The Gospel of Thomas

Uncovered in Nag Hammadi Egypt in 1945, the Gospel of Thomas has since gained credibility from scholars, who believe it to hold as much validity and importance as the four canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

It has been suggested that the Gospel of Thomas has been suppressed by Christian authorities due to the status allotted to Mary of Magadala as master. Others believe that the Gospel of Thomas has been suppressed because it reveals the Gospel of Jesus' son, Judah Thomas, whose identity has remained under debate.

The Gospel of Thomas also reveals Mary Magdalene and Salome as female disciples of Jesus, a prospect that is consistent with other passages of Gnostic texts such as the Acts of Philip. The text also reveals tensions between Simon Peter and Mary, that are also reflected in the the Gospel of Mary:

Simon Peter said to them, "Make Mary leave us, for females don't deserve life." Jesus said, "Look, I will guide her to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every female who makes herself male will enter the kingdom of Heaven."

(Gospel of Thomas 114)

In addressing the Kingdom of God, the Gospel of Thomas reveals it to be a state of consciousness that is both internal and external, rather than a catastrophic event to come. Scholars such as Elaine Pagels have compared this representation to that of the Gospel of Luke which states in 17:20: "It's within you."