The Gospel of Judas: Controversy? or Enlightenment?

The Gospel of Judas was uncovered in Egypt in the 1970's and has now finally been restored and translated. Although several pages of the text were destroyed by the hands of time and an unlikely mishap at Burger King. This is no joke, the document was mistankingly left behind at a Burger King and several pages may have been mistankingly thrown away on food trays. Enough of the document has been restored to show a very different view of Judas and his relationship with Christ that has sparked a controversy in the Christian mainstream beliefs and the Catholic church.

The Gospel of Judas is alleged to be documented accounts from Judas's personal journal that were adapted and transferred to papyrus paper. The document details an in depth account of Jesus's last days on earth and the role that Judas was destined to fulfill. Many of the Gospels in the New Testament portray Judas as an evil do-er and a scoundrel. The Gospel of Judas portrays him in a much different light. It portrays him as Christ's most loved and deeply spiritual disciple. The controversy lies in the fact that it shows that Judas was not at all a traitor, in fact it states that Jesus himself asked Judas to betray him. Jesus knew that the betrayal had to occur for him to be sacrificed on the cross for the salvation of others. Jesus then told Judas that he would be cursed by the generations that followed, but that he would one day come to rule over them. The portrayal of Judas in the Gospel of Judas is quite the opposite of that in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

One other strong controversy has arisen from the Gospel of Judas because of how Christ is portrayed as being more human than divine. The Gospel of Judas mentions that Jesus frequented the theater and occasionally drank wine, and sipped whiskey. It mentions that Jesus laughs, a lot. This is an obvious contradiction to the portrayal of Jesus as being very serious. The most controversial evidence in this document that has stirred up the beliefs of the mainstream Christian faith is, according to an article written for Education in Flatland, "He doesn't die for our sins; rather, he tries to show us how to enter the mystery, and thus find our own salvation, our own transcendence. He talks of "light" and "luminous clouds" and "stars," along with other new-age mumbo jumbo. He seems to see the body as being unreal, mere "clothing" for the divine spirit. He says as much to Judas: "You will sacrifice the man that clothes me." These thoughts and principals challenge the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

We can toss around theories, and classify the document as a heretic writing. But the truth lies within us. As individuals we will come to know the truth if we search deeply. Does the Judas Gospel change our belief in Jesus or what he came to do? I think it is better to see the human qualitites in Christ and to know that he was in control of his destiny. I find it more believable that Judas was part of a larger plan and that he was the only disciple that understood what he needed to do to fulfill his ulitmate destiny. I don't think it made it any easier for him to betray Christ, but he knew what he had to do.