Friday, September 19, 2008

Simon Gathercole on Gos. of Thomas and Paul

In an article by Simon Gathercole on "The Influence of Paul on the Gospel of Thomas (53, 3, & 17)" in Das Thomasevangelium: Entstehung, Rezeption, Theologie, Gathercole argues the possible influence of Paul's language on the Gos. Thom. in three logia:

- Rom. 2.25-3.2 on Gos. Thom. 53 (a high degree of probability).
- Rom. 10.7 and Gos. Thom. 3 (probably reasonable).
- 1 Cor. 2.9 and Gos. Thom. 17 (probably reasonable - Thomas uses a source that has been shaped by Paul's usage of Isaiah 64.65.

Gathercole concludes: "The above has two wider implications for the fields of study mentioned in the introduction: the issue of the Wirkungsgeschichte of Paul in earliest Chrsitianity, and the question of the origins of the Gospel of Thomas. On this latter question, we have further evidence of the Gospel of Thomas's dependence upon the New Testament. Dassmann's comment cited above ['Dass Thomasevangelium aus der Mitte des 2. Jahrhunderts laesst dagegen jeden paulinischen Einfluss vermissen'], to the effect that Paul shows no influence upon the Gospel of Thomas, is almost certainly wrong. Treatments of the origins of GThomas need to take account of the evidence for this Pauline influence. In terms of the issue of the early influence of Paul, recent scholarship has undoubtedly been right to criticise Harnack's extremely minimalistic assessment. To the literature subsequent to Paul which bears the marks of the apostle, we should now add the Gospel of Thomas."

1 comment:

Danny Zacharias said...

what is the specific page numbers of this?