The Gospel of Judas

What's inside the Gospel of Judas?

This gospel offers an alternative view of Jesus Christ’s betrayal and Judas Iscariot's role in history. In the well known story from the canonical Gospels, Judas betrays Jesus to the Jewish authorities, who then deliver him to the Roman governor, who has him crucified. This act has long been interpreted as the archetypal example of betrayal, so much so that the name "Judas" has become synonymous with "traitor". However, in the Gospel of Judas, the betrayal of Jesus is portrayed in a positive light; it is seen as an important spiritual task, one that is done at Jesus' request.

The Gospel is an account of conversation between Jesus and his disciples. The interaction is often mysterious and obscure; near the beginning of the text, Jesus laughs at a prayer of thanksgiving the disciples offer before their meal, and soon after he says, “'Truly [I] say to you, no generation of the people that are among you will know me.'”

Some of the disciples react to this teaching with anger, and the gospel comments on “their lack of understanding.” Judas, however, has a different response:

I know who you are and where you have come from. You are from the immortal realm of Barbelo. And I am not worthy to utter the name of the one who has sent you.

Jesus responds to Judas:

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.

This is one of many points in the Gospel where Judas is singled out by Jesus as being somehow special. At other points, Jesus implies that Judas has a favored status among the other disciples.

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.

This emphasis on the special role of Judas is remarkable, especially in light of the long tradition of considering Judas as a traitorous, cowardly, and weak individual. We discover later in the Gospel that Judas is especially favored not just in spite of the act of betrayal he will carry out, but because of it:

"But you will exceed all of them," Jesus tells Judas, “For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me.” (Gospel of Judas).

This gospel, then, also suggests a different view of Judas' act of betrayal. The process of handing Jesus over to the authorities is described as something necessary, even heroic, an action that Jesus predicts and encourages. And by doing this, the Gospel indicates, Judas will experience great personal suffering but also gain great spiritual rewards. Jesus tells him,

You will become the thirteenth, and you will be cursed by the other generations—and you will come to rule over them. In the last days they will curse your ascent to the holy [generation].”

The Gospel culminates with Judas accepting money from the scribes and delivering Jesus to them. The Gospel has made clear that this act is a necessary part of Jesus' mission and that Judas is carrying out an important spiritual role.