Why is the gospel of Thomas not in the Bible?
Some people say Christians have removed some books from the Bible, or that we should reconsider so-called “lost books.” One of the most common examples brought up is the Gospel of Thomas. This has led many to ask, is the Gospel of Thomas in the Bible?
The short answer is no. The early church rejected this book, and for good reason. Here’s why the Gospel of Thomas was left out of the Bible and why it does not belong in Scripture.
The Gospel of Thomas was not written by Thomas
The book claims to be written by the apostle Thomas, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples. However, there is no historical evidence that Thomas actually wrote it.
Most scholars agree that it was written much later, likely in the second century, by an unknown author using Thomas’s name. Groups trying to promote their own religious ideas often used this tactic, which is called pseudepigraphy.
Books had to pass the apostolic authorship test in order to be included in the Bible. Since Thomas did not write this gospel, it fails this test.
The Gospel of Thomas contradicts the Bible
Many of the sayings in this book do not align with the teachings of Jesus found in the Bible. Some are confusing or unbiblical, making it clear that this text does not belong in Scripture.
One example is a passage that suggests women must become men to enter heaven. Another states that those who discover hidden knowledge will not experience death. These ideas do not match what Jesus taught in the New Testament.
Here are some statements found in the Gospel of Thomas that differ from biblical teachings.
Jesus said, “Blessed is the lion that’s eaten by a human and then becomes human, but how awful for the human who’s eaten by a lion, and the lion becomes human.”
Jesus said, “When you see the one who wasn’t born of a woman, fall down on your face and worship that person. That’s your Father.”
Simon Peter said to them, “Mary should leave us, because women aren’t worthy of life.”
These statements sound nothing like the words of Jesus recorded in the Gospels. The biblical Jesus taught that salvation comes through Him, not through secret knowledge. He also never suggested that women were unworthy of life.
Because the Gospel of Thomas contains teachings that contradict Scripture, it is clear that it is not inspired by God.
The Gospel of Thomas promotes Gnostic teachings
This book was widely used by Gnostics, a group that believed salvation came through secret knowledge rather than faith in Jesus. Gnosticism taught that the physical world was evil and that only spiritual things were good.
The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that God created the physical world and called it good. Scripture is clear that salvation comes through faith in Jesus, not through discovering hidden knowledge.
Since the Gospel of Thomas promotes false doctrine, the early church rejected it.
The early church never accepted the Gospel of Thomas
From the beginning, church leaders did not include this book in the Bible. It was never widely used by Christians and was not recognized as inspired Scripture.
The books that made it into the Bible were tested carefully. They had to be written by apostles or their close associates, align with biblical truth, and be widely accepted by the church.
The Gospel of Thomas fails all three tests. It was written too late to be from Thomas, it contains teachings that contradict Jesus, and it was never accepted by the early church.
Why is the gospel of Thomas not in the Bible? Final thoughts...
The Gospel of Thomas is not in the Bible, and it never should be. It was not written by an apostle, it contradicts Scripture, and it promotes false teachings.
Some people claim that this book was lost or removed from the Bible, but that is not true. The early church recognized that it was not inspired by God and did not belong in the collection of biblical writings.
Christians do not need to worry about lost books of the Bible. God has preserved His Word, and the 66 books we have today are the ones He intended for us. If a book was left out, it was for a good reason.
Stick to the Bible, and you will never be misled.