Quote Originally Posted by Michael Joseph View Post
I think you wise to question everything, but I would like you to consider that there are three items found in the Ark of the Covenant. The Tables are clearly symbolic of the O.T. Aaron's Rod that buds [Reed] is clearly the N.T. and yet there remains a Golden Bowl with "Hidden Manna" within. Manna is food [teachings]. Thusly, consider that perhaps there are many other books that did not make it into the Reed [canon].

In fact, St. Paul quotes from many extra-canonical sources. Of course, trust no man, study to show thyself approved unto God. If one can read or recognize the hidden language in symbols then one is not in need of a canon. Nevertheless, each according to what he/she can eat. And thusly be satisfied.

Exo 16:17 And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.

Exo 16:18 And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating.
True. However, why does there exist a great insistence about the timing of the writing of the Thomas "gospel" by those who wish to assert its authority and inspiration as equal to the four canonical gospels? Doesn't that matter in regards to its claimed authenticity? The title in your post says it all, "These are the secret words which the Living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas wrote". Really?

If that claim is proven untrue, then what of the rest of it? Also, the four Gospels have 4 key elements in common whereas these are either contradicted, diminished or ignored in the other non-canonical "gospels"...

(1) the apostolic preaching about Jesus, from the beginning, involved four key elements; (2) all four of the canonical gospels have these four elements in common; and (3) the extracanonical gospels do not, and in most cases do not clearly have any of them. These four key elements, identified by Paul in the mid fifties and clearly representing an even earlier tradition, are summarised in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: (i) the identity of Jesus as the Christ, anointed by the creator God of Israel, (ii) his fulfilment of the Jewish Scriptures, (iii) his effective atoning death on behalf of others, and (iv) his bodily resurrection from death.

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If there exists contradictions in fundamental theology between the Four Gospels and the non-canonical "gospels", what do you hold as true?