Certainly
the Bible is a remarkable book -- unquestionably the world's all-time
bestseller with countless millions of copies in print. Actually, the
Bible is a compilation of 66 books written by over 40 separate authors
from a variety of backgrounds (from lowly peasants to noble kings) over a
period of at least 1,600 years. These 66 books are divided in two
principle parts, the "Old Testament" (39 books) and the "New Testament"
(27 books). The Bible was completed in its entirety nearly 2,000 years
ago and stands today as the best-preserved literary work of all
antiquity with over 24,000 ancient New Testament manuscripts discovered
thus far.
In the early centuries of the Christian era there were multiple sacred texts resulting from communities in various parts of the Mediterranean world trying to come to grips with the meaning of Jesus Christ for their lives. In addition to the four canonical gospels, we have four complete noncanonicals, seven fragmentary, four known from quotations and two hypothetically recovered for a total of 21 gospels from the first two centuries, and we know that others existed in the early period. For political reasons, and to foster uniformity of beliefs among the early Christians, the Church decided to include only the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible.
*****
One of such gospels which is not included in the Bible is the Gospel
of Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. It is believed
that the Vatican is aware of this Gospel. A copy was discovered in the
1970s in an Egyptian cave, has been authenticated by carbon dating,
studied, and translated by biblical scholars.
*****
The Bible's New Testament Gospels depict Judas as a traitor. He is
one of the most reviled men in history. As told in the New Testament
Gospels, Judas betrayed Jesus for "30 pieces of silver," identifying him
with a kiss in front of Roman soldiers who later crucify the founder of
Christianity. But was Judas only obeying his master's wishes when he
betrayed Jesus with a kiss? This was what the Gospel of Judas seems to
convey.
*****
The Gospel of Judas portrays Judas in a very different perspective.
According to the Gospel, Jesus favors Judas above other disciples by
saying, "Step away from the others and I shall tell you the mysteries of
the kingdom," and "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." It goes on to
describe Judas as Jesus' closest friend, someone who understands
Christ's true message and is singled out for special status among Jesus'
disciples. In the key passage Jesus tells Judas, "'you will exceed all
of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me.'"
*****
That was the reason why Jesus chose Judas to be the one to betray Him
in order to fulfill Jesus’ plan. The Gospel of Judas appears to
interpret Judas's act not as betrayal, but rather as an act of obedience
to the instructions of Jesus. This assumption is taken on the basis
that Jesus required a second agent to set in motion a course of events
which He had planned. In that sense Judas acted as a catalyst. The
action of Judas, then, was a pivotal point which interconnected a series
of simultaneous pre-orchestrated events, with Jesus asking Judas to
turn him in to the Romans to help Jesus finish His appointed task from
God.
*****
Makes sense, doesn’t it? Without the betrayal, could Jesus Christ have accomplished his mission of salvation?
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