Non-Canonical Gospels Trivia Quiz

Answer: False

The fictional thriller "The Da Vinci Code" may be giving people this impression. Where to begin? First, we do not have a record of anywhere near 80 Gospels--either in existance today or as alluded to in ancient writings. We know for certain of less than forty.

Second, not all the Gospels that ever existed were considered for inclusion in the canon.

Third, Constantine, though he asked Eusebius to produce him 50 copies of the scriptures, played no actual role in selecting any of the New Testament scriptures. The development of the New Testament canon was a long process not finally, officially concluded until the Synod of Hippo in 393 A.D. However, prior to that, the selection of four gospels was fairly firmly established in tradition, long before Constantine. The Muratorian list, which dates from the end of the second century, lists only four Gospels. And in the second century Irenaeus wrote, "There are four gospels and only four, neither more nor less. " Although many other Gospels were written than the four finally chosen, most were dismissed by the church fathers as either heretical or simply non-authoritative. Only a handful of now non-canonical Gospels ever appear to have been taken seriously by any of the early church fathers.

Answer: The Ebionites

We do not actually have the Gospel of the Ebionites, but from what we can read of it in other writings, it appears to have combined Matthew, Mark, and Luke, absent the miraculous birth and the claims to divinity. The Ebionites claimed to follow the teaching of James and denied Christ's divinity, teaching instead that he was only adopted as God's son at his baptism.

Answer: Marcion

The Gnostic Marcion's proposed canon contained ten letters of Paul (the letters we now have except for Timothy and Titus) and a single Gospel which may have been an edited version of Luke. The church may have been spurred to form the New Testament canon in response to Marcion's canon. Marcion excluded from his canon those books and letters and verses that seemed to imply that the God of the Old Testament was good and that creation was good, since he taught that the God of the Old Testament was evil and not the true God.

Answer: Thomas

It was found among other Gnostic books and is thought by most scholars to express a Gnostic world view. There is some debate as to its date of authorship, though most scholars place it in the second century. Some of the sayings, however, are thought to trace back to the historical Jesus, and a few scholars have even argued that it predates the canonical Gospels.

Many of the sayings are similar to those found in Matthew, Mark and Luke, and others are quite different.

Answer: Gnostics

The Gospel was discovered at Nag Hammadi. Prior to the discovery, we only knew of its existence from the writings of Irenaeus. The Gospel says nothing of Christ's life, but rather celebrates salvation from material bondage. Some scholars believe it was written around 130 AD by the Gnostic Valentius.

Answer: In a cave

Christ is said to be born in a cave in the Gospel of Mary as well. The Infancy Gospel attempts to fill in the details of Jesus' life as a child.

Answer: Gospel of Peter

For a long time, we only knew of the Gospel's existence from Eusebius, but a large fragment of it was discovered in 1886. Serapion apparently thought nothing of the Gospel's use until it was drawn to his attention. He read it, deemed that parts of it could be used to support heretical views, and forbade its use. What we have of the Gospel narrates the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus.

In it, Christ emerges from the tomb followed by His cross, which speaks aloud.

Answer: Mark

Smith was cataloging books in a library when he discovered a letter copied by hand into the back of a book. The letter was addressed to Theodore from the second century Bishop Clement. In it, Clement refers to a "secret" version of Mark's Gospel that had been appropriated and misused by a heretical sect. He quotes a passage from the "secret" version of the Gospel in which Jesus resurrects a young man who then comes to him at night dressed in only a linen cloth, staying with him and learning the mysteries of God.

Smith then wrote a book in which he interpreted this passage as having homoerotic overtones. There is much scholarly debate as to the authenticity of this letter. Only Smith's photographs exist--the book containing the letter has never been seen by any other Western scholar, and the ink has never been tested.

Some have suggested that Smith himself may have forged the letter, noting that the book in which it was presumably discovered was not in any previous catalogue of the monastery and has never been furnished for examination. The secret Mark passage also seems to support theories Smith was already working on prior to his discovery. Others, however, claim that Smith's Greek was not good enough for him to have forged the copy, that handwriting experts have declared it to be an 18th century handwriting style, and that the vocabulary matches that of Clement.

Answer: Gospel of the Hebrews

We only know of this Gospel from the church fathers who mention it and quote from it. It was apparently used by Jewish-Christians who considered James to be their leader/founder.

Answer: Gospel of the Egyptians

Though referenced by Hippolytus, Epiphanius, and Clement, we have no existing copy of this gospel today. From what survives, it seems to have placed and emphasis on sexual asceticism.

Answer: 14

In the Protevangelion, she is only twelve. In both, Joseph seems to marry her with the understanding that she is to remain a virgin after marriage.

Answer: The Protoevangelion

In the Gospel, Zecharias refuses to tell Herod's servants where the child John is hidden, and they slaughter him at the entrance to the temple. This is also sometimes referred to as the Infancy Gospel of James.

Answer: Infancy Gospel of Thomas

In the Gospel, The son of Annas the scribe takes a branch and disperses the waters the child Jesus had gathered together to make a pool, where he was forming clay sparrows. Jesus, angered, calls him evil, ungodly, and foolish, and says he will be withered up like a tree. Immediately, the child is withered. (See Chapter 3, vs. 1-3).

Answer: False

There is no mention of Christ being married in this Gospel. The only mention of any Mary is when Peter tells Christ, "Make Mary leave us, for females don't deserve life."

Answer: Nicodemous

The Gospel details Christ's trial, crucifixion, and his descent into hell.

Answer: Gospel of the Nazoreans

In his "Memoirs," dated about 180 A.D., Hegesippus makes mention of the existence of this Gospel. ("Memoirs" is lost to us but is quoted in the writings of Eusebius.) Fragments of this Gospel can be found in the writings of Origen and Jerome.

Answer: Four

According to Charles W. Hedrick's article "The 34 Gospels: Diversity and Division Among the Earliest Christians", which first appeared in "The Bible Review", we have four complete non-canonical Gospels, seven other non-canonical Gospels that survive in fragments, four that are quoted in ancient writings, and several more that are simply referred to without direct quotations.

Answer: The Gospel of Judas

According to Irenaeus, this Gospel declares that Judas knew the truth as no other disciple did and therefore accomplished the "mystery" of the betrayal.

Answer: An early harmony of the four Gospels

Harmonies of the four canonical gospels were in popular use among the churches, and such harmonies are still compiled and published today.

Answer: The Gospel of Philip

Used by the Gnostics, this Gospel also interprets passages from the book of Genesis. A Coptic translation survives today.