The Literary Analysis Revised

Chapter 2 Literary Analysis

Written by: Alex Sabatell, Nelson Yang, John Filak, Tyler Martino, Sahil Vaswani, Anthony D’Aiuto

The Gospel of Mary The Gospel of Mary is a gnostic scripture found in the Berlin Gnostic Codex (an ancient collection of Gnostic texts). No single known author can be attributed to the Gospel of Mary. It can be concluded, because it was found in Egypt, that the author may have been attributed to the Coptic Christians. It was most likely written near Akhmim in Upper Egypt, and Oxyrhynchus in Lower Egypt where it was discovered in the nineteenth century.

The earliest fragments come from the second century originally in Greek it was copied up until the fifth century when it was stopped in production. Early Christians but written in Greek, it was meant for the Coptic language as well.

It is very detailed as an early Christian work and can attest by the surviving texts.

There is more than one central message in the Gospel of Mary, often relating the importance of giving up worldly things or stigmas. The first is judgment of others is wrong, when those judged do not judge others. The second is, to end foolish desires, overcoming ignorance and wrath. The third is those who have the will do things should do them: hearing, the mind to understand, the will to seek should hear, understand and seek. The last one is, Levi tells the disciples to preach without laying down what Jesus said to others. The message not to contend against those who preach Jesus’ message even if they are women, as Mary was favored

by Jesus. The Gospel of Mary is not in the Canon because it is traditionally written by a woman.

Gospel of Mark against the Gospel of Mary Mary

Mark

Author

No known author

Where it was Written

Most likely written in Egypt

Sources

Sources unknown

Written by anonymous (unknown) External evidence does not show where it was written oral tradition and Q

When it was Written

Earliest copies date to the Second Century

66-73

Audience

The Coptic Christians

Judaic Christians

Central Message

The worldly desires and stigmas must be put behind being open and willing to learn new things.

Few fragmented sections

Jesus is the Suffering Messiah

Length of Texts

A complete Gospel

The Gospel of Thomas The Gospel of Thomas was discovered over half a century ago. It has received much controversy since its discovery. It is a Gnostic Gospel mainly, little Narrative Text Book of Sayings Attributed to Jesus. It is a book of Parables and sayings they share Parables that are found in the Gospel of Mark such as the Parable of the Sower, and the Mustard Seed. According to the internal source in the Gospel of Thomas, the authorship of Thomas is dedicated to Didymos Judas Thomas. According to many early traditions, Didymos means twin, and Thomas was recognized as the twin brother of Jesus in early traditions. The manuscript was discovered in the Egyptian desert only a part of the gospel was found. The place of composition is not clear, since scholars have been doing researches on the Gospel of Thomas for a relatively short period of time.

When the manuscript of the Gospel of Thomas was discovered, scholars argue that the Gospel of Thomas was written in the late second or third century. However, most scholars nowadays have rejected that assumption. A common recognized date of composition of the Gospel of Thomas is at the beginning of Christian era, around 70150. It was created for Coptic speaking Gnostic Christians living between 70-150.

The Coptics were located in Egypt and to this day are the oldest Christian Sect. Gnosticism can be defined by belief that the material world should be shunned and the spiritual world should be embraced.

One of the central messages is, one must have self-understanding and deep thought of the nature of the tangible world in which we live in, and these are the keys needed in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Another is according to internal source in the Gospel of Thomas, whoever has understood the meaning of the words which the living Jesus spoke will not taste death. The last is the belief that human beings were one and split and thusly seek each other out.

The Gospel of Mark against the Gospel of Thomas Thomas

Mark

Author

Most Likely Didymos Judas Thomas

Written by anonymous (unknown)

Where it was Written

Where is it written unclear oral tradition and Q

External evidence does not show where it was written oral traditions and Q

When it was Written

Most Likely written between 70150

66-73

Audience

The Gnostics

Judaic Christians

Central Message

One must have selfunderstanding and deep thought of the nature of the tangible world in which we live in to be able to live enter the Kingdom of Heaven Only a fragment

Jesus is the Suffering Messiah

Sources

Length of Texts

A complete Gospel

Works Cited "Didymus: History & Conspiracy." Didymus: History & Conspiracy. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

"Gospel of Mary." Gospel of Mary. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

"The Gospel of Mary." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

"The Gospel of Thomas." - a Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

"The Gospel of Thomas Collection -- The Gnostic Society Library." The Gospel of Thomas Collection -- The Gnostic Society Library. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

"The Gospel of Thomas." The Gospel of Thomas. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.

Picture links http://imgur.com/Y7BfVvJ http://gospel-thomas.net/pictures/cross.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/211/498263848_3c81c68d6a.jpg http://advocatusatheist.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/egertoneger-1-verso.jpg