What Are the Apocryphal 'Gospels?'
What Are the Apocryphal 'Gospels?'
And Why Don’t We Include Them in Our Protestant Bible?
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What Are the Apocryphal 'Gospels?'
And Why Don’t We Include Them in Our Protestant Bible?
From time to time, people hear about “lost gospels” or “secret books” that supposedly tell a different story about Jesus than the one found in the New Testament. Books like the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, the Gospel of Judas, or the Infancy Gospel of Thomas are sometimes presented as if they were hidden from Christians by church leaders who wanted to suppress the truth.
But is that really what happened?
The short answer is no. The apocryphal gospels were not omitted from the Bible because they were embarrassing, dangerous, or inconvenient. They were left out because they were not apostolic, not historically reliable, not widely received by the churches, and not consistent with the faith once for all delivered to the saints.
Are the Apocryphal 'Gospels' related to the Apocrypha?
The apocryphal gospels and the Apocrypha are related in name, but they are not the same thing at all. The Apocrypha usually refers to a group of Jewish writings connected to the Old Testament period, such as:
These books were written before Christ or near the time of Christ, mostly in the period between the Old and New Testaments. Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions include some or all of these books in their Old Testament canon, while Protestants generally do not treat them as Scripture.
The apocryphal gospels, however, are later writings connected to the New Testament period and beyond. They claim to tell more about Jesus, His sayings, His childhood, His death, or secret teachings. Examples include:
These are not part of the Catholic, Orthodox, or Protestant New Testament canon. They were generally written after the apostolic age and were not received by the churches as inspired Scripture.
So, the simple difference is this:
The Apocrypha = extra Old Testament-era Jewish writings, accepted by Catholics/Orthodox in varying ways but rejected by Protestants as Scripture.
Apocryphal 'gospels' = later non-canonical writings about Jesus, rejected by Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox as New Testament Scripture.
What Does “Apocryphal” Mean?
The word apocrypha comes from a Greek word meaning “hidden” or “secret.” Over time, Christians used the word to describe writings that claimed some connection to biblical people or events but were not recognized as inspired Scripture.
When we speak of the “apocryphal gospels,” we are referring to later writings that claimed to tell stories about Jesus, His teachings, His childhood, His death, or His resurrection, but were not included in the New Testament. These writings are different from the four biblical Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The biblical Gospels were written in the first century, rooted in eyewitness testimony, connected to the apostles, and received by the early churches as authoritative Scripture.
The apocryphal gospels generally came later, often in the second century or beyond, and many reflect theological ideas foreign to the teaching of Jesus and the apostles.
Examples of Apocryphal Gospels
There are many apocryphal writings, far more than we can cover here, but a few are especially well known. Many of these works were pseudonymous, meaning they were written under the name of a well-known biblical figure or early Christian leader, even though that person did not actually author the work.
The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of sayings attributed to Jesus. Some of the sayings sound similar to the biblical Gospels, but others reflect ideas closer to Gnostic thought, in which salvation is connected to secret knowledge rather than to repentance, faith, and grace.
The Gospel of Judas presents Judas Iscariot in a very different light from the New Testament, portraying him not simply as the betrayer of Christ but as someone who supposedly understood a secret truth.
The Gospel of Peter recounts Jesus’ death and resurrection but includes strange, legendary elements and was rejected by early Christian leaders for failing to faithfully reflect apostolic teaching.
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas tells stories about Jesus as a child. But instead of presenting the holy and righteous Son of God revealed in Scripture, it includes fanciful and troubling stories that are far removed from the character of Christ revealed in the biblical Gospels.
These books may be historically interesting, but they are not Scripture.
Why Are They Not in the Protestant Bible?
The Protestant Bible does not include the apocryphal gospels because they fail to meet the basic criteria for New Testament Scripture.
1. They Were Not Written by Apostles or Apostolic Witnesses
The New Testament books were written by apostles or by those closely connected to the apostles. Matthew and John were apostles. Mark was associated with Peter. Luke was a careful historian and companion of Paul. The writings of Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John were tied directly to apostolic authority.
The apocryphal gospels often use famous names, such as Thomas, Peter, or Judas, but that does not mean those men actually wrote them. In many cases, these writings appeared long after the apostles had died. Attaching an apostle’s name to a later book did not make it apostolic. It showed the opposite: the book needed borrowed authority because it lacked true apostolic authority.
2. They Came Too Late
The four biblical Gospels belong to the first century, during the lifetime of eyewitnesses or within reach of eyewitness testimony. That matters. Christianity is rooted in real events: the incarnation, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Many apocryphal gospels appeared later, often in the second century or beyond. By that time, false teaching had already begun to spread, just as the New Testament warned it would. Later writings could not overturn the earlier, apostolic witness to Christ. The church did not create the authority of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Rather, the church recognized the authority those books already had.
3. They Were Not Widely Received by the Churches
The four Gospels were read, copied, preached, and received across the churches from the earliest generations. They were not merely local favorites. They were recognized broadly among Christians as faithful testimony to Jesus Christ.
The apocryphal gospels did not have this same reception. Some were known only in certain regions or among particular groups. Others were rejected when examined. They did not carry the same widespread recognition among the churches.
This does not mean the church voted on books to be included in the Bible. It means the church recognized the books God had inspired and preserved for His people.
4. They Often Contradict Biblical Doctrine
The most important issue is not merely date or authorship. The apocryphal gospels often teach ideas that outright conflict with, or subvert, the clear doctrine of Scripture.
Some reflect Gnostic influence, treating the material world as inferior or evil and salvation as escape through secret knowledge. But the Bible teaches that God created the world good, that sin is humanity’s great problem, and that salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
The biblical Gospel is public, not secret. Christ came openly. He died publicly. He rose bodily. The apostles preached His resurrection boldly. Christianity is not built on hidden knowledge for a spiritual elite, but on the revealed truth of God in Christ.
As Jude 3 says, believers are to contend “for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.” The apocryphal gospels do not preserve that apostolic faith. They distort it.
Did the Church Hide These Books?
A common claim today is that church leaders suppressed these writings because they were afraid of alternative versions of Christianity. But the historical reality is much less dramatic.
The early church was aware of many false writings and false teachers. The apostles themselves warned about this. Paul warned the Ephesian elders that “fierce wolves” would come in among the church, not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29). John warned believers to test the spirits because many false prophets had gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
So when later writings appeared claiming to reveal the secret teachings of Jesus or offering a different picture of Christ, Christians did not receive them as Scripture. They measured them against the apostolic gospel they had already received. The church did not hide the truth by rejecting the apocryphal gospels. It protected the truth by refusing to treat false or unreliable writings as the Word of God.
Why does this even matter?
This is not just an academic issue. It matters because our faith depends on the true Christ revealed in the true gospel.
If the Bible were merely a collection of books chosen by political power or church preference, then our confidence would be shaken. But that is not what happened. The New Testament books bear the marks of apostolic authority, historical reliability, doctrinal consistency, and widespread recognition among God’s people.
The four Gospels give us the Jesus we need: the eternal Son of God who became flesh, lived without sin, died for sinners, rose bodily from the grave, and reigns as Lord. The apocryphal gospels may satisfy curiosity, but they cannot save. They may be interesting as ancient literature, but they are not inspired Scripture. They do not give us a better Jesus. They give us a distorted one.
Conclusion
Protestants do not reject the apocryphal gospels because we are afraid of them. We reject them because they do not belong to the canon of Scripture. They were not written by the apostles; they came too late, they were not received by the churches as Scripture, and they often contradict the biblical gospel. God has not left His church in confusion. In the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we have the trustworthy apostolic witness to Jesus Christ.
And more than all of that, the church does not need hidden gospels. We need the gospel God has given: Christ crucified, risen, and reigning, for the salvation of all who repent and believe.
What about you? Do you believe this?
And Why Don’t We Include Them in Our Protestant Bible?
From time to time, people hear about “lost gospels” or “secret books” that supposedly tell a different story about Jesus than the one found in the New Testament. Books like the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Peter, the Gospel of Judas, or the Infancy Gospel of Thomas are sometimes presented as if they were hidden from Christians by church leaders who wanted to suppress the truth.
But is that really what happened?
The short answer is no. The apocryphal gospels were not omitted from the Bible because they were embarrassing, dangerous, or inconvenient. They were left out because they were not apostolic, not historically reliable, not widely received by the churches, and not consistent with the faith once for all delivered to the saints.
Are the Apocryphal 'Gospels' related to the Apocrypha?
The apocryphal gospels and the Apocrypha are related in name, but they are not the same thing at all. The Apocrypha usually refers to a group of Jewish writings connected to the Old Testament period, such as:
- 1–2 Maccabees
- Tobit
- Judith
- Wisdom of Solomon
- Sirach / Ecclesiasticus
- Baruch
- additions to Daniel and Esther
The apocryphal gospels, however, are later writings connected to the New Testament period and beyond. They claim to tell more about Jesus, His sayings, His childhood, His death, or secret teachings. Examples include:
- Gospel of Thomas
- Gospel of Peter
- Gospel of Judas
- Infancy Gospel of Thomas
- Protoevangelium of James
So, the simple difference is this:
The Apocrypha = extra Old Testament-era Jewish writings, accepted by Catholics/Orthodox in varying ways but rejected by Protestants as Scripture.
Apocryphal 'gospels' = later non-canonical writings about Jesus, rejected by Protestants, Catholics, and Orthodox as New Testament Scripture.
What Does “Apocryphal” Mean?
The word apocrypha comes from a Greek word meaning “hidden” or “secret.” Over time, Christians used the word to describe writings that claimed some connection to biblical people or events but were not recognized as inspired Scripture.
When we speak of the “apocryphal gospels,” we are referring to later writings that claimed to tell stories about Jesus, His teachings, His childhood, His death, or His resurrection, but were not included in the New Testament. These writings are different from the four biblical Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The biblical Gospels were written in the first century, rooted in eyewitness testimony, connected to the apostles, and received by the early churches as authoritative Scripture.
The apocryphal gospels generally came later, often in the second century or beyond, and many reflect theological ideas foreign to the teaching of Jesus and the apostles.
Examples of Apocryphal Gospels
There are many apocryphal writings, far more than we can cover here, but a few are especially well known. Many of these works were pseudonymous, meaning they were written under the name of a well-known biblical figure or early Christian leader, even though that person did not actually author the work.
The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of sayings attributed to Jesus. Some of the sayings sound similar to the biblical Gospels, but others reflect ideas closer to Gnostic thought, in which salvation is connected to secret knowledge rather than to repentance, faith, and grace.
The Gospel of Judas presents Judas Iscariot in a very different light from the New Testament, portraying him not simply as the betrayer of Christ but as someone who supposedly understood a secret truth.
The Gospel of Peter recounts Jesus’ death and resurrection but includes strange, legendary elements and was rejected by early Christian leaders for failing to faithfully reflect apostolic teaching.
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas tells stories about Jesus as a child. But instead of presenting the holy and righteous Son of God revealed in Scripture, it includes fanciful and troubling stories that are far removed from the character of Christ revealed in the biblical Gospels.
These books may be historically interesting, but they are not Scripture.
Why Are They Not in the Protestant Bible?
The Protestant Bible does not include the apocryphal gospels because they fail to meet the basic criteria for New Testament Scripture.
1. They Were Not Written by Apostles or Apostolic Witnesses
The New Testament books were written by apostles or by those closely connected to the apostles. Matthew and John were apostles. Mark was associated with Peter. Luke was a careful historian and companion of Paul. The writings of Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John were tied directly to apostolic authority.
The apocryphal gospels often use famous names, such as Thomas, Peter, or Judas, but that does not mean those men actually wrote them. In many cases, these writings appeared long after the apostles had died. Attaching an apostle’s name to a later book did not make it apostolic. It showed the opposite: the book needed borrowed authority because it lacked true apostolic authority.
2. They Came Too Late
The four biblical Gospels belong to the first century, during the lifetime of eyewitnesses or within reach of eyewitness testimony. That matters. Christianity is rooted in real events: the incarnation, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Many apocryphal gospels appeared later, often in the second century or beyond. By that time, false teaching had already begun to spread, just as the New Testament warned it would. Later writings could not overturn the earlier, apostolic witness to Christ. The church did not create the authority of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Rather, the church recognized the authority those books already had.
3. They Were Not Widely Received by the Churches
The four Gospels were read, copied, preached, and received across the churches from the earliest generations. They were not merely local favorites. They were recognized broadly among Christians as faithful testimony to Jesus Christ.
The apocryphal gospels did not have this same reception. Some were known only in certain regions or among particular groups. Others were rejected when examined. They did not carry the same widespread recognition among the churches.
This does not mean the church voted on books to be included in the Bible. It means the church recognized the books God had inspired and preserved for His people.
4. They Often Contradict Biblical Doctrine
The most important issue is not merely date or authorship. The apocryphal gospels often teach ideas that outright conflict with, or subvert, the clear doctrine of Scripture.
Some reflect Gnostic influence, treating the material world as inferior or evil and salvation as escape through secret knowledge. But the Bible teaches that God created the world good, that sin is humanity’s great problem, and that salvation comes by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
The biblical Gospel is public, not secret. Christ came openly. He died publicly. He rose bodily. The apostles preached His resurrection boldly. Christianity is not built on hidden knowledge for a spiritual elite, but on the revealed truth of God in Christ.
As Jude 3 says, believers are to contend “for the faith that was delivered to the saints once for all.” The apocryphal gospels do not preserve that apostolic faith. They distort it.
Did the Church Hide These Books?
A common claim today is that church leaders suppressed these writings because they were afraid of alternative versions of Christianity. But the historical reality is much less dramatic.
The early church was aware of many false writings and false teachers. The apostles themselves warned about this. Paul warned the Ephesian elders that “fierce wolves” would come in among the church, not sparing the flock (Acts 20:29). John warned believers to test the spirits because many false prophets had gone out into the world (1 John 4:1).
So when later writings appeared claiming to reveal the secret teachings of Jesus or offering a different picture of Christ, Christians did not receive them as Scripture. They measured them against the apostolic gospel they had already received. The church did not hide the truth by rejecting the apocryphal gospels. It protected the truth by refusing to treat false or unreliable writings as the Word of God.
Why does this even matter?
This is not just an academic issue. It matters because our faith depends on the true Christ revealed in the true gospel.
If the Bible were merely a collection of books chosen by political power or church preference, then our confidence would be shaken. But that is not what happened. The New Testament books bear the marks of apostolic authority, historical reliability, doctrinal consistency, and widespread recognition among God’s people.
The four Gospels give us the Jesus we need: the eternal Son of God who became flesh, lived without sin, died for sinners, rose bodily from the grave, and reigns as Lord. The apocryphal gospels may satisfy curiosity, but they cannot save. They may be interesting as ancient literature, but they are not inspired Scripture. They do not give us a better Jesus. They give us a distorted one.
Conclusion
Protestants do not reject the apocryphal gospels because we are afraid of them. We reject them because they do not belong to the canon of Scripture. They were not written by the apostles; they came too late, they were not received by the churches as Scripture, and they often contradict the biblical gospel. God has not left His church in confusion. In the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, we have the trustworthy apostolic witness to Jesus Christ.
And more than all of that, the church does not need hidden gospels. We need the gospel God has given: Christ crucified, risen, and reigning, for the salvation of all who repent and believe.
What about you? Do you believe this?
"Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” -- John 3:3
Have you been born again? The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death. However, there is Good News! The Bible also says that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? If not, why not?
Have you been born again? The Bible says all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that the wages of sin is death. However, there is Good News! The Bible also says that the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord (Romans 3:23 and 6:23). Is Jesus Christ your personal Lord and Savior? If not, why not?
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