The Sayings of Jesus in the Gospel of Thomas
Simon Gathercole examines the enigmatic Gospel of Thomas
Jesus says, “Blessed is the lion that a person will eat and the lion will become human.”
Jesus says, “Every woman who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven.”
This third-century papyrus leaf—known as POxy 1—was discovered at Oxyrhynchus in Egypt and contains sayings of Jesus written in Greek. Scholars later determined the text was from the elusive Gospel of Thomas referenced by early Church Fathers. Photo: Bodleian Library, University of Oxford.
These bizarre statements are two of the 114 sayings of Jesus found in the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of Thomas is a non-canonical collection of the sayings of Jesus reputed to have been dictated to the apostle Thomas. In “The Gospel of Thomas: Jesus Said What?” in the July/August 2015 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review, New Testament scholar Simon Gathercole examines what these 114 sayings of Jesus reveal about the early Christian world in which they were written.
A work called the Gospel of Thomas has long been known from references by Church Fathers as far back as the third century. What was actually in the Gospel of Thomas, however, remained elusive until the 20th century. Excavations at an ancient garbage dump in Oxyrhynchus, Egypt, around the turn of the 20th century uncovered papyri fragments containing sayings of Jesus that had been dictated—the papyri claimed—by Jesus to his disciple Thomas. Scholars date these papyri to the early to mid-third century C.E.
Did these Greek fragments from Oxyrhynchus belong to the Gospel of Thomas? The discovery of the Nag Hammadi codices in late 1945 to early 1946 near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, verified that the Oxyrhynchus fragments were indeed from the Gospel of Thomas: In one of the Nag Hammadi codices was a complete Coptic translation of the Gospel of Thomas’s sayings of Jesus.
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Is the Gospel of Thomas “Gnostic”? Were these sayings of Jesus attributed to a religious group—“the Gnostics”—who offered an alternate view of early Christianity? Simon Gathercole unpacks the meaning of these questions in his BAR article:
Those who have thought that Thomas is Gnostic have seized upon the negative views of the body and the world evident in the book. And it is certainly true that the body and the world are seen in a negative light in Thomas. For example, in talking about the fact that the soul or spirit has come into the body, Jesus says: “I do marvel at how this great wealth has come to dwell in this poverty!” (Gospel of Thomas 28.3). The opposition of “wealth” and “poverty” shows up the sharp contrast between the precious soul and the worthless body. Jesus is similarly negative about the material cosmos: “Whoever has come to know the world has found a corpse” (Gospel of Thomas 56.1). In Thomas, to be dead like a corpse is to be in the realm of ultimate perdition; to be classed as “dead” is about as bad an insult as can be hurled.
Nevertheless, it has always been something of an embarrassment for the “Gnostic” view of Thomas that there is no talk of an evil demiurge, a creation that is intrinsically evil, or of other familiar themes such as “aeons” (a technical term for the divine realms in the heavens). […] But neither does it work to see Thomas as simply a stone’s throw from the kind of Christianity or Christianities evident in the New Testament and in “apostolic fathers” such as Clement of Rome, Ignatius and Polycarp.
What else does the Gospel of Thomas say? Click here to read the 114 sayings of Jesus as translated by Stephen J. Patterson and James M. Robinson. And learn more about the Gospel of Thomas and what it reveals about Jesus and early Christianity by reading the full article “The Gospel of Thomas: Jesus Said What?” by Simon Gathercole as it appears in the July/August 2015 issue of BAR.
BAS Library Members: Read the full article “The Gospel of Thomas: Jesus Said What?” by Simon Gathercole in the July/August 2015 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review.
Not a BAS Library or All-Access Member yet? Join today.
Related reading in the BAS Library:
Biblical Views: What’s Up with the Gospel of Thomas?
Nag Hammadi Codices Shed New Light on Early Christian History
Not a BAS Library or All-Access Member yet? Join today.
Is it possible to identify the first-century man named Jesus behind the many stories and traditions about him that developed over 2,000 years in the Gospels and church teachings? Visit the Jesus/Historical Jesus study page to read free articles on Jesus in Bible History Daily.
This Bible History Daily feature was originally published on June 29, 2015.
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THERE IS ONLY 1 WAY OF KNOWING WHO CHRIST JESUS IS,,AND THAT IS TO PERSONALLY ASK HIM IN TO YOUR HEART…HE WIL LEAD US BY THE HAND AND KEEP US FROM FALSE TEACHINGS,,,TO SEARCH AFTER HIS WILL FOR YOUE LIFE IS TRULY AMAZING ,,TO FEEL HIS TOUCH UPON YOUR FACE IS MORE THAN JUST AMAZING,,TO BE HEALED BY THEE LORD,,IS A SMALL MIRACLE FOR HIM,,,,,BUT TO ASK HIM IN TO YOUR HEARTS,,,,,GIVES SATAN A KICK IN THE HEAD…BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU READ AND BELIEVE FOR THE VOICE OF GOD IS SOFT AND GENTLE ,,BUT SATAN SPEAKS VERY LOUD ,,,,,,,
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I find it interesting on those who post and adhere to there personal beliefs, that indeed they are experts in the field of biblical studies. Even the so called experts in this region of studies debate constantly over their own personal beliefs on what is the correct meaning of scripture. No one has lived in these times so therefore you do not know their way of thinking considering the environment, that formed there behavior. From my standpoint of being outside the box looking in, countless so called experts and those who do not posess specialized knowledge in this field are still using the name Jesus. What happened to the beautiful Hebrew name, that was given to him, especially to those who believe in his divinity? Our creators name has been changed including the usage of pagan months and days. What happened to the Sabbath? Seems to me, all the so called experts and those who think they are…all follow the same path.
The question is who wrote Thomas and why? Was it done by an individual or by a group or community. The other thing is that “Gnostic” seems to be a very broad term. There were many groups of Gnostic and “semi-Gnostic” followers who were reaching for something meaningful (to them). It does seem arrogant to simply condemn the works rather than studying them as many Coptic scholars are doing. Why not try to make some sense out of them and try to understand their etiology and purpose. One is not “endangering” the Canon” of scripture by studying these texts.
When I read, ‘Blessed is the lion that the man will eat, and the lion will become human.’ I hear, Matthew 15:10-11…”And he called the multitude, and said unto them, “Hear, and understand: Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.”
Thank you Jacqueline for your insight. I think you are on the right path in your reasoning and I am inclined to agree with you. It is Man and Woman, not male and female. We must all stand up to the tasks of living life, the trials and tribulations of making our own way through life. We do not always have some one to lean on, sometimes there are those that need to lean on us and we must be strong to bear that burden. Standing up for our faith and beliefs, our GOD and our Savior is what will give us the strength to persevere.
we are blessed to have another Gospel to give us further look into the ‘life of Jesus’.
Jesus says:
(1) “Whoever does not hate his father and his mother cannot become a disciple of mine.
(2) And whoever does not hate his brothers and his sisters (and) will not take up his cross as I do, will not be worthy of me.”
This, as well as a transexual Mary, Lion eating man/Man eating Lion can be added to the rest of the mythical ‘make believe’ nonsensical sayings in the New Testament.
How quickly some of you condemn wisdom as heresy. Many teachers of Abrahamic or Messianic doctrine, as was ordained by the Extension of the Diluted Empire of Rome.. The Roman Catholic Church; reference and have coined many phrases around “The close proximity the “DEVIL” Keeps to the believers. Some above referenced the word of God as weak but the voice of the Devi as LOUD …”BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU READ AND BELIEVE FOR THE VOICE OF GOD IS SOFT AND GENTLE ,,BUT SATAN SPEAKS VERY LOUD ,,,,,,,” Well you know what they say … ‘The Devil is always the one you least expect!’
Using this commonly accepted quote from a multitude of teachers it would stand to reason then that the OPPOSITE would bear fair argument.. ‘The truth can be noted from the wisdom that is slandered by the SELF righteous.’
In other words ..Who do you trust .. The Government (CHURCH) with its gang of Ill informed sheep like THUGS. Or That which has been hidden from sight , propagated against by the INSTITUTION and lacks mainstream acceptance due to Slander from those that fear the Unconditional Love and simplicity. To forgo Guilt, subordinance and shame would spell the end for the CHURCH’S STRANGLEHOLD ON THE WORLD’S FINANCIAL OFFERINGS.
Funnily another group of people who use ballistics (cannons) to relieve you of your income are called charlatans and thieves. Just as were the criminals crucified with Christ… Go With your GUTS. The temple of God is Within..
I find the first commandment an interesting article of attention.. Exodus 20King James Version (KJV)
20 And God spake all these words, saying,
2 I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
To me it clearly states that we should not imagine God to be likened to anything from the PAST… (graven image) or anything upon this earth or in the heavens above…
NOTHING WE CAN SEE IS IN A LIKENESS OF GOD.
And yet because we are told we are in the likeness of God… we interpret that as God must look as we look.. carving an image of after ourselves. Breaking the first commandment… ALL COMMON TEACHINGS OF THE INSTITUTION (EMPIRE OF ROME)
Would Your father or your enemy;? wish for your life to be bound by restrictive rules and rituals to as a sign of your true loyalty, just to Please HIM?? (The Ego)
THE WHOLE NEW TESTAMENT SHOILD BE REWRITTEN TO INCLUDE THE NEW FINDINGS AND INCLUDE THE ORTHODOX WRITINGS ALSO,BUT MANY SHOULD BE REVISED DUE TO THE NEW FINDINGS. FOR EXAMPLE: DELETE THE KING JAMES, ‘ELIZABETHIAN PROSE OF SHAKESPEAR’, IT WAS NOT THE SPOKEN LANGUAGE OF THE PEOPLE AT THAT TIME OR ANY TIME IN HISTORY.AND THE OTHER VERSIONS ALSO. THIS WAS SATANS WAY OF CONFUSING AND MISINTERPRETATION BY PREVENTATIVE READING DUE TO TRANSFERING BY THOUGHT TO THE TRUE LANGUAGE AND MEANING A PERSON READING SPOKE. BRING BACK THE SABBATH TO THE ORIGINAL DAY OF SATURDAY (THE JEWS STILL OBSERVE THIS DAY AS THE SABBATH). ALSO THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS ON SUNDAY, THE DAY ‘JESUS’ ROSE TO HEAVEN. LET MEN AND WOMEN MARRY AND BECOME MINISTRY’S OF ‘JESUS’ AND ALL HIS GOSPELS ‘NOT HAND PICKED BY SOME FAITHES TO ASSERTAIN A LIVING BY NOT REVEALING THE WHOLE TRUTHS ‘JESUS’ TAUGHT, INCLUDING MYSTERY’S AND SECRET’S.. ‘JESUS’ WAS ASKED HOW MANY WILL BE SAVED FOR ETERNAL LIFE,, HE SAID ONE OUT 1000 AND TWO OUT OF 10,000 WILL BE SAVED. JIM
As a scholar of the earliest texts related to the beginnings of what eventually became Christianity, I reject the view that logion 114 of the Gospel of Thomas is a form of chauvinism. Quite to the contrary, in fact. For those interested, here is a view that I think properly explains this logion.
https://www.academia.edu/7959770/Making_Mary_Male_Is_Gospel_of_Thomas_Logion_114_Really_Misogynist
Jesus made it clear that the way to heaven is only by a person humbling themselves before Jesus Christ, confessing their sins, forsaking their old ways, and becoming a new person in Christ as they dedicate their life to serving Him. It has nothing to do with lions, changing sex (literal OR figurative!) or any other human work. The gospel of thomas was rejected by the early church because they recognized that it was antithesis to what Christ himself taught. It belongs back in the dump from which it came!
If this “book” were to be considered worthy of study, then why wasn’t it discovered among the Dead Sea Scrolls? The “sect” called The Way (Heb. HaDerech), with direct ties to Qumran and Damascus just as the Scriptures state, holds the REAL truth! Yes, the “early church fathers” were already at work creating “a different gospel.” This manuscript holds as much value as the Talmud Bavli (Babylonian Talmud). It is rubbish!
Galatians 1:6 I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel; 7 which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (NASB)