In this lesson, we continue our series on the Canon of Scripture by exploring the so-called "Lost Books of the Bible"—specifically those written by the Gnostics. We look at why these writings were rejected by early Christians and why we can be confident they do not belong in our Bibles today.
Key topics covered in this video:
- What is Gnosticism?: We define the term "Gnostic" (from the Greek word gnosis, meaning knowledge) and discuss their emphasis on secret, esoteric knowledge as the path to salvation.
- The Nag Hammadi Discovery: We talk about the 1945 discovery in Egypt of 52 Gnostic writings, including the "Gospel of Thomas" and the "Gospel of Philip," and why these 2nd to 4th-century texts were never part of the original inspired record.
- Contradictory Doctrine: We examine how Gnostic teachings directly contradict the Bible, particularly the idea that the physical world is inherently evil and the "Docetic" claim that Jesus did not actually come in the flesh—a doctrine the Apostle John specifically labeled as "Antichrist."
- Blasphemous Claims: We look at examples from the Gnostic texts that portray the Creator God of the Old Testament as arrogant or ignorant, and others that turn the serpent in Eden into a "heroic instructor."
- Internal Evidence of Nonsense: We highlight some of the more bizarre claims in these books, such as the idea in the "Gospel of Thomas" that women must become "male" to enter the kingdom of heaven.
While modern documentaries and social media often present these as suppressed "lost truths," a simple reading of the texts reveals why they were rightfully rejected. They are fundamentally different from the inspired, consistent, and public message of the Apostles.
Join us as we learn why these "lost books" were never truly lost—they were simply never part of God's Word.