Not to be confused with Acts of Thomas or Book of Thomas the Contender.
For the infancy gospel, see Infancy Gospel of Thomas.
This article's lead section may be too long. Please read the length guidelines and help move details into the article's body.(April 2024)
Gospel of Thomas
Nag Hammadi Codex II:The beginning of the Gospel of Thomas
Information
Religion
Christianity
Author
Attributed to Thomas
Language
Coptic, Greek
Period
Early Christianity(possibly Apostolic Age)
Part of a series on
New Testament apocrypha
First page of the Gospel of Judas (Page 33 of Codex Tchacos)
Apostolic Fathers
1 Clement
2 Clement
Epistles of Ignatius
Polycarp to the Philippians
Martyrdom of Polycarp
Didache
Barnabas
Diognetus
The Shepherd of Hermas
Apocryphal gospels
Jewish–Christian gospels
Ebionites
Hebrews
Nazarenes
Infancy gospels
James
Thomas
Syriac
Pseudo-Matthew
History of Joseph the Carpenter
Gnostic gospels
Judas
Mary
Philip
Truth
Secret Mark
The Saviour
Other gospels
Thomas
Marcion
Nicodemus
Peter
Barnabas
Lost gospels
Bartholomew
Matthias
Cerinthus
Basilides
Mani
Gospel of the Hebrews
Apocalypses
Paul
Peter
Pseudo-Methodius
Thomas
Stephen
1 James
2 James
2 John
Epistles
Apocryphon of James
Apocryphon of John
Epistula Apostolorum
Pseudo-Titus
Peter to Philip
Paul and Seneca
Lost epistles
Alexandrians
Laodiceans
Acts
Andrew
Andrew and Bartholomew
Barnabas
John
Mar Mari
The Martyrs
Paul
Peter
Peter and Andrew
Peter and Paul
Peter and the Twelve
Philip
Pilate
Thaddeus
Thomas
Timothy
Xanthippe, Polyxena, and Rebecca
Misc.
Other apocrypha
Clementine literature
Diatessaron
Doctrine of Addai
Pilate cycle
Prayer of the Apostle Paul
Questions of Bartholomew
Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Related topics
Nag Hammadi library
Christianity portal
v
t
e
The Gospel of Thomas (also known as the Coptic Gospel of Thomas) is an extra-canonical[1] sayings gospel. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945 among a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library. Scholars speculate that the works were buried in response to a letter from Bishop Athanasius declaring a strict canon of Christian scripture. Scholars have proposed dates of composition as early as 60 AD and as late as 250 AD.[2][3] Since its discovery, many scholars have seen it as evidence in support of the existence of a "Q source" which might have been very similar in its form as a collection of sayings of Jesus without any accounts of his deeds or his life and death, referred to as a sayings gospel.[4][5]
The Coptic-language text, the second of seven contained in what modern-day scholars have designated as Nag Hammadi Codex II, is composed of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. Almost two-thirds of these sayings resemble those found in the canonical gospels[6] and its editio princeps counts more than 80% of parallels,[7] while it is speculated that the other sayings were added from Gnostic tradition.[8] Its place of origin may have been Syria, where Thomasine traditions were strong.[9] Other scholars have suggested an Alexandrian origin.[10]
The introduction states: "These are the hidden words that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas wrote them down."[11] Didymus (Koine Greek) and Thomas (Aramaic) both mean "twin". Most modern scholars do not consider the Apostle Thomas the author of this document and the author remains unknown.[12]
Because of its discovery with the Nag Hammadi library, and the cryptic nature, it was widely thought that the document originated within a school of early Christians, proto-Gnostics.[13][14] However, critics have questioned whether the description of Thomas as an entirely gnostic gospel is based solely on the fact that it was found along with gnostic texts at Nag Hammadi.[15][14]
The Gospel of Thomas is very different in tone and structure from other New Testament apocrypha and the four canonical Gospels. Unlike the canonical Gospels, it is not a narrative account of the life of Jesus; instead, it consists of logia (sayings) 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 logion 65[16] (Parable of the Wicked Tenants, paralleled in the Synoptic Gospels), but does not mention his crucifixion, his resurrection, or the final judgement; nor does it mention a messianic understanding of Jesus.[17][18]
^Foster (2008), p. 16.
^Valantasis (1997), p. 12.
^Porter (2010), p. 9.
^Schnelle (2007), p. 230.
^McLean, Bradley H. (1994). "Chapter 13: On the Gospel of Thomas and Q". In Piper, Ronald A. (ed.). The Gospel behind the Gospels: Current Studies on Q. Brill. pp. 321–345. ISBN 978-90-04-09737-7.
The GospelofThomas (also known as the Coptic GospelofThomas) is an extra-canonical sayings gospel. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December...
canonical gospels, and like them advocating the particular theological views of their various authors. Important examples include the gospelsofThomas, Peter...
The Gospelof Mary is a non-canonical text discovered in 1896 in a fifth-century papyrus codex written in Sahidic Coptic. This Berlin Codex was purchased...
has been referred to as "Gnosticism," such as the GospelofThomas and Gospelof Mary, the Gospelof Philip defends a tradition that gives Mary Magdalene...
Luke Signs Gospel – narrative of the Seven Signs Discourses Gospel – source of the discourse material GospelofThomas – The GospelofThomas (also known...
Nag Hammadi copy of the GospelofThomas begins: "These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymus, Judas Thomas, recorded." Early...
contrast to narrative, and to call a collection of such sayings, as exemplified by the GospelofThomas, logia. In pagan usage, logion was used interchangeably...
They include the Gospelof James, which introduces the concept of the Perpetual Virginity of Mary, and the Infancy GospelofThomas (not to be confused...
The Gospelof Peter (Ancient Greek: τὸ κατὰ Πέτρον εὐαγγέλιον, romanized: tò katà Pétron euangélion), or the Gospel according to Peter, is an ancient...
Ingil or Injeel) is the Arabic name for the Gospelof Jesus (Isa). This Injil is described by the Qur'an as one of the four Islamic holy books which was revealed...
the GospelofThomas, of which the Nag Hammadi codices contain the only complete text. After the discovery, scholars recognized that fragments of these...
writings, including the Dialogue of the Savior, the Pistis Sophia, the GospelofThomas, the Gospelof Philip, and the Gospelof Mary. These texts portray her...
The Gospelof John (Ancient Greek: Εὐαγγέλιον κατὰ Ἰωάννην, romanized: Euangélion katà Iōánnēn) is the fourth of the four canonical gospels in the New...
(also called The Sayings Gospel, Q Gospel, Q document(s), or Q; from German: Quelle, meaning "source") is a written collection of primarily Jesus' sayings...
The Gospelof Judas is a non-canonical Gnostic gospel. The content consists of conversations between Jesus and Judas Iscariot. Given that it includes late...
GospelofThomas (140-170 AD) The Books of Adam and Eve The Acts of Phillip The Apocalypse of Peter The Gospelof the Nativity of Mary The Gospelof Nicodemus...
The Gospelof the Hebrews (Koinē Greek: τὸ καθ' Ἑβραίους εὐαγγέλιον, romanized: tò kath' Hebraíous euangélion), or Gospel according to the Hebrews, is...
The Gospelof James (or the Protoevangelium of James) is a second-century infancy gospel telling of the miraculous conception of the Virgin Mary, her upbringing...
The Gospelof Nicodemus, also known as the Acts of Pilate (Latin: Acta Pilati; Greek: Πράξεις Πιλάτου, translit. Praxeis Pilatou), is an apocryphal gospel...
was partly based on the Infancy GospelofThomas, the Gospelof James, and the Gospelof Pseudo-Matthew, though much of it is also based on oral tradition...
markets Thomas-Detroit (automobile), a former U.S. automobile manufacturer GospelofThomas, a New Testament-era apocryphon Infancy GospelofThomas, an infancy...
Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition...
of Jude Thomas the Apostle in the Country of Indians The GospelofThomas The Infancy GospelofThomas The Acts ofThomas The Book ofThomas: The Contender...
The Gospelof Barnabas is a non-canonical, pseudepigraphical gospel written in the Late Middle Ages and attributed to the early Christian disciple Barnabas...
while coins of Julius Caesar, Mark Antony and Germanicus are all considered possibilities. A similar episode occurs in the GospelofThomas (verse 100)...
non-canonical GospelofThomas, Saying 76. The parable has been depicted by artists such as Domenico Fetti. The parable reads as follows: Again, the kingdom of heaven...
Global Information
Christianity portal