Customer Reviews

The Gospel of Thomas

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The Gospel of Thomas is the most important resource for the study of the teachings of Jesus outside of the New Testament. Andrew Smith's new version of the Gospel of Thomas is a fine introduction to that important text. His commentary on the "Inner Meaning" of the Gospel of Thomas, linking it to the "Fourth Way" school of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky, is very interesting; it is a landmark effort to make Thomas a useful spiritual guide for the present day. Today, Smith writes, "The Gospel of Thomas asks us to choose between being dead and becoming the image of God." In addition to a full translation of
the Gospel of Thomas, Smith's book contains a useful historically-based introduction to the text to enable ordinary readers to put Thomas into historical context and a set of penciled illustrations based on religious works by Rembrandt van Rijn.

Many fine works have been written about the Gospel of Thomas, still- and this seems to be the whole point- many of the sayings are cryptic and challenging. I often carry this book around with me, reading a saying and trying to come to my own understanding. The size of the book is just right for that, The Rembrandt reproductions so well suited, and the translation so unobtrusive and easy to read. I found the commentary very interesting, it gave some clues to a possible interpretation- not the last word certainly, but then who has that?

This version of Thomas has the virtue of being pocket-sized and easy to carry around, but had little else of value for me. The author attempts to correlate it with the philosophy of P.D. Ouspensky in a heavy-handed fashion that feels like a tract for Ouspensky, but doesn't present Ouspensky's thought clearly.

There is very little actual commentary to help understand the crytic and at times opaque sayings of Thomas. Yet, as the superior Stevan Davies translation suggests, Thomas was written to challenge the reader, and force him inside to meditate as it were for answers. Davies does a decent job of commentary, more satisfying for me than the Marvin Meyer translation and commentary.

Of course Elaine Pagels' "Beyond Belief" is essential reading for anyone who has appreciated the illuminating brilliance of Thomas. In time, I feel Thomas will be even more of a "sleeper gospel" and have a profound influence on what is preached in main-line churches, as well as having much potential to heal misunderstandings between Christians and Jews.

Out of print for many years, the translation and intepretive essay from this book are now available in The gnostic 4, ISBN 978-1906834067, along with many other articles and interviews. The Gnostic 4 inc Alan Moore on the occult scene and Stephan Hoeller interview

I've read many translations of the Gospel of thomas, but this is the first one that is just the right size for carrying around with me. I like the translation and the other stuff, and I can just pop it in my pocket and read it on the subway (or even at my job.)I don't know why somebody didn't think of this before!