The gospel of Thomas

[Garland-Green]

The Gospel of Thomas (also known as the Coptic Gospel of Thomas) is a non-canonical sayings gospel. It was discovered near Nag Hammadi, Egypt, in December 1945 among a group of books known as the Nag Hammadi library. Scholars speculate that the works were buried in response to a letter from Bishop Athanasius declaring a strict canon of Christian scripture. Scholars have proposed dates of composition as early as 60 AD and as late as 140 AD.

If a reaction to Bishop Athanasius then it was written late.Much later than 140 AD. He died in 373 and was born sometime in the late 200's. 296-298.

The Gospel of Thomas proclaims that the Kingdom of God is already present for those who understand the secret message of Jesus (Saying 113), and lacks apocalyptic themes. Because of this, Ehrman argues, the Gospel of Thomas was probably composed by a Gnostic some time in the early 2nd century.

First I wish to point out that it is obviously in disagreement with the synoptic gospels. It offers an other Jesus. One who is a teacher of esoteric secrets that he is teaching to the elect. Those who had ability to attain special insight. It is the same Gnostic teaching as the early church fought against. "God is inside you". "Learn to know yourself and know the truth".

The "gospel" claims to record 114 sayings of Christ. It is a gospel not written by Thomas or anyone who even knew Thomas, and it really has nothing to tell us about early Christianity.  

[Garland-Green]

Examination of the claims in the pseudepigrapha writing:

3. Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) 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 (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you.

When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."

Knowing yourself without God revealing what you are is according to the Bible impossible. Natural man is dead in his sins. There is nothing good to discover. Just putridness. No kingdom, no nothing. Unless light comes in there is only darkness.

Ephesians 2:1-2
As for you, you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience.…

The clue here is to know Christ. In Him there is freedom. Not in yourself.

Ephesians 2:5
made us alive with Christ, even when we were dead in our trespasses. It is by grace you have been saved!

You are saved by grace. This means not by searching in yourself for a kingdom or true divine nature. Life was given to you when you had no power yourself to make yourself live. You were dead in your trespasses. The dead are without any power.  

[Garland-Green]

19. Jesus said, "Congratulations to the one who came into being before coming into being.

If you become my disciples and pay attention to my sayings, these stones will serve you.

For there are five trees in Paradise for you; they do not change, summer or winter, and their leaves do not fall. Whoever knows them will not taste death."

Twisting the saying of Jesus from Scripture.

No one comes into being before coming into being. I would say that description would only fit God Himself.

Isaiah 43:13
Even from eternity I am He, and none can deliver out of My hand. When I act, who can reverse it?”

The tree of life is only one. There are not five.

Revelation 2:7
Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

Verse 19 of the gospel of Thomas sound like eastern mysticism. Probably chakra related. It has nothing to do with the tree of life mentioned by Jesus in Revelation. This is how we know it is a deception. It contradicts what we know is Jesus' voice.  

[Garland-Green]

7. Jesus said, "Lucky is the lion that the human will eat, so that the lion becomes human. And foul is the human that the lion will eat, and the lion still will become human."

A reincarnation teaching that you will become what you eat. At times it is a punishment from God, but not always to be eaten by a wild animal.
God also say;

Genesis 9:5
And for your lifeblood I will surely demand an accounting. I will demand an accounting from every animal. And from each human being, too, I will demand an accounting for the life of another human being.

The lion is in trouble. It will not receive any blessing for what it has done.