An authentic saying of Jesus in the 'Gospel of Thomas'? (Methodological developments in the investigation of the historical/extra-synoptical Jesus)

The Gospel of Thomas provides an important component in many recent portrai ts of Jesus as a non-eschatological sage. Various material is cited from Th omas, yet careful analysis of individual sayings and redactional layers is rare. This is particularly true of sayings without Synoptic attestation. Is it possible that Thomas contains authentic sayings not found in the NT? Wh at methodological steps would be necessary to isolate such material? How wo uld such sayings affect portraits of the historical Jesus? These issues are explored through analysis of Saying 82 of the Gospel of Thomas.