Gospel of St. Thomas

[Guest guest]

Gospel of Saint Thomas

 

St. Thomas was the twin brother of Christ. His gospel is one of a number of

gospels and epistles that were circulated among early Christian communities.

These 'scriptures' were not included in the New Testament when the orthodox

Christians established the New Testament Canon in the 4th century. The

Christian faiths that were active in the first 300-400 years after the death

of Jesus s included Gnostics, Ebonites, Marcionites, proto-orthodox and a

number of other sects. The proto-orthodox Christians became dominant in the

fourth century when the Emperor of the Roman Empire (Constantine) converted

to their form of Christianity in 312 CE.

 

The gospel of Thomas does not include the death and resurrection of Christ.

The implication is that Thomas (or whoever wrote this gospel) did not

believe in original sin and, therefore, didn't believe that Christ had to

die and be resurrected to save humankind. The gospel of Thomas was

discovered in 1945 buried in a sealed jar in a remote area of Egypt (part of

the Nag Hammadi Library). They consist of 114 sayings of Jesus (79 of the

114 are similar to the New Testament).

 

Jesus said, " If they ask you, 'where did you come from?' say to them 'We

came from the light, the place where the light came into being of its own

accord.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?' say, 'We are its children, and we

are the elect of the living father.' " (Thomas Saying 50)

 

An interpretation of this gospel, and related ancient documents, is that

human spirits or souls did not come into being as the result of the creation

of matter. Instead, this material world came into being as a place of

confinement for the divine spirits or for manifestations of God (some

religions say " so that the divine could enjoy the splendor of creative

energy " ).

 

" If 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 (i.e., the spirit) made its home in this

poverty (i.e., the material world/body). " (Thomas Saying 29)

 

For spirits trapped in this material world it is like being drunk and not

being able to think straight, or being blind and not being able to see.

Jesus came from above, according to this gospel, to provide the sobering

knowledge or the brilliant insight necessary for salvation.

 

Jesus said, " I took my place in the midst of the world and I appeared to

them in 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... But for the moment they are

intoxicated, when they shake off their wine, then they will repent. " (Thomas

Saying 28)

 

Ehrman, Bart D. Lost Christianities - The Battle for Scripture and the Faith

We Never Knew. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. (p60,61)

[Guest guest]

Hello Mike,

 

Thanks for the reference. I've ordered the book.

 

Mac

 

 

> Gospel of Saint Thomas

 

 

> Ehrman, Bart D. Lost Christianities - The Battle for Scripture and the Faith

> We Never Knew. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. (p60,61)

[Guest guest]

Some more links here:

 

 

For the various translations of this text:

http://www.gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl_thomas.htm

 

Listen to a free audio lecture on 'Redemption and Redeemer in Gosp

Of Thomas " :

http://www.webcom.com/~gnosis/lectures.html

 

Info on the discovery of the text and other particulars:

http://www.webcom.com/~gnosis/naghamm/thomas_poxy.htm

 

Books on the Gospel Of Thomas:

http://www.misericordia.edu/users/davies/thomas/Trans.htm

 

discussion lists devoted to the Gospel Of Thomas:

GospelofThomas/

GThomas/

http://www.gospels.net/additional/thomasadditional.html

[Guest guest]

Realization , " Mike McNally " <emerwave5@s...>

wrote:

>

>

> Gospel of Saint Thomas

 

From what I know of the text, it slightly predates the Gospel of

John. John seemed to have made it into the Bible though despite the

contradictions to Matthew, Mark and Luke. ie. Lazerus, and whipping

the merchants. Would have been interesting if Thomas was there

instead...but I see it as I do John, commentary...though not

unuseful, commentary.

 

Jeremy.