Dr. Michael Peppard

then that could connect well with the twin idea that like the way that twins have special, special secret knowledge of one another. And, you know, he told, you know, he told you all those teachings about mustard seeds and whatever, but he told me these special teachings, you know, you, maybe you weren't ready for them, but now I'm going to pass them on.

then that could connect well with the twin idea that like the way that twins have special, special secret knowledge of one another. And, you know, he told, you know, he told you all those teachings about mustard seeds and whatever, but he told me these special teachings, you know, you, maybe you weren't ready for them, but now I'm going to pass them on.

Right. Um, I, I don't, I don't mean, I don't have an opinion on that because it's a series, it's a collection of sayings. It's not a narrative, you know, it's not something that even calling it a gospel is kind of unusual because it's, it does all the other gospels have narrative, right? They, they have the passion narrative. They have, they have miracle stories.

Right. Um, I, I don't, I don't mean, I don't have an opinion on that because it's a series, it's a collection of sayings. It's not a narrative, you know, it's not something that even calling it a gospel is kind of unusual because it's, it does all the other gospels have narrative, right? They, they have the passion narrative. They have, they have miracle stories.

Um, when I teach the gospel of Thomas, I, I call it Thomas, the sayings source. Right. It's almost like Hadiths. That's what it is. Yeah, exactly. And we know we have these from the ancient world. I mean, even in the canon, the book of Proverbs is a saying source, right? The sorts of wise things that Solomon said. And so I don't... I guess I...

Um, when I teach the gospel of Thomas, I, I call it Thomas, the sayings source. Right. It's almost like Hadiths. That's what it is. Yeah, exactly. And we know we have these from the ancient world. I mean, even in the canon, the book of Proverbs is a saying source, right? The sorts of wise things that Solomon said. And so I don't... I guess I...

unsatisfying to you i don't think it so much matters who wrote it because it's a collect it's a compiled set of sayings so who the compiler is doesn't really put much of us as much of a stamp on it as as as it might be the case if it were a kind of long-running narrative with You know, that were based on the person's life.

unsatisfying to you i don't think it so much matters who wrote it because it's a collect it's a compiled set of sayings so who the compiler is doesn't really put much of us as much of a stamp on it as as as it might be the case if it were a kind of long-running narrative with You know, that were based on the person's life.

I have no problem thinking that every one of the disciples of Jesus compiled things that he said and wrote them down eventually. I mean, I think that's, I don't think there's anything implausible about that at all.

I have no problem thinking that every one of the disciples of Jesus compiled things that he said and wrote them down eventually. I mean, I think that's, I don't think there's anything implausible about that at all.

I mean, not only is it possible, it's necessary. I mean, of course, there are things that he said that are not included. And the Gospel of John ends that way. The last line of the Gospel of John is, of course, there are many things that he said and did that are not included in this book. And it would take the world's books to include everything, right? And so I think...

I mean, not only is it possible, it's necessary. I mean, of course, there are things that he said that are not included. And the Gospel of John ends that way. The last line of the Gospel of John is, of course, there are many things that he said and did that are not included in this book. And it would take the world's books to include everything, right? And so I think...

Like one of the things that I love to do when I'm teaching a basic kind of intro, intro New Testament or intro to the Bible class is to get people to think about a funeral of a beloved family member, an elderly beloved family member that they've been to. Because everyone in the class, they're 20 years old, everyone's done this at least once.

Like one of the things that I love to do when I'm teaching a basic kind of intro, intro New Testament or intro to the Bible class is to get people to think about a funeral of a beloved family member, an elderly beloved family member that they've been to. Because everyone in the class, they're 20 years old, everyone's done this at least once.

And I just try to get them to think about the experience of that and the stories they hear and the stories that are told over and over and over again about this person and the kind of thematic characteristics of that person's life that they learn. And then I'll get them to think about, well, what happens when you hear two conflicting stories about your grandma?

And I just try to get them to think about the experience of that and the stories they hear and the stories that are told over and over and over again about this person and the kind of thematic characteristics of that person's life that they learn. And then I'll get them to think about, well, what happens when you hear two conflicting stories about your grandma?

And, you know, one of your uncles is like, well, you didn't hear about once you went to Latin America and what happened then? And then someone else is like, what happened then? Some people find out at funerals that they have sibling they didn't know about.

And, you know, one of your uncles is like, well, you didn't hear about once you went to Latin America and what happened then? And then someone else is like, what happened then? Some people find out at funerals that they have sibling they didn't know about.

from an illicit affair. I mean, all kinds of things happen in addition to kind of the repeated stories that come up over and over and over again. But no one ever at that experience thinks, now we have full access to this life. Now we know everything they did. Now we know everything they thought. We're very comfortable with that, with kind of getting a basic understanding

from an illicit affair. I mean, all kinds of things happen in addition to kind of the repeated stories that come up over and over and over again. But no one ever at that experience thinks, now we have full access to this life. Now we know everything they did. Now we know everything they thought. We're very comfortable with that, with kind of getting a basic understanding