Definition

1. Noun:
   • A saying attributed to Jesus Christ that is considered authentic but is not found in the canonical Gospels of the New Testament. It refers to a short, authoritative utterance, often discovered in other early Christian writings, papyri, or manuscripts.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Scholars debated the authenticity and meaning of the newly discovered logion.
  • The Oxyrhynchus papyri contain several important logia of Jesus.
  • This logion parallels a teaching in the Gospel of Thomas.

Advanced Usage

• In textual criticism: The term is used specifically in biblical scholarship to categorize and analyze non-canonical sayings of Jesus.
  • The researcher's thesis focused on the transmission history of a single logion.
• Plural form: The standard plural is logia, derived from Greek.
  • The collection includes over one hundred logia attributed to Jesus.

Variants and Related Words

• Logia (n): The plural form of .
• Apophthegm / Apothegm (n): A concise, pithy saying, often from a historical figure. While similar, this term is not specific to Jesus.
• Agraphon (n): A related scholarly term for an unrecorded saying of Jesus, often used synonymously with .

Synonyms

• Saying: A short, commonly known expression.
• Utterance: Something spoken.
• Aphorism: A concise statement of a principle or truth.
• Maxim: A general truth or rule of conduct expressed briefly.

Notes on Meaning

• The word is highly specialized and primarily used in academic, theological, or historical contexts related to early Christianity and the historical Jesus.
• It implies a judgment of authenticity by scholars, distinguishing it from other unrecorded sayings that may be considered spurious or legendary.

Noun

1. a saying of Jesus that is regarded as authentic although it is not recorded in the Gospels