Judas Did Not Betray Jesus

The London Times reports an ancient manuscript written in Egypt in 300AD purports to show that Judas Iscariot was not the betrayer who sold Jesus to his enemies for 30 pieces of silver, as the bible says.

The fragile document was put on show for the first time this afternoon at the National Geographic Society in Washington:

The apocryphal account of the last days of Jesus's life portrays Judas as a loyal disciple, who followed Jesus's orders in handing him over to the authorities and thus allowed him to fulfil the biblical prophecies of saving mankind.

[. . .]

The story it tells is strongly at variance with the Church's official line on the death of Christ, making Judas Jesus's closest friend.

"The Gospel of Judas turns Judas’ act of betrayal into an act of obedience," said Craig Evans, the Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Acadia Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

"The sacrifice of Jesus’ body of flesh in fact becomes saving. And so for that reason, Judas emerges as the champion and he ends up being envied and even cursed and resented by the other disciples."

Elaine Pagels, the Harrington Spear Paine Foundation Professor of Religion at Princeton University, commented: "Whether or not one agrees with it, or finds it interesting or reprehensible, it’s an enormously interesting perspective on it that some follower of Jesus in the early Christian movement obviously thought was significant."

The New York Times reports ccholars have long been on the lookout for the Gospel of Judas because of a reference to what was probably an early version of it in a text called Against Heresies, written by Irenaeus, the bishop of Lyons, around A.D. 180.

According to the London Times, the document has had a checkered history since it was discovered near Beni Masar in Egypt in the 1970s. After being sold twice and stolen once, the manuscript is in poor condition. National Geographic cable and satellite television channel will broadcast a documentary about the document on Sunday.

In its effort to authenticate the document the National Geographic Society utilized radiocarbon dating, ink analysis, handwriting analysis, multispectral analysis and contextual evidence. The findings of the authentication efforts led experts to conclude the manuscript was copied down sometime around A.D. 300.

This National Geographic press release provides excerpts from the Gospel of Judas:

The Gospel of Judas text begins: "The secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot during a week, three days before he celebrated Passover." It reflects themes that scholars regard as being consistent with gnostic traditions. In the very first scene Jesus laughs at his disciples for praying to "your God," meaning the lesser Old Testament God who created the world. He challenges the disciples to look at him and understand what he really is, but they turn away.

The key passage comes when Jesus tells Judas, "... you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me." By helping Jesus get rid of his physical flesh, Judas will help liberate the true spiritual self or divine being within.

Judas is singled out several times for special status. "Step away from the others and I shall tell you the mysteries of the kingdom. It is possible for you to reach it, but you will grieve a great deal," Jesus says. He also tells Judas, "Look, you have been told everything. Lift up your eyes and look at the cloud and the light within it and the stars surrounding it. The star that leads the way is your star."

The gospel also suggests Judas will be despised by the other disciples but will be exalted over them. "...you will be cursed by the other generations — and you will come to rule over them," Jesus says. Judas also reports a vision where he is harshly opposed by the other disciples: "In the vision I saw myself as the 12 disciples were stoning me and persecuting [me severely]."

A passage in the gospel appears to refer to the transfiguration of Judas. "Judas lifted his eyes and saw the luminous cloud, and he entered it." People on the ground hear a voice from the cloud, but what it says may remain forever unknown due to a gap in the papyrus.

The gospel ends abruptly. "They [the arresting party] approached Judas and said to him, 'What are you doing here? You are Jesus' disciple.' Judas answered them as they wished. And he received some money and handed him over to them." No mention is made in this gospel of Jesus' crucifixion or resurrection.

Pages from the document will be exhibited at the National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall in Washington beginning Friday, April 7.

Comments

[Nanette26Justice]

When you're in a not good position and have no cash to go out from that point, you will need to take the mortgage loans. Because it would help you for sure. I get consolidation loans every time I need and feel fine because of this.

[P-Style]

It's that time of year again when all these articles appear in the media. Haven't the press got time for this stuff during the rest of the year? This document has been known about since the 1970's . . .

www.orientalparade.blogspot.com
www.phillstyle.blogspot.com

[Pastor Vi]

As a child I was always bothered by the hate for Judas. Where was the forgiveness in this? I actually felt that God had used him.

Now as a 73 year old ordained minister I am anxious to read what the Gospel of Judas has to say. As a scholar I realize that the sacred writings were written and translated by men, as we do now - they all had an agenda of sorts. As a pastor, I am emotionaly bound up with what I have always been taught to believe. The two don't have to be mutually exclusive. So I will wait and see what this writer(Judas?) has to say. Thanks Calif. Yankee for blogging about this!