Posted on 02/28/2015 5:16:22 PM PST by RnMomof7
To make the New Testament, works had to pass four tests: authored either by an apostle or by someone of close association with the apostles . . . correspond with the elements of other canonical books and hold no trace of opinions not recognized in Scripture . . . universally accepted . . . inspiration
I don't know whether the Gospel of Thomas would have passed the authorship test, since authorship would have been questioned even back then due to the absence of reference to those writings in the commentaries of Polycarp, Clement, Irenaeus, and others. This writing would then have failed on the correspondence with other books and universal acceptance tests, with no need to consider inspiration. Perhaps someday the Vatican will release the deliberations on this issue, but I think my guess is probably pretty close to accurate. The fact that no church leader before Origen (after 220 AD) mentions the Gospel of Thomas concerns me, as does its repeated reference to the "hidden words" of Jesus. The rest of the New Testament seems quite open, and hidden words strike me as out of character for Jesus and for authentic scripture.
How about GLBTXYZ were invented to rule the world?
Mrs Revrunt Al Sharpton wants to add the books of First and Second Lebesians
“Ya know what is really funny is that right before I reverted to the Catholic Church I used to say stupid stuff like this all the time.”-
Quoting the Word of God is stupid? Does that mean reading the Word of God is stupid?
“Praying for you and the rest of the fallen.”-
Does the Catholic Church decide whom is upheld or whom is fallen? Or does that decision rest solely with God? Is the Catholic Church claiming to be higher that God?
” If you want to understand Satan and how the world system operates, study Job.”
True.
Job also gives us great insight on God’s view of us. Job is a beautiful book from many insights!
Um, sorry.
It was the Bishop of Alexandria, the tradition of Mark not of Rome or Peter, that sent forth the 27 books of the New Testament. In his Easter letter of 367, Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, gave a list of exactly the same books that would formally become the New Testament.
Because the Gospel of Thomas is a Gnostic text.
Or, why not the Gospel of Mary Magdalene?
Ditto, Maudeen. Left that other site’s post are a joy to each day.
Yeah. The author was way off base to throw the Catholic Church in with the Mormons or the Gnostics. I don’t think 1 Maccabees is quite the same thing as some creative writing by Joseph Smith.
Job is a very interesting book. I have read it and marvel at it. Reputed to be one of the oldest books of the Bible, it has a reference to dinosaurs. Ecclesiastes and Job are enigmatic, books that do not make sense due to subject matter and their authors. But hey, what do we mere mortals know? Deut. 29; 29: The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
It appears we were not to know all things, just be happy we know what we know, and from the looks of history and the status quo, we are not.
LOL your keyword stalker is back again.
I have read through the Bible once a year for many years. The Spirit speaks to me through most of the Bible, but a few of the books feel “dead” to me - Song of Solomon, for example. I’ve read the Apocrypha as well, and they also feel “dead”. On the other hand, I learn new stuff every time I read through Isaiah.
Well thank you to the OP. Very interesting post.
Here’s a little story: As kid I often took care of my elderly grandmother (believe it or not-i was daycaring at a very tender age). She was an Irish old school catholic from upstate NY. She wasn’t feeble but had a hard time getting around and didn’t cook to much & relied on her daughters to do that- but I was there during the day . There wasn’t much in the fridge except for some cheese slices, eggs & prune juice. There was always a loaf of bread and a box of gingersnaps (i hated those things).
On her bookshelves were many many books including the Bible.
Because there was no television I generally turned to the books on the shelves and regularly read the Bible.
I distinctly remember reading The Book of Jubilees.
I would go back to it time & again & thought “this was really exciting”! and there were other books in this Bible,too. I know that Gram wouldn’t have a un-sanctioned Catholic Bible in her home so to me at one point a change was made and in my later years perusing a Catholic Bible these books no longer are included.
As far as the Gospel of Thomas never being included I’m short on facts but I do believe The Catholic CHurch wanted to seperate itself from Gnosticism so as to present to people a unmitigated version of the New Testament that would not conflict with what the current belief system in the Catholic Church was at whatever time they decided to eliminate this and create a “canon” of sorts. Cut out all the middlemen and there is no room for discussion nor opinion.
I found the Gospel of Thomas, Mary Magdalen, Judas, and studies of the Nag Hammadi,etc... very valuable not only understanding history but how the Catholic Church has repressed these writings
In my opinion, you could say that the old testament is the history of our beginnings, our fall from grace, Gods plan to deliver us back into his kingdom. The people he chose were not the Jews. They were the descendants of Abraham. Abraham was not a Jew. He was a Chaldean from the ancient city of UR. One of his descendants would eventually give birth to the Savior of Souls - Jesus Christ.
The New Testament is to prepare us for his return!
“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes...”
Truth is important.
So what exactly did the Apocryphal book add to Salvation or any thing else in the OT or NT? The only thing I have found was that from one single verse your denomination made a completely false doctrine on purgatory. As far as other changes please enlighten me as the Bible I use and your denominations Bible are for the most part word for word.
She has done a fantastic job. I have learned a lot.
It is one of my favorite books. No matter how bad I think my situation was, I knew others had/have it much worse. We just have to stay the course. God knows what He is doing.
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