falsely written under their name, knowing that we have not had any such things delivered to us. For I, when I was with you, supposed that all of you adhered to the right faith, and, not having gone through the Gospel which they produced under the name of Peter, I said: If this is all that seems to cause you scruples, let it be read. But now that I have learned from what has been told me, that somewhat of heresy was nesting in their mind (lit. their mind had its lair in a certain heresy), I will take care to come to you again: so, brethren, expect me soon.
But you, who have comprehended of what manner of heresy Marcion (Gr. Marcianus) was, and how he contradicted himself, not understanding what he uttered, will learn the truth from what has been written to you (in this treatise).
For we have been enabled to borrow this very Gospel from others who used it, namely, the successors of those who were its authors (lit. began it) whom we call Docetae (Seemers)—for most of their notions belong to that school—and to go through it, and to find that most of it is of the right teaching (word) of the Saviour, but some things are adventitious;. a list of which we have drawn up for you.
Eusebius (iii. 3. 2) also names the Gospel (with the Acts, Apocalypse, and Preaching of Peter) as a writing not handed down among the ‘Catholic’ Scriptures, and not used as testimony by ancient or modern church writers. (This, as regards the Apocalypse and Preaching, is an exaggeration.)
Theodoret (of heretical Fables, ii. 2) says: ‘The Nazaraeans are Jews who know Christ as a righteous man, and use the Gospel called “according to Peter’’.’ (What we know of the Gospel and of the Nazarenes forbids us to give credence to this statement.)
GOSPEL OF THOMAS
The Infancy Gospel current under the name of Thomas is also given below. The ancient testimonies, as in the case of Peter, are placed here. We are not absolutely certain that our Gospel of Thomas is a form of the older one, though the one quotation we have of the latter coincides curiously with the subject of the former, I have, myself, very little doubt that our Gospel is the skeleton of the old one—the stories retained and the unorthodox discourses cut out 1 .
Origen says (Hom. 1 on Luke): There is also current the Gospel according to Thomas.
1 Indian influence has been suggested as a factor in these stories, and tales of the childhood of Krishna and of Buddha have been cited, which have a colourable resemblance to some of those in the Gospel. The thesis is not proved, but I have sometimes thought that the name given to Thomas in the Latin version, ‘Ismaelite’, might be the
