The Gospel of Thomas book club questions

The reading plan

Meeting 1: Chapters 1 to 3

1. What might be gained or lost when Jesus teaches through comparisons rather than direct explanations?
2. Why might Jesus ask his disciples to describe him rather than describe himself?
3. How might naming a leader help or complicate the search for understanding?
4. Do warnings encourage people to seek understanding, or make them afraid to ask questions?
5. What different kinds of understanding might questions and comparisons invite?

Meeting 2: Chapters 4 to 6

6. What tensions does the image of divided service invite us to consider?
7. How might questioning Jesus' identity shape the way his teachings are heard?
8. How does the idea of seeking life before death challenge what you expect spiritual teaching to address?
9. What might Salome hope to gain by questioning Jesus' identity?
10. Is refusing to settle an inheritance a fair boundary for Jesus to set?

Meeting 3: Chapters 7 to 10

11. What possibilities and risks does the contrast between crowds and solitary seekers suggest?
12. How might praise of obedience fit with the emphasis on solitary seeking?
13. What can household stories reveal about the Kingdom that less familiar images might not?
14. What questions about belonging would you bring to Jesus' teachings on generosity?
15. How does an unseen Kingdom change what you would count as evidence of divine rule?

Themes to talk about

Tips for the host

1. Open each meeting with one question everyone can answer, then go deeper.
2. Anyone who fell behind can catch up with the 15-minute summary.