Why does most New Testament Literature date back only to the third century only?

[GnosticChristianity]

Any answers?

 

[Tonks]

It doesn't...you need to read more. You're confusing the closed canon of Scripture (4th, not 3rd century btw) to the witness of the church fathers.

Scipture and commentary on said works starts not too long after Pentecost. Of course...one of the things that the early commentators established was that contra gnosticism "secret knowledge" was not necessary - indeed it was abberant.

 

[E.C.]

The New Testament canon was formulated in the early 5th century (400s) because the Gnostic heretics spread wrong information. Thus, the Church, as a whole, met and had to figure out which writings were orthodox (small o) and which were heretical.

 

[GnosticChristianity]

The Gnostic Gospels all predate the New Testament. The NT is just a Copy of the Gospel of Thomas with narrative added.

 

[E.C.]

The Gnostic Gospels all predate the New Testament. The NT is just a Copy of the Gospel of Thomas with narrative added.

*buzzer noise* Wrong!

The Gnostic Gospels were written, at earliest, the 2nd century. The books that make the NT were written, at latest, the 2nd century.

Read Irenaeus.

 

[GnosticChristianity]

*buzzer noise* Wrong!

The Gnostic Gospels were written, at earliest, the 2nd century. The books that make the NT were written, at latest, the 2nd century.

Read Irenaeus.

There are differing schools of thought on the dating of the original versions of these gospels.

Other scholars with a deeper focus on pagan and Jewish literature of the period tend to date primarily based on the type of the work:

1. There is a substantial body of literature about the teachings of the savior which were originally part of the Jewish wisdom movement.

2. Gnostic gospels (like the Odes of Solomon) could then date as early as from 200-100 BCE.

3. The Gospel of the Lord can be unquestionably dated to at or before Marcion. Marcion's gospel predates the canonical Luke and was in use in Pauline churches.

4. Documents with a Sethian influence (like the Gospel of Judas, or outright Sethian like Coptic Gospel of the Egyptians can be dated substantially later than 40 and substantially earlier than 250.

 

[E.C.]

Source?


What makes these heretical writings "better" or "greater" than those which the successors of the Twelve were instructed to put together by God the Holy Spirit?

 

[Tonks]

Moving to Unorthodox Theology from General Theology

 

[ARBITER01]

Sorry, gnosticism was in reply to Christianity, not the other way around.

 

[davidklewis]

There are differing schools of thought on the dating of the original versions of these gospels.

Other scholars with a deeper focus on pagan and Jewish literature of the period tend to date primarily based on the type of the work:

1. There is a substantial body of literature about the teachings of the savior which were originally part of the Jewish wisdom movement.

2. Gnostic gospels (like the Odes of Solomon) could then date as early as from 200-100 BCE.

3. The Gospel of the Lord can be unquestionably dated to at or before Marcion. Marcion's gospel predates the canonical Luke and was in use in Pauline churches.

4. Documents with a Sethian influence (like the Gospel of Judas, or outright Sethian like Coptic Gospel of the Egyptians can be dated substantially later than 40 and substantially earlier than 250.

I've not known too many eighteen year olds who write like you do, so I checked.

When "quoting" from another, one should cite his/her source--otherwise it is plagiarism.

You should cite your source(s)--even if it is Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnostic_Gospels

 

[davidklewis]

BTW: enough evidence exists that one can safely date all the NT before AD 70.