The Gospel of Judas

[2ndAmendment]

<p>

The first known mention of the Gospel of Judas was by St. Irenaeus in AD 180: “[The Gnostics] declare that Judas the traitor was thoroughly acquainted with these things, and that he alone, knowing the truth as no others did, accomplished the mystery of the betrayal; by him all things, both earthly and heavenly, were thus thrown into confusion. They produce a fictitious history of this kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas” (Adversus haereses 1:31:1)

By your own reference: "They produce a fictitious history of this kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas”
<h2>fictitious
</h2> One entry found for <b>fictitious</b>.<form name="entry" method="post" action="/cgi-bin/dictionary">
Main Entry: <b>fic·ti·tious</b> <a href="javascriptopWin('/cgi-bin/audio.pl?fictit01.wav=fictitious')">
<img src="http://www.webster.com/images/audio.gif" border="0" height="11" width="16" /></a>
<br /> Pronunciation: <tt>fik-'ti-sh&amp;s</tt>
<br /> Function: <i>adjective</i>
<br /> Etymology: Latin <i>ficticius </i>artificial, feigned, from <i>fictus</i>
<br /> <b>1</b> <b>:</b> of, relating to, or characteristic of <a href="http://www.webster.com/dictionary/fiction">fiction</a> <b>: <a href="http://www.webster.com/dictionary/imaginary"><font size="-1">IMAGINARY</font></a></b>
<br /><b>2 a</b> <b>:</b> conventionally or hypothetically assumed or accepted &lt;a <i>fictitious</i> concept&gt; <b>b</b> <i>of a name</i> <b>: <a href="http://www.webster.com/dictionary/false"><font size="-1">FALSE</font></a>, <a href="http://www.webster.com/dictionary/assumed"><font size="-1">ASSUMED</font></a></b>
<br /><b>3</b> <b>:</b> not genuinely felt
<br />

Again, a reason it was not copied and distributed by the early Christians. The early Christians were missionaries from the start only they used hand copied Scripture tracts.

 

[DD214]

<p> By your own reference: "They produce a fictitious history of this kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas”

...

That was my point. To show that this is nothing new and that the earliest Christians viewed it as false. The Gnostics were known for taking sacred texts and rewriting them to fit their own views. They distorted not only Christian texts, but also Jewish and Pagan texts as well.

 

[2ndAmendment]

That was my point. To show that this is nothing new and that the earliest Christians viewed it as false. The Gnostics were known for taking sacred texts and rewriting them to fit their own views. They distorted not only Christian texts, but also Jewish and Pagan texts as well.

I was pointing the fictitious part out for those that may have missed it.

 

[Makavide]

Matthew 27:1-5
1 And when morning was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the people took counsel against Jesus, that they might put him to death. 2 And they brought him bound, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. 3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and ancients, 4 Saying: I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. But they said: What is that to us? look thou to it. 5 And casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed: and went and hanged himself with an halter

So, if Judas hung himself before Jesus was crucified, who/when did he tell his side of the "story" so that it could be written 200 years later?

 

[Qurious]

So, if Judas hung himself before Jesus was crucified, who/when did he tell his side of the "story" so that it could be written 200 years later?

good point!!!

 

[Tonio]

So, if Judas hung himself before Jesus was crucified, who/when did he tell his side of the "story" so that it could be written 200 years later?

Here's a theory from Elaine Pagels's "The Gnostic Gospels": It's possible that the titles of the official and unofficial Gospels don't necessarily indicate authorship. the titles might indicate the author's theological allegiance to a particular apostle or disciple, or a statement of belief by a particular Christian faction that existed during the religion's turbulent early days.

 

[Penn]

I saw the 2 hour documentary on the gospel of Judas the other night, and I felt I had to send an e-mail to the National Geographic Channel:


Subject: A Question Or Two...About the Gospel of Judas

There were some interesting theories put forth tonight in
your program concerning the Gospel of Judas. I am intrigued, however, that
no mention of who the possible author of this Gospel was. Not even once
during the program was the subject ever broached. That leaves me wondering a few things.
Who would have written the Gospel? How would they have even
known what was purported to have been told to Judas by Jesus, or when it was supposed to have been done?
In the testimony I saw tonight in the Gospel of Judas, as
soon as he realized the outcome, and the magnitude of his deed(s), he went
and did away with himself, and there, by your own account, that is where the story ends.
The Gospel does not contain an account of the Crucifixion,
thereby, in my opinion, validating the idea that Judas did in fact commit
suicide in very short order after that night when he gave Jesus up to the
Roman guards. By all accounts, even in the other Four Gospels, Judas did
exactly that - he killed himself.
There is no mention of him ever recounting his thoughts to another individual, be it a Disciple, or Roman, or a Sadducee, or any other Jewish authority.
So, I ask again, who would have had knowledge of what Jesus
was to have supposed to have told Judas, and then sat down and scribed an
interesting but somewhat incomplete document?