Infancy Gospel of Thomas Flashcards
When was the Infancy Gospel of Thomas likely written?
It was first mentioned by Irenaeus around 180 CE, but it is dated to approximately 125 CE by Cartlidge and Dungan.
What type of literature is the Infancy Gospel of Thomas?
It is part of the apocryphal gospels, providing non-canonical stories about Jesus’s childhood.
What kind of savior god is Jesus in the Infancy Gospel of Thomas?
Jesus is portrayed as eternal, demonstrating divine power over life and death from a young age.
Which episode demonstrates Jesus’s authority over life?
In 17.1-2, Jesus resurrects a dead child, and the onlookers declare him a god or angel.
What incident showcases Jesus’s creative power?
In 7.2-3, Jesus miraculously stretches a wooden beam, showing control over physical materials.
How does Jesus demonstrate power over death in the story of the carpenter?
In 18.2, Jesus resurrects a dead man, allowing him to resume his work.
How does Jesus exhibit wisdom and teaching ability beyond human capacity?
In 4.1 and elsewhere, Jesus speaks with divine knowledge, astonishing teachers with his understanding of the Law.
What typical traits of divine humans or savior gods does Jesus exhibit?
Jesus shows miraculous powers (e.g., healing, raising the dead), extraordinary wisdom, and authority over nature.
How do these traits compare to those in other gospels?
Jesus demonstrates the ability to raise the dead, as seen in 17.1-2 of the Infancy Gospel and in examples like Lazarus in the Gospel of John.
What miraculous ability does Jesus demonstrate in both the Infancy Gospel and other canonical texts?
The ability to raise the dead, as seen in 17.1-2 of the Infancy Gospel and examples like Lazarus in John.
Is there evidence that the Infancy Gospel used previous gospels as sources?
Yes, it appears to draw from Luke in the story of Jesus at the temple, which parallels Luke 2:41-50, from Mark in its focus on Jesus’s divine authority, and from John in its themes of Jesus’s preexisting divine nature and wisdom.
How does the Infancy Gospel expand upon earlier narratives?
It adds stories of Jesus’s childhood miracles, emphasizing his divine nature from an early age.
What modifications does the Infancy Gospel make to earlier gospel narratives?
It fills gaps by portraying Jesus as a miraculous child, addressing curiosity about his youth.
Why might the author have written the Infancy Gospel of Thomas?
The author likely wrote it to address gaps in the canonical gospels, providing stories about Jesus’s childhood to satisfy early Christians’ curiosity.
What cultural reasons might explain the creation of this gospel?
The gospel aligns with the Greco-Roman tradition of emphasizing miraculous childhoods of divine humans or heroes.
