Date: Sat, 26 Apr 1997 12:54:40 -0500
From: Jack Kilmon <jpman@accesscomm.net>
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To: PAUL MILLER <GQUJ76A@prodigy.com>
CC: crosstalk@info.harpercollins.com
Subject: Re: GOT
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PAUL MILLER wrote:
> 
> I would like to suggest three possible threads that may or may not
> have already been beat to death here on crosstalk.
> 
> 1. That the Gospel of Thomas should be dated prior to Mark.

	Paul's use of the GThom (Logion 17) in 1Cor2:9 and his
phrase ALLA KAQWS GEGRAPTAI .."`but according as it has been written"
indicates a written rather than oral tradition deemed by Paul to be
scripture in 54-55 CE.  Paul also uses GThom 5,6 at 1Cor4:5 and
GThom2 at 1Cor4:8 (papOxy 654.2) which is confirmed by Clement
Strom 5.4 which Clement refers to as "Gospel of the Hebrews."

	Paul also relies extensively on WisSol and the Assumption
of Moses..both texts used extensively by the Jesus Jews.  The location
of Q at 1Tim5:18b (parallel at Lk 10:7) may also be a window to these
early "sayings" sources.  If we assume Eusebius is correct that the
disciple known as Matthew wrote a "list of Sayings" contemporaneously
from the vox ipsissima Jesu, this list or "Logia" probably became
the common source for both "Q" and GThom.  The uses of GThom logion 17
at Mark 4:22 and other usages of GThom by canonical Mark and the use of
GThom by Paul confirms, to my mind, the very earlydate of the GThom
tradition...certainly earlier than Canonical Mark.

> 
> 2. That the GOT was possibly read by the group of early christians
> lead by James the Just.

	Jesus' brother and the surviving Jesus people were not
"Christians" no more than Jesus was....but it is likely that the
Jamesian heirs to Jesus collated the "sayings" that would later
give rise to Q and GThom.

> 
> 3. That out of several groups of early christians, the  group that
> survived, Pauls group, is the one the most removed  from the HJ.

	No argument here

Jack Kilmon
Houston, TX
jpman@accesscomm.net