Judas—best known for
betraying Jesus in the Bible by literally selling him out, leading to Jesus’
crucifixion and death—gains a different perspective in the long-lost Gospel of
Judas, which may have been suppressed due to the description of his close
friendship with Jesus and the suggestion that Jesus told Judas to betray him, both
of which significantly counter the version of events told in the Bible today. Since
the gospel was likely written in early Christianity, a time with much
infighting regarding the correct teachings and way to worship, it is probable that
there was much controversy over Judas. A gospel that portrays Judas positively
goes against much of Christian preaching today, and likely much of Christian
preaching at the time. Presenting Judas, an apostle made infamous for betraying
Jesus for the Romans in exchange for thirty pieces of silver, as Jesus’ closest
apostle who sacrificed himself so that Jesus could fulfill the prophecy and
ascend to heaven was surely controversial and likely had a large backlash. Suppression
of the gospel due to the sensitive, controversial nature of Judas would be
unsurprising. Judas remains a controversial figure today, with many countries
banning the film The Last Temptation of
Christ in part because it depicts a more positive depiction of Judas. I
found it very interesting to read about someone historically villainized as a
traitor in a completely different light, and how this ancient gospel
contradicts some of what is preached today, though I am curious as to its
legitimacy, regarding whether it is really Judas’ account, and whether would be
considered part of biblical canon. I would have liked to have read an article
with more information about the discovery of the gospel and the response to it in
addition to reading the gospel itself to provide more context.