It’s no mystery that the Church Fathers undertook extraordinary efforts to squelch what they viewed as heretical teachings. They were more than just a little good at this and did a bang-up job of deep 6ing the Gospel of Thomas. Here is how good a job they did: for more than 1,500 years no one, absolutely no one knew of it’s existence.
Around 1900 3 fragments of a Greek document were found that demonstrated that a larger text once existed. The fragments are in terrible condition and only a part of the overall document survives today. It was found in Oxyrhynchus Egypt.
In 1947 the full document was discovered at Nag Hammadi, Egypt. It is written in Coptic and is supposed to be complete.
One copy? One copy only! One single copy buried and hidden from the world for more than 1,500 years. It was quite a dangerous document back in the day as it pooh poohs all over the New Testament teachings and runs directly against the what the early church fathers were intent on establishing: an all powerful church that ruled over all of man.
I’ve been thinking; if it had not been for it’s vanity (and those pesky Muslims) the Church really could have succeeded in becoming the only world power and we would all be it’s subjects. The Nazi’s were bad, but they were saints compared to the crazy bad these holy folk demonstrated during the inquisition(s).
The entire volume of this gospel is a giant riddle that begins with the prologue and continues through what the smart minds believe is the 114th saying. (Which of course itself a suspect number if one includes Saying 1 as actually being a portion of the prologue.) It’s not a set of riddles in the same vein as Revelations, rather It’s a scratch your head kinda thing over something as innocuous as the mustard seed in saying 20 (Smallest seed? Nope. Shelter for ‘birds of the sky’? Nope.) Surely the author knew this was not so, so why state it?
Here is another example: Saying 6 and Saying 14. In 6 the apostles ask 4 questions that Jesus (seemingly) does not answer. In Saying 14 he answers the questions asked in 6. Why in the world would someone write a testimony this way?
I’ve merged (and edited) 6 and 14 below
Question from 6
–Response from 14
Should we fast?
— Fasting begets sin.
How shall we pray?
— Prayer begets condemnation
How shall we give alms?
— Giving begets harm
What diet shall we observe?
— It matters not.
I’ve taken liberties with the balance of Sayings 6 and 14 and came up with a very short 2 part saying. Again, Saying 6 statement followed by a Saying 14 statement.
Do not tell lies. Don’t do what you hate.
— This world cannot defile you, but you can defile yourself.
Finally, here is the bottom line (again my paraphrase) from 6:
— — — All things will be known. — — —
Coming full circle on all of this: The bottom line statement of Saying 6 is so poignant considering the resurfacing of the Gospel of Thomas. Just another part of the mystery of Thomas.