What do you think of the gospel of Thomas?

Question

Is it valid as a Gospel or what?

Answer 1

A complete copy of the so-called Gospel of Thomas was discovered in 1945. Once scholars had a copy of the whole thing, it was possible to see it for what it was: yet another gnostic-influenced "gospel" written in the second or third century, long after the canonical gospels were penned.

The Gospel of Thomas presents itself as a collection of sayings of Christ as written by Thomas the apostle. A few of these sayings are genuine because they were taken from the canonical gospels (duh!). Others combine bits of things said in the true gospels. And still others are wholly made up, not only lacking any basis in the gospels but also contradicting things taught in them.

Consider, for example, the final saying Thomas contains: "Simon Peter said to them, ‘Make Mary leave us, for females don’t deserve life.’ Jesus said, ‘Look, I will guide her to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven’" (Thomas 114).

This is just wacky. Jesus was a great respecter of women as women (i.e., without them having to become like men). After all, as the Creator, he himself had "made them male and female" (Matt. 19:4). And so whether one is a man or a woman makes no difference in salvation. As St. Paul said, "There is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Gal. 3:28).

The so-called Gospel of Thomas is a fake. It was written between one and two centuries after the apostle Thomas’s death. It contains some authentic sayings of Jesus because it is partially based on the canonical gospels. It contains a bunch of stuff that is silly. It wasn’t written under divine inspiration. It doesn’t belong in the Bible.

Answer 2

The Gospel of Thomas is not an inspired work or God. It is a fake, one that was written after the inspired and accepted Gospels.

The idea that all these writings were floating around and had the same level of acceptance is ridiculous. The Gospels we have today, were considered scripture early on as proved by the New Testament writings. By the time the Catholic Church named the 4 Gospels as the authoritative and officially the inspired Word of God, they had already circulated as such for many many years. The Gospel of Thomas and other gnostic writings were considered fake and heretical and never seen as possible true biblical writings. So, the idea that this gospel was somehow kept from us, or hidden is just ridiculous.

The Catholic Church decided officially what had been known and believed for hundreds of years.

Answer 3

Thomas may not be inspired but...Jesus did use puns..Like "the woman from Ca nan .cana meaning dog. letting the dogs eat the crumbs.". The word for spirit.and soul is a feminine word..So the remark was all pun..Yes. she can't get into heaven. So I will make her (female soul) (male). The remark would have been a slam to the disciples not to Mary.
The part I would find suspicious is the firm reference to the trinity.
30 Jesus said, "Where there are three deities, they are divine. Where there are two or one, I am with that one."

Answer 4

My bible has no gospel of thomas.. If God wanted me to have it, then it would have been written in there.

Answer 5

I have read it and too much of it does not ring true with the other gospels. I agree with most of what Sentinel mentioned.

Answer 6

interesting. i believe jesus is refering to reincarnation on that mary's sex bit, something i believe the catholic church has been hiding from us. how you can judge it's authenticity based on the bible is an outrage. i myself would rather base the authenticity of the bible based on this discovery of a text the catholic church missed during the era they were killing and torturing those who knew the truth and destroying such gospels to expose their fraud.
also the three secrets sounds like He may have been enlightening thomas such as in eastern religions.