Evidence The Gospel According To Thomas Is An Authentic Sayings Book, Part II

Overview: In last week’s post I showed that at least 50 sayings in Thomas are authentic, gave evidence that there is a high probability that Coptic translation is a word-for-word copy of an original Greek translation. Please see Evidence Showing The Gospel According To Thomas Is an Authentic Sayings Book, Part I.  In part II I delve in the sayings themselves and show that they give an historically accurate picture of  the original Jesus movement and thus are authentic sayings of Jesus.

I.     In saying 12 of Thomas Jesus gives his brother, James, the leadership position for the original followers of Jesus: “The disciples said to Jesus: ‘We know that thou wilt go away from us. Who will be great over us?’ Jesus said, ‘Wherever you have come, you will go to James the Righteous for whose sake heaven and earth came into being.”

A.    Historically, James did lead the original followers of Jesus in Jerusalem from 30 A.D. until his death, 62 A.D. 

Source: Zealot by Reza Aslan, Random House, New York, 2013. Please see chapter 15, “The Just One,” pages 197-212. Also, note that on page 200 Mr. Aslan cites saying 12 in Thomas and gives its historical context.  See: ZEALOT: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth: Reza Aslan ... for a preview of this text. 

B.    In one of the earliest Christian documents, I Corinthians, written circa 50 A.D. (within 20 years of Jesus’ Resurrection) James is identified as one of the 500 eyewitnesses of Jesus’ Resurrection (see chapter 15).

C.     The Jesus movement ended in 70 A.D. with the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem as noted in the Zealot, page 212:

“With the destruction of Jerusalem, the connection between the assemblies scattered across the Diaspora and the mother assembly rooted in the City of God was permanently severed and with it the last physical link between the Christian community and Jesus the Jew. Jesus the Zealot. Jesus of Nazareth.”

D.    The Jesus movement was restored on February 22, 2016 with the launching of The Thomas Immortality Project. See: Sabbath Sermon: “Physical Immorality: The Second Fire that Set the World Ablaze in 1945”  a post on this blog.

Conclusions:

1.     The original followers of Jesus were all Jews and were led by his brother, James, an eyewitness to Jesus’ Resurrection.

2.     In saying 12 of Thomas Jesus gives James the leadership position in the Jesus movement.

3.     From points 1 and 2 above, I believe it is reasonable to claim that saying 12 was part of the original Greek manuscript and thus is what Jesus said after his Resurrection.

4.     The Jesus movement ended in 70 A.D. and was restored on February 22, 2016.

 

II.     The prologue to Thomas states “These are the secret words which the Living Jesus spoke and Judas, who is also called Thomas, wrote down” –Greek Translation. I cite the Greek texts here because they make it clear that the composer of Thomas is Judas, his brother. See Mark 6:3 for an early citation to Judas.

A.    There are historical records showing that two of Judas’s grandsons were leaders in the original Jesus movement (30 A.D. to 70 A.D.). 

Sources: Zealot, page 202 and page 270. Also, see James, Brother of Jesus, by Pierre-Antoine Bernheim, London, SCM press, pages 216-217.

B.     The term “Thomas” means twin in Coptic and thus a literal reading of the prologue would be: “Judas, the twin.”

C.    The disciple of Jesus, Thomas, had nothing to do with the recording of Jesus’ words. The title “The Gospel According To Thomas” was given at the end of the sayings book and it might be a sort of inside joke in that followers of Jesus were all called “Thomas” as they were his twin.

D.  The prologue claims to have recorded the Resurrected sayings and the term “Living Jesus” is understood to mean the Risen Jesus.

Conclusions:

1.   Jesus' brother, Judas, recorded his sayings given to his followers after his Resurrection.

2.  There are historical documents showing that Judas grandsons held leadership positions in the original Jesus movement.

3.     From points 1 and 2 above I believe it is reasonable to claim that the prologue represents an authentic saying in Thomas. The context does not make it clear if Jesus spoke these words or if his brother, Judas, wrote them as a way of introduction.

III. In saying 27 Jesus says: “If you fast not from the world, you will not find the Kingdom; if you keep not the Sabbath as a Sabbath you will not see the Father.” Note this saying is in both the Greek and Coptic texts.

A.   Historically, the original followers of Jesus were all Jews and thus they kept the Sabbath.

B.     Jesus commandment to honor God’s Holy Day, the 7^th day of the week, is what a leader of Jews would say.

C.    The Roman Catholics changed God’s Holy Day under the authority of the Pope at The Council of Laodicea (363-364).

D.    Christians who have these meetings on Sunday are in direct defiance to God and thus they will not see the Father.

Conclusions:

1.   In saying 27 Jesus issues the commandment to honor God’s Holy Day, the 7^th day of the week (see Genesis 2: 1-3 in which God made the 7^th day Holy).

2.    The original followers of Jesus were all Jews and the historical records indicate that they did keep the Sabbath.

3.     Based on points 1 and 2, I believe it is reasonable to claim that saying 27 is an authentic saying of Jesus.  

IV. In saying 77 Jesus says: “I am the light that is above them all, I am the All, the All came forth from me the All attained to me. Split a piece of wood, I am there. Lift up a stone and you will find me there.” This saying is found in both the Greek and Coptic texts.

A.    This saying parallels the introduction to the Gospel According To John:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God and all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made” –John 1: 1-3.

B.     This saying is consistent with what the Resurrected Jesus taught: That He is God. Please see Original Model: “The Messianic Secret In the Gospel of Thomas”, a post on this blog.

Conclusions:

1: Saying 77 in Thomas is consistent with the teachings of Jesus in The Gospel According To John and thus has historical support for the claim that it was an  original saying of Jesus.

2.   Saying 77 is found in both the Greek texts and the Coptic text.

3.     Based on points 1 and 2, I believe it is reasonable to claim that saying 77 is an authentic saying of Jesus.

 

Summary: In this essay I examined the prologue to Thomas, and sayings 12, 27, and 77. Based upon historical records and documents I show that it is likely that these 4 sayings are authentic sayings of Jesus.