A masterfully drawn picture of the debate and controversy that has surrounded the Gospel of Thomas since its discovery in 1945. Stephen Patterson concludes that this collection of sayings is not a text dependent on the synoptic gospels, but like the Gospel of John is an independent document from another early Christian school of thought. Unlike those who lived in the more settled communities known to Mark, Matthew, and Luke, the people who produced Thomas lived in a world of itinerant radicalism
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... it is well written, intelligent, and to be recommended. -- The Journal of Religion
A most thorough and comprehensive study of a subject that has so far received too little attention. -- The Expository Times
This book is clearly written, and its methodological assumptions are openly stated. -- The Catholic Biblical Quarterly
A most thorough and comprehensive study of a subject that has so far received too little attention. -- The Expository Times
This book is clearly written, and its methodological assumptions are openly stated. -- The Catholic Biblical Quarterly
About the Author
Stephen J. Patterson is Associate Professor of New Testament, Eden Theological Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best scholarly book on the Gospel of Thomas,
By Peter Kirby (Placentia, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Gospel of Thomas and Jesus (Foundations & Facets) (Paperback)
I have read most books in English written on the Gospel of Thomas, and I can say with condidence that Patterson's book The Gospel of Thomas and Jesus provides the best treatment of the critical issues surrounding the Gospel of Thomas. The first section of the book (about a hundred pages) provides the most comprehensive argument for the independence of the Gospel of Thomas from the canonical Four Gospels in a form accessible to the general reader. With this, Patterson refutes the claim that the Gospel of Thomas is a worthless second century Gnostic epitome that just put together a mish-mash of biblical quotes. Instead, Patterson argues, the Gospel of Thomas represents an autonomous tradition about Jesus, confirmatory and complementary of the synoptic tradition. The second part of the book deals with the setting of the Gospel of Thomas, which Patterson portrays as itinerant radicalism in Syria in the second half of the first century. The final chapter concerns the importance of the Gospel of Thomas for the historical Jesus. Patterson maintains that the Gospel of Thomas provides fresh evidence against the apocalyptic portrait of Jesus, because the Gospel of Thomas does not have any of the end-time speculation found in the synoptic Gospels. I recommend this book highly to any student of early Christianity.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Tough read: but worth it,
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This review is from: The Gospel of Thomas and Jesus (Foundations & Facets) (Paperback)
This book was written by a professor and proves for me that the Gospel of Thomas was a separate tradition and not a gnostic corruption of the biblical gospels. Patterson goes into the linguistics of the Coptic Gospel of Thomas and the Greek biblical Gospels to show that Thomas stands alone in its own tradition.This book was intended more for the highly educated with Coptic and Greek interwoven with the text at the beginning of the book. I can read Koine Greek and I had a difficult time reading and understanding the first half of the book due to the Coptic. You are are curious about the Gospel of Thomas this book will educate you. I hope in the future Professor Patterson writes books more structured for the lay reader.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
For many centuries it has been known that in antiquity there was a certain gospel attributed to the apostle Thomas. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
synoptic trajectory, synoptic siblings, gnosticizing proclivity, socially radical ethos, synoptic cousins, wandering radicalism, wandering radicals, redactional analysis, actualized eschatology, logoi sophon, legal sayings, willful poverty, synoptic texts, wandering charismatics, second stich, sermon tradition, itinerant radicalism, sayings tradition, synoptic counterparts, synoptic versions, sayings collection, parables tradition, independent saying, synoptic tradition, secret sayings Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Gospel of Thomas, Thomas Christianity, New Testament, Thomas Christians, Gleichnisse Jesu, One Jesus, Judas Thomas, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of John, John the Baptist, Nag Hammadi Codex, Neuere Literatur, The Gospel According, Echte Jesusworte, Ein Beitrag, Great Supper, Acts of Thomas, Sahidic Matthew, Syrian Christianity, Unbekannte Gleichnisse, Didn't Come, Die Botschaft, Das Evangelium, Four Other Gospels, Hear Then the Parable New!
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
For many centuries it has been known that in antiquity there was a certain gospel attributed to the apostle Thomas. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
synoptic trajectory, synoptic siblings, gnosticizing proclivity, socially radical ethos, synoptic cousins, wandering radicalism, wandering radicals, redactional analysis, actualized eschatology, logoi sophon, legal sayings, willful poverty, synoptic texts, wandering charismatics, second stich, sermon tradition, itinerant radicalism, sayings tradition, synoptic counterparts, synoptic versions, sayings collection, parables tradition, independent saying, synoptic tradition, secret sayings Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Gospel of Thomas, Thomas Christianity, New Testament, Thomas Christians, Gleichnisse Jesu, One Jesus, Judas Thomas, Gospel of Mark, Gospel of John, John the Baptist, Nag Hammadi Codex, Neuere Literatur, The Gospel According, Echte Jesusworte, Ein Beitrag, Great Supper, Acts of Thomas, Sahidic Matthew, Syrian Christianity, Unbekannte Gleichnisse, Didn't Come, Die Botschaft, Das Evangelium, Four Other Gospels, Hear Then the Parable New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 76
books:
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60
books
cite this book:
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- The Gospel of Thomas (Shambhala Library) by Stevan Davies on 10 pages
- Gospel According to Thomas by Antoine Guillaumont on 6 pages
- New Testament Apocrypha, Vol. 1: Gospels and Related Writings Revised Edition by Wilhelm Schneemelcher on 4 pages
- A Coptic Dictionary (Ancient Language Resources) by Walter E. Crum on 4 pages
- The Nag Hammadi Library by James M. Robinson on 4 pages
See all 76 books this book cites
- Asceticism and the New Testament by Leif E. Vaage on page 67, page 68, and page 226
- Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas (Random House Large Print Nonfiction) by Elaine Pagels on page 352, page 355, and page 429
- An Aramaic Approach to Q: Sources for the Gospels of Matthew and Luke (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series) by Maurice Casey on page 34, page 117, and Back Matter
- The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus: The Definitive Collection of Mystical Gospels and Secret Books about Jesus of Nazareth by Marvin W. Meyer on page 6, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Women & the Historical Jesus: Feminist Myths of Christian Origins by Kathleen E. Corley in Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
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