Thomas The Other Gospel

Since its discovery in the mid-1940s, the Gospel of Thomas has aroused the interest of scholars and general readers alike. Thomas, the Other Gospel provides a clear, comprehensive, nontechnical guide through the scholarly maze of issues surrounding the Coptic text. Nicholas Perrin argues that the Gospel derives not from the era of Jesus or even the apostles but from the late second century CE. Further, contrary to what many scholars believe, he maintains that the Gospel was originally written in Syriac rather than in Greek, and he concludes that the real value of the Gospel of Thomas lies not in what it might be thought to say about the "real Jesus" but in what it tells us about early Christianity.

This book proposes that the "Gospel of Thomas" depends on the second-century Syriac "Diatessaron," rules out Thomas as a meaningful source for Historical Jesus research, and suggests links between Thomas and other literature of the ancient near east. Paperback edition is available from the Society of Biblical Literature (www.sbl-site.org).

The Gospel According to Thomas is a collection of 114 sayings of Jesus attributed to a certain Didymus Judas Thomas. For scholars, the text has much to offer for the study of early Christian literature, history, and theology. This enigmatic collection of sayings is part of a series of tractates in the Nag Hammadi Codices which were found in Egypt in 1945. Since the discovery of the Gospel According to Thomas, scholars have endeavoured to uncover the place of writing and the sources of these sayings, which in some cases are similar to those found in the synoptic gospels and other New Testament writings, as well as in several early Christian texts. Without neglecting nor negating this important historical research on the Gospel According to Thomas, this new introduction, translation, and commentary focuses on another aspect that has been given less attention in scholarship, that of a synchronic reading and interpretation of the text. The main question we have is: What does the Gospel According to Thomas actually mean?

This book explores the fascinating and enigmatic collection of 114 sayings of Jesus, the 'Gospel of Thomas' that was discovered in the sands of Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in the 1940's. Since its discovery, scholars and the public alike have been intrigued to know what the Gospel says and what light it sheds on the formation of early Christianity. Here, DeConick provides a new English translation of the entire Gospel of Thomas, which includes the original 'kernel' of the Gospel and all the sayings. A unique feature of this book is that translations to the parallels of the Gospel are also included.

The Gospel of Thomas -- found in 1945 -- has been described as "without question the most significant Christian book discovered in modern times." Often Thomas is seen as a special independent witness to the earliest phase of Christianity and as evidence for the now-popular view that this earliest phase was a dynamic time of great variety and diversity. In contrast, Mark Goodacre makes the case that, instead of being an early, independent source, Thomas actually draws on the Synoptic Gospels as source material -- not to provide a clear narrative, but to assemble an enigmatic collection of mysterious, pithy sayings to unnerve and affect the reader. Goodacre supports his argument with illuminating analyses and careful comparisons of Thomas with Matthew and Luke. Watch the trailer:

Study guide for No Other Gospel: Paul's Letter to the Galatians includes lesson objectives, message outline, study questions, and discussion questions. Suitable for individual or group study.

This ancient Gnostic text can be a companion for your own spiritual quest The Secret Book of John is the most significant and influential text of the ancient Gnostic religion. Part of the library of books found in Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in 1945, this central myth of Gnosticism tells the story of how God fell from perfect Oneness to imprisonment in the material world, and how by knowing our divine nature and our divine origins—that we are one with God—we reverse God’s descent and find our salvation. The Secret Book of John: The Gnostic Gospel—Annotated & Explained decodes the principal themes, historical foundation, and spiritual contexts of this challenging yet fundamental Gnostic teaching. Drawing connections to Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, kabbalistic Judaism, and Sufism, Davies focuses on the mythology and psychology of the Gnostic religious quest. He illuminates the Gnostics’ ardent call for self-awareness and introspection, and the empowering message that divine wholeness will be restored not by worshiping false gods in an illusory material world but by our recognition of the inherent divinity within ourselves. Now you can experience and understand this foundational teaching even if you have no previous knowledge of Gnosticism. This SkyLight Illuminations edition presents the most important and valued book in Gnostic religion with insightful yet unobtrusive commentary. It provides deeper insight into the understanding that in Gnosticism the distinction between savior and saved ceases to exist—you must save yourself and in doing so save God.