Introduction

Many people believe that the Gospel of Thomas should be part of the canonized Scripture.  Groups such as The Jesus Seminar elevate the Gospel of Thomas to the level of canonized Scripture.

The Gospel of Thomas has 114 verses, the majority being supposed quotes of Jesus.  However, for the Bible to be the Word of God and not merely contain the Word of God, one cannot simply sweep anything with quotes of Jesus into Scripture.  It is necessary to examine how the Gospel of Thomas stacks up against canonized Scripture to determine if it should be part of Scripture.

However, as I show below, some verses directly contradict Scripture; therefore, there is a reason that the Gospel of Thomas is not part of Scripture.  Note that this list is not necessarily exhaustive. However, even if only a few verses are wrong:

Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (1 Corinthians 5:6)

Heaven and Earth Were Created for James the Just?

The disciples said to Jesus: We know that thou wilt go from us. Who is he who shall be great over us? Jesus said to them: In the place to which you come, you shall go to James the Just for whose sake heaven and earth came into being. (Thomas 12)[1]

What the Bible Says...

(To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.) The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. (Psalm 19:1)[2]

Pantheism?

Jesus said: I am the light that is over them all. I am the All; the All has come forth from me, and the All has attained unto me. Cleave a piece of wood: I am there. Raise up the stone, an ye shall find me there. (Thomas 77)

This is pantheism (the universe is God).

What the Bible Says...

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)

And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (2 Corinthians 6:16)

And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. (Revelation 21:3)

God's Love Not Equal?

Jesus said: The kingdom is like a shepherd who had hundred sheep. One of them, the biggest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine and sought after the one till he found it. When he had laboured, he said to the sheep: I love thee more than the ninety-nine. (Thomas 107)

What the Bible Says...

How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray? And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish. (Matthew 18:12-14)

And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:3-7)

Only Males Can Go to Heaven?

Simon Peter said to them: Let Mary go forth from among us, for women are not worthy of the life. Jesus said: Behold, I shall lead her, that I may make her male, in order that she also may become a living spirit like you males. For every woman who makes herself male shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. (Thomas 114)

According to the Gospel of Thomas, only males can go to heaven; and females cannot.  This contradicts what the Scripture says:

What the Bible Says...

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. (Galatians 3:26-29)

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

Conclusion

The Gospel of Thomas contradicts canonized Scripture in various places.  It was not a fiat of a church council or anything like that which caused the exclusion of the Gospel of Thomas.

Footnotes

[1] The quotes that use Thomas as a reference are from the Gospel of Thomas.

[2] All scripture references are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted. Please see my about page for why I chose this translation.