The Gospel of Judas - Gnosticism versus Christianity

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The Gospel of Judas

Gnosticism Versus Christianity

© Laurie McLaughlin

Jun 5, 2007

 

By studying the Gospel of Judas, we can see both the important

teachings of the Gnostic Religion and the Christian Religion the

wisdom of each and why they split

 

Since the discovery in the 1970's of the fourth century Coptic

translation of the original second century Greek text and first

translation into English in 2006, the Gospel of Judas has provided

both an affirmation for modern day Gnostics and seemingly nothing but

a curiosity to the Christians of today.

The Reason the Gospel Was Written

However, the purpose for which it was originally written may have

been specifically to show the major differences in thought and

understanding between the Gnostics of the second, third and forth

century and the early Christians.

For example, one concept in the gospel that both affirms the Gnostics

current views and is quite opposed to the Christian views is about

Judas himself. Christians have been taught that Judas was Jesus'

friend and disciple but Judas eventually turned on him and wantonly

betrayed Him. In the Gospel of Judas, Judas is also Jesus' star

pupil. Jesus gives Judas special treatment because Judas' wisdom

allows him to really understand the most secret teachings of Jesus.

Christian Versus Gnostic View of Judas

And rather than being His betrayer, it is Jesus who tells Judas " …

but you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that

clothes me. " This concept is an extremely important one for Gnostics

because they believe that only by getting rid of the material body

and leaving it behind in death can we manifest our true spiritual

nature; thus turning Judas from a negative character to a postive one.

Christian Versus Gnostic View of the Virgin Birth

The belief in a virgin birth seems also to be discounted in this

gospel. In one section, Judas says that he knows where Jesus comes

from and that is the " realm of Barbelo " . To the Gnostics, this is the

place where Creation occurs. To be Created in this context is to self

generate. The Gnostics believe Jesus was self generated in the realm

of Barbelo. If one is self generated, then there is not only no need

for a father, but also no need for a mother either.

Christian Versus Gnostic View of the Eucharist

Another great difference between the Gnostic and Christian views

comes in the intentions of way the Eucharistic offering is done. In

the gospel Jesus' other disciples have a dream that they are watching

people like themselves sacrificing animals on the alter. The

Christian Eucharist could be seen as a human sacrifice of Jesus. The

Gnostics believe that Jesus did not come to earth to die as a

sacrifice for our sins. It was not his death that was supposed to be

important, but rather his life and his teachings. That is why the

Gnostics do not teach about the Crucifixion as the Christians do.

Christian Versus Gnostic View of God

Finally, much of the Gospel of Judas deals with the cosmology of the

Gnostics. It is here that the Gnostic religion seems to be the most

foreign to Christian readers. The Gnostics believe that there are

actually two gods that mankind deals with. One is the god of this

earth who rules this planet and lords over its chaos. Then, there is

a God who has no day to day dealings with mankind, but is the true,

great and beautiful Spirit. This God, according to Jesus in the

Gospel of Judas is " …God and Parent, Father of All, the invisible one

that is over All that is incorruptible, that is pure light… " . And

there is a whole cosmology that teaches how the god of this earth

came into being from the God in the heavens.

So, it appears that the writer of the gospel of Judas may have

intended to present the major differences between the Gnostic

religion and the religion that was to become the Christianity we

currently know.

Quotes taken from The Gospel of Judas - Edited by Rodolphe Kasser,

Marvin Meyer and Gregor Wurst

References:

Judas and the Gospel of Jesus: Have We Missed the Truth about

Christianty - by N. T. Wright

New York Times Article - " Gospel of Judas Surfaces after 1700 years "

Science Section- April 4, 2006

 

The copyright of the article The Gospel of Judas in Alternative

Religions is owned by Laurie McLaughlin. Permission to republish The

Gospel of Judas in print or online must be granted by the author in

writing.