Giuseppe wrote: ↑Fri Jan 19, 2018 1:36 am
I have no time for riddles about names.
When you will publish your book, I will read your thoughts to say so.
But I confess that I am partial to the idea that the Earliest (post-70) Gospel was a gentile sacred drama that showed ''the Jews'' as the 'bad' of the story.
How can a drama or source be utterly dependent upon Judaism (be it rabbinical or Samaritan) and be Gentile simultaneously? Or are you still going off the idea that Marcion was anti-Jewish? Even though he is completely respondent to the Judaism of his time, and even announced the New Covenant (a Jewish idea) of Christ/Chrestus?
No, the original, post-Kitos Gospel, was one hundred percent Jewish.
As far as names, you yourself are attempting to decipher the link between James and Judas. Yet you don't consider Thomas Judas Didymus? You don't consider why names are chosen, and overlook their double-meaning?
Let me simplify it for you. Thomas is the Paraclete. Whether it be James or Paul; by blood or mystical transformation. The twin serves to continue, or to preach, the ways of the departed Jesus as the Risen Lord. Gospel of Thomas (the Twin!) is about just that. Thomas has no agency as an autonomous person. It is allegorical.
And who are the Sons of Thunder? Let he who has ears hear me!
But seriously, I think you're brushing this aside too quickly. But yes, this will be the subject of the other book. (One about Peregrinus; the other about John and James).