agrapha Definition
the sayings of Jesus and other religious leaders that are not included in the canonical Gospels or other official texts.
Using agrapha: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "agrapha" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The agrapha are a collection of sayings attributed to Jesus that are not found in the canonical Gospels.
Example
Some scholars believe that the agrapha may provide insight into the historical Jesus and his teachings.
Example
The agrapha are often cited as evidence of the diversity of early Christian beliefs and practices.
Phrases with agrapha
a term used to describe collections of sayings, such as the agrapha
Example
The logia of Jesus include both the canonical Gospels and the agrapha.
Q source
a hypothetical written collection of Jesus' sayings that is believed to have been used as a source by the authors of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke
Example
Some scholars believe that the agrapha may have been part of the Q source.
gnostic gospels
a collection of early Christian texts that were not included in the New Testament and often contain esoteric or mystical teachings
Example
The Gospel of Thomas is an example of a gnostic gospel that contains a number of agrapha.
Origins of agrapha
from Greek 'agrapha', meaning 'unwritten'
Summary: agrapha in Brief
'Agrapha' [uh-graf-uh] refers to the sayings of Jesus and other religious leaders that are not included in the canonical Gospels or other official texts. These sayings are often collected in works called 'logia,' and some scholars believe they may provide insight into the historical Jesus and his teachings. The agrapha are sometimes compared to other early Christian texts, such as the Q source and the gnostic gospels.