Careful examinations of the Gospelof Thomas by Klyne Snodgrass and C.M. Tuckett have shown that this text reflects not only a knowledge of all four canonical gospels but also familiarity with the editorial work of all the evangelists, including John, the so-called Fourth Evanelist. Thomas also reflects a knowledge of the editorial work of Matthew and Luke even in the Greek version of Thomas. It also reflects a knowledge of various of Paul's letters, Hebrews, 1 John, and perhaps even Revelation. One has to ask, Who could the author of this document have been, and when could he have written to know all these sources in detail? The answer is surely that he is someone who lived in the second century and had an admiration especially for James, who was martyred in AD 62.
Ben Witherington III, What Have They Done with Jesus? (San Francisco: Harper, 2006), 32.
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