Gnostic Gospels picture of Jesus.

From our series entitled, "Do Ancient Documents Uncover a Radical New Jesus? Do the Gnostic Gospels offer a more accurate picture of Jesus?

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[Millipedecult]

This guy uses the same reasoning the fight against the gnostic gospels, the saem reasoning he uses to protect the Bible.

[John Ankerberg]

What do you mean?

[Millipedecult]

He says the Gnostic Gospels are corrupted, because of the timelapse it took to take for oral history to be written down. On the same note, when he defends the bible(talking about that timelapse from when Jesus died, until the NT was written) he says this timelapse further proves the bible. I kind of confused myself just now, but I'm saying is he is using a double standard.

[Erickson Zapata]

What's wrong with the Gospel of Thomas! Gospel of Thomas concentrated on the Lord's teachings alone. I think before they dismiss it, understand it, or maybe they can't understand it because they are afraid they might get lost. No! absolutely, the Gospel of Thomas from the first saying to the last are legitimate teachings of the Lord and are in unison with four gospels of the bible. The view that the Gospel of Thomas is giving to it's reader is the view of our true selves. A Sleeping Spirit.

[bigchris3121]

This is comical to anyone who has really read it. He speaks very carefully and subtly twists context to try and devalue the the book.

What about Jesus saying to his disciples "to you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom heaven, but to them it has not been given."

That is why he spoke in parables "seeing they man not see & hearing they may not hear" Dont u think his disciples would have much more knowledge? "we impart a wisdom not of this age"... there's reason to believe thomas

[Nunya Binnus]

IF one who is christian, supports popes priests that promote a dogma and you support these dogmatic sources you are a Christian. Welcome to the wide road, if however you would like to live, know Christ, this then requires one to walk in His footsteps ie follow the path. That narrow way which leads to life, when you run into Him You will become Him and you will do greater things than have been preached unto by them of dogma.

[John Sparks]

Perhaps that is because I am a Christian in that I am a follower of Yeshua. Luke 10:25-28 sets the conditions of finding the Kingdom, it differs from what the Church Institutions say. I see the Logos who entered Yeshua as the son of the Theos (the true God). At the same time, all Christians are called "Children of God". I'm just trying to explain my beliefs as I would say I know more about my beliefs than John Ankerberg. If you wanted research Islam, would you ask a Hindu?

[RealEros1]

When I wrote that comment, I was still in high school, and barely learning about both the history of Christian thought, and thoughts that influenced/went against it.

All in all, I've grown wiser. Thank you for your comment anyways. My experience with non-Christians have usually been brutal (cursings, insults, etc.) haha.

I see that you're the kind of person to respect different perspectives. Thank your civility.

[tart green]

As an atheist I find this Gnostic Gospels historically very interesting.

I don't agree with your guests opinion of the Gospel of Thomas. He seems very fearful of the implications of the Gnostic Gospels. Anyway, I thought this interview was very interesting nonetheless.

[John Sparks]

As a Valentinian Gnostic Christian, I agree but I say the same for some books in the cannon. Take 1st and 2nd Timothy: It was written later than many gnostic books and long after Paul, the alleged author died. So instead of being handed a pre-selected menu, I decided to do my own research. We should never let someone tell us who God is, we should discover God for ourselves. That is the very purpose of life itself.

[John Sparks]

The "Jesus Movement" were some of the top biblical scholars that went back to the bible with an historical, non-institutional approach. They were not "Liberal" nor "Conservative" and Yeshua didn't wear a GOP badge on his robe.

The "Christian Right" would have people believe that anyone who doesn't step in line is going to hell. It's the same idea and people that tell us that we have to go to thier religious institution but Yeshua never said that. He told us to BE the church.

[John Sparks]

Gehenna was an an earthly location outside Jeruselem where rubbish was burned but barring that, no one has the right to judge.

As for the actual existance of hell, we may have to agree to disagree. I have no problem with doing that respectfully. Believing if hell exists or not was never a condition to finding the kingdom in any book of the bible.

Our greatest difference is probably more in the Old Testiment. I see the OT God very differently from the NT God, as many in the early church did.

[LandscapeDallas]

Yeah, that is pretty crazy to say absolutely whether a specific individual is going to hell (or, gehenna would be more accurate). As if any mortal has access to those books.

The Orthodox follow the ancient Christian view of these things. The Western writer who expresses a similar view best is probably CS Lewis. I do believe there is a place of torment for the unrepentant but I believe the doors to gehenna are locked from the inside not by God. His desire is for all to be saved.

[John Sparks]

True but there is also plenty of judging out there, I have had plenty of people telling me that I am going to hell.

I don't even believe in hell. It doesn't make sence for me to have a Loving God saying: "Love me or I will burn you forever." Why would God create humanity knowing most of them would be tortured forever?

My way of thinking is offensive, even threatening to some. Yet I can relate with Gnostic Muslems (Sufi) while the main religions are killing each other. We are pacivists.