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Research atlas for early Christianity. Claims are tagged attested, traditional, or disputed. Copyrighted full texts, including CCEL editions, are not included.

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.

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modern-scholarly-debate · gnostic-texts

Dating the Gospel of Thomas · DeChurched Atlas