BIBLIOLOGY. Class 10: NT CANON. Maranatha Bible College Spring Semester, 2015

Transcription

1 BIBLIOLOGY Class 10: NT CANON Maranatha Bible College Spring Semester, 2015

2 Essential Definitions Ex Cathedra literally, from the chair by virtue of or in the exercise of one's office or position De Facto literally, from the fact in reality Actually Not government approved De Jure by right As a matter of legal of right Government approved

3 How We REALLY Got Our New Testament Canon Apostolic Period AD EX CATHEDRA AUTHORITY Authority Recognized but Canon Incomplete Persecuted Church AD DE FACTO CANON Canon Complete and Recognized in Fact Imperial Church AD DE JURE CANON Canon Complete and Recognized in Law

4 1. THE EX CATHEDRA AUTHORITY IN THE APOSTOLIC PERIOD AD

5 Ex Cathedra from the chair by virtue of or in the exercise of one's office or position Apostolic Authority

6 Paul Calls Luke/Acts Scripture 1 Tim. 5:18 For the Scripture says, YOU SHALL NOT MUZZLE THE OX WHILE HE IS THRESHING [Deut 25:4], and The laborer is worthy of his wages [Luke 10:7].

7 Paul Calls His Own Writings the Word of God 1 Thes. 2:13.. when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God.

8 Paul Calls His Own Letters the Lord s Commandment 1 Corinthians 14:37 the things which I write to you are the Lord s commandment. Paul claimed his teaching was inspired of God (I Cor 2:7-13)

9 Paul Quote Gospels as Scripture Luke or Matthew quoted as Scripture by Paul. Matt 10:10, Luke 10:7 (I Tim 5:18)

10 Peter s Self Testimony Peter wrote these things might remain after his departure (II Pet 1:15; 3:1-2)

11 Peter Calls Paul s Letters Scriptures 2 Pet. 3: just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures

12 The Self Testimony of John John claims Divine Inspiration for his Revelation (Rev 1:2) The Rylands Fragment John 18:31-33, 37 AD 130

13 J. I. PACKER The church no more gave us the New Testament than Isaac Newton gave us gravity.

14 2. De Facto Canon During the Period of Persecution AD

15 De Facto Canon Evidenced by the Books the Church Fathers Quoted as Authority

16 How Do We Identify a De Facto Canon Agree on a list of Early Church Fathers Review their writings to see which books they considered to be Authoritative. We would not merely be looking for any sort of reference, but rather a reference to a book when the book is being quoted or mentioned in an authoritative way. Then we consider all the de facto lists created by each Church Father and we compile a consensus list (i.e., those books authoritatively cited by all.

17 c. 95 AD, Clement Cites 21/27ths Of The New Testament wrote a single letter to the Corinthians around AD 96 and Quotes from 21/27THS John 7:32, 2 nd Century Papyrus

18 100 AD, Polycarp Quotes from 15 of the 27 books James Ch 1

19 110 AD Testimony of Papias "Mark having become the interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he remembered. It was not, however, in exact order that he related the sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor accompanied Him. But afterwards, as I said, he accompanied Peter, who accommodated his instructions to the necessities [of his hearers], but with no intention of giving a regular narrative of the Lord s sayings. (as quoted by Eusebius) Codex Sinaiticus 350 AD

20 c. 110 AD Ignatius Quotes 9/27THS Matthew 6:9-13 in Greek 2 nd Cen Papyrus

21 c. 160 AD, Justin Martyr Quotes from 17 of the 27 books

22 c. 170 AD Irenaeus Quotes from 23 of the 27 books

23 c. 190 AD Tertullian He quoted from 22 books of the 27. Hebrews 4:2, 2 nd Century Papyrus

24 c. 240 AD, Origen Cites 27/27ths Of The New Testament

25

26 De Facto Canon Evidenced by Canon Lists of the Period of Persecution

27 AD Muratorian Canon 81% Of The NT

28 165 AD Testimony of Justin Martyr Martyred 165 A.D. cites all four Gospels and Revelation, Titus, others "And on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things."

29 c. 140 AD Marcion s Heretical Canon Rejected the Old Testament Old Testament presents a violent/savage God Accepted: Paul s letters Gospel of Luke (Gentile author)

30 Gospels according to Irenaeus It is not possible that the Gospels can be either more or fewer in number than they are. - Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Chapter "Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome, and laying the foundations of the Church. After their departure, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter, did also hand down to us in writing what had been preached by Peter. Luke also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a book the Gospel preached by him. Afterwards, John, the disciple of the Lord, who also had leaned upon His breast, did himself publish a Gospel during his residence at Ephesus

31 Origen s Canon 250 AD 405 AD OT translated from Origen s Hexapla (Gk) So too our Lord Jesus Christ sent his apostles as priests carrying well-wrought trumpets. First Matthew sounded the priestly trumpet of his Gospel. Mark also, and Luke, and John, each gave fourth a strain on their priestly trumpets. Peter moreover sounds with the two trumpets of his Epistles; James also and Jude. Still the number is incomplete, and John gives forth the trumpet sound through his Epistles and Apocalypse; and Luke, while describing the deeds of the apostles. Latest of all, moreover, that one comes who said, I think that God has set us forth as the apostles last of all, and thundering on the fourteen trumpets of his Epistles he threw down, (Hom. In Jos. Vii, I). Circa AD 240 (near end of Origen s life)

32 250 AD Canon of Origen /4 A.D. Cites all present N.T. books Had reservations about James, 2 Peter, 2 & 3 "And Peter... has John left one acknowledged epistle; perhaps also a second, but this is doubtful...john, who has left us one Gospel...also the Apocalypse...He has left also an epistle of very few lines; perhaps also a second and third; but not all consider them genuine, and together they do not contain hundred lines." James Ch 1

33 Diocletian persecutions (c ) POxy 1780 caused the Christians to be more attentive to establishing the definite canon. 3 rd Cen AD

34 Jerome s 4 th Cen Latin Vulgate Jerome commissioned in 382 by Bishop Damasus to translate whole Bible to Latin Latin Vulgate Became the official text for the Roman church The pseudographia Epistle to the Laeodicians appears in more than 100 manuscripts of the Latin Vulgate, including the oldest surviving manuscript the Codex Fuldensis 546 AD. Jerome Vulgate (from the Latin editio vulgata meaning "common version")

35 100% NT Canon of Athanasius, c. 367 AD Writes Easter Letter in 367 A.D. Same 27 books that are in today s New Testament

36 Athanasius 39th Festal Letter 367 A.D. I also, having been urged by true brethren and having investigated the matter from the beginning, have decided to set forth in order the writings that have been put in the canon, that have been handed down and confirmed as divine, in order that every one who has been led astray may condemn his seducers, and that every one who has remained stainless may rejoice, being again reminded of that....there are also other books besides these, which have not indeed been put in the canon, but have been appointed by the Fathers as reading-matter for those who have just come forward and which to be instructed in the doctrine of piety: the Wisdom of Solomon, the Wisdom of Sirach, Esther, Judith, Tobias, the so-called Teaching [Didache] of the Apostles, and the Shepherd. Papyrus of the Acts, found at Oxyrrhynchus, Egypt. 3rd century AD. Papyrus Fragment of Gospel of Mark. 3rd century AD

37 4 th Cen. Canon of Eusebius of Caesarea A.D The Father of Church History Head of the library in Caesarea Classifies all writings into four categories based on the record of ancient witnesses Recognized - 4 Gospels, Acts, Epistles of Paul, 1 John, 1 Peter, Revelation Disputed - James, Jude, 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John Spurious - the Acts of Paul, the Shepherd, the Apocalypse of Peter; the Epistle of Barnabas, the Didache, the Gospel of the Hebrews Heretical - The Gospels of Peter, Thomas, Matthias, The Acts of Andrew and John and the Other Disciples 37

38 Third Century Combined Canon 100 AD 150 AD 250 AD Polycarp Justin Martyr Origen Combined Testimony as of AD 200: 25 of 27 plus 2 doubtful books Mt, Mk, Lk, Jn, Acts, Rom, 1/2Cor, Gal, Eph, Phil, Col, 1/2Thes, 1/2 Tim, Titus, Philemon, Heb, James, 1 Peter, [2 Peter], 1Jn, 2Jn, [3Jn], Jude, Revelation Regions Represented: Rome, Greece, Macedonia, Asia, Syria POxy rd Cen AD

39 3. THE DE JURE CANON OF THE IMPERIAL CHURCH

40 De Jure by law With government approval

41 Final Impetus for Finalizing the Canon I have thought it expedient to instruct your Prudence to order 50 copies of the Sacred Scriptures, the provision and use of which you know to be the most needful for the instruction of the church, to be written on prepared parchment, in a legible manner, and in a commodious and portable form, by transcribers thoroughly practiced in their art. Constantine

42 Two Church Councils Make De Facto Canon De Jure Canon 393 AD, Synod of Hippo 397, AD, Council of Carthage

43 Canon Criteria

44 Council Criteria: Non-Contradiction Did it contradict known Scripture? Consistent with OT Consistent with Paul?

45 Council Criteria: Antiquity When was it written? must belong to the first century. Writings of later date, whatever their merit, could not be included among the canonical books.

46 Council Criteria: Apostolic Authority Was it written by an apostle or one closely acquainted with an apostle?

47 Council Criteria: Universality Was the book widely accepted by the Church? The writings must be accepted universally. They often began with merely local acceptance, such as epistles to the churches, but gained widespread recognition.

48 Council Criteria: Continuity Was the book in use by the churches from the earliest period?

49 Council Criteria: Inspiration Does it have a selfauthenticating nature? There must be evidence of activity of the Holy Spirit contained within the context of the writings. Had the book evidenced power in the lives of believers?

50 Timeline for Recognition of NT Canon Most of NT widely recognized as inspired by 150 AD Entire NT of today recognized as scripture by 200 AD Stable from then to today, in spite of sporadic challenges Officially codified in 397 AD, Council of Carthage Rapidity of canonization : ~10 years for 2/3 of whole Precludes the oral tradition modernist view of legendary christianity Instills high confidence in a NT directly connected to Christ s authority Jerome 50

51 BB Warfield On NT Canon The Canon of the New Testament was completed when the last authoritative book was given to any church by the apostles, and that was when John wrote the Apocalypse, about A.D. 98. Whether the church of Ephesus, however, had a completed Canon when it received the Apocalypse, or not, would depend on whether there was any epistle, say that of Jude, which had not yet reached it with authenticating proof of its apostolicity. the whole Canon was not universally received by the churches till somewhat later. The Latin church of the second and third centuries did not quite know what to do with the Epistle to the Hebrews. The Syrian churches for some centuries may have lacked the lesser of the Catholic Epistles and Revelation. But from the time of Ireanaeus down, the church at large had the whole Canon as we now possess it. Formation of the New Testament Canon

52

53 FALSE GOSPELS

54 Discussion of the Books that Didn t Make the Cut 17 NT apocrypha books ~280 pseudopigrapha Edwin Yamauchi, Professor of Ancient History at Miami University (they)... are all patently secondary and legendary or obviously slanted.... The extra-canonical literature, taken as a whole, manifests a surprising poverty. The bulk of it is legendary, and bears the clear mark of forgery. Only here and there, amid a mass of worthless rubbish, do we come across a priceless jewel. Edwin Yamauchi

55 Discussion of the Books that Didn t Make the Cut 17 NT apocrypha books ~280 pseudopigrapha Edwin Yamauchi (they)... are all patently secondary and legendary or obviously slanted.... The extra-canonical literature, taken as a whole, manifests a surprising poverty. The bulk of it is legendary, and bears the clear mark of forgery. Only here and there, amid a mass of worthless rubbish, do we come across a priceless jewel.

56 Testimony of Eusebius on Heretical Books To none of these has any who belonged to the succession of ecclesiastical writers ever thought it right to refer in his writings. Moreover, the character of the style also is far removed from apostolic usage, and the thought and purport of their contents are completely out of harmony with true orthodoxy and clearly show themselves that they are the forgeries of heretics. For this reason they ought not to be reckoned among the spurious books, but are to be cast aside as altogether absurd and impious.

57 I know a certain gospel which is called the Gospel according to Thomas and a Gospel according to Matthias, and many others have we read lest we should in any way be considered ignorant because of those who imagine they possess some knowledge if they are acquainted with these. Nevertheless, among all these we have approved solely what the church has recognized, which is that only the four gospels should be accepted. - Origen, from a homily on Luke 1:1

58 Allegation of Excluded Books These are photocopies of the Nag Hammadi and Dead Sea Scrolls, the earliest Christian records. Troublingly, they do not match up with the gospels in the Bible. Da Vinci Code Nag Hammadi Library

59 Lost Gospels?

60 Secret Gospels

61 Lost and Hidden Gospels

62 Hidden, Secret and Lost Sayings of Jesus!

63 Bart D. Ehrman Professor of Religion, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Bart Ehrman, Prof., UNC The early Christian Church was a chaos of contending beliefs. Some groups of Christians claimed that there was not one God but two or twelve or thirty.

64 Secret Gospel of Mary Magdalene 170 AD

65 The Gospel of Mary Magdalene Mary tells the revelations she received from Jesus, who loved her above all other women. how the soul passes through the planetary spheres, and how the soul is to speak with the hostile powers guarding each sphere.

66 Gospel of Mary Magdalen... Will matter then be destroyed or not? 22) The Savior said, All nature, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another, and they will be resolved again into their own roots. 23) For the nature of matter is resolved into the roots of its own nature alone. 25) Peter said to him, Since you have explained everything to us, tell us this also: What is the sin of the world? 26) The Savior said There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called sin. 27) That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature in order to restore it to its root. 28) Then He continued and said, That is why you become sick and die, for you are deprived of the one who can heal you. 66

67 Gospel of Mary Magdalen 5) Peter said to Mary, Sister we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of woman. 6) Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember which you know, but we do not, nor have we heard them. 7) Mary answered and said, What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you. 67

68 Gospel of Mary Magdalen 18) When the soul had overcome the third power, it went upwards and saw the fourth power, which took seven forms. 19) The first form is darkness, the second desire, the third ignorance, the fourth is the excitement of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh, the seventh is the wrathful wisdom. These are the seven powers of wrath. 20) They asked the soul, Whence do you come slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space? 21) The soul answered and said, What binds me has been slain, and what turns me about has been overcome, 22) and my desire has been ended, and ignorance has died. 23) In a aeon I was released from a world, and in a Type from a type, and from the fetter of oblivion which is transient. 24) From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence. 68

69 Gospel of Mary Magdalen 1) When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Savior had spoken with her. 2) But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, Say what you wish to say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas. 3) Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things. 4) He questioned them about the Savior: Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us? 5) Then Mary wept and said to Peter, My brother Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I have thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Savior? 6) Levi answered and said to Peter, Peter you have always been hot tempered. 7) Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. 8) But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Savior knows her very well. 9) That is why He loved her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said. 69

70 Gospel Of Peter 150 AD Discovered in the winter of 1886/7 in Egypt Written in Syria in the early 2nd century Details the passion story with embellishments Blames the Jews and exonerates Pilate Close parallels with Matthew Includes scene of Jesus actual resurrection

71 Gospel of Peter [39] And while they were relating what they had seen, again they see three males who have come out from they sepulcher, with the two supporting the other one, and a cross following them, [40] and the head of the two reaching unto heaven, but that of the one being led out by a hand by them going beyond the heavens. [41] And they were hearing a voice from the heavens saying, 'Have you made proclamation to the fallen-asleep?' [42] And an obeisance was heard from the cross, 'Yes.' [43]

72 GOSPEL OF PETER DOCETIST F. F. Bruce writes (Jesus and Christian Origins Outside the New Testament, p. 93): The docetic note in this narrative appears in the statement that Jesus, while being crucified, 'remained silent, as though he felt no pain', and in the account of his death. It carefully avoids saying that he died, preferring to say that he 'was taken up', as though he - or at least his soul or spiritual self - was 'assumed' direct from the cross to the presence of God. (We shall see an echo of this idea in the Qur'an.) Then the cry of dereliction is reproduced in a form which suggests that, at that moment, his divine power left the bodily shell in which it had taken up temporary residence. 72

73 F. F. Bruce continues (op. cit.): GOSPEL OF PETER ANTI SEMITIC Apart from its docetic tendency, the most striking feature of the narrative is its complete exoneration of Pilate from alll responsibility for the crucifixion of Jesus. Pilate is here well on the way to the goal of canonisation which he was to attain in the Coptic Church. He withdraws from the trial after washing his hands, and Herod Antipas takes over from him, assuming the responsibility which, in Luke's passion narrative, he declined to accept. Roman soldiers play no part until they are sent by Pilate, at the request of the Jewish authorities, to provide the guard at the tomb of Jesus. The villians of the piece throughout are 'the Jews' - more particularly, the chief priests and the scribes. It is they who condemn Jesus to death and abuse him; it is they who crucify him and share out his clothes among themselves. 73

74 So-called Judas Gospel

75 Gospel of Judas 280 AD COPTIC FROM 150 AD AD GREEK Does not claim Judas as its author. the human form is a spiritual prison Judas thus served Christ by helping to release Christ's spirit from its physical constraints. The Gospel of Judas does not claim that the other disciples knew gnostic teachings. On the contrary, it asserts that the disciples had not learned the true Gospel, which Jesus taught only to Judas Iscariot.

76 GOSPEL OF JUDAS 1. And a luminous cloud appeared there. He said, Let an angel come into being as my attendant. A great angel, the enlightened divine Self- Generated, emerged from the cloud. Because of him, four other angels came into being from another cloud, and they became attendants for the angelic Self-Generated. The Self-Generated said, [48] Let [ ] come into being [ ], and it came into being [ ]. And he [created] the first luminary to reign over him. He said, Let angels come into being to serve [him], and myriads without number came into being. He said, [Let] an enlightened aeon come into being, and he came into being. He created the second luminary [to] reign over him, together with myriads of angels without number, to offer service. That is how he created the rest of the enlightened aeons. He made them reign over them, and he created for them myriads of angels without number, to assist them.

77 GOSPEL OF JUDAS 1. Adamas was in the first luminous cloud that no angel has ever seen among all those called God. He [49] [ ] that [ ] the image [ ] and after the likeness of [this] angel. He made the incorruptible [generation] of Seth appear [ ] the twelve [ ] the twentyfour [ ]. He made seventy-two luminaries appear in the incorruptible generation, in accordance with the will of the Spirit. The seventytwo luminaries themselves made three hundred sixty luminaries appear in the incorruptible generation, in accordance with the will of the Spirit, that their number should be five for each. The twelve aeons of the twelve luminaries constitute their father, with six heavens for each aeon, so that there are seventy-two heavens for the seventy-two luminaries, and for each [50] [of them five] firmaments, [for a total of] three hundred sixty [firmaments ]. They were given authority and a [great] host of angels [without number], for glory and adoration, [and after that also] virgin spirits, for glory and [adoration] of all the aeons and the heavens and their firmaments.

78 GOSPEL OF JUDAS 1. THE COSMOS, CHAOS, AND THE UNDERWORLD 2. The multitude of those immortals is called the cosmos that is, perdition by the Father and the seventy-two luminaries who are with the Self-Generated and his seventytwo aeons. In him the first human appeared with his incorruptible powers. And the aeon that appeared with his generation, the aeon in whom are the cloud of knowledge and the angel, is called [51] El. [ ] aeon [ ] after that [ ] said, Let twelve angels come into being [to] rule over chaos and the [underworld]. And look, from the cloud there appeared an [angel] whose face flashed with fire and whose appearance was defiled with blood. His name was Nebro, which means rebel ; others call him Yaldabaoth. Another angel, Saklas, also came from the cloud. So Nebro created six angels as well as Saklas to be assistants, and these produced twelve angels in the heavens, with each one receiving a portion in the heavens.

79 GOSPEL OF JUDAS THE RULERS AND ANGELS The twelve rulers spoke with the twelve angels: Let each of you [52] [ ] and let them [ ] generation [ one line lost ] angels : The first is [S]eth, who is called Christ. The [second] is Harmathoth, who is [ ]. The [third] is Galila. The fourth is Yobel. The fifth [is] Adonaios. These are the five who ruled over the underworld, and first of all over chaos.

80 GOSPEL OF JUDAS THE CREATION OF HUMANITY Then Saklas said to his angels, Let us create a human being after the likeness and after the image. They fashioned Adam and his wife Eve, who is called, in the cloud, Zoe. For by this name all the generations seek the man, and each of them calls the woman by these names.

81 The Acts of John 170 AD Written by Leucius a companion of John Obvious Docetist theology Jesus appears in many forms Contains popular stories that have been Christianized... Sometimes when I meant to touch him [Jesus], I met with a material and solid body; but at other times when I felt him, his substance was immaterial and incorporeal, as if it did not exist at all... And I often wished, as I walked with him, to see his footprint, whether it appeared on the ground (for I saw him as it were raised up from the earth), and I never saw it. The disciples said to Jesus: We know that you will depart from us. Who is to be our leader? Jesus said to them: Wherever you are, you are to go to James the Righteous, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being.

82 The Gospel of Thomas 400 AD COPTIC FORM 170 AD GREEK Gnostic teachings. Discovered at Nag Hammadi, 20 th cen. 114 sayings of Jesus in the form of proverbs, parables & prophecies 79 sayings parallel the Canonical Gospels Jesus as wisdom sage, not savior

83 The Gospel of Thomas "These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.

84 The Gospel of Thomas re Death And he said, Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death. Jesus said, Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over all."

85 The Gospel of Thomas Re: Advice 11 Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away. The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. During the days when you ate what is dead, you made it come alive. When you are in the light, what will you do? On the day when you were one, you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?"

86 Gospel of Thomas re: Jesus Verse 15: Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to something and tell me what I am like." Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a just messenger.

87 The Gospel of Thomas Re: JESUS 30 Jesus said, "Where there are three deities, they are divine. Where there are two or one, I am with that one.

88 The Gospel of Thomas Re: JESUS 77 Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. Split a piece of wood; I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."

89 The Gospel of Thomas Re: Kingdom of Heavevn 98 Jesus said, The Father's kingdom is like a person who wanted to kill someone powerful. While still at home he drew his sword and thrust it into the wall to find out whether his hand would go in. Then he killed the powerful one.

90 Jesus said: "The kingdom of the [Father] is like a certain woman who was carrying a [jar] full of meal. While she was walking [on the] road, still some distance from home, the handle of the jar broke and the meal emptied out behind her [on] the road. She did not realize it; she had noticed no accident. When she reached her house, she set the jar down and found it empty". Gospel of Thomas: Kingdom of Heaven

91 The Gospel of Thomas Re: Advice Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." 19 Jesus said, "Congratulations to the one who came into being before coming into being. Jesus said, "Have you found the beginning, then, that you are looking for the end? You see, the end will be where the beginning is.

92 The Gospel of Thomas Re: Belly Buttons? Jesus said to them, "When you make the two into one, and when you make the inner like the outer and the outer like the inner, and the upper like the lower, and when you make male and female into a single one, so that the male will not be male nor the female be female, when you make eyes in place of an eye, a hand in place of a hand, a foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, then you will enter [the kingdom]."

93 The Gospel of Thomas Re: Nudes 37 Jesus said, "When you strip without being ashamed, and you take your clothes and put them under your feet like little children and trample then, then [you] will see the son of the living one and you will not be afraid."

94 Verse 114: 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." Gospel of Thomas: Gender

95 Thomas Dating Circular Logic Original Jesus Was a Man. Church made him Son of God, Later Thomas Doesn t Assert Divinity of Christ Thomas Is Very early and more trustworthy

96 DATING THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS MT, Mk & LK dates Last Date of John s Gospel Iraneaus Refutes It Origen Rejects It Date Of Thomas Manuscript 100 AD 200 AD 300 AD GREEK ORIGINAL COPTIC TRANSLATION