"I will become Him": Homology and deification in the Gospel of Thomas

Journal article


Litwa, M. David. (2015). "I will become Him": Homology and deification in the Gospel of Thomas. Journal of Biblical Literature. 134(2), pp. 427 - 447. https://doi.org/10.15699/jbl.1342.2015.2772
AuthorsLitwa, M. David
Abstract

This article argues that many of the disparate soteriological themes in the Gospel of Thomas can be united under the category of deification. Strikingly, the Gospel of Thomas presents an early Christian form of deification parallel to the deification of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Like John's Gospel, the Gospel of Thomas presents a Jesus who is fully divine. Unlike in John, however, Jesus's distinctively divine traits and predicates are applied also to the elect in the Gospel of Thomas. The homology of Jesus and the Thomasine Christian indicates a soteriology of gemination—a scenario in which the elect realize their identity with Jesus and thus their status as spiritual “twins.” Since Jesus is presented as a divine figure in the Gospel of Thomas, Thomasine gemination is simultaneously a form of deification.

Keywordsdivinity; deification; images; Christian mysticism; soteriology; Christology; archetypes; children
Year2015
JournalJournal of Biblical Literature
Journal citation134 (2), pp. 427 - 447
PublisherSociety of Biblical Literature
ISSN0021-9231
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.15699/jbl.1342.2015.2772
Page range427 - 447
Research GroupInstitute for Religion and Critical Inquiry
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
Place of publicationUnited States of America
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https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/860yy/-i-will-become-him-homology-and-deification-in-the-gospel-of-thomas

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