controversy
Dating the Gospel of Thomas
undated
Debate over whether Thomas preserves independent early sayings (1st c.) or depends on the Synoptics (2nd c.).
Wikipedia extract
Extract is from the broader Wikipedia page "Gospel of Thomas", not about this record specifically
The Gospel of Thomas is a non-canonical sayings gospel. Unlike the canonical gospels, it is not a narrative account of Jesus' life but a collection of sayings (logia) attributed to Jesus, sometimes stand-alone, sometimes embedded in short dialogues or parables; 13 of its 16 parables are also found in the synoptic gospels. The text contains a possible allusion to the death of Jesus in saying (logion) 65, but does not mention his crucifixion, his resurrection, or the Last Judgment; nor does it mention a messianic understanding of Jesus. It is the only early Christian sayings collection known to survive in its original form, and it resembles the sources behind the canonical gospels, particularly the hypothesized Q source.
CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikipedia contributors. Source page
Sources
- Gospel of Thomas · Wikipedia contributorsAccessed 2026-11-12 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Related
- Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas · book
- Thomas and the Gospels · book
- The Gospel of Thomas: Introduction and Commentary · book
- Biblical Scholar Says We're Wrong About The Gospel of Thomas: It Was First! | Dr. Mathew Clark · video
- Why is the Gospel of Thomas Not in the Bible? · video
- 8. The Gospel of Thomas · video
- Elaine Pagels · scholar
- Mark Goodacre · scholar
- Simon Gathercole · scholar
modern-scholarly-debate · gnostic-texts