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The Gnostic Gospels Feb 06 2010
"You shall not add to the word which I command you, nor take anything from it, that you may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you." - Deuteronomy 4:2
The Gnostic gospels received widespread attention after they were referred to in the novel and movie, The Da Vinci Code. These works triggered great interest and thrust the Gnostic writings into pop culture. This has caused a lot of conflict and confusion as people wonder why these "lost gospels" were not included within our Bible.
Let's look at the answer to that. The gospels in the Bible were all written within twenty to sixty years after of the life of Jesus - soon enough so that the actual witnesses to Jesus' words and deeds were available as a primary source. The Gnostics, however, were written in the second century, long after Jesus' contemporaries had died. To give credibility to their stories, the Gnostics falsely attached the names of people who had long been dead, such as Thomas, Mary, and Phillip. So, not only was The Gospel of Thomas not written by Thomas, it wasn't even written by someone who had ever met Thomas!
Also, here's something I find interesting. The Gnostics are sometimes referred to as the "secret gospels." (Now there is an oxymoron!) If God is going to inspire a gospel, He most certainly isn't going to allow it to be kept secret! Also, because most were discovered in 1945, they have been called the "lost gospels." Again, why would God inspire something only to allow it to be lost? Think about it.
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18 Comments
If you think this comment should be removed because it is mean spirited, compromises someone's privacy, or is SPAM, then let us know.
Yes, report it NevermindAs we say every Sunday:
"The Word of God, for the people of God, thanks be to God"
Books have been written and seminary courses are dedicated to the care with which the early church put together the Bible under the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Most people who attack the Bible as a random selection are uninformed and unbelieving.
It is the very Word of God for me.
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Yes, report it NevermindThe earliest Gospel is Mark, which, even if it was only twenty years after Jesus death (that is a very generous dating), was certainly full of myths and legends. Have you ever heard a rumor that turned out not to be true? How long did it take to start?
Bryant is right to point out that in ancient times it was common to ascribe a book to some famous person or other in order to give it credibility (eg Gospel of Thomas, Mary, Philip, Peter) but he fails to point out that many books of the New Testament do just that. 1 and 2 Peter were not written by the "Peter" of the Gospels. Possibly half of Paul's letters are spurious. Even the names of the gospels- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John- were later Roman Catholic inventions. The Gospels themselves are anonymous and do not even claim to be eyewitnesses.
The Gospel of John is in fact written very late, certainly 2nd century, and shows a great deal of gnostic influence.
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Yes, report it NevermindEric, You never quit entertaining me. Where did you come up with this stuff that you just posted. We know that most of Pauls writings were not by his own hands but they were dictated by him to another person by Paul. We know you don't believe the Bible but it is dangerous to keep playing with the scriptures like you do. I know you will think that is funny and that is all right, when people are unimformed or don't understand the scriptures, sometimes they will jump on something that someone like you will say and will be badly missimformed. Plesae don't try to confuse the ones who don't know better.
maybe one day you will see the truth and then you will understand why we love the Bible so much. I am praying for you.
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Yes, report it NevermindGood to see you again Jerry. I hadn't seen you post in awhile. Glad you are still around.
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Yes, report it NevermindNo one seems to know if Jesus even existed, or not. A lot of scholars seem to believe that he was a amalgamation of several preachers or the time, and these individuals were not in any sense "the founder of Christianity". Rather, they contend that Christianity emerged organically from Hellenistic Judaism.
I guess we'll never really know.
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Yes, report it NevermindJCO-
You will know.
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Yes, report it NevermindYou will know one day and if you don't change your ways you will not like the way you will know
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Yes, report it NevermindWhoa...I'm so worried. If it's true, I'll just say "sorry, there wasn't enough evidence." Which there is zero.
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Yes, report it NevermindThe evidence is all around you and in fact YOU yourself are part of this evidence-the FACT that you were born and ARE a living breathing,walking,talking,seeing,touching, even probably a loving being to someone and you were created and not a result of some big explosion or a result of your just falling into place as you are. The fact that you can neither see nor understand this EVIDENCE does NOT change the FACT that YOU and all of CREATION DOES EXIST. These things scream the existance of a CREATOR. This is all I'm saying on the subject because this site is not meant for arguing back and forth. The only other comment I have for you is that I'm still praying for you.
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Yes, report it NevermindCF, if we need a creator, then the creator needs a creator.
Next...
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Yes, report it NevermindJust because you might not understand something does not make it not true. Logic tells you that all things in nature have to have a beginning-example a river begins somewhere. At some point in time you have to come to one beginning and whether you like it or not -That is God -
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Yes, report it NevermindBecky- where does a circle begin?
CF: you may be right. The God of the bible is a very mean, intolerant, incompetent bully, so it's entirely possible he made this awful world.
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Yes, report it NevermindRFTH, I request that you remove JCO's comment because he has implied an obsenity. Thanks
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Yes, report it NevermindThank you, Janice. The comment has been removed.
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Yes, report it NevermindYou'd have to ask the one who either drew or created the circle.
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Yes, report it NevermindI finished my comments to JCO, but I'll reply one more to you Erik- This world is a beautiful breath taking place that is marred by sin and those that live in darkness away from God and do not live in the light of his saving grace though Christ. It is not his will that any should perish,but that all should have everlasing life through Christ. It is their decision to do evil things and yes God has chosen at times to remove this evil from this world. Yes, sadly there is suffering that God allows for now but does not cause. I don't pretend to understand it always, but in my life it was used as a vehicle to draw me closer to Him and to grow as a stronger more mature person that has more caring and love for others in similar situations. Yes, some of the greatest evils in the world have been done when some have misunderstood God and his will and at the same time some of the greatest good has been done in His Name when someone followed His true will and purpose for their lives. As I told JCO it is not the purpose of this site to have a lot of vain arguments, so for that reason this is my last comment to you as well on this devotion. God bless and still praying for you.
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Yes, report it NevermindCF, again your comments are not rational - "I do not pretend to understand..." yet, you UNDERSTAND.
How can you know, and not know, all at the same time? You either understand what god's up to, or you do not. Pick a side.
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Yes, report it NevermindOnce again, the comments are getting personal and this is not a forum for attacking each other. There will be no more comments on this devotion. Thanks and God bless.