Lost Sayings of Jesus Found

The Gospel of Thomas: A Collection of Lost Sayings

On December 13, 1945, Egyptian peasants discovered a hidden library near Nag Hammadi, a town in Upper Egypt, which included the Gospel of Thomas, a text that contains 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. This discovery was made by Muhammad Ali, a local farmer, who stumbled upon a sealed jar containing thirteen leather-bound codices. The Gospel of Thomas was one of the most significant discoveries, as it provided new insights into the life and teachings of Jesus.

What Everyone Knows

Most people think that the four canonical gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - are the only reliable sources of information about Jesus' life and teachings. The standard story goes that these gospels were written by Jesus' disciples or their followers, and they provide a comprehensive account of his ministry, death, and resurrection. However, this understanding is complicated by the existence of other texts, such as the Gospel of Thomas, which challenges the idea that the canonical gospels are the only authoritative sources.

What History Actually Shows

Historians like Elaine Pagels and Helmut Koester have extensively studied the Gospel of Thomas, which was likely written between 100 and 150 AD. According to the historian Stevan L. Davies, the Gospel of Thomas was probably composed in Syria, where Christianity was heavily influenced by Greek and Jewish traditions. In 1956, the Nag Hammadi library was finally translated and published, revealing the contents of the Gospel of Thomas to the world. The Gospel of Thomas contains sayings that are strikingly similar to those found in the canonical gospels, but with significant differences in tone and emphasis. For example, saying 12 of the Gospel of Thomas states that Jesus said, "The disciples said to Jesus, 'We know that you will depart from us. Who will 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.'" This saying is not found in the canonical gospels, and it suggests that Jesus may have designated James, his brother, as his successor. In 1968, the historian James M. Robinson published a comprehensive study of the Gospel of Thomas, which further highlighted its significance and challenged the traditional understanding of the canonical gospels. By 1970, scholars like John Dominic Crossan were actively engaged in studying the Gospel of Thomas, and their research has continued to shed new light on the life and teachings of Jesus. As historians like Bart Ehrman have noted, the Gospel of Thomas is an important text that helps to illuminate the complexities and diversity of early Christianity.

The Part That Got Buried

The Gospel of Thomas was deliberately excluded from the biblical canon by early Christian leaders, particularly the Church Fathers, who sought to establish a unified and coherent narrative of Jesus' life and teachings. The decision to suppress this text was made by individuals such as Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyon, and Origen of Alexandria, who deemed the Gospel of Thomas to be heretical and incompatible with the emerging orthodox Christian doctrine. One concrete reason for this suppression was the Gospel of Thomas's emphasis on individual spiritual growth and self-discovery, which challenged the Church's authority and sacramental system. As a result, the text was forced underground, and its existence was all but forgotten until its rediscovery in the 20th century. The Church's efforts to erase the Gospel of Thomas from history were so effective that it took centuries for the text to resurface, and even then, it was largely dismissed as a Gnostic curiosity.

The Ripple Effect

The exclusion of the Gospel of Thomas had a profound impact on the development of Christian theology and practice. The lack of alternative perspectives on Jesus' teachings meant that the dominant narrative of the canonical Gospels went unchallenged for centuries. This, in turn, influenced the way Christian doctrine was formulated and articulated. For example, the modern concept of original sin can be seen as a direct consequence of the suppression of the Gospel of Thomas, which offered a more nuanced and introspective understanding of human nature. The absence of this text allowed for the ascendance of a more dogmatic and punitive approach to sin and redemption.

The Line That Says It All

The Gospel of Thomas was ultimately omitted from the New Testament because its emphasis on spiritual autonomy and self-knowledge threatened the institutional power of the early Christian Church.

A Note on Sources

This article draws on historical records, documented accounts, and academic research related to the Gospel of Thomas and early Christian history.