Editing Gospel of Thomas (section)

====Syriac origin====
Several scholars argue that Thomas is dependent on Syriac writings, including unique versions of the canonical gospels. They contend that many sayings of the Gospel of Thomas are more similar to Syriac translations of the canonical gospels than their record in the original Greek. [[Craig A. Evans]] states that saying 54 in Thomas, which speaks of the poor and the kingdom of heaven, is more similar to the Syriac version of Matthew 5:3 than the Greek version of that passage or the parallel in Luke 6:20.{{sfnp|Evans|2008|p={{Page needed|date=September 2010}} }}

[[Klyne Snodgrass]] notes that saying 65–66 of Thomas containing the [[Parable of the Wicked Tenants]] appears to be dependent on the early harmonisation of Mark and Luke found in the old Syriac gospels. He concludes that, "''Thomas'', rather than representing the earliest form, has been shaped by this harmonizing tendency in Syria. If the ''Gospel of Thomas'' were the earliest, we would have to imagine that each of the evangelists or the traditions behind them expanded the parable in different directions and then that in the process of transmission the text was trimmed back to the form it has in the Syriac Gospels. It is much more likely that Thomas, which has a Syrian provenance, is dependent on the tradition of the canonical Gospels that has been abbreviated and harmonized by oral transmission."{{sfnp|Snodgrass|1989}}

[[Nicholas Perrin]] argues that Thomas is dependent on the ''[[Diatessaron]]'', which was composed shortly after 172 by [[Tatian]] in Syria.{{sfnp|Perrin|2006}} Perrin explains the order of the sayings by attempting to demonstrate that almost all adjacent sayings are connected by Syriac catchwords, whereas in Coptic or Greek, catchwords have been found for only less than half of the pairs of adjacent sayings.{{sfnp|Perrin|2002}} Peter J. Williams analyzed Perrin's alleged Syriac catchwords and found them implausible.{{sfnp|Williams|2009}} [[Robert F. Shedinger]] wrote that since Perrin attempts to reconstruct an [[Syriac language|Old Syriac]] version of Thomas without first establishing Thomas's reliance on the ''Diatessaron'', Perrin's logic seems [[Circular reasoning|circular]].{{sfnp|Shedinger|2003|p=388}}