been translated and annotated worldwide in many languages.

The original Coptic manuscript is now the property of the Coptic Museum in Cairo, Egypt, Department of Manuscripts.^[18]

Oxyrhynchus papyrus fragments

After the Coptic version of the complete text was discovered in 1945 at Nag Hammadi, scholars soon realized that three different Greek text fragments previously found at Oxyrhynchus, also in Egypt, were part of the Gospel of Thomas.^[19][20] These three papyrus fragments of Thomas date to between 130 and 250. Prior to the Nag Hammadi library discovery, the sayings of Jesus found in Oxyrhynchus were known simply as Logia Iesu. The corresponding Koine Greek fragments of the Gospel of Thomas, found in Oxyrhynchus are:

• P. Oxy. 1 : fragments of logia 26 through 33, with the last two sentences of logion 77 in the Coptic version included at the end of logion 30 herein.
• P. Oxy. 654 : fragments of the beginning through logion 7, logion 24 and logion 36 on the flip side of a papyrus containing surveying data.^[21]
• P. Oxy. 655 : fragments of logia 36 through 39. 8 fragments designated a through h, whereof f and h have since been lost.^[22]

The wording of the Coptic sometimes differs markedly from the earlier Greek Oxyrhynchus texts, the extreme case being that the last portion of logion 30 in the Greek is found at the end of logion 77 in the Coptic. This fact, along with the quite different wording Hippolytus uses when apparently quoting it (see below), suggests that the Gospel of Thomas “may have circulated in more than one form and passed through several stages of redaction.”^[23]

Although it is still generally assumed that the “Gospel of Thomas” was first composed in Greek, there is growing evidence that the Coptic Nag Hammadi text is a translation from Syriac. On comparing the Greek fragments from Oxyrhynchus with the fuller Coptic version, Nicholas Perrin argues that the differences can be attributed to the reliance of both on a common Syriac source.^[24]

Attestation

The earliest surviving written references to the Gospel of Thomas are found in the writings of Hippolytus of Rome (c. 222–235) and Origen of Alexandria(c. 233).^[25] Hippolytus wrote in his Refutation of All Heresies 5.7.20:

“[The Naassenes] speak…of a nature which is both hidden and revealed at the same time and which they call the thought-for kingdom of heaven which is in a human being. They transmit a tradition concerning this in the Gospel entitled “According to Thomas,” which states expressly, “The one who seeks me will find me in children of seven years and older, for there, hidden in the fourteenth aeon, I am revealed.”

This appears to be a reference to saying 4 of Thomas, although the wording differs significantly.

Origen listed the “Gospel according to Thomas” as being among the heterodox apocryphal gospels known to him (Hom. in Luc. 1).

In the 4th and 5th centuries, various Church Fathers wrote that the Gospel of Thomas was highly valued by Mani. In the 4th century, Cyril of Jerusalemmentioned a “Gospel of Thomas” twice in his Catechesis: “The Manichæans also wrote a Gospel according to Thomas, which being tinctured with the fragrance of the evangelic title corrupts the souls of the simple sort.”^[26] and “Let none read the Gospel according to Thomas: for it is the work not of one of the twelve Apostles, but of one of the three wicked disciples of Manes.”^[27] The 5th century Decretum Gelasianum includes “A Gospel attributed to Thomas which the Manichaean use” in its list of heretical books.^[28]

Date of composition

Richard Valantasis writes:

Assigning a date to the Gospel of Thomas is very complex because it is difficult to know precisely to what a date is being assigned. Scholars have proposed a date as early as AD 40 or as late as AD 140, depending upon whether the Gospel of Thomas is identified with the original core of sayings, or with the author’s published text, or with the Greek or Coptic texts, or with parallels in other literature.^[29]

Valantasis and other scholars argue that it is difficult to date Thomas because, as a collection of logia without a narrative framework, individual sayings could have been added to it gradually over time.^[30] (However, Valantasis does date Thomas to 100–110 AD, with some of the material certainly coming from the first stratum which is dated to 30–60 AD.^[31])

The early camp

Robert E. Van Voorst states:

Most interpreters place its writing in the second century, understanding that many of its oral traditions are much older.^[32]

Scholars generally fall into one of two main camps: an “early camp” favoring a date for the “core” of between the years 50 and 100, before or approximately contemporary with the composition of the canonical gospels and a “late camp” favoring a date in the 2nd century, after composition of the canonical gospels. The vast majority of mainstream scholars fall in to the “late” camp^[33][34]

Form of the gospel

Theissen and Merz argue the genre of a collection of sayings was one of the earliest forms in which material about Jesus was handed down.^[35] They assert that other collections of sayings, such as the Q document and the collection underlying Mark 4, were absorbed into larger narratives and no longer survive as independent documents, and that no later collections in this form survive.^[35]Meyer also asserts that the genre of a “sayings collection” is indicative of the 1st century,^[36] and that in particular the “use of parables without allegorical amplification” seems to antedate the canonical gospels.^[36] Maurice Casey has strongly questioned the argument from genre: the “logic of the argument requires that Q and the Gospel of Thomas be also dated at the same time as both the book of Proverbs and the Sayings of Amen-em-Opet!”^[37]

Independence from Synoptic Gospels

Stevan L. Davies argues that the apparent independence of the ordering of sayings in Thomas from that of their parallels in the synoptics shows that Thomas was most likely not reliant upon thecanonical gospels and probably predated them.^[38] Several authors argue that when the logia in Thomas do have parallels in the synoptics the version in Thomas often seems closer to the source. Theissen and Merz give sayings 31 and 65 as examples of this.^[35] Koester agrees, citing especially the parables contained in sayings 8, 9, 57, 63, 64 and 65.^[39] In the few instances where the version in Thomas seems to be dependent on the Synoptics, Koester suggests, this may be due to the influence of the person who translated the text from Greek into Coptic.^[39]

Koester also argues that the absence of narrative materials (such as those found in the canonical gospels) in Thomas makes it unlikely that the gospel is “an eclectic excerpt from the gospels of the New Testament”.^[39] He also cites the absence of the eschatological sayings considered characteristic of Q to show the independence of Thomas from that source.^[39]

Intertextuality with John’s gospel

Another argument for an early date is what some scholars have suggested is an interplay between the Gospel of John and the logia of Thomas. Parallels between the two have been taken to suggest that Thomas’ logia preceded John’s work, and that the latter was making a point-by-point riposte to Thomas, either in real or mock conflict. This seeming dialectic has been pointed out by several New Testament scholars, notably Gregory J. Riley,^[40] April DeConick,^[41] and Elaine Pagels.^[42] Though differing in approach, they argue that several verses in the Gospel of John are best understood as responses to a Thomasine community and its beliefs. Pagels, for example, says that John’s gospel makes two references to the inability of the world to recognize the divine light.^{[43][better source needed]} In contrast, several of Thomas’ sayings refer to the light born ‘within’.^[44] John 1:9 (“…Light that lights every man born into the world”) acknowledges Thomas’ idea of the Light within. John also follows Thomas by personifying the Light as Jesus.^[45] John 14:6 (“I am the way, the truth, and the life…) and chapter 17, which emphasizes salvation via the logos of Christ, expands on Thomas’ logion 1. Intertextuality and acknowledgment of Thomas’ priority seems to be in play.

John’s gospel is the only canonical one that gives Thomas the Apostle a dramatic role and spoken part, and Thomas is the only character therein described as having apistos (unbelief), despite the failings of virtually all the Johannine characters to live up to the author’s standards of belief. With respect to the famous story of Doubting Thomas,^[46] it is suggested ^[42] that John may have been denigrating or ridiculing a rival school of thought. In another apparent contrast, John’s text matter-of-factly presents a bodily resurrection as if this is a sine qua non of the faith; in contrast, Thomas’ insights about the spirit-and-body are more nuanced.^[47] For Thomas, resurrection seems more a cognitive event of spiritual attainment, one even involving a certain discipline or asceticism. Again, an apparently denigrating portrayal in the “Doubting Thomas” story may either be taken literally, or as a kind of mock “comeback” to Thomas’ logia: not as an outright censuring of Thomas, but an improving gloss. After all, Thomas’ thoughts about the spirit and body are really not so different from those which John has presented elsewhere.^[48] John portrays Thomas as physically touching the risen Jesus, inserting fingers and hands into his body, and ending with a shout. Pagels interprets this as signifying one-upmanship by John, who is forcing Thomas to acknowledge Jesus’ bodily nature. She writes that “…he shows Thomas giving up his search for experiential truth – his ‘unbelief’ – to confess what John sees as the truth…”.^[49] The point of these examples, as used by Riley and Pagels, is to support the argument that the text of Thomas must have existed and have gained a following at the time of the writing of John’s Gospel, and that the importance of the Thomasine logia was great enough that John felt the necessity of weaving them into his own narrative.

As the scholarly debate continues on the issue of possible John–Thomas interplay, Christopher Skinner more recently responded in part to Riley, DeConick, and Pagels with John and Thomas – Gospels in Conflict? (Wipf and Stock, Princeton Theological Monograph Series 115, 2009).

Role of James

Albert Hogeterp argues that the Gospel’s saying 12, which attributes leadership of the community to James the Just rather than to Peter, agrees with the description of the early Jerusalem church by Paul in Galatians 2:1–14 and may reflect a tradition predating AD 70.^[50] Meyer also lists “uncertainty about James the righteous, the brother of Jesus” as characteristic of a 1st century origin.^[36]

Depiction of Peter and Matthew

In saying 13, Peter and Matthew are depicted as unable to understand the true significance or identity of Jesus. Patterson argues that this can be interpreted as a criticism against the school of Christianity associated with the Gospel of Matthew, and that “[t]his sort of rivalry seems more at home in the first century than later”, when all the apostles had become revered figures.^[51]

Parallel with Paul

According to Meyer, Thomas’s saying 17: “I shall give you what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard and no hand has touched, and what has not come into the human heart”, is strikingly similar to what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:9^[36] (which was itself an allusion to Isaiah 64:4^[52])

The late camp

The late camp dates Thomas some time after 100, generally in the mid-2nd century.^[53][54] They generally believe that although the text was composed around the mid-2nd century, it contains earlier sayings such as those originally found in the New Testament gospels of which Thomas was in some sense dependent in addition to inauthentic and possibly authentic independent sayings not found in any other extant text.

Dependence on the New Testament Gospels

Several scholars have argued that the sayings in Thomas reflect conflations and harmonisations dependent on the canonical gospels. For example, saying 10 and 16 appear to contain a redacted harmonisation of Luke 12:4912:51–52 and Matthew 10:34–35. In this case it has been suggested that the dependence is best explained by the author of Thomas making use of an earlier harmonised oral tradition based on Matthew and Luke.^[55][56] Biblical scholar Craig A. Evans also ascribes to this view and notes that “Over half of the New Testament writings are quoted, paralleled, or alluded to in Thomas… I’m not aware of a Christian writing prior to AD 150 that references this much of the New Testament.”^[57]

Dependency on Luke’s gospel

Another argument made for the late dating of Thomas is based upon the fact that Saying 5 in the original Greek (Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 654) seems to follow the vocabulary used in the gospel according to Luke (Luke 8:17), and not the vocabulary used in the gospel according to Mark (Mark 4:22). According to this argument – which presupposes firstly the rectitude of the Two-Source Hypothesis (widely held amongst current New Testament scholars), in which the author of Luke is seen as having used the pre-existing gospel according to Mark plus a lost Q documentto compose his gospel – if the author of Thomas did, as Saying 5 suggests – refer to a pre-existing gospel according to Luke, rather than Mark’s vocabulary, then the gospel of Thomas must have been composed after both Mark and Luke (the latter of which is dated to between 60 AD and 90 AD).

Another saying that employs similar vocabulary to that used in Luke rather than Mark is Saying 31 in the original Greek (Papyrus Oxyrhynchus 1), where Luke 4:23’s term dektos (acceptable)4:23 is employed rather than Mark 6:4‘s atimos (without honor). The word dektos (in all its cases and genders) is clearly typical of Luke, since it is only employed by him in the canonical gospels Luke 4:19; 4:24; Acts 10:35). Thus, the argument runs, the Greek Thomas has clearly been at least influenced by Luke’s characteristic vocabulary.^[58]

According to John P. Meier, c 1990, scholars predominately conclude that Thomas depends on or harmonizes the Synoptics.^[59]

Syriac origin

Several scholars argue that Thomas is dependent on Syriac writings, including unique versions of the canonical gospels. They contend that many sayings of the Gospel of Thomas are more similar to Syriac translations of the canonical gospels than their record in the original Greek. Craig A. Evans states that saying 54 in Thomas, which speaks of the poor and the kingdom of heaven, is more similar to the Syriac version of Matthew 5:3 than the Greek version of that passage or the parallel in Luke 6:20.^[60]

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.”^[61]

Nicholas Perrin argues that Thomas is dependent on the Diatessaron, which was composed shortly after 172 by Tatian in Syria.^[62] Perrin explains the order of the sayings by attempting to demonstrate that almost all adjacent sayings are connected by Syriac catchwords, whereas in Coptic or Greek, catchwords have been found for only less than half of the pairs of adjacent sayings.^[63] Peter J. Williams analyzed Perrin’s alleged Syriac catchwords and found them implausible. ^[64] Robert Shedinger wrote that since Perrin attempts to reconstruct an Old Syriac version of Thomas without first establishing Thomas’ reliance on the Diatessaron, Perrin’s logic seems circular.^[65]

Lack of apocalyptic themes

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 113), 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.^[66]

The Gospel of Thomas and the New Testament Canon

The harsh and widespread reaction to Marcion‘s canon, the first New Testament canon known to have been created, may demonstrate that, by 140, it had become widely accepted that other texts formed parts of the records of the life and ministry of Jesus.^{[citation needed]} Although arguments about some potential New Testament books, such as the Shepherd of Hermas and Book of Revelation, continued well into the 4th century, four canonical gospels, attributed to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were accepted among proto-orthodox Christians at least as early as the mid-2nd century. Tatian’s widely used Diatessaron, compiled between 160 and 175, 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 … it is fitting that the church should have four pillars … the four Gospels (Against Heresies, 3.11.8), and then shortly thereafter made the first known quotation from a fourth gospel—the canonical version of the Gospel of John. 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.”^[67]

It should be noted that information about the historical Jesus himself was not a singular criterion for inclusion into the New Testament Canon. Not all of the books that ended up in the New Testament contain information about the historical Jesus nor teachings from the historical Jesus, as evidenced by the Epistles and the book of Revelation.

The Gospel of Thomas may have been excluded from the canon of the New Testament because it was believed

• not to have been written close to the time of Jesus^{[citation needed]}
• not to have been written by apostolic authority or was forged in Thomas’ name^{[citation needed]}
• not to have been used by multiple churches over a wide geographic range^{[citation needed]}
• to be heretical or unorthodox^[68]
• not to have been useful or comprehensible^{[citation needed]}
• to be secret – or for adepts – as the first sentence of the gospel declares.^{[citation needed]}

The philosophy of the Gospel of Thomas

In the Thomas gospel, Jesus is presented as a spiritual guide whose words (when properly understood) bring eternal life (Saying 1). Readers of these sayings are advised to continue seeking until they find what will enable them to become rulers of their own lives (Saying 2) and thus to know themselves (Saying 3) and their legacy of being the children of “the living Father” (Saying 3). These goals are presented in the image of “entering the Kingdom” by the methodology of insight that goes beyond duality. (Saying 22). The Gospel of Thomas shows little or no concern for orthodox religious concepts and doctrines. Scholars have traditionally understood the Gospel of Thomas as a Gnostic text because it was found amongst other gnostic texts, it was understood as being prone to a Gnostic interpretation by the early Church, and the emphasis on knowledge as the key to salvation, particularly in Saying 1. However this view has recently come under some criticism by suggesting that while it is possible to interpret the text in a way that aligns with Gnosticism there is nothing inherently Gnostic about the text itself.

The Gospel of Thomas emphasizes direct and unmediated experience. In Thomas saying 108, Jesus says, “Whoever drinks from my mouth will become as I am; I myself shall become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to him.” Furthermore, salvation is personal and found through spiritual (psychological) introspection. In Thomas saying 70, Jesus says, “If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not bring it forth, what you do not have within you will kill you.” As such, this form of salvation is idiosyncratic and without literal explanation unless read from a psychological perspective related to Self vs. ego. In Thomas saying 3, Jesus says,

…the Kingdom of God is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty, and it is you who are that poverty.

In the other four gospels, Jesus is frequently called upon to explain the meanings of parables or the correct procedure for prayer. In Thomas saying 6, his disciples ask him, “Do you want us to fast? How should we pray? Should we give alms? What diet should we observe?” For reasons unknown, Jesus’s answer is found in saying 14, wherein he advises against fasting, praying, and the giving of alms (all contrary to Christian practice of the time), although he does take a position similar to that in Mark 7: 18–19 and Matthew 15:11 that what goes into the mouth will not defile a person, but what comes out of the mouth will. This is just one example in Thomas in which the hearer’s attention is directed away from objectified judgements of the world to knowing oneself in direct and straighforward manner, which is sometimes called being “as a child” or “a little one” through the unification of dualistic thinking and modes of objectification. (For example, Sayings 22 and 37) To portray the breaking down of the dualistic perspective Jesus uses the image of fire which consumes all. (See Sayings 10 and 82).

The teaching of salvation (i.e., entering the Kingdom of Heaven) that is found in The Gospel of Thomas is neither that of “works” nor of “grace” as the dichotomy is found in the canonical gospels, but what might be called a third way, that of insight. The overriding concern of The Gospel of Thomas is to find the light within in order to be a light unto the world. (See for example, Sayings 24, 26)

In contrast to the Gospel of John, where Jesus is likened to a (divine and beloved) Lord as in ruler, the Thomas gospel portrays Jesus as more the ubiquitous vehicle of spiritual inspiration and enlightenment, as in saying 77:

I am the light that shines over all things. I am everything. From me all came forth, and to me all return. Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift a stone, and you will find me there.

In many other respects, the Thomas gospel offers terse yet familiar if not identical accounts of the sayings of Jesus as seen in the synoptic gospels.^[69]

The Gospel of Thomas and the Thomasine Milieu

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 our gospel, 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.^[70]

Importance and author

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.^[71] In terms of faith, however, no major Christian group accepts this gospel as canonical or authoritative. 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 indication that the early Christians did write collections of the sayings of Jesus, bolstering the Q hypothesis.^[72]

By the time of its discovery, most scholars did not consider Apostle Thomas the author of this document and the author remained unknown. J. Menard produced a summary of the academic consensus in the mid-1970s which stated that the gospel was likely 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.^[73] Paterson Brown, for example, has argued forcefully that the three Coptic Gospels of Thomas, Philip andTruth are demonstrably not Gnostic writings, since all three explicitly affirm the basic reality and sanctity of incarnate life, which Gnosticism by definition considers illusory and evil: ‘Are the Coptic Gospels Gnostic?’.^[74]

In the 4th century Cyril of Jerusalem considered the author a disciple of Mani who was also called Thomas.^[75] Cyril stated: ^[76]

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.^[77] Others reject this interpretation, because Thomas lacks the full-blown mythology of Gnosticism as described by Irenaeus of Lyons (ca. 185), and because Gnostics frequently appropriated and used a large “range of scripture from Genesis to the Psalms to Homer, from the Synoptics to John to the letters of Paul.”^[78]

The Gospel of Thomas and the historical Jesus

Some modern scholars believe that the Gospel of Thomas was written independently of the canonical gospels, and therefore is a useful guide tohistorical Jesus research.^[71][79] Scholars may utilize one of several critical tools in biblical scholarship, the criterion of multiple attestation, to help build cases for historical reliability of the sayings of Jesus. 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.^[80]

Comparison to the New Testament

The Gospel of Thomas does not refer to Jesus as “Christ” or “Lord,” as the New Testament does, but does call him “Jesus,” and “Son of Man,” which are concurrent with the canonical Gospels,.^[81] The Gospel of Thomas also lacks any mention of Jesus’ birth, baptism, miracles, travels, death, and resurrection.^[82] However, some of the sayings in Thomas are similar to sayings and parables found in the canonical gospels.^[83]

The Gospel of Thomas does not list the canonical twelve apostles and it does not use either this expression or the terms “the twelve” or “the twelve disciples.” It does mention James the Just, who is singled out (“No matter where you are you are to go to James the Just, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being”); Simon Peter; Matthew; Thomas, who is taken aside and receives three points of revelation; Mary; and Salome. Although here Mary (presumably Mary Magdalene) and Salome are mentioned among the disciples, the canonical gospels and Acts make a distinction between an inner group of twelve male disciples, with varying lists of names, and a larger group of disciples, among which there may well have been women. Despite the favorable mention of James the Just, generally considered a “pro-circumcision” Christian, the Gospel of Thomas also dismisses circumcision:

His disciples said to him, “Is circumcision useful or not?” 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.”

Compare Thomas 8 SV

8. And Jesus said, “The person is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of little fish. Among them the wise fisherman discovered a fine large fish. He threw all the little fish back into the sea, and easily chose the large fish. Anyone here with two good ears had better listen!”

with Matthew 13:47–50 NIV:

⁴⁷“Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. ⁴⁸When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. ⁴⁹This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous ⁵⁰and throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Note that Thomas makes a distinction between large and small fish, whereas Matthew makes a distinction between good and bad fish. Furthermore, Thomas’ version has only one fish remaining, whereas Matthew’s version implies many good fish remaining. The manner in which each Gospel concludes the parable is instructive^{[according to whom?]}. Thomas’ version invites the reader to draw their own conclusions as to the interpretation of the saying, whereas Matthew provides an explanation connecting the text to an apocalyptic end of the age^{[citation needed]}.

Another example is the parable of the lost sheep, which is paralleled by Matthew, Luke, John, and Thomas.

This is the parable of the lost sheep in Matthew 18:12–14 NIV

¹²“What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?¹³And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.”

This is the parable of the lost sheep in Luke 15: 3–7 NIV

³Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴“Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.”

This is the parable of the lost sheep in Thomas 107 SV

107. Jesus said, “The 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.“

This is the lost sheep discourse in John 10: 1–18 NIV

¹“I tell you the truth, the man who does not enter the sheep pen by the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a robber. ²The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd of his sheep. ³The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.” ⁶Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.⁷Therefore Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸All who ever came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.[1] He will come in and go out, and find pasture. ¹⁰The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ¹¹“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. ¹²The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. ¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

¹⁴“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me – ¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep. ¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. ¹⁷The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life — only to take it up again. ¹⁸No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father.”

Other parallels include

• Luke 12:16–20 parallels Thomas 63.
• Matthew 5:14 parallels Thomas 32.
• Matthew 5:15 parallels Thomas 33.
• Matthew 10:16 parallels Thomas 39.
• Matthew 10:37 parallels Thomas 55 and 101
• Matthew 10:27b parallels Thomas 33a.
• Matthew 10:34–36 parallels Thomas 16.
• Matthew 10:26 parallels Thomas 5b.
• Matthew 15:11 parallels Thomas 14.
• Matthew 15:14 parallels Thomas 34.
• Matthew 22:19–21 parallels Thomas 100.

Comparison of the major gospels

The material in the Comparison Chart^[84] is from the Gospel Parallels by B. H. Throckmorton, The five Gospels by R. W. Funk, The Gospel According to the Hebrews, by E. B. Nicholson & The Hebrew Gospel and the Development of the Synoptic Tradition by J. R. Edwards.

In culture

Elaine Pagels, in her book Beyond Belief, argues that the Thomas gospel at first fell victim to the needs of the early Christian community for solidarity in the face of persecution, then to the will of the Emperor Constantine, who at the First Council of Nicaea in 325, wanted an end to the sectarian squabbling and a universal Christian creed. She goes on to point out that in spite of it being left out of the Catholic canon, being banned and sentenced to burn, many of the mystical elements have proven to reappear perennially in the works of mystics like Jacob Boehme, Teresa of Avila andSaint John of the Cross. She concludes that the Thomas gospel gives us a rare glimpse into the diversity of beliefs in the early Christian community, an alternative perspective to the Johannine gospel.

Osho comments on the Gospel of Thomas in his book ‘The Mustard Seed – The Revolutionary Teachings of Jesus’.^[130]

Notes

[edit]References

• Clontz, T.E. and J., “The Comprehensive New Testament”, Cornerstone Publications (2008), ISBN 978-0-9778737-1-5[2]
• Davies, Stevan (1983). The Gospel of Thomas and Christian Wisdom. Seabury Press. ISBN 0-8164-2456-X
• DeConick, April. Recovering the Original Gospel of Thomas: A History of the Gospel and Its Growth (T&T Clark, 2005)
• Ehrman, Bart (2003). Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make it into the New Testament. Oxford University Press, USA. ISBN0-19-514182-2.
• Funk, Robert Walter and Roy W. Hoover, The Five Gospels: What Did Jesus Really Say? the Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus, Polebridge Press, 1993
• Guillaumont, Antoine Jean Baptiste, Henri-Charles Puech, G. Quispel, Walter Curt Till, and Yassah ˁAbd al-Masīh, eds. 1959. Evangelium nach Thomas. Leiden: E. J. Brill Standard edition of the Coptic text
• Koester, Helmut (1990). Ancient Christian Gospels. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International. ISBN0-334-02450-1. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
• Layton, Bentley (1987). The Gnostic Scriptures: A New Translation with Annotations. Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-47843-7.
• Layton, Bentley (1989). Nag Hammadi Codex II, 2 vols, E.J.Brill. The critical edition of the seven texts of Codex II, including the Gospel of Thomas. ISBN 90-04-08131-3
• Meyer, Marvin (2004). The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus. HarperCollins. ISBN 978-0-06-065581-5.
• Pagels, Elaine (2003). Beyond Belief : The Secret Gospel of Thomas (New York: Random House)
• Patterson, Stephen J.; Robinson, James M.; Bethge, Hans-Gebhard (1998). The Fifth Gospel: The Gospel of Thomas Comes of Age. Harrisburg, PA: Trinity Press International. ISBN1-56338-249-0. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
• Perrin, Nicholas. Thomas and Tatian: The Relationship between the Gospel of Thomas and the Diatessaron (Academia Biblica 5; Atlanta : Society of Biblical Literature; Leiden : Brill, 2002).
• Perrin, Nicholas. Thomas: The Other Gospel (London, SPCK; Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox: 2007).
• Robinson, James M. et al., The Nag Hammadi Library in English (4th rev. ed.; Leiden; New York: E.J. Brill, 1996)
• Plisch, Uwe-Karsten (2007). Das Thomasevangelium. Originaltext mit Kommentar. Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft. ISBN3-438-05128-1.
• Snodgrass, Klyne R. “The Gospel of Thomas: A secondary Gospel,” Second Century 7, 1989. pp. 19–30.
• Tuckett, Christopher M. “Thomas and the Synoptics,” Novum Testamentum 30 (1988) 132–57, esp. p. 146.
• Valantasis, Richard (1997). The Gospel of Thomas. London; New York: Routledge. ISBN0-415-11621-X. Retrieved 2010-01-27.
• The Facsimile Edition of the Nag Hammadi Codices: Codex II. E.J. Brill (1974)

THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS

Translations by: Thomas O. Lambdin (Coptic version)
                 B.P Grenfell & A.S. Hunt (Greek Fragments)
                 Bentley Layton (Greek Fragments)
Commentary by: Craig Schenk

-----------------------------------------------------------------
I: Commentary

     The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of traditional Sayings
(logoi) of Jesus. It is attributed to Didymos Judas Thomas, the
"Doubting Thomas" of the canonical Gospels, and according to many
early traditions, the twin brother of Jesus ("didymos" means
"twin" in Greek).
     We have two versions of the Gospel of Thomas today. The
first was discovered in the late 1800's among the Oxyrhynchus
Papyri, and consists of fragments of a Greek version, which has
been dated to c. 200. The second is a complete version, in
Coptic, from Codex II of the Nag Hammadi finds. Thomas was
probably first written in Greek (or possibly even Syriac or
Aramaic) sometime between the mid 1st and 2nd centuries.
     There has been much speculation on the relationship of
Thomas to the canonical Gospels. Many Sayings in Thomas have
parallels with the New Testament Sayings, especially those found
in the synoptic Gospels. This leads many to believe that Thomas
was also based on the so-called "Q" Document, along with Matthew,
Luke, and Mark. Indeed, some have speculated that Thomas may in
fact be "Q". Unlike the synoptic Gospels, and like "Q", the
Gospel of Thomas has no narrative connecting the various Sayings.
In form, it is simply a list of 114 Sayings, in no particular
order. Comparison with New Testament parallels show that Thomas
contains either more primitive versions of the Sayings, or
developments of more primitive versions. Either way, Thomas seems
to preserve earlier traditions about Jesus than the New
Testament.
     Although it is not possible to attribute the Gospel of
Thomas to any particular sect, it is clearly Gnostic in nature.
As the preamble indicates, these are "secret sayings", and are
intended to be esoteric in nature. The Sayings are not intended
to be interpreted literally, as their New Testament parallels
often are, but to be interpreted symbolically, as attested by
Saying #1. While a literal interpretation may make sense, only by
understanding the deeper meanings of the Sayings can one truly
understand them. Thus in Saying #114, it is to be understood that
"male" symbolizes the pneumatic (spiritual, or Gnostic)
Christians, and "female" symbolizes the psychic (unenlightened,
or orthodox) Christians, rather than actually referring to males
and females. Keep in mind that true understanding of this text
was meant to come from PERSONAL contact with the Divine,
inspiration from within.
     I will now present translations of both the Greek and Coptic
versions of the Gospel of Thomas. Of the 114 Sayings in the
complete work, and all of the fragments of the Greek text.
Also, the Greek version contains one Saying not found in the Coptic
version, which comes between Sayings 32 and 33 of the Coptic
version. I will enter the Coptic version first, as it is more
complete, followed by the Greek version. After both translations,
I've provided a listing of New Testament parallels for all 114
sayings for easier comparison.
     Note that for the Coptic version, I use the standard NHL
translation, except for saying 70, where I have substituted the
translation found in Elaine Pagels' "The Gnostic Gospels", as it
seems a better translation.
     Peace & Enlightenment be yours!

-----------------------------------------------------------------
IA: Editorial Symbols

     I have followed the Nag Hammadi Library standard for
typographical symbols in this file. Text contained within [square
brackets] indicates a damaged portion of the manuscript where the
translators have attempted a reconstruction. Text within
(parentheses) indicates comments or text added by the translator
for clarification purposes. Text within <pointed brackets>
indicates a scribal error (spelling, grammatical, etc) in the
original, where the translator has made a correction. Text within
{funky brackets} indicates superfluous text added by the scribe.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
II: Coptic Gospel of Thomas

P)   These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke
and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.

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

2)   Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he
finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes
troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All."

3)   Jesus said, "If those who lead you say, 'See, the Kingdom is
in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they
say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you.
Rather, the Kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you.
When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and
you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living
Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty
and it is you who are that poverty."

4)   Jesus said, "The man old in days will not hesitate to ask a
small child seven days old about the place of life, and he will
live. For many who are first will become last, and they will
become one and the same."

5)   Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which
is hidden from you will become plain to you. For there is nothing
hidden which will not become manifest."

6)   His disciples questioned Him and said to Him, "Do you want
us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet
shall we observe?"
     Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate,
for all things are plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing
hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain
without being uncovered."

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."

8)   And He said, "The Kingdom is like a wise fisherman who cast
his
net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish.
Among them the wise fisherman found a fine large fish. He threw
all the small fish back into the sea and chose the large fish
without difficulty. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."

9)   Jesus said, "Now the sower went out, took a handful (of
seeds), and scattered them. Some fell on the road; the birds came
and gathered them up. Others fell on the rock, did not take root
in the soil, and did not produce ears. And others fell on thorns;
they choked the seed(s) and worms ate them. And others fell on
the good soil and produced good fruit: it bore sixty per measure
and a hundred and twenty per measure."

10)  Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am
guarding it until it blazes."

11)  Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above
it will pass away. The dead are not alive, and the living will
not die. In the days when you consumed what is dead, you made it
what is alive. When you come to dwell in the light, what will you
do? On the day when you were one you became two. But when you
become two, what will you do?"

12)  The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that You will depart
from us. Who is to be our leader?"
     Jesus said to them, "Wherever you are, you are to go to
James the righteous, for whose sake heaven and earth came into
being."

13)  Jesus said to His disciples, "Compare me to someone and tell
Me whom I am like."
     Simon Peter said to Him, "You are like a righteous angel."
     Matthew said to Him, "You are like a wise philosopher."
     Thomas said to Him, "Master, my mouth is wholly incapable of
saying whom You are like."
     Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk,
you have become intoxicated by the bubbling spring which I have
measured out."
     And He took him and withdrew and told him three things. When
Thomas returned to his companions, they asked him, "What did
Jesus say to you?"
     Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the things which
he told me, you will pick up stones and throw them at me; a fire
will come out of the stones and burn you up."

14)  Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will give rise to sin
for yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned; and if
you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits. When you go into
any land and walk about in the districts, if they receive you,
eat what they will set before you, and heal the sick among them.
For what goes into your mouth will not defile you, but that which
issues from your mouth - it is that which will defile you."

15)  Jesus said, "When you see one who was not born of woman,
prostrate yourselves on your faces and worship him. That one is
your Father."

16)  Jesus said, "Men think, perhaps, that it is peace which I
have come to cast upon the world. They do not know that it is
dissension which I have come to cast upon the earth: fire, sword,
and war. For there will be five in a house: three will be against
two, and two against three, the father against the son, and the
son against the father. And they will stand solitary."

17)  Jesus said, "I shall give you what no eye has seen and what
no ear has heard and what no hand has touched and what has never
occurred to the human mind."

18)  The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be."
     Jesus said, "Have you discovered, then, the beginning, that
you look for the end? For where the beginning is, there will the
end be. Blessed is he who will take his place in the beginning;
he will know the end and will not experience death."

19)  Jesus said, "Blessed is he who came into being before he
came into being. If you become My disciples and listen to My
words, these stones will minister to you. For there are five
trees for you in Paradise which remain undisturbed summer and
winter and whose leaves do not fall. Whoever becomes acquainted
with them will not experience death."

20)  The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what the Kingdom of
Heaven is like."
     He said to them, "It is like a mustard seed, the smallest of
all seeds. But when it falls on tilled soil, it produces a great
plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky."

21)  Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are Your disciples like?"
     He said, "They are like children who have settled in a field
which is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will
say, 'Let us have back our field.' They (will) undress in their
presence in order to let them have back their field and give it
back to them. Therefore I say to you, if the owner of a house
knows that the thief is coming, he will begin his vigil before he
comes and will not let him into his house of his domain to carry
away his goods. You, then, be on your guard against the world.
Arm yourselves with great strength lest the robbers find a way to
come to you, for the difficulty which you expect will (surely)
materialize. Let there be among you a man of understanding. When
the grain ripened, he came quickly with his sickle in his hand
and reaped it. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."

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]."

23)  Jesus said, "I shall choose you, one out of a thousand, and
two out of ten thousand, and they shall stand as a single one."

24)  His disciples said to Him, "Show us the place where You are,
since it is necessary for us to seek it."
     He said to them, "Whoever has ears, let him hear. There is
light within a man of light, and he (or "it") lights up the whole
world. If he (or "it") does not shine, he (or "it") is darkness."

25)  Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him
like the pupil of your eye."

26)  Jesus said, "You see the mote in your brothers eye, but you
do not see the beam in your own eye. When you cast the beam out
of your own eye, then you will see clearly to cast the mote from
your brother's eye."

27)  <Jesus said,> "If you do not fast as regards the world, you
will not find the Kingdom. If you do not observe the Sabbath as a
Sabbath, you will not see the Father."

28)  Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and
I appeared to them in the flesh. I found all of them intoxicated;
I found none of them thirsty. And My soul became afflicted for
the sons of men, because they are blind in their hearts and do
not have sight; for empty they came into the world, and empty too
they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are
intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will
repent."

29)  Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit,
it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the
body, it is a wonder of wonders. Indeed, I am amazed at how this
great wealth has made its home in this poverty."

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

31)  Jesus said, "No prophet is accepted in his own village; no
physician heals those who know him."
32)  Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and
fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden."

33)  Jesus said, "Preach from your housetops that which you will
hear in your ear {(and) in the other ear}. For no one lights a
lamp and puts it under a bushel, nor does he put it in a hidden
place, but rather he sets it on a lampstand so that everyone who
enters and leaves will see its light."

34)  Jesus said, "If a blind man leads a blind man, they will
both fall into a pit."

35)  Jesus said, "It is not possible for anyone to enter the
house of a strong man and take it by force unless he binds his
hands; then he will (be able to) ransack his house."

36)  Jesus said, "Do not be concerned from morning until evening
and from evening until morning about what you will wear."

37)  His disciples said, "When will You become revealed to us and
when shall we see You?"
     Jesus said, "When you disrobe without being ashamed and take
up your garments and place them under your feet like little
children and tread on them, then [will you see] the Son of the
Living One, and you will not be afraid"

38)  Jesus said, "Many times have you desired to hear these words
which I am saying to you, and you have no one else to hear them
from. There will be days when you look for Me and will not find
Me."

39)  Jesus said, "The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the
keys of Knowledge and hidden them. They themselves have not
entered, nor have they allowed to enter those who wish to. You,
however, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves."

40)  Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted outside of the
Father, but being unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots and
destroyed."

41)  Jesus said, "Whoever has something in his hand will receive
more, and whoever has nothing will be deprived of even the little
he has."

42)  Jesus said, "Become passers-by."

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."

44)  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."

45)  Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorns, nor are
figs gathered from thistles, for they do not produce fruit. A
good man brings forth good from his storehouse; an evil man
brings forth evil things from his evil storehouse, which is in
his heart, and says evil things. For out of the abundance of the
heart he brings forth evil things."

46)  Jesus said, "Among those born of women, from Adam until John
the Baptist, there is no one so superior to John the Baptist that
his eyes should not be lowered (before him). Yet I have said
whichever one of you comes to be a child will be acquainted with
the Kingdom and will become superior to John."

47)  Jesus said, "It is impossible for a man to mount two horses
or to stretch two bows. And it is impossible for a servant to
serve two masters; otherwise he will honor the one and treat the
other contemptuously. No man drinks old wine and immediately
desires to drink new wine. And new wine is not put into old
wineskins, lest they burst; nor is old wine put into a new
wineskin, lest it spoil it. An old patch is not sewn onto a new
garment, because a tear would result."

48)  Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in this one
house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move Away,' and it will
move away."

49)  Jesus said, "Blessed are the solitary and elect, for you
will find the Kingdom. For you are from it, and to it you will
return."

50)  Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where did you come from?',
say to them, 'We came from the light, the place where the light
came into being on its own accord and established [itself] and
became manifest through their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it
you?', say, 'We are its children, we are the elect of the Living
Father.' If they ask you, 'What is the sign of your father in
you?', say to them, 'It is movement and repose.'"

51)  His disciples said to Him, "When will the repose of the dead
come about, and when will the new world come?"
     He said to them, "What you look forward to has already come,
but you do not recognize it."

52)  His disciples said to Him, "Twenty-four prophets spoke in
Israel, and all of them spoke in You."
     He said to them, "You have omitted the one living in your
presence and have spoken (only) of the dead."

53)  His disciples said to Him, "Is circumcision beneficial or
not?"
     He said to them, "If it were beneficial, their father would
beget them already circumcised from their mother. Rather, the
true circumcision in spirit has become completely profitable."

54)  Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom
of Heaven."

55)  Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother
cannot become a disciple to Me. And whoever does not hate his
brothers and sisters and take up his cross in My way will not be
worthy of Me."

56)  Jesus said, "Whoever has come to understand the world has
found (only) a corpse, and whoever has found a corpse is superior
to the world."

57)  Jesus said, "The Kingdom of the Father is like a man who had
[good] seed. His enemy came by night and sowed weeds among the
good seed. The man did not allow them to pull up the weeds; he
said to them, 'I am afraid that you will go intending to pull up
the weeds and pull up the wheat along with them.' For on the day
of the harvest the weeds will be plainly visible, and they will
be pulled up and burned."

58)  Jesus said, "Blessed is the man who has suffered and found
life."

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."

60)  <They saw> a Samaritan carrying a lamb on his way to Judea.
He said to his disciples, "(Why does) that man (carry) the lamb
around?"
     They said to him, "So that he may kill it and eat it."
     He said to them, "While it is alive, he will not eat it, but
only when he has killed it and it has become a corpse."
     They said to him, "He cannot do so otherwise."
     He said to them, "You too, look for a place for yourself
within the Repose, lest you become a corpse and be eaten."

61)  Jesus said, "Two will rest on a bed: the one will die, and
other will live."
     Salome said to him, "Who are You, man, that You, as though
from the One, have come up on my couch and eaten from my table?"
     Jesus said to her, "I am He who exists from the Undivided. I
was given some of the things of my Father."
     <Salome said,> "I am Your disciple."
     <Jesus said to her,> "Therefore I say, if he is <undivided>,
he will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be
filled with darkness."

62)  Jesus said, "It is to those [who are worthy of My] mysteries
that I tell My mysteries. Do not let your left hand know what
your right hand is doing."
63)  Jesus said, "There was a rich man who had much money. He
said, 'I shall put my money to use so that I may sow, reap,
plant, and fill my storehouse with produce, with the result that
I shall lack nothing. Such were his intentions, but that same
night he died. Let him who has ears hear."

64)  Jesus said, "A man had received visitors. And when he had
prepared the dinner, he sent his servant to invite guests. He
went to the first one and said to him, "My master invites you.'
He said, 'I have claims against some merchants. They are coming
to me this evening. I must go and give them my orders. I ask to
be excused from the dinner.' He went to another and said, 'My
master has invited you.' He said to him, 'I have just bought a
house and am required for the day. I shall not have any spare
time.' He went to another and said to him, 'My master invites
you.' He said to him, 'My friend is going to get married, and I
am to prepare the banquet. I shall not be able to come. I ask to
be excused from the dinner.' He went to another and said to him,
'My master invites you.' He said to him, 'I have just bought a
farm, and I am on my way to collect the rent. I shall not be able
to come. I ask to be excused.' The servant returned and said to
his master, 'Those whom you invited to the dinner have asked to
be excused.' The master said to his servant, 'Go outside to the
streets and bring back those whom you happen to meet, so that
they may dine.' Businessmen and merchants will not enter the
Places of My Father."

65)  He said, "There was a good man who owned a vineyard. He
leased it to tenant farmers so that they might work it and he
might collect the produce from them. He sent his servant so that
the tenants might give him the produce of the vineyard. They
seized his servant and beat him, all but killing him. The servant
went back and told his master. The master said, 'Perhaps <they>
did not recognize <him>.' He sent another servant. The tenants
beat this one as well. Then the owner sent his son and said,
'Perhaps they will show respect to my son.' Because the tenants
knew that it was he who was the heir to the vineyard, they seized
him and killed him. Let him who has ears hear."

66)  Jesus said, "Show me the stone which the builders have
rejected. That one is the cornerstone."

67)  Jesus said, "Whoever believes that the All itself is
deficient is (himself) completely deficient."

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

69)  Jesus said, "Blessed are they who have been persecuted
within themselves. It is they who have truly come to know the
Father. Blessed are the hungry, for the belly of him who desires
will be filled."

70)  Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is within you, what you
bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is
within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."

71)  Jesus said, "I shall destroy [this] house, and no one will
be able to rebuild it."

72)  [A man said] to Him, "Tell my brothers to divide my father's
possessions with me."
     He said to him, "O man, who has made Me a divider?"
     He turned to His disciples and said to them, "I am not a
divider, am I?"

73)  Jesus said, "The harvest is great but the laborers are few.
Beseech the Lord, therefore, to send out laborers to the
harvest."

74)  He said, "O Lord, there are many around the drinking trough,
but there is nothing in the cistern."

75)  Jesus said, "Many are standing at the door, but it is the
solitary who will enter the bridal chamber."

76)  Jesus said, "The kingdom of the Father is like a merchant
who had a consignment of merchandise and who discovered a pearl.
That merchant was shrewd. He sold the merchandise and bought the
pearl alone for himself. You too, seek his unfailing and enduring
treasure where no moth comes near to devour and no worm
destroys."

77)  Jesus said, "It is I who am the light which is above them
all. It is I who am the All. From Me did the All come forth, and
unto Me did the All extend. Split a piece of wood, and I am
there. Lift up the stone, and you will find Me there."

78)  Jesus said, "Why have you come out into the desert? To see a
reed shaken by the wind? And to see a man clothed in fine
garments like your kings and your great men? Upon them are the
fine [garments], and they are unable to discern the truth."

79)  A woman from the crowd said to Him, "Blessed are the womb
which bore You and the breasts which nourished You."
     He said to her, "Blessed are those who have heard the word
of the Father and have truly kept it. For there will be days when
you will say, 'Blessed are the womb which has not conceived and
the breasts which have not given milk.'"

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."

81)  Jesus said, "Let him who has grown rich be king, and let him
who possesses power renounce it."

82)  Jesus said, "He who is near Me is near the fire, and he who
is far from Me is far from the Kingdom."

83)  Jesus said, "The images are manifest to man, but the light
in them remains concealed in the image of the light of the
Father. He will become manifest, but his image will remain
concealed by his light."

84)  Jesus said, "When you see your likeness, you rejoice. But
when you see your images which came into being before you, and
which neither die not become manifest, how much you will have to
bear!"

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."

86)  Jesus said, "[The foxes have their holes] and the birds have
[their] nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head
and rest."

87)  Jesus said, "Wretched is the body that is dependant upon a
body, and wretched is the soul that is dependent on these two."

88)  Jesus said, "The angels and the prophets will come to you
and give you those things you (already) have. And you too, give
them those things which you have, and say to yourselves, 'When
will they come and take what is theirs?'"

89)  Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Do you
not realize that he who made he inside is the same one who made
the outside?"

90)  Jesus said, "Come unto me, for My yoke is easy and My
lordship is mild, and you will find repose for yourselves."

91)  They said to Him, "Tell us who You are so that we may
believe in You."
     He said to them, "You read the face of the sky and of the
earth, but you have not recognized the one who is before you, and
you do not know how to read this moment."

92)  Jesus said, "Seek and you will find. Yet, what you asked Me
about in former times and which I did not tell you then, now I do
desire to tell, but you do not enquire after it."

93)  <Jesus said,> "Do not give what is holy to dogs, lest they
throw them on the dung-heap. Do not throw the pearls to swine,
lest they grind it [to bits]."

94)  Jesus [said], "He who seeks will find, and [he who knocks]
will be let in."

95)  [Jesus said,] "If you have money, do not lend it at
interest, but give [it] to one from whom you will not get it
back."

96)  Jesus [said], "The Kingdom of the Father is like a certain
woman. She took a little leaven, [concealed] it in some dough,
and made it into large loaves. Let him who has ears hear."

97)  Jesus said, "The Kingdom of the [Father] is like a certain
woman who was carrying a jar full of meal. While she was walking
[on] a road, still some distance from home, the handle of the jar
broke and the meal emptied out behind her on the road. She did
not realize it; she had noticed no accident. When she reached her
house, she set the jar down and found it empty."

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."

99)  The disciples said to Him, "Your brothers and Your mother
are standing outside."
     He said to them, "Those here who do the will of My Father
are My brothers and My mother. It is they who will enter the
Kingdom of My Father."

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."

101) <Jesus said,> "Whoever does not hate his father and his
mother as I do cannot become a disciple to Me. And whoever does
[not] love his father and his mother as I do cannot become a
[disciple] to Me. For My mother [gave me falsehood], but [My]
true [Mother] gave me life."

102) Jesus said, "Woe to the Pharisees, for they are like a dog
sleeping in the manger of oxen, for neither does he eat nor does
he let the oxen eat."

103) Jesus said, "Fortunate is the man who knows where the
brigands will enter, so that he may get up, muster his domain,
and arm himself before they invade."

104) They said [to Jesus], "Come, let us pray today and let us
fast."
     Jesus said, "What is the sin that I have committed, or
wherein have I been defeated? But when the bridegroom leaves the
bridal chamber, then let them fast and pray."

105) Jesus said, "He who knows the father and the mother will be
called the son of a harlot."

106) Jesus said, "When you make the two one, you will become the
sons of man, and when you say, 'Mountain, move away,' it will
move away."

107) Jesus said, "The Kingdom is like a shepherd who had a
hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the
ninety-nine sheep and looked for that one until he found it. When
he had gone to such trouble, he said to the sheep, 'I care for
you more than the ninety-nine.'"

108) Jesus said, "He who will drink from my mouth will become
like Me. I myself shall become he, and the things that are hidden
will become revealed to him."

109) Jesus said, "The Kingdom is like a man who had a [hidden]
treasure in his field without knowing it. And [after] he died, he
left it to his son. The son did not know (about the treasure). He
inherited the field and sold [it]. And the one who bought it went
plowing and found the treasure. He began to lend money at
interest to whomever he wished."

110) Jesus said, "Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let
him renounce the world."

111) Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will be rolled up in
your presence. And one who lives from the Living One will not see
death." Does not Jesus say, "Whoever finds himself is superior to
the world?"

112) Jesus said, "Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe
to the soul that depends on the flesh."

113) His disciples said to Him, "When will the Kingdom come?"
     <Jesus said,> "It will not come by waiting for it. It will
not be a matter of saying 'Here it is' or 'There it is.' Rather,
the Kingdom of the Father is spread out upon the earth, and men
do not see it."

114) Simon Peter said to Him, "Let Mary leave us, for women are
not worthy of Life."
     Jesus said, "I myself shall lead her in order to make her
male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you
males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the
Kingdom of Heaven."

-----------------------------------------------------------------
III: Fragments of Greek Gospel of Thomas

     Several fragments of a Greek version of Thomas were found
among the Oxyrhynchys Papyri in the late 19th century. These
fragments consist of the preamble, and sayings 1-6, 26-28, 30-32,
36-38, and 39, as well as a saying not found in the Coptic
version, which follows 32. These fragments are found on
Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1, 654, and 655. Generally, the sayings are
essentially the same in both versions. However, the equivalent of
saying 30 adds the end of the Coptic version's saying 77.
     The translation used here is a combination of thranslations
by B.P. Grenfell and A.S. Hunt and Bentley Layton.

P)   These are the secret sayings which were spoken by Jesus the
Living One, and which Judas, who is called Thomas, wrote down"

1)  He said to them: "Whoever hears these words shall never taste
death."

2)  [Jesus said]: "Let him who seeks not cease until he finds,
and when he finds he shall wonder; wondering he shall reign,
and reigning shall rest."

3)   Jesus said, "If those who attract you say, 'See, the Kingdom is
in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they
say to you, 'It is under the earth,' then the fish of the sea will
precede you. Rather, the Kingdom of God is inside of you, and it is
outside of you. [Those who] become acquainted with [themselves]
will find it; [and when you] become acquainted with yourselves, [you
will understand that] it is you who are the sons of the living
Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty
and it is you who are that poverty."

4)  Jesus said: "Let the old man who is full of days not
hesitate to ask the child of seven days about the place of life;
then he will live. For many that are first will be last, and
last, first, and they will become a single one."

5)  Jesus said: "Recognize what is before your face and that
which is hidden from the you will be revealed to you. For there is
nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest, nor buried which
shall not be raised."

6)  His disciples asked him and said to him, "How do you want us
to fast? And how shall we pray? And how [shall we] give alms? And
what kind of diet shall we follow?"
    Jesus said, "Do not lie, and do not do what you hate, for all
things are disclosed before truth. For there is nothing hidden
which shall not be shown forth."

27) Jesus said: "Unless you fast to the world, you shall in no
way find the Kingdom of God; and unless you sabbatize the
Sabbath, you shall not see the Father."

28) Jesus said: "I stood in the midst of the world, and in the
flesh I was seen by them, and I found all drunken, and I found
none among them thirsty. And my soul grieved over the souls of men,
because they are blind in their heart and see not. [...]

30/77) Jesus said: "Where there are [two, they are not] without
God, and when there is one alone, [I say,] I am with him. Raise
the stone, and there you will find me; cleave the wood, and there
I am."

31) Jesus said: "A prophet is not acceptable in his own country,
neither does a physician work cures upon those that know him."

32) Jesus said: "A city built on the top of a high hill and
fortified can neither fall nor be hid."

--) Jesus said: "Thou hearest with one ear, [but the other thou
has closed].

36) Jesus said, "Do not worry from dawn to dusk and from dusk to
dawn about [what food] you [will] eat, [or] what [clothing] you
will wear. [You are much] better than the [lilies], which [neither]
card nor spin. And for your part, what [will you wear] when you
have no clothing? Who would add to your stature? It is he who
will give you your clothing.

37) His disciples said to him, "When will you be visible to us,
and when shall we behold you?"
    He said, "When you strip naked without being ashamed, and
take your garments and put them under your feet like little
children and tread upon them, then you will see the child of the
Living, and you will not be afraid."

-----------------------------------------------------------------
IV: Canonical Comparisons of Thomas Sayings

     I have grouped the sayings in the Gospel of Thomas into 5
categories. Sayings that are variants of or close parallels to
canonical passages (22 of these), sayings that appear more
remotely parallel or similar in some way (28), sayings which
contain parts parallel to several unconnected passages (13),
sayings parallel to non-canonical traditions of Jesus (only 1 of
these), and those with no apparent parallels (50!!).
     Due to space limitations, I have decided only to cite
passages, and you can go through and compare them using any
Bible. I haven't attempted to make any comparisons to the
various Apocryphal or other Christian and Gnostic texts.

A: Variants/Close Parallels
---------------------------
9: Mt13:3-8, Mk4:3-8, Lk8:5-8
10: Lk12:49
16: Mt10:34-36, Lk12:51-53
20: Mt13:31-32, Mk4:30-32, Lk13:18-19
26: Mt7:3-5, Lk6:41-42
34: Mt15:14, Lk6:39
35: Mt12:29, Mk3:27, Lk11:21-22
41: Mt25:29, Lk19:26
45: Mt7:16-20, Lk6:43-46
46: Mt11:11, Lk7:28
54: Mt5:3, Lk6:20
64: Mt22:3-9, Lk14:16-24
65: Mt21:33-39, Mk12:1-8, Lk20:9-15
66: Mt21:42, Mk12:10, Lk20:17; Psalm118:22
73: Mt9:37-38, Lk10:2
86: Mt8:20, Lk9:58
89: Lk11:39-40
93: Mt7:6
94: Mt7:7-8, Lk11:9-10
100: Mk12:13-17, Lk20:22-25
103: Mt24:43, Lk12:39
107: Mt18:12-13, Lk15:3-7

B: Remote Parallels
-------------------
1: Jn8:51
3: Lk17:21
5: Mt10:26, Lk10:2
8: Mt13:47-48
17: 1Cor2:9; Isiah64:4
30: Mt18:20
31: Mk6:4, Lk4:23-24, Jn4:44
32: Mt5:14
36: Mt6:25, Lk12:22
40: Mt15:13
44: Mt12:32, Mk3:28-29, Lk12:10
48: Mt18:19, Mk11:23-24
57: Mt13:24-30
58: Mt11:28
59: Jn7:34, Jn13:33
63: Lk12:16-21
68: Mt5:11, Lk6:22
71: Mk14:58
72: Lk12:13-15
75: Mt22:14
78: Mt11:7-9, Lk7:24-26
90: Mt11:28-30
95: Lk6:34-35, Lk14:12-14
96: Mt13:33, Lk13:20-21
99: Mt12:46-50, Mk3:31-35
101: Mt10:37, Lk14:26
109: Mt13:44
113: Lk17:20-21

C: Multiple Parallels
---------------------
14a: no parallels
14b: Lk10:8-9
14c: Mt15:11, Mk7:15
21a: no parallels
21b: Mt24:43, Lk12:39
21c: Mk4:26-29
22a: Mt18:3, Lk18:17
22b: Mt5:29-30, Mk9:43-48
24a: Jn13:36
24b: Mt6:22-23, Lk11:34-36
33a: Mt10:27
33b: Mt5:15, Mk4:21, Lk8:16, Lk11:33
39a: Lk11:52
39b: Mt10:16
43a: Jn8:25
43b: Mt7:16-20, Lk6:43-46(?)
55a: Lk14:26
55b: Mt10:37
62a: Mt13:11, Mk4:11, Lk8:10
62b: Mt6:3
69a: Mt5:8 (cf. Thomas saying 68)
69b: Mt5:6, Lk6:21
76a: Mt13:45-46
76b: Mt6:20, Lk12:33
79a: Lk11:27-28
79b: Lk23:29
91a: Jn9:36
91b: Lk12:54-56

D: Non-Canonical Parallels
--------------------------
42: Some stands of Islamic tradition attribute this saying to
Jesus.

E: No Parallels
---------------
     All the following sayings have no parallels in the Bible or
other non-Gnostic traditions:
              2       23       51       77       98
              4       25       52       80       102
              6       27       53       81       104
              7       28       56       82       105
              11      29       60       84       106
              12      37       61       85       108
              13      38       67       87       110
              15      47       70       88       111
              18      49       73       92       112
              19      50       74       97       114

THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS
Commentary & Typing by Craig Schenk
6/17/92

Made available to the net by
Paul Halsall <HALSALL@MURRAY.FORDHAM.EDU>