Latest news with #GospelofThomas
Edinburgh Live
21-05-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Live
Uncovered 'forbidden gospel' paints Jesus in a whole different new light
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info The Gospel of Thomas, an ancient manuscript containing 114 sayings attributed to Jesus, presents a different image of the religious leader. Instead of performing miracles and preaching to the masses, this version portrays him more like a New Age guru whose teachings directly contradict traditional church doctrines. This "banned" gospel, unlike the gospels in the Bible, suggests that believers don't require churches or rituals, but rather personal awareness and self-discovery. The sacred text was first unearthed in Egypt in 1945, but it has recently gained popularity online after content creator Nick Di Fabio shared it with his followers. He claimed that some scholars believe it could be the earliest written record of Jesus' teachings, according to MailOnline. Di Fabio highlighted one recurring message throughout the gospel: "The kingdom is within you" - not in buildings, not in rituals. This statement poses a direct challenge to the structure of today's Catholic Church, which is built around hierarchy, temples, and religious authority, reports the Mirror. So, what does the Gospel of Thomas say? The Gospel of Thomas opens with the intriguing line: "These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down." This has led many to believe it was authored by the Apostle Thomas - famously known as the disciple who doubted Jesus' resurrection. The book was omitted from the canonical Bible due to suggestions that salvation comes from personal knowledge or "Gnosticism", countering early Church tenets of faith and compliance. Scholars have also highlighted doubts concerning its authorship and dating, further justifying its exclusion. Di Fabio brought forth some intriguing excerpts from the text that have reportedly baffled theologians for generations:. "Split a piece of wood, and I am there". "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death." He interpreted these quotes as indications that Jesus is omnipresent and that enlightenment is the true pursuit rather than unquestioning devotion. Where did they discover the Gospel of Thomas? It emerged that the Gospel of Thomas was unearthed inside a ceramic container near Nag Hammadi, which Di Fabio asserted was an attempt to conceal its teachings from rulers eager to suppress spiritual autonomy. In contrast with the canonical gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - which recount full narratives of Jesus' life, demise, and rebirth, the Gospel of Thomas presents itself as a collection of aphorisms. This alternative gospel excludes miracles and parables, offering solely a compilation of statements, many mystic and prose-like. Debate is rife among academics over when the Gospel of Thomas came into being. While some argue it could date back to the mid-1st century and be one of the very earliest accounts of Jesus' teachings, others consider a 2nd-century origin more plausible, aligning with when the established New Testament texts are thought to have been penned, spanning 50 to 100AD. Why does the Gospel of Thomas raise eyebrows? Its Saying 3 is particularly contentious:. "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the 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 kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you." The assertion "the kingdom is within you" echoes phrases found within the conventional Bible, however, the enigmatic suggestion that the celestial kingdom lies not beyond but within each individual has sparked theological disputes for generations. This perspective flies in the face of long-held ecclesiastical beliefs by proposing that the divine realm is an internal, rather than external, state of being. The scripture makes another audacious statement right at the beginning: "And he said, 'Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.'". Interpreted by some academic experts as hinting at everlasting life through gnosis, or esoteric insight, rather than traditional paths of faith or acts of virtue. Discovered amidst 13 antique texts, the Gospel of Thomas is now celebrated as part of an archaeological trove pivotal to understanding early Christian history. The texts were discovered by Muhammad al-Samman, an Egyptian farmer, in a sealed jar containing leather-bound papyrus books written in ancient Greek. Alongside the Gospel of Thomas, other works found include the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Truth, the Apocryphon of John, and the Apocalypse of Paul - all of which were excluded from the Bible and continue to be contentious.
Irish Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- General
- Irish Daily Mirror
New 'forbidden gospel' paints Jesus in very different light to the Bible
An ancient manuscript known as the Gospel of Thomas, comprising 114 sayings attributed to Jesus, presents a radical departure from the traditional image of a miracle-performing, crowd-preaching religious leader. Instead, this version portrays Jesus as a spiritual guide, akin to a New Age guru, whose teachings contradict conventional church doctrine. In stark contrast to the biblical gospels, this "banned" text suggests that personal awareness and self-discovery are the keys to spiritual enlightenment, rendering churches and rituals unnecessary. First unearthed in Egypt in 1945, the Gospel of Thomas has recently gained widespread attention online after content creator Nick Di Fabio shared its contents with his followers. Some scholars believe it may be the earliest written record of Jesus' teachings, as reported by MailOnline. A recurring message throughout this gospel is particularly striking: "The kingdom is within you" - not in physical structures or rituals. This assertion directly challenges the hierarchical structure and authority of the modern Catholic Church. The Gospel of Thomas begins with an intriguing introduction: "These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.", reports the Mirror. This has led many to believe that the Apostle Thomas, infamous for doubting Jesus' resurrection, authored the text. The book didn't make it into the official Bible because it hinted that salvation was a result of personal enlightenment, known as "Gnosticism", rather than faith and obedience, clashing with early Church teachings. Doubts about its authorship and the timing of its creation also played a part in its exclusion. Di Fabio highlighted several sayings from the scripture that have "shocked theologians for centuries", including:. "Split a piece of wood, and I am there." "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death." He interpreted these phrases to mean that Jesus is omnipresent and that the ultimate aim is enlightenment over blind faith. It was unearthed inside a clay jar near Nag Hammadi, which Di Fabio believes was an attempt to conceal its revolutionary ideas from those in power who feared people gaining spiritual autonomy. In contrast to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which narrate the full account of Jesus' life, demise, and resurrection, the Gospel of Thomas is purely a collection of sayings. It lacks narratives of miracles or parables, offering instead a compilation of cryptic and poetic teachings. Scholars are at odds over the dating of the Gospel of Thomas. While some argue it could have emerged in the mid-1st century, making it amongst the initial accounts of Jesus' teachings, others point towards a 2nd-century origin, aligning it with the era of established New Testament scriptures, generally dated between 50 and 100AD. One of the most hotly debated sections is Saying 3, which states:. "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the 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 kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you." This particular phrasing, although bearing resemblance to lines from the canonical Bible, has stirred discussions for decades due to its esoteric, internal-focused interpretation. It implies that the kingdom of God isn't an external place but resides within a person's spiritual essence – a view that challenges traditional ecclesiastical doctrines. The opening remarks of the Gospel of Thomas also present a striking declaration:. "And he said, 'Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.'". This can be seen by some academics as offering the potential for immortality through intellectual enlightenment – not simply on grounds of faith or acts of benevolence but via comprehending the meaning behind Jesus' words. Unearthed alongside thirteen antiquated texts, the discovery of the Gospel of Thomas is now considered one of the twentieth century's most consequential archival finds. Muhammad al-Samman, a local Egyptian farmer, discovered the texts in a sealed jar that contained leather-bound papyrus books written in ancient Greek. Other works unearthed alongside the Gospel of Thomas include the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Truth, the Apocryphon of John, and the Apocalypse of Paul - all of which were excluded from the Bible and continue to spark controversy to this day.
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
This 'forbidden gospel' paints Jesus in a shocking light
A banned book left out of the Bible more than 1,600 years ago has resurfaced — and it's turning heads with a very different portrayal of Jesus Christ. Known as the Gospel of Thomas, the ancient manuscript contains 114 sayings attributed to Jesus, but instead of the traditional image of a religious leader performing miracles and preaching to the masses, this version presents him more like a New Age guru whose words directly clash with traditional church teachings. Unlike the gospels in the Bible, this "banned" gospel suggests believers don't need churches or rituals — just personal awareness and self-discovery. The sacred text was first discovered in Egypt in 1945, but has recently gone viral online after content creator Nick Di Fabio shared it with followers, claiming some scholars believe it could be the earliest written record of Jesus' teachings, reports the MailOnline. He pointed to one striking message repeated throughout the gospel: 'The kingdom is within you' — not in buildings, not in rituals. It's a direct challenge to the structure of today's Catholic Church, which has been built around hierarchy, temples, and religious authority. What does the Gospel of Thomas say? The Gospel of Thomas begins with the intriguing line: 'These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.' That has led many to believe it was authored by the Apostle Thomas — famously known as the disciple who doubted Jesus' resurrection. The book was excluded from the official Bible because it suggested that salvation comes from personal knowledge, a strain of belief known as"Gnosticism" rather than faith and obedience — something that flew in the face of early Church doctrine. Scholars also pointed to uncertainty over who wrote it and when, which further fuelled its rejection. Di Fabio shared a number of sayings from the text that he claimed have 'shocked theologians for centuries'. Among them: 'Split a piece of wood, and I am there' 'Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.' He said these lines suggest Jesus was everywhere, and that the true goal was enlightenment, not blind obedience. Where was the Gospel of Thomas found? The Gospel of Thomas was found buried in a jar of clay near Nag Hammadi, and Di Fabio claimed this was done to hide its contents from the authorities, who he said wanted to prevent people from reclaiming their spiritual independence. Unlike Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — which include full stories of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection — the Gospel of Thomas is a sayings gospel. It doesn't feature miracles or parables, just a list of teachings, many of them cryptic and poetic. There's dispute among scholars about when it was written. Some say as early as the mid-1st century, which could make it one of the earliest records of Jesus' words. Others place it later, in the 2nd century, putting it roughly in line with the traditional New Testament writings, believed to date between 50 and 100AD. What is controversial about the Gospel of Thomas? One of the most controversial parts is Saying 3, which reads: 'If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the 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 kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you.' While the phrase 'the kingdom is within you' does appear in the traditional Bible, the mystical, inward tone of this version has sparked debate for decades. It suggests that the Kingdom of God isn't a place to be found outside, but a spiritual reality within each person — directly clashing with traditional Church teachings. The Gospel of Thomas begins with another bold claim: 'And he said, 'Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death.'' Some scholars interpret this as a promise of eternal life through spiritual knowledge — not through faith or good deeds, but through understanding. The Gospel of Thomas was unearthed along with 13 ancient books in what is now seen as one of the most significant archaeological discoveries of the 20th century. The texts were found by Muhammad al-Samman, a local Egyptian farmer, in a sealed jar containing leather-bound papyrus books written in ancient Greek. Other works discovered alongside the Gospel of Thomas include the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Truth, the Apocryphon of John, and the Apocalypse of Paul — all of which were left out of the Bible and remain controversial to this day.
