The Gospel of Thomas - New Testament

The Cross Reference Study

Presenting The Gospel of Thomas as the Original Gospel of Jesus that he gave to His servants.

The Thomas prologue begins, "These are the mysterious sayings which the living Jesus spoke." This suggests that Christ is the originator of this Gospel and that it was merely written down or scribed by Thomas. Acknowledging this collaboration, the apostles appear to have relied heavily upon this unique gospel, this Original Gospel authored by Christ, considering phrase by phrase the words of Jesus as they wrote their own writings. This becomes most evident by placing side by side the scrolling text of "The Gospel of Thomas" together with the scrolling texts of the various apostolic writings. Amazing sequential similarities in thought, word, and rhetoric become plainly visible. The Gospel of Jesus can be placed side by side and joined together, for example, with the Gospel of Mark for a clearer insight into both gospels.

By aligning and combining the sayings of Jesus within The Gospel of Thomas together with the New Testament apostolic writings we "make the two into one." This is the basis for this Gospel of Thomas - New Testament Cross Reference Study.

The primary point of all this demonstrable harmony and dependence is that it suggests that The Gospel of Thomas provides the right spirit with which to approach the New Testament. Sometimes, the Gospel of Thomas is most simply understood as just a list of 114 sayings of Jesus, but it is so much more. This Word of Jesus, or "the Testimony of Jesus, is the spirit of prophecy." It is these words and this Spirit that moved men to speak and to write the scriptures to be in agreement with the divine intention. Jesus said, "The words that I speak unto you, they are spirit." And "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit." It is this Revelation of Jesus Christ, the original Gospel, this spiritual message which inspired the New Testament writings. This Testimony of Jesus is the very Rock and Chief Cornerstone the apostles used to create their own writings, the gospels and the letters of the New Testament. And so in like manner, it will be seen that it is His Spirit and His Sayings which provide the proper foundation upon which to rightly divide the word of truth, and so also to rightly understand the New Testament.

The New Testament will be seen to be an expansive commentary on this Gospel of Thomas, and of this Testimony of Jesus. With such insight, the many canonical references to "The Gospel of Christ", "The Testimony of Jesus", "The Doctrine of Christ", "His Sayings", "The Preaching of Jesus Christ", "The Gospel of God", "The Word of God", "The Revelation of Jesus Christ", "The Everlasting Gospel", and even just "The Gospel" could all reasonably be direct references, and sometimes even veiled references to "The Gospel of Thomas"

Thomas refers to this gospel as the secret sayings of the living Jesus. Though presented openly to all who might listen, this gospel appears to be a more spiritually minded message with hidden insights for those who will seek diligently, and is tailored primarily for those who forsake all to follow Christ. Jesus delivered this "Original Gospel" to those closest to him, and to those who walked with him in His Way. Later James, Paul, Peter, and John appear to create their own letters following the pattern provided to them by Jesus within this gospel. The New Testament is the apostles applying this Preaching of Jesus Christ to the circumstances of their own communities.

The Gospel of Thomas - New Testament Cross Reference Study becomes a meditative study touching the very heart and soul of the scripture. Using the key word connections, discover the allegorical and metaphorical clues intentionally embedded within the message of the text. Using The Key, unlock the inner meanings of both the New Testament, and of Thomas.

This text is so precious! It must be studied diligently with a seeking heart to see beyond the surface of the words. Thomas 1-2 declares, "These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down. And he said, 'Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death... Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All.' "

For the sake of the church may we be granted wisdom and grace.

And may we be found building upon the Solid Rock.

URfriend,
Dean Johnson

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