The Gospel of Judas - What is it?

TL;DR:

The Gospel of Judas is a second-century text that portrays Judas not as a betrayer but as a disciple obedient to Jesus’ command, contradicting the New Testament account. The Gospel of Judas distorts the gospel and should not be considered reliable Scripture.

what does the bible say?

The Gospel of Judas is a second-century manuscript that presents a radically different portrayal of Judas Iscariot, casting him not as a betrayer but as a disciple obedient to Jesus’ instructions. While the New Testament records Judas’ betrayal for thirty pieces of silver and his subsequent guilt and suicide (Matthew 26:14-16; 27:3-5; Acts 1:16-18), the Gospel of Judas reframes his actions as faithful obedience, suggesting that only some people possess a soul and that Jesus’ death was not necessary as a sacrifice but allowed Him to return to a “luminous cloud” (contradicting John 10:17-18; Hebrews 9:26; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Discovered in a Coptic manuscript in 2006, the work dates to around the second century and was previously condemned by early church leaders such as Irenaeus of Lyons, who recognized it as a contemporary writing, not authored by the biblical Judas. The text not only distorts the identity and mission of Jesus but also portrays the apostles in a violent and misleading light, directly contradicting core New Testament teachings. Though it offers historical insight into early Gnostic beliefs and the development of alternative Christian narratives, the Gospel of Judas is neither inspired Scripture nor a reliable source for understanding Jesus, salvation, or the true Gospel message (John 3:16).

from the old testament

The Gospel of Judas is an intertestamental work that is not recorded in the Old Testament.

from the new testament

The New Testament tells us of Judas Iscariot. He was recorded as the disciple who betrayed Jesus and led His enemies to arrest Him in exchange for thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16; 27:3-5). Judas felt guilty afterwards and later hanged himself (Matthew 27:3-5; Acts 1:16-18). Yet the Gospel of Judas offers an alternative account that portrays Judas as betraying Jesus in obedience to Jesus’ command, making him appear less like a “bad guy” and more like a faithful disciple.
Other different teachings in the Gospel of Judas include that only some people have a soul, and that the death of Jesus was not required as a sacrifice, but rather allowed Jesus to escape humanity and return to the “luminous cloud” (cf. John 10:17-18; Hebrews 9:26), but passages such as; 1 Peter 1:18-19 affirm Jesus’ sacrificial death as necessary and universal).

implications for today

In 2006 National Geographic made public a new manuscript of a document known as the Gospel of Judas whose origin was shrouded in mystery. Researchers and media quickly sought to discover more, creating a frenzy of information and fascination about the manuscript.

Two important questions regarding the Gospel of Judas include the origin of the manuscript and its accuracy. The origin of the Gospel of Judas dates to the second century. In approximately AD 180, Bishop Irenaeus of Lyons wrote against the Gospel of Judas, calling it out as a contemporary writing and therefore indicating it was not written by the biblical Judas. No known copy of the Gospel of Judas existed until the 2004 revelation of a Coptic manuscript, which claims to have been stolen from Egypt in the 1970s, moved to Geneva, and made available to scholarship as early as 1983. The content of the manuscript was made public in 2006 and carbon dating has dated it to approximately 280 plus or minus 60 years.

Also, what is the accuracy of the manuscript? If the Gospel of Judas was spoken against when it was first released in the second century, there must have been some concern about its accuracy from the earliest time. The concern was certainly with its contents. Rather than revealing Judas as the betrayer, Judas is portrayed as the one disciple who understood the mission of Jesus. He obeyed the command of Jesus to betray Him. Later, Judas was stoned by the other disciples.

The representation of Judas in the gospel of Judas contradicts numerous New Testament passages, changes the Gospel message, and portrays the apostles as murderers (or at least as enforcing capital punishment on Judas). The ideas in the Gospel of Judas flatly conflict with and change central teachings of the New Testament. It is quite understandable that the early church leaders rejected the Gospel of Judas and the writing did not have more widespread influence in the church's history. While the manuscript offers many important opportunities for research, it is not a Gospel nor should it be taken as a literal account of history.

understand

The Gospel of Judas portrays Judas in a way that contradicts the New Testament account.
The Gospel of Judas also teaches ideas opposed to Scripture, like only some people having a soul and Jesus’ death not being necessary.
Though historically interesting, the Gospel of Judas is not Scripture and was rightly rejected by the early church.

reflect

How does the New Testament portray Judas, and why is that important for you to understand as it relates to Jesus?
How do you discern between historical curiosity and trustworthy teaching in writings about Jesus?
How might the distortions in texts like the Gospel of Judas challenge your faith or strengthen your reliance on Scripture?

engage

How does the portrayal of Judas in the Gospel of Judas contrast with the New Testament, and what implications does that have for understanding Jesus’ mission?
Why did the early church leaders reject texts like the Gospel of Judas, and what does that teach us about guarding the truth of the Gospel?
How can studying non-canonical texts help us better appreciate the accuracy and reliability of the New Testament?