Scripture topics

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Early Christian diversity and the extracanonical gospels

Also known as Nag Hammadi, Gnosticism, Lost gospels, Apocryphal gospels.

Early Christians produced many writings beyond those later collected in the New Testament. Some, such as the Gospel of Thomas, are sayings collections; others, such as the Gospel of Judas, reflect particular movements (often labelled 'Gnostic', a label scholars debate). They are evidence for the variety of early Christian thought, not a single alternative canon.

Researched for v0.1 (AI-assisted). Classifications in works.json are drafts requiring specialist review (ER-0012).

Open in the Scripture LibraryRead Luke 1:1 in context

Passages

  • Luke 1:1
    Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,

    Luke mentions 'many' earlier accounts.

Scripture quotations: Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. Other translations, the Greek and Hebrew, and word study are in the reader.

What the text establishes, and what interpreters infer

Established by the text

  • The texts survive mostly in Coptic manuscripts of the 3rd–5th centuries, some with earlier Greek fragments (see each work's witnesses).
  • Their contents differ greatly from each other in genre and theology.

Inferred by interpreters

  • Dates of composition (often disputed by a century or more).
  • Whether any preserves independent early tradition about Jesus (most debated for Thomas).
  • Which communities used them.

An inference listed here may be well founded; it is listed separately because the passage alone does not state it.

Historical context

Irenaeus (c. 180) mentions a 'Gospel of Judas'. The Nag Hammadi codices were found in Egypt in 1945; Codex Tchacos, containing the Gospel of Judas, was published in 2006.

Sources

“Source checked” means the work and the point cited were confirmed while building this entry; “partly checked” means only part of it was; “not yet checked” means it is a standard reference awaiting review. None of these is a review of this entry, which remains an unreviewed draft.

  • Irenaeus of Lyon, Against Heresies 1.31.1 (mentions a 'Gospel of Judas') (c. 180). source not yet checked
  • Mark M. Mattison, Manuscript Information (gospels.net). Open sourcesource checked