Judas: Betrayer or Best Friend?
Have you heard? The latest on Judas is that he was not a traitor after all; he was the best friend of Jesus. Here is the story.
In the 1970s, the Gospel of Judas was discovered by looters in the Egyptian desert. An antiquities dealer placed it in a safety deposit box in New York, where it rapidly deteriorated. In 2000, it was purchased by a Swiss antiquities dealer named Frieda Nussberger-Tchacos, who handed it over to the Maecenas Foundation of Ancient Art in Basel Switzerland. With support from the National Geographic Society and the Waitt Institute of Historical Discovery, the Foundation began the time-consuming, painstaking process of reassembling the estimated 1000 pieces of the manuscript. The content of the manuscript was released to the public on April 6, 2006.
Analysis of the paper, ink, and ancient writing style indicate that this manuscript was made around 300 AD (an ancient author refers to it in 180 AD). Scholars are agreed that it was written by Gnostics, a sect that emphasized spiritual knowledge of God (Gnosticscomes from the Greek word gnosis, which means “knowledge”). Gnostics believed that the world was created by an inferior god, who imprisoned the inner self in a material body. The Gospel of Judas clearly reflects the teachings of Gnosticism.
The Gospel of Judas consists of conversations that are supposed to have taken place between Jesus and Judas during the last week of their lives. Jesus is said to share spiritual secrets with Judas, not known by other disciples. Jesus says to Judas, “Step away from the others and I will tell you the mysteries of the kingdom.” The manuscript pictures Judas, not as a betrayer, but as the best friend of Jesus. Purposely, Judas turned Jesus over to the authorities, because Jesus asked him to do so! By helping Jesus to rid himself his flesh, Judas helped him liberate the divine being within Him.
Was Judas a betrayer or the best friend of Jesus? You either believe the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John or you believe the Gospel of Judas.
Matthew, Peter (Mark wrote what Peter preached), and John were constant companions of Jesus (27-30 AD). They were present when Judas betrayed Jesus (30 AD). Matthew wrote his Gospel between 45 and 50 AD. Mark wrote between 61 and 67 AD and John wrote before 70 AD. Luke, who was not present, but did extensive research, wrote his Gospel in 59 AD. What Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16). Paul quotes Luke and calls what he wrote Scripture (see 1 Tim. 5:18).
The Gospel of Judas was written more than a hundred years after the events by those who rejected the basic teaching of the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament. I don’t know about you, but given the fact, it is easier for me to believe the Bible—again!
© G. Michael Cocoris, 4/10/2006
In the 1970s, the Gospel of Judas was discovered by looters in the Egyptian desert. An antiquities dealer placed it in a safety deposit box in New York, where it rapidly deteriorated. In 2000, it was purchased by a Swiss antiquities dealer named Frieda Nussberger-Tchacos, who handed it over to the Maecenas Foundation of Ancient Art in Basel Switzerland. With support from the National Geographic Society and the Waitt Institute of Historical Discovery, the Foundation began the time-consuming, painstaking process of reassembling the estimated 1000 pieces of the manuscript. The content of the manuscript was released to the public on April 6, 2006.
Analysis of the paper, ink, and ancient writing style indicate that this manuscript was made around 300 AD (an ancient author refers to it in 180 AD). Scholars are agreed that it was written by Gnostics, a sect that emphasized spiritual knowledge of God (Gnosticscomes from the Greek word gnosis, which means “knowledge”). Gnostics believed that the world was created by an inferior god, who imprisoned the inner self in a material body. The Gospel of Judas clearly reflects the teachings of Gnosticism.
The Gospel of Judas consists of conversations that are supposed to have taken place between Jesus and Judas during the last week of their lives. Jesus is said to share spiritual secrets with Judas, not known by other disciples. Jesus says to Judas, “Step away from the others and I will tell you the mysteries of the kingdom.” The manuscript pictures Judas, not as a betrayer, but as the best friend of Jesus. Purposely, Judas turned Jesus over to the authorities, because Jesus asked him to do so! By helping Jesus to rid himself his flesh, Judas helped him liberate the divine being within Him.
Was Judas a betrayer or the best friend of Jesus? You either believe the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John or you believe the Gospel of Judas.
Matthew, Peter (Mark wrote what Peter preached), and John were constant companions of Jesus (27-30 AD). They were present when Judas betrayed Jesus (30 AD). Matthew wrote his Gospel between 45 and 50 AD. Mark wrote between 61 and 67 AD and John wrote before 70 AD. Luke, who was not present, but did extensive research, wrote his Gospel in 59 AD. What Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John wrote was written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2 Tim. 3:16). Paul quotes Luke and calls what he wrote Scripture (see 1 Tim. 5:18).
The Gospel of Judas was written more than a hundred years after the events by those who rejected the basic teaching of the Old Testament, as well as the New Testament. I don’t know about you, but given the fact, it is easier for me to believe the Bible—again!
© G. Michael Cocoris, 4/10/2006