Deutsche, actually. Q document
The hypothetical "Q" document is deduced by noting the passages between Mark, Matthew, & Luke that depict the same scene. Wherever the description or quotes are nearly identical (the books were written decades after the occurrence) it's assumed that they had copied from either the Markean Gospel or the "Q" text.
The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of sayings, quotes, and parables attributed to Jesus. Thomas differs in that it's not a narrative story like the canonical gospels. Also the parables are more simplistic and unadorned. Compared to the other gospels, it can be argued that Thomas wrote "this is what Jesus said" and Mark, Luke, et. al. elaborated on "this is what Jesus meant".
It's been suggested that Thomas was the "Q" source but there are sayings common to the synoptic books that are not in Thomas, so it's likely the both "Q" and Thomas were in circulation in the latter half of the 1st century.
Thank you very much for your reasoned discussion.
I tend to disagree in one point, that Thomas was in a sense more common than the synoptics, in fact he reaches a spiritual height almost absent from the Gospels.
V.(29) Jesus said: If the flesh has come into being because of the spirit, it is a marvel; but if the spirit (has come into being) because of the body, it is a marvel of marvels. But as for me, I marvel at this, how this great wealth has settled in this poverty.
He is speaking of the spirit here, and it goes back to ashes to ashes, dust to dust, we are far more than just our chemistry or physics.
If we chose.
I wonder what most would chose if they knew they were in God's grace. Winning the lottery? Eternal life? Great standing and position?
How many would chose poverty? Disease? Eating bugs and affliction? Like John the Baptist and the ascetics?
For myself, I just want to learn. And finally know. But the most bitter part is I will leave the stage without knowing the last acts of the play.
regards,
djf