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Thread: Coptic Gospel of Thomas

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    Heisman Mic Tyson's Avatar
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    Default Coptic Gospel of Thomas

    has anybody read this? its an ancient scripture that was left out of the bible and its real interesting.

    heres a basic summary of it for those unfamiliar i found online

    The Gospel of St. Thomas declares that the Kingdom of God exists upon the earth today if people just open their eyes. There is "divine light" within all of us, which allows us to see the Kingdom of God in our physical surroundings. The Image of God at the beginning of creation (Genesis 1) still exists today. We can assume that Image still, which is different than the image of fallen man (Adam) in Genesis 2. The Gospel of St. Thomas reveals that mankind can and should restore their identities to the image of God now, and see the Kingdom of God on earth now.


    here are a few sayings of jesus i thought was thought were very interesting

    Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him."

    Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where did you come from?', say to them, 'We came from the light, the place where the light came into being on its own accord and established [itself] and became manifest through their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?', say, 'We are its children, we are the elect of the Living Father.' If they ask you, 'What is the sign of your father in you?', say to them, 'It is movement and repose.'"

    Jesus said, "If those who lead you say, 'See, the Kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the Kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty."

    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. In the days when you consumed what is dead, you made it what is alive. When you come to dwell 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?"

    Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will give rise to sin for yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned; and if you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits. When you go into any land and walk about in the districts, if they receive you, eat what they will set before you, and heal the sick among them. For what goes into your mouth will not defile you, but that which issues from your mouth - it is that which will defile you."

    The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be."

    Jesus said, "Have you discovered, then, the beginning, that you look for the end? For where the beginning is, there will the end be. Blessed is he who will take his place in the beginning; he will know the end and will not experience *death*."


    people should definitely read this gospel. i would like to know other people's thoughts about this.

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    The Black Man is God!

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    R.I.P. Big L MX1's Avatar
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    absolutely, if you look at the un-edited version of the bible, many books like the scriptures of mary magdeline, judas, thomas, and others can really give not only a different perspective from the traditional 4 but a more universal way of following guidelines that arent as rigid which could perhaps be a better way to unite instead of divide but since theyre "controversial" and "blasphemous", they are excluded from the bible which really makes me question christians judgement on whether or not they truly understand their faith..good post
    no more albums like the 36 no more

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    Heisman Mic Tyson's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MX1 View Post
    absolutely, if you look at the un-edited version of the bible, many books like the scriptures of mary magdeline, judas, thomas, and others can really give not only a different perspective from the traditional 4 but a more universal way of following guidelines that arent as rigid which could perhaps be a better way to unite instead of divide but since theyre "controversial" and "blasphemous", they are excluded from the bible which really makes me question christians judgement on whether or not they truly understand their faith..good post

    yup, any of the books that didn't see jesus as God were excluded and labeled blasphemy. i actually like the banned books better because of the reasons u said

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    Don't Mess With It Koolish's Avatar
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    "If you fast, you will give rise to sin for yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned; and if you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits."

    what kind of talk is this though?

    praying is bad? charity is harmful?

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    Studio Gangster Memory Man's Avatar
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    the nag hammadi scriptures are fascinating, but it should be remembered that they represent various "gnostic" schools of thought, with no more or less credibility than the canonical gospels. there is obvious greek influence as well as jewish and egyptian. the gospel of thomas in particular shows signs of stoic influence. my favorite quote from the gospel of thomas:

    "if you bring forth what is within you, what is within you will save you. if you do not bring forth what is within you, what is within you will destroy you."

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    I'm gonna have to check it out.

    It is in my bookmarks for later.

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    Don't Mess With It Koolish's Avatar
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    though the whole idea of the kingdom of god being on earth isn't just from the gospel of thomas.

    Luke 17:21
    Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.

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    The Smell of The Future LORD NOSE's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mic Tyson View Post

    The Gospel of St. Thomas declares that the Kingdom of God exists upon the earth today if people just open their eyes.
    Thats the thing though......

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    Hey, Sunny, have you read it?

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    Quote Originally Posted by x-unknown View Post
    Hey, Sunny, have you read it?
    if i did, i don't remember

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    I regard it as a legit text with exception to the last verse which scholars universally agree was tacked on at a later date. I like the Lambdin Translation available here: http://gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl_thomas.htm.



    Quote Originally Posted by Memory Man View Post
    the nag hammadi scriptures are fascinating, but it should be remembered that they represent various "gnostic" schools of thought, with no more or less credibility than the canonical gospels. there is obvious greek influence as well as jewish and egyptian. the gospel of thomas in particular shows signs of stoic influence. my favorite quote from the gospel of thomas:

    "if you bring forth what is within you, what is within you will save you. if you do not bring forth what is within you, what is within you will destroy you."


    I haven't noticed a stoic influence. I just skimmed over it looking for any such hints, but I still don't see anything. The following verses might even be anti-stoic:

    -- Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye."

    -- Jesus said, "The kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine sheep and looked for that one until he found it. When he had gone to such trouble, he said to the sheep, 'I care for you more than the ninety-nine.'"

    The following from the Book of Enoch might be a bit stoic though:

    -- Afterwards, in the seventh week, a perverse generation shall arise; abundant shall be its deeds, and all its deeds perverse. During its completion, the righteous shall be selected from the everlasting plant of righteousness; and to them shall be given the sevenfold doctrine of his whole creation. ... Who is there of all the children of men, capable of hearing the voice of the Holy One without emotion?

    Who is there capable of thinking his thoughts? Who capable of contemplating all the workmanship of heaven? Who of comprehending the deeds of heaven?

    He may behold its animation, but not its spirit. He may be capable of conversing respecting it, but not of ascending to it. He may see all the boundaries of these things, and meditate upon them; but he can make nothing like them.

    Who of all men is able to understand the breadth and length of the earth?

    By whom have been seen the dimensions of all these things? Is it every man who is capable of comprehending the extent of heaven; what its elevation is, and by what it is supported?

    How many are the numbers of the stars; and where all the luminaries remain at rest?

    (Enoch 92:12-24)
    Last edited by Fatal Guillotine; 11-03-2012 at 04:53 PM.

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