Gospel of Thomas Edited by Stevan Davies

I picked up the Gospel of Thomas recently while working through Diarmaid MacCulloch’s Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. I hadn’t read the Gospel of Thomas in a very long time, and MacCulloch’s treatment of the early church controversies reminded me just how much insight this text provides.

The edition I’m reading is edited by Stevan Davies and includes commentary, context, and a synopsis for each saying in the Gospel of Thomas. It’s been a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the history of Christianity or religion in general.

Why the Gospel of Thomas Matters

The Gospel of Thomas isn’t part of the Gnostic writings, even though it’s often lumped in with them. It has so much overlap with the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) that it’s definitely authentic early material. But it also contains sayings that weren’t included in the canonical gospels.

To me, it gives the best insight into the historical Jesus and the disagreements among early Christians. Of all the apocryphal writings that were not included in the New Testament, the Gospel of Thomas seems the most valuable for understanding what was actually going on in the first century.

Jesus as Mystical Teacher

What strikes me most about the Gospel of Thomas is how Jesus comes across much more like a teacher — similar to other wisdom teachers of the era — rather than the miracle-working, prophetic figure emphasized in the canonical gospels.

The text is much more mystical in nature. It accentuates less of Jesus’s wonder-working and less of the synoptic and Johannine theological positioning. Instead, it feels closer to the mystical mystery cult traditions that were bubbling up in the first century across the Roman world.

This doesn’t make it “better” or “more true” than the canonical gospels. But it does show that even in the earliest days of Christianity, there were multiple ways of understanding who Jesus was and what his teachings meant.

What I Liked

The Stevan Davies edition is incredibly accessible. You don’t need to be a scholar to work through it. The commentary helps contextualize each saying without being overwhelming or overly academic. That said, the edition does have a point of view…which can get a little “woo woo” – it’s not super academic. And there are certainly better editions out there, but this one was used & cheap at my local bookstore. It’s better than reading free online.

It’s also just fascinating as a primary source. The fact that this text exists at all — recovered from the Egyptian desert in 1945 — is amazing. It gives us a window into early Christianity that we simply wouldn’t have otherwise.

For anyone interested in the history of religion, the first century, or how Christianity developed in its earliest years, the Gospel of Thomas is essential reading.

Who Should Read This

If you’re interested in:

• The historical Jesus
• Early Christianity and how it developed
• Religious history and primary sources
• Understanding the diversity of early Christian thought

Then the Gospel of Thomas is definitely worthwhile. The Davies edition makes it particularly approachable for general readers while still being substantive enough for serious study.