Sunday, May 18, 2025
Letter To Elaine Pagels - Part 2
One more comment I would like to make regarding the timing of the Gospel of Thomas. I think you tend to agree with many religion history scholars that the Gospels of Thomas and John were probably written about the same time – as much as 60 years or so after Jesus died. It is assumed that probably Thomas wrote his gospel first because John seems to have written his to refute that of Thomas for his supposed doubting that Jesus was really God taking the form of man to save him from his sin of being separated from God. I agree that John probably wrote his gospel after Thomas, but I am of a mind to believe Thomas probably was the first to write a gospel and all the gospel writers followed Thomas, not just John.
The reason I speculate so is that reasonably, it seems to me that the first gospel would be the simplest, so to speak. Without question, the Gospel of Thomas is by far the simplest because it includes mostly Jesus Said statements and not many Jesus Did reports. Reasonably, Thomas may have written some kind of notes of what Jesus Said during the life of Jesus – and that may be why Jesus never wrote anything himself. Doesn’t that make sense? If not, why did not Jesus write anything himself? In my opinion, it is probably because his friend and disciple, Thomas, did it for him; and then after those notes came to light, Mark, Mathew, Luke and John wrote gospels that included some of what Thomas had written and expanded on them to include events of Jesus doing this and doing that – and probably fabricating some events in the process.
For example, John may have fabricated his tale of Jesus raising Lazurus from being dead for three days. Why do I claim that? Because if it had really happened, all who wrote before John would have reasonably featured it in their gospels. Some consider the raising of Lazurus to be the greatest miracle that Jesus performed. If that is so, why did not Mark, Mathew, and Luke not include it in their reports when they reported on more minor miracles like healing the blind and the lame – and maybe even resusitating one child who seemed to have just died, but Jesus claiming “she is only sleeping.” Is it reasonable to think three men could bypass reporting the so called “greatest miracle” Jesus performed if it had really happened? I don’t think so. Do you? And if John fabricated that tale to try and impress an audience, what else might he have fabricated? And who knows? Mark, Mathew, and Luke could have made up some stories on their own too! Right?
Enough! Thanks so much for your own written works, though, Elaine. You probably do not remember, but my Dear Departed Wife, Nancy, and I and a few friends attended one of your presentations at a church in Greeley, Colorado in 2013. We really appreciated your generosity and we were so grateful you have dedicated yourself to try and seek the truth no matter where it leads. We are alike in that regard. Like you offered to me after your presentation and we exchanged some comments between us – indeed, we are “kindred spirits.” You shared what you think – and I am only returning the favor; and if you did not know it, I have written 10 books featuring my speculations about various matters – mostly soulfully or spiritually related – available through my websites, indicated above. Like you, I am glad I can share them. Feel Welcome to tap into any that you wish. Alright? Thanks Again!
Good Luck, my friend!
Bye for now! Be in touch!
ALL MY LOVE,
Francis William Bessler
P.S. I mentioned that I was studying for the Catholic priesthood when I was 22 in 1964 when I first speculated that God must be An Infinite Presence and not An Infinite Person because of the probability of an Infinite Existence that can never end. I lasted for two more years, but at the conclusion of my fifth year in 1966, I was dismissed because “your thinking is not that of a Catholic priest.” But I don’t think there was a happier student at St. Thomas Seminary – and I am glad I was there - and like you, Elaine - learn to “think for myself.”
One more item that may appeal to you, Elaine! I guess 1964 was a pivotal year in my life because after I concluded that An Infinite God must exist everywhere, I wrote a bit of a novel I called WISDOM that had an angel called “Wisdom” encountering a young pair of siblings, a teenage girl and boy, and “instructing” them that there is no such thing as “original sin” and that they should conduct their lives in Innocense and Simplicity. He also called them by the names of “Innocense” – for the girl – and “Simplicity” – for the boy. Then he instructed them to go forward in life knowing they were free of sin because they could not be separated from God as they had been told before. Then Wisdom told the kids they should live by what he called a “Principle of Integrity.” He told them that “integrity” means “whole” and that they should be mindful that the Whole of Existence must be Sacred because and An Infinite God must be in it and that meant they were Sacred as well because if the Whole is Sacred, then so also must be everything and everyone within it.
Unfortunately, I had only one copy and then lost that copy. I sure was sorry about that, but I guess I have made up for it by writing several more stories whose characters believe they should abide by the advice of “Wisdom” and live their lives living by a “Principle of Integrity.”
If interested, you can find those stories in a book I wrote called FIVE HEAVEN ON EARTH STORIES – available via my websites indicated above. I will let it go at that. OK? Thanks!