Teachings of Jesus - Gnostic Gospel of St Thomas - Christian Mystics

[Newest Reality]

This is a selection of "Sayings of Jesus" from the gnostic Gospel of St. Thomas (translated by Stephen J. Patterson and James M. Robinson) plus a few other selections of Jesus' key teachings from other gospels.

The Gospel of Thomas (also known as the Coptic Gospel of Thomas) is a non-canonical 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 AD 60 and as late as AD 140.

The Coptic-language text, the second of seven contained in what modern-day scholars have designated as Codex II, is composed of 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. In the Gnostic Christian tradition, Christ is seen as a divine being which has taken human form in order to lead humanity back to the Light. The usual meaning of gnostikos in Classical Greek texts is "learned" or "intellectual".

Art image - "Ground" by Dan Hillier used with kind permission of the artist.

Music: Father Archimandrite Serafim Bit-Kharibi and his choir - Saint- Petersburg

[left-of-center2012]

1. Interesting

I saw a show on my local PBS station about a month ago regarding the Dead Sea scrolls
And they referenced some of the gospels which are not in the current Bible.

I had a friend who used to be a professor at Columbia University and part of his job was helping to decipher the Dead Sea scrolls.

[Karadeniz]

2. I'll have to revisit this in writing. So much is also found in the Synoptics. Orthodoxy would say

That the Gnostics based themselves in Orthodox writing, but took flight from the real meaning into lala land. That's been disproved. Gnostics (Paul's elite, the adults) and the children existed together. If people could interpret, they'd realize the Synoptics contain Gnostic teaching and were, therefore, written by Gnostics. John is already recognized for its Gnostic elements.

I would place Thomas here as later rather than earlier. The Synoptics talk of light. Thomas, like John, talks of fire. Also, Thomas here seems to place Jesus in the same creator role as John does. So much of the Synoptic parables are based in reincarnation. I only noticed one reference in Thomas.

Thanks for posting! So nice to listen to something that makes good sense!

[sanatanadharma]

3. In Christian history, he Gnostics were declared to be heretical by the orthodoxy

In Christian history, he Gnostics were declared to be heretical by the orthodoxy.
Therefore the Christian religion is officially agnostic.

I personally believe the Gospel of Thomas is a more accurate record of Jesus' teachings than is the orthodox bible.
Thomas is said to have gone to India to teach; likely because that is where Jesus was taught during the missing years.