Gospel of Thomas Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) [Paperback]

Stevan L. Davies (Author), Andrew Harvey (Editor)

Book Description

Series: SkyLight Illuminations | Publication Date: July 2002

This ancient text can become a companion for your own spiritual journey. In 1945, twelve ancient books were found inside a sealed jar at the base of an Egyptian cliff. One of those texts was the Gospel of Thomas, one of the most important religious archaeological discoveries of the twentieth century. While illuminating the origins of Christianity, it raises the question whether the New Testament's version of Jesus' teachings is entirely accurate and complete.

Written at the same time as the canonical Gospels, the Gospel of Thomas portrays Jesus as a wisdom-loving sage. The aphoristic sayings emphasize the value of the present, teaching that the Kingdom of God is here and now, rather than a future promise or future threat. It presents a new way of looking at the challenging and intriguing figure of Jesus, and reminds us that the Divine can be found right here on earth.

Now you can experience the Gospel of Thomas with understanding even if you have no previous knowledge of early Christian history or thought. This SkyLight Illuminations edition offers insightful yet unobtrusive commentary that explains references and philosophical terms, shares the inspiring interpretations of famous spiritual teachers, and gives you deeper understanding of Thomas's innovative message: that self-knowledge and contemplation of the nature of this world are the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Praise for The Gospel of Thomas: Annotated & Explained

"Professor Davies has taken the Gospel of Thomas to the next level of intelligibility and accessibility. The commentary stretches the mind, while the comprehensible and accessible translation make Jesus' (and Thomas's) voice clear. A masterful resource for both spiritual and intellectual seekers!"
--Richard Valantasis, Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, Iliff School of Theology

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Professor Davies has taken the Gospel of Thomas to the next level of intelligibility and accessibility. The commentary stretches the mind, while the comprehensible and accessible translation make Jesus’ (and Thomas’s) voice clear. A masterful resource for both spiritual and intellectual seekers!" —Richard Valantasis, Professor of New Testament and Christian Origins, Iliff School of Theology --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

From the Inside Flap

"The Gospel of Thomas really is, I believe, the clearest guide we have to the vision of the world's supreme mystical revolutionary, the teacher known as Jesus. To those who learn to unpack its sometimes cryptic sayings, the Gospel of Thomas offers a naked and dazzlingly subversive representation of Jesus' defining and most radical discovery: that the living Kingdom of God burns in us and surrounds us at all moments."
--from the Foreword by Andrew Harvey

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 139 pages
• Publisher: Skylight Paths Publishing (July 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1893361454
• ISBN-13: 978-1893361454
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #221,117 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

276 of 283 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best commentary on the Gospel of Thomas out there, July 23, 2003

By 

Peter Kirby (Placentia, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gospel of Thomas Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) (Paperback)

Stevan Davies maintains the online Gospel of Thomas Homepage and is the author of the 1983 book The Gospel of Thomas and Christian Wisdom, distinguishing himself as one of the leading scholars on the Gospel of Thomas. The chief virtue of Davies is that he stays close to what the Gospel of Thomas is saying rather than attempting to read into the text an over-arching gnostic, ascetic, or mystical motif. The result is a commentary filled with fresh insights, such as the humor of saying 72, the sexual innuendo of saying 22, the vegetarian doctrine of sayings 11&87, and the incompetent sower of saying 9. Davies is concise in his commentary, providing the text of Thomas in large type on the right side, with comments by Davies (and the occasional quote) on the left side. I have read most of the books in English on the Gospel of Thomas, and I can say confidently that this is the best commentary available to date and a must-read for anyone who is interested in this fascinating text.

183 of 186 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Excellent Commentary, February 3, 2003

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Booklister (CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gospel of Thomas Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) (Paperback)

Prof. Stevan Davies was one of the first scholars to take the Gospel of Thomas seriously as a first century text. An acknowledged expert in his field, he is fascinated by early Christianity, has few preconceptions as to its earliest form, and is always willing to try out new ideas.

This book contains a solid translation of the Gospel of Thomas, a good introduction, plus a new age preface by Andrew Harvey. The great strength of the book is the saying by saying commentary. Davies does not try to give a unified interpretation of the Gospel of Thomas, but to "offer suggestions, share observations, and participate in a reader's seeking..." Prof Davies has a way of wheedling out the system of thought that lurks beneath the text, and he looks at the sayings as clearly as he can, disregarding religious or scholarly commonplaces. This is one of the three or four best books on the Gospel of Thomas.

64 of 71 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Challenges a great many religious preconceptions, March 10, 2004

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gospel of Thomas Annotated & Explained (SkyLight Illuminations) (Paperback)

In 1945, twelve ancient texts were found in a sealed jar at the base of an Egyptian cliff. One of these, The Gospel of Thomas, is presented an expert translation accompanied with extensive interpretation in this impressive edition of The Gospel Of Thomas Annotated & Explained by Stevan Davies (a learned professor who has intensively studied the Gospel of Thomas for over twenty years). This is a seminal work that challenges a great many religious preconceptions within Christian literature and Biblical Studies. The Gospel Of Thomas offers a unique and sometimes contradictory perspective on the Kingdom of God (claiming that it is here and now rather than a future promise or threat), and sheds new light on the perception of Jesus Christ. The Gospel Of Thomas Annotated & Explained is very highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to better understand the these long-hidden aphoristic words attributed as the teachings of Jesus Christ.