The Truth About Jesus and the "Lost Gospels": A Reasoned Look at Thomas, Judas, and the Gnostic Gospels (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Recent headlines, bestselling books, and even a blockbuster movie have called widespread attention to controversial writings that challenge some of the key teachings and perspectives that people of the Christian faith have long held to. Known as the Gnostic “Gospels,” these writings have aroused much curiosity and led people to ask:

• What are the Gnostic “Gospels,” and where did they come from?
• Are these writings trustworthy, or even on par with the Bible?
• Have we had wrong perceptions about Jesus all along?

In this helpful book, world religions scholar David Marshall examines the popular claims being made about the Gnostic “Gospels,” and reveals how, in actuality, they fall far short of the true Gospels in the New Testament. This is an eye–opening resource that will equip Christians to take a well–informed and well–reasoned stand against the so–called “Lost Gospels” that have become so popular today.

From the Publisher

Tragically, many people in today's world have been fooled into thinking ancient Gnosticism is truer than Christianity. Or that other religions (or full-fledged atheism) have done more than Jesus and his followers to develop modern science, abolish slavery, and liberate women. Or that the apocryphal Gospels tell the history of Jesus more accurately than the New Testament documents. Convincingly countering all these myths, Marshall's work introduces the real historical facts as effectively as any work in print today. Learned but very readable, wide-ranging in coverage, and even tinged with self-effacing humor, this book sets the record straight.

Craig L. Blomberg
Distinguished Professor of New Testament
Denver Seminary
Littleton, CO
February 2007

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (April 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0736920552
• ISBN-13: 978-0736920551
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #928,760 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Marshall continues to successfully de-bunk the "gnostic gospels", June 24, 2007

By	Mike514 (Montreal, Qc, Canada) - See all my reviews

With the (somewhat) recent discussions on the gospel of Judas, this book's purpose seems to be threefold: 1- Introduce "gnostic gospels" (Judas, Thomas, Mary, etc) and explain their many flaws; 2- Show how they differ from biblical gospels, and 3- Contrast the positive, uplifting message of the biblical gospels with the not-so-positive (sometimes regressive, sometimes sexist, etc) message of the gnostics.

Gnostic gospels are too often considered 'on par' with the biblical gospels by many popular skeptics, and their message usually comes across as more uplifting, tolerant, reliable, etc than the bible. This book swiftly addresses such issues and explains why such ideas are untrue.

This book elaborates on Marshall's studies into the Thomas gospel found in his previous book "Why the Jesus seminar can't find Jesus." That book can be seen as complementary to this one, and helps explain not only how the Jesus seminar's ideas are flawed, but also why we shouldn't trust the gospel of Thomas. Both books are recommended if you wish to learn more about how the gnostic texts differ from the biblical gospels, and how the biblical gospels are not only more reliable but far more "progressive" and enlightening in their overall message.

6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A persuasively written, passionate treatise, accessible to readers of all backgrounds., October 6, 2007

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

Written by David Marshall, founder and director of the Kuai Mu Institute for Christianity and World Cultures, The Truth About Jesus and the Lost Gospels: A Reasoned Look at Thomas, Judas, and the Gnostic Gospels is a thoughtful examination of the ancient "Lost Gospels" that portray Jesus Christ in a different manner than the canonical New Testament. Chapters discuss what the "Lost Gospels" are and where they came from, whether these writings can be trusted on par with the Bible, and whether certain popular perceptions of Jesus have been mistaken all along. The Truth About Jesus and the Lost Gospels is sharply critical of Gnosticism, going so far as to declare "'Gnostic Christianity' is a contradiction of terms", and emphasizes that true freedom can only be found through Jesus Christ. Delving into examples of how Christianity has transformed lives throughout history up to the modern day, The Truth About Jesus and the Lost Gospels is a persuasively written, passionate treatise, accessible to readers of all backgrounds.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good concise introduction and overview!, October 30, 2007

By	Jason Pratt (Dyer, TN United States) - See all my reviews

Well, yes, it's admittedly yet another book on the topic; but David's writing style is more popular and accessible than other more 'official' scholarly rebuttals, while still packing a level of detail and breadth for its size that frankly I can only envy. While I was personally hoping for a treatment of the Gnostic material in accord with his innovative genre comparison method from Why the Jesus Seminar Can't Find Jesus... I'm sure not inclined to be ungrateful for what actually arrived!

[...]

Considering the relative brevity of the book, my only complaint is with two or three editing blips that somehow slipped through proofreading, generally involving sentences that clearly were meant originally to be finished one way and then were redesigned during composition to try to make the same point another way. (A proofreader wouldn't normally catch them, since the grammar works out correctly. It's only in context that it becomes apparent David meant to be saying something else.) Certainly an improvement from the original printing of _Why the Jesus Seminar..._ in that regard, though.

I would recommend TLG for pastors or laity looking to run a seasonal class on the topic at their church. David isn't mean-spirited, the prose is punchy with touches of real artistry, the topical layout is reasoned and well-defined and broad in scope, and the data quality is certainly on par with an academic work of about the same length. David Marshall is coming along fine in the crowded world of popular Christian apologetics, and should have a solid future ahead of him in the field.