An in depth examination of the earliest material in the Gospel of Thomas

[Bindi]

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This paper [link below] is a preliminary look at the Kernel Gospel [of Thomas] through the lens of rhetorical analysis. DeConick examines the five speeches of Jesus in the Kernel Gospel of Thomas, and concludes that Jesus' message at this early stage of interpretation had an apocalyptic character, featuring eschatological dimensions as well as mystical ones. These mystical ideas, however, took on a life of their own when, after the fall of the Jerusalem Temple, the Thomasine Christians felt the impact of the delayed Eschaton. With the collapse of their teleology came a reformation of their apocalyptic thought. This reformation resulted in a shift that served to isolate the mystical dimension from the temporal, making the mystical an end unto itself.

 

On the Brink of the Apocalypse

 

 

Edited June 20, 2017 by Bindi