The Gospel of Thomas is an ancient text dated to the 2nd century AD containing 114 sayings attributed to Jesus Christ. It was discovered in 1945 near Nag Hammadi, Egypt along with other early Christian texts. The Gospel of Thomas is unique in that it does not contain a narrative account of Jesus’ life and ministry like the canonical gospels, but rather is a collection of his sayings and teachings. Some key things to know about the Gospel of Thomas:
- Authorship – The author is unknown but it is attributed to Didymus Judas Thomas, one of the 12 disciples. The text refers to Thomas as the twin of Jesus.
- Date – Scholarship dates it to the mid-2nd century AD, though some argue parts may be earlier.
- Contents – 114 sayings of Jesus, many parallel canonical gospels. About half are similar to the Synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke). The other half are unknown from any other early Christian source.
- Theology – Differs from the canonical gospels in certain beliefs reflecting Gnostic influences, such as contrast between spiritual and material world.
- Status – Not considered canonical by major Christian traditions, but valued by some scholars as an early source of Jesus’ teachings.
Discovery and Translation
The Gospel of Thomas was discovered in December 1945 by Egyptian farmers near the village of Nag Hammadi. It was found among 13 leather-bound codices containing over 50 texts dating to the 2nd century AD. The entire collection is known as the Nag Hammadi library or the Gnostic Gospels. The Gospel of Thomas manuscript found is in the Coptic language, though scholars believe it was likely originally written in Greek. It has been translated into many languages, with the Coptic text and English translations published in scholarly books.
Authorship and Date
The opening line names the work “The Gospel According to Thomas”, but the author is unknown. Early Christian tradition attributed it to a disciple named Thomas, who was called Didymus or “the twin” in the Bible (John 11:16). Most scholars date the Gospel of Thomas to the mid-2nd century AD, around 140-180 AD. Portions of it may be earlier, but it reached its final written form in the 2nd century. The exact origins are unknown, but Antioch, Edessa, and Syria are considered possibilities. The Gospel of Thomas is later than the four canonical gospels which all date to the 1st century AD, so it is not believed to be from an eyewitness nor the apostle Thomas.
Contents
The Gospel of Thomas contains 114 sayings or logia purportedly spoken by Jesus. The text shows no narrative structure or overall context, simply listing each saying one after another with no other comments. Many of the sayings closely resemble sayings found in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. About half of the sayings have parallels in the New Testament including:
- “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven” (Logion 54) cf. Luke 6:20
- “If a blind person leads a blind person, both will fall into a hole” (Logion 34) cf. Matthew 15:14
- “Be passersby” (Logion 42) cf. Matthew 8:22
In these sayings, the Gospel of Thomas resembles a sayings collection of Jesus much like the hypothetical Q source. However, the other half of sayings have no parallels in the Bible or other early Christian literature, such as:
- “The heavens and the earth will roll up in your presence” (Logion 111)
- “Congratulations to those who are alone and chosen” (Logion 49)
- Jesus speaking about male and female becoming one (Logion 22)
Due to these unique unparalleled sayings, the Gospel of Thomas provides intriguing new words of Jesus unknown from any other source. The text shows no evidence for the later heresies like Gnosticism, making it useful in studying early Christianity.
Major Themes
Some of the notable themes in the 114 sayings of Jesus recorded in the Gospel of Thomas include:
- Kingdom of God – References to the kingdom of God/heaven and how to enter it, including through understanding secret sayings (Logion 3).
- Eternal life – Instructions on how to attain eternal life, by discovering the light within (Logion 24).
- Secret knowledge – Emphasis on secret knowledge (gnosis) needed for salvation revealed by Jesus. Knowledge of oneself and God.
- Divine wisdom – Statements where Jesus reveals divine wisdom.
- Poverty and riches – Warnings about the temptations of wealth, and blessings on the poor in spirit.
While containing many familiar gospel sayings, the Gospel of Thomas also reveals an early Christianity comfortable with mysticism, asceticism, and unorthodox views, before later heresies developed.
Comparison to the Canonical Gospels
There are several distinctive features of the Gospel of Thomas contrasted with the New Testament gospels:
- No narrative of Jesus’ life and death, just a collection of sayings
- No mention of Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, or his divinity
- No mention of prophecy fulfillment, key events like baptism or miracles
- Emphasis on secret esoteric knowledge, not public ministry
- Sayings are not ordered chronologically or by theme
- Many sayings have a “gnostic” perspective contrasting spirit and matter
Due to these differences from the four canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the Gospel of Thomas presents an alternative perspective on Jesus quite distinct from the New Testament. The lack of a Passion narrative or overt theology stands out, as the sayings are more mysterious and open to interpretation. This has led to debate about using the Gospel of Thomas for studying the historical Jesus.
Relation to Gnosticism
The Gospel of Thomas shares ideas with later Gnosticism, a heretical movement viewed as a major threat by early Christianity. Gnostic themes in the text include secret knowledge, asceticism, contrast between spirit and flesh, and esoteric meanings to Jesus’ sayings. Yet the Gospel of Thomas lacks the full-blown mythology of Gnosticism that developed later in the 2nd century. Scholars debate whether it should be viewed as “proto-gnostic” or an early independent witness to alternative Christianities. Regardless, the sayings in the Gospel of Thomas reflect ideas that later became associated with Gnosticism.
Place in Early Christianity
The early Christian church fathers were aware of the Gospel of Thomas but universally rejected it as heretical and unauthorized. Church leaders like Cyril of Jerusalem, Origen, Hippolytus, and Eusebius condemned it as a spurious work promoted by Gnostics. They recognized its distinct teachings differed greatly from the four canonical gospels received as authoritative and inspired Scripture. The Gospel of Thomas went from being banned to being lost after the 4th century, until its rediscovery in 1945 reignited interest in this alternative sayings gospel. While non-canonical, the Gospel of Thomas is seen by modern scholars as an important witness into the diverse strands of belief in early Christianity.
Meaning and Interpretations
The cryptic nature of the sayings in the Gospel of Thomas allows for numerous interpretations as to their meaning. Some sayings closely align with New Testament teachings, while others present obscure metaphysical statements. Attempts to interpret the text include:
- Literal meaning – Taking the sayings at face value as authentic teachings of the historical Jesus.
- Symbolic meaning – Seeing the sayings as parables and metaphors for hidden spiritual truths.
- Gnostic meaning – Interpreting the text through later Gnostic concepts like secret wisdom (gnosis), enlightenment, God within, etc.
- Universal meaning – Understanding the wisdom in the sayings as universal timeless truths that transcend any one religious tradition.
This diversity of interpretations illustrates both the difficulty and richness in trying to comprehend the meaning of the mysterious sayings in the Gospel of Thomas. The text continues to be subject to scholarly examination and debate today.
Selected Examples of Major Sayings
Below are several example saying from the Gospel of Thomas along with analysis of their key themes and messages:
Logion 2
“Jesus said, “Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all.”
This emphasizes persistently seeking spiritual truth which may be unsettling initially but leads to wonder and enlightenment.
Logion 22
Jesus saw some little ones nursing. He said to his disciples, “These nursing little ones are like those who enter the kingdom.” They said to him, “Then shall we enter the kingdom as little ones?” Jesus said to them, “When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter the kingdom.”
A complex saying that seems to point to the merging of opposites and transcending of gender as a way of entering the kingdom.
Logion 28
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; 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.”
An indictment of the spiritual blindness of humanity and prophecy they will eventually repent when seeing the truth.
Logion 42
Jesus said, “Become passers-by.”
An encouragement to avoid attachment to the material world and be focused on spiritual pursuits.
Logion 70
Jesus said, “That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you.”
Emphasizes having spiritual understanding within oneself, not externally, is necessary for salvation.
Logion 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.”
Presents a divine identity of Jesus as the eternal, omnipresent source of all things.
Logion 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.”
The coming of God’s kingdom is not a future event but already present yet unrecognized by humanity.
Conclusion
In summary, the Gospel of Thomas offers a uniquely fascinating collection of the sayings of Jesus rediscovered in modern times. While not canonical, it provides an early independent witness to Jesus’ teachings in their oral form. The Gospel of Thomas invites interpretation and dialogue about the meaning of Jesus’ words across religious traditions. While its origins and teachings remain obscure, the Gospel of Thomas continues to be appreciated as an intriguing alternative voice from early Christianity.
