| The Other Gospels: Additional Portraits of Jesus
- Key Topics/Themes
- Diversity of Gospels produced in early Christian period
- Reflect great diversity of views about the nature of Jesus and his message
- Three classes of early, non-canonical Gospels
- Complete Gospel document
- Fragmentary Gospels
- Infancy Gospels
- Introduction
- The composite portrait of Jesus assumed by casual readers of the four canonical Gospels
- The actual uniqueness of each canonical Gospel
- Other Gospels produced in first three centuries C.E.
- A reflection of the early fluidity of Christian belief and practice
- The early use of edited versions of the canonical Gospels
- Gospel of the Nazareans (Aramaic revision of Matthew)
- Marcion's canon (included edited version of Luke)
- Tatian's Diatessaron
- The Gospel of Thomas
- Discovery among the Nag Hammadi documents
- Consists of 114 sayings of Jesus
- The ostensible author: Didymos Thomas
- Reference to Thomas mentioned in Gospel of John
- Reserves highest praise for James "the Just," leader of the Jerusalem church
- Thomas's diverse contents
- 79 of 114 sayings in Thomas resemble Synoptic Gospel material
- Some parallels remarkably close
- Other sayings not parallel and very enigmatic in character
- Possible Gnostic orientation of some sayings
- Lack of highly developed Christology
- Jesus as wisdom sage rather than savior who dies for sins of the world
- Independence of the canonical Gospels
- Strong possibility of Thomas preserving forms of Jesus' sayings earlier than the Synoptic versions
- Negative attitude toward women
- Significance of Gospel of Thomas
- Scholars uncertain of historical authenticity of its materials
- Demonstrates existence of early Christian communities who saw Jesus only as wisdom sage
- Secret Mark
- Jesus like other ancient teachers in reserving special teachings for his closest followers
- Clement of Alexandria: special version of Gospel of Mark that contained Jesus' secret teachings to his inner circle
- Copy discovered in 1958
- Parallels between resuscitation story in Secret Mark and raising of Lazarus in John 11
- The Gospel of Peter
- A version of the Passion of Jesus
- Close parallels with Gospel of Matthew
- Includes scene of Jesus' actual resurrection from the dead
- Scholarly debates about the document's origins and significance
- Most scholars: Gospel of Peter dependent upon canonical Gospel accounts
- John Dominic Crossan: Gospel of Peter preserves earliest account of Jesus' Passion
- Gospels about Jesus' Infancy and Childhood
- The Infancy Gospel of Thomas
- Dated ca. 150 C.E.
- Portrays the child Jesus as using divine power selfishly and vindictively
- Shows Jesus growing in maturity and awareness of the need to use his powers for good
- The Infancy Gospel of James
- Also known as the Protoevangelium of James
- Focuses on the personal history of Mary, mother of Jesus
- Mary the result of a miraculous birth
- Mary a descendant of King David
- Joseph as Mary's guardian, not her husband
- Mary a perpetual virgin
- Contributed significantly to Mariology in Roman Catholic and Orthodox Churches
- Summary:
- Demonstrates that early church did not settle quickly on a single view of Jesus
- Demonstrates early competition between competing views of who Jesus was
- Debate settled in fifth century with establishment of a doctrinal orthodoxy that condemned competing theological views about Jesus
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