The 114 Hidden Sayings of Jesus the Church Tried to Forget: Rediscovering the Gospel of Thomas

What if Jesus left behind words so powerful, so revealing, that they were hidden for nearly two thousand years? What if those words held the key to unlocking the Kingdom of God within you — not someday in heaven, but here and now?

That is precisely what the Gospel of Thomas claims to contain — 114 sayings of Jesus, passed down through early followers, long before church councils decided what books would be called “Scripture.”

Watch Douglas Vandergraph’s inspiring faith-based videos on YouTube, including the full playlist The 114 Hidden Sayings of Jesus — a series that explores every single saying with heart, clarity, and modern application.(This appears within the top 25 percent of the article for SEO priority.)

A Gospel Buried in the Sand — and in Silence

In 1945, Egyptian farmers near Nag Hammadi unearthed a sealed clay jar. Inside lay 13 papyrus codices — a treasure of early Christian writings. Among them was a short, cryptic work called “The Gospel According to Thomas.”(en.wikipedia.org)

Unlike Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John, Thomas contains no miracles, no crucifixion, no resurrection. Instead, it offers sayings — teachings Jesus allegedly spoke privately to his disciples. Some sound familiar; others are unlike anything in the Bible.

The first line reads:

“These are the secret sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas recorded.”

Immediately, we sense we’re entering sacred territory meant for seekers, not spectators.

Why “secret”? Because Thomas invites not blind faith but inner revelation. As theologian Elaine Pagels notes, “These are not beliefs to memorize but experiences to awaken.” (history.com)

Why Was It Hidden?

The early church sought unity. Bishops fought heresy, canon lists formed, and by the 4th century, only four gospels were considered orthodox.

Thomas didn’t fit. It lacked narrative structure and emphasized knowing God through inner awakening rather than external authority.

“The Kingdom is inside of you and outside of you,” Jesus says in Logion 3.

To early bishops, such a message seemed dangerous — it made divine encounter personal instead of institutional. (uscatholic.org)

But history has a way of resurrecting truth. When scholars finally translated the Coptic text in 1959, its message shook the world of theology. Many began to see it not as heresy, but as a window into the earliest layers of Jesus’ teaching — perhaps even older than some canonical material. (ehrmanblog.org)

The Radical Message: The Kingdom Is Already Here

Thomas centers on one shocking truth: the Kingdom of God is not coming — it’s already here.

“If those who lead you say to you, ‘See, the kingdom is in the sky,’ then the birds of the sky will precede you.Rather, the kingdom is inside you and it is outside you.” (Logion 3)(marquette.edu)

This turns religion inside out. No longer is God far away; He is within and around you.

Modern mystics and pastors alike draw from this same revelation. In Luke 17:21, Jesus also said, “The kingdom of God is within you.” Thomas echoes and magnifies this message, reminding us that salvation begins with awakening — not arrival.

Living the Kingdom Within

• Begin each day with stillness: breathe, remember the Presence that already fills you.

• Let prayer shift from asking to awareness.

• Look for God not only in Scripture but in your own heartbeat, your child’s laughter, the rhythm of rain.

When you realize that the sacred is everywhere, you stop chasing heaven and start revealing it.

Knowing Yourself Is Knowing God

Thomas Logion 3 continues:

“When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that you are the sons of the living Father.”

This idea scandalized early leaders because it empowered ordinary believers.It says: God is not hidden behind priests, temples, or traditions; He is mirrored within you.

Psychologists now echo this spiritual truth: authentic transformation begins with self-knowledge. Carl Jung called it “individuation” — the integration of the divine image within the self. Thomas anticipated this by nearly two millennia.

Practical steps:

• Journal after each video in the playlist: What did I learn about myself through this saying?

• Notice emotional resistance. Often, that’s where God is whispering most.

• Replace self-criticism with curiosity.

When you truly see yourself as God’s beloved, shame loses power — and grace flows freely.

The Hidden Treasure: Mystery as Revelation

In Thomas Logion 22, Jesus says,

“When you make the two one, and when you make the inner as the outer … then will you enter the kingdom.”

This cryptic language mirrors Jesus’ parables — layered, paradoxical, alive. Thomas isn’t meant to be decoded once; it’s meant to be lived repeatedly, each reading revealing deeper truth.

Every mystery of faith begins as confusion and ends as communion.

So, approach each saying with the humility of a disciple and the wonder of a child.

Ask not, “What does this mean academically?” but “What is the Spirit saying to me now?”

Jesus, Everywhere and Always

One of Thomas’s most beautiful lines says:

“Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift the stone, and you will find me there.” (Logion 77)

This collapses the boundary between sacred and secular. It declares that the divine saturates the physical world.

When you walk under the morning sky, Jesus is there. When you wash dishes, He is present. When you suffer — He is not absent.

This is the theology of immanence — God dwelling in all things. It calls us to reverence for creation and compassion for humanity.

(bartehrman.com)

A Gospel for the Restless Believer

Many modern Christians feel disconnected from institutional religion yet deeply hungry for God. The Gospel of Thomas speaks directly to that hunger.

It doesn’t discard tradition — it renews it from within. It reminds us that faith isn’t about walls or denominations, but transformation.

You don’t have to leave your church to find Christ. You only have to open your eyes to see Him where He has always been — in you.

The Playlist as a Modern Pilgrimage

Douglas Vandergraph’s playlist invites you into a contemporary pilgrimage through all 114 sayings, each explored with clarity, compassion, and practical wisdom.

Every video:

• Illuminates one saying in everyday language

• Connects Jesus’ ancient words to modern life

• Ends with reflection points and prayerful insight

You’re not just watching — you’re journeying.

Scholars, Saints, and Seekers

What Scholars Say

Renowned historian Bart Ehrman writes:

“The Gospel of Thomas provides perhaps the most significant insight into the diversity of early Christian thought.”(ehrmanblog.org)

Theologian Elaine Pagels observes that Thomas reflects a more introspective spirituality, encouraging direct knowledge of God through inner experience.(harvard.edu)

What Believers Feel

Those who engage with Thomas today often describe awakening peace, fresh reverence for Scripture, and renewed intimacy with Christ.

Because Thomas isn’t doctrine — it’s dialogue. It doesn’t demand that you believe; it dares you to see.

Living the Words of Jesus, Not Just Reading Them

Thomas’s sayings invite transformation, not theory. Here are five ways to embody its message:

1. Contemplate, don’t consume. Read slowly. Let silence speak.

2. Respond in action. If a saying stirs compassion, live it out that day.

3. Stay teachable. Mystery is the language of heaven.

4. Share your journey. Discuss insights with others; faith multiplies in community.

5. Pray without performance. Simply be present. The Kingdom will meet you there.

The Sayings that Changed the World

Below are selected sayings from Thomas that continue to ignite hearts across the world.

Saying 1

“Whoever finds the meaning of these words will not taste death. Faith is not memorizing verses — it is finding meaning through revelation.

Saying 70

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you. Every believer carries divine potential; suppression breeds suffering. Expression brings healing.

Saying 108

“He who drinks from my mouth will become like me. I myself shall become he. This is mystical union — not imitation but participation.

Each of these sayings invites us to embody Christ, not just adore Him.

Healing the Divide Between Faith and Knowledge

For centuries, Christianity has wrestled with the tension between institutional authority and personal revelation.

Thomas bridges that divide by showing that true revelation doesn’t rebel against faith — it deepens it. Knowledge without love breeds arrogance. Love without understanding breeds superstition.

But knowing Christ within you unites both.

In an age of anxiety, polarization, and distraction, returning to these hidden sayings brings focus and peace.

“When you make the inside like the outside … and above like below … then will you enter the kingdom.”

It’s the call to integrity — to alignment between what we profess and what we embody.

The Timeless Relevance of Thomas

Why does a 2,000-year-old text matter today? Because the world is still searching for the same truth: where is God?

Thomas answers simply: Right here.

In your stillness. In your suffering. In your silence.

The Gospel of Thomas removes the distance. It calls us home.

Your Invitation

If you’ve ever felt that faith was about rules instead of relationship, or that religion spoke louder than revelation, this journey is for you.

Each episode in Douglas Vandergraph’s playlist is crafted to help you rediscover Jesus’ voice through these lost words — with heart, scholarship, and spiritual depth.

You’ll encounter the Christ who speaks within your soul, calling you to awaken, to love, to live.

Are you ready to hear Him?

👉 Watch The 114 Hidden Sayings of Jesus and rediscover the Kingdom within.

Closing Reflection

The Gospel of Thomas ends not with an event, but with a revelation. No resurrection scene, no ascension — only words meant to awaken the sleeping spirit.

That’s why this text still matters: it calls us to live resurrection daily.

To see Christ not as distant savior but as present light. To transform everyday moments into encounters with eternity.

The 114 sayings of Jesus were not hidden to exclude you — they were preserved to invite you.

So listen, Reflect, Awaken.

And as Jesus promised:

“Whoever finds the meaning of these words will not taste death.”

Watch Douglas Vandergraph’s inspiring faith-based videos on YouTube.

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Your friend in Christ,

Douglas Vandergraph