THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS: The Lost Scripture?

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Today, many are drawn to conspiracy theories. Some feel superior when they think they know a “secret” unknown to the majority or when they hold opinions different from the crowd. A few even believe in conspiracy theories about “lost” Scriptures supposedly removed from the Bible. One of the books they often mention is the Gospel of Thomas.

The Gospel of Thomas was among the scrolls discovered in 1945 at Nag Hammadi, Egypt. Written in the Coptic language, it contains 114 supposed sayings of Christ. These scrolls are only later copies, likely produced in the third or fourth century AD. Scholars believe the original source—probably in Greek or Aramaic—dates around AD 150.

IS IT A LOST BOOK OF THE BIBLE?

Should we consider the Gospel of Thomas a “lost” book worthy of inclusion alongside Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Is it a reliable source about Jesus’ life? The most reasonable answer is a clear no.

1. QUESTIONABLE ORIGIN

The introduction attributes the work to Didymos (Jude) Thomas. Some claim this is the same Thomas among the Twelve disciples, while others speculate he was a twin of Jesus. None of these claims are supported by historical evidence. Most scholars agree the Gospel of Thomas was written around AD 150—far too late for the apostle Thomas to have authored it. Nothing in the canonical Gospels suggests Jesus had a twin. Because the true author is unknown, the book is best classified as New Testament pseudepigrapha, a falsely attributed work.

2.“SECRET” THEME

Theologian Paul Copan notes that the Gospel of Thomas “stresses secret knowledge hidden from the masses but made known to the elite enlightened ones.” Its opening line declares, “These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus has spoken.” This mysterious approach clashes with Jesus’ own teaching style. He said, “I have spoken openly to the world” (John 18:20). Christ taught in public, and even His private conversations aligned with His public teaching (Mark 4:34). Jesus told His followers to make His words known (Matthew 10:27). The idea of “secret knowledge” contradicts the clear and open message of the Gospels.

3. NO CONTEXT—JUST SAYINGS

“The Gospel of Thomas is actually not a gospel at all. It contains no narrative but is instead a collection of sayings, which are said to be from Jesus himself as written (quoted) by Thomas” (The Encyclopedia of Lost and Rejected Scriptures). Without background stories, these sayings lack the historical context that helps us understand Jesus’ words in the canonical Gospels.

4. FORGERY, NOT AUTHENTIC

While some passages in Thomas resemble verses in the four Gospels, it is more likely the author borrowed from them and altered Jesus’ words. For example, Thomas 1 states, “Whoever discovers the interpretation of these words shall never taste death,” echoing John 8:51 but with a twist. Thomas also reshapes the Parable of the Net (Matthew 13:47–48) and the Confession of Peter (Mark 8:27–30), shifting key details such as revealing Christ’s identity to Thomas instead of Peter. These contradictions show it distorts the authentic narrative.

5. A GNOSTIC GOSPEL

Though written later than the New Testament, the Gospel of Thomas reflects ideas the biblical authors opposed, especially Gnosticism—the early church’s most serious heresy. Gnostics claimed to possess a higher, hidden truth, which matches the “secret” theme of Thomas.

The book also teaches concepts foreign to the Bible. Gnostics viewed the material body as evil, reflected in Thomas 87: “Wretched is the body which depends upon another body, and wretched is the soul which depends on these two.” Early Gnostics even denied that Christ took on a real human body, a claim the apostle John refuted (1 John 4:2).

Thomas 114 goes further: “Simon Peter said to them: Send Mary away from us, for women are not worthy of this life. Jesus said: See, I will draw her into me so that I make her male… For every female who becomes male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.” The notion that a woman must become male to be saved is clearly false—and bizarre. It even contains a parable comparing God’s Kingdom to murdering a prominent person (Thomas 98), which starkly opposes Jesus’ command not even to harbor murderous thoughts (Matthew 5:21–22).

This book plainly delivers a different message, similar to other false writings such as the Gospel of Judas, the Gospel of Mary, and the Gospel of Philip. Scripture repeatedly warns against such distortions.

“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (Galatians 1:8). Stay Curious.

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