Thomas and the Gospels: The Case for Thomas's Familiarity with the Synoptics - Paperback

by Mark Goodacre (Author)

The Gospel of Thomas -- found in 1945 -- has been described as "without question the most significant Christian book discovered in modern times." Often Thomas is seen as a special independent witness to the earliest phase of Christianity and as evidence for the now-popular view that this earliest phase was a dynamic time of great variety and diversity.

In contrast, Mark Goodacre makes the case that, instead of being an early, independent source, Thomas actually draws on the Synoptic Gospels as source material -- not to provide a clear narrative, but to assemble an enigmatic collection of mysterious, pithy sayings to unnerve and affect the reader. Goodacre supports his argument with illuminating analyses and careful comparisons of Thomas with Matthew and Luke.

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Author Biography

Mark Goodacre is associate professor in New Testament at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina. His other books include The Case Against Q: Studies in Markan Priority and the Synoptic Problem. He is well known for NTGateway.com, an award-winning web directory of internet New Testament resources.