Gospel of Judas From Codex Tchacos

Excerpt from Preface:

In the New Testament gospels and most of the Christian tradition, Judas Iscariot is portrayed as the quintessential traitor, the betrayer of Jesus who turns his master in to the Roman authorities, and there is little in his character that could connect him with the gospel, or 'good news,' of Jesus.

In the Gospel of Luke it is said that Satan enters into Judas and drives him to his despicable deed, and in the Gospel of John, Jesus addresses the twelve disciples and says that one of them, Judas, is a devil.

The end of Judas, according to the New Testament, is as ignominious as his actions, lie takes blood money from the authorities for his betrayal of Jesus, and either he hangs he dies in a ghastly fashion (as in Acts). In Christian art, Judas typically is shown doing what has earned him a place in infamy, betraying Jesus with a kiss -- the Judas kiss.

Yet even in the New Testament, there is something captivating about Judas Iscariot. The account of Judas betraying Jesus remains a story of great power and poignancy: Jesus is betrayed by one of his closest friends. In the New Testament gospels, Judas is part of the inner circle of disciples of Jesus, and according to the Gospel of John, Judas functions as the treasurer of the group and is entrusted with whatever funds Jesus and the disciples might have had. Further, at the Last Supper, didn't Jesus himself tell Judas to do what he had to do, and say to do it quickly? Wasn't all this part of the divine plan -- that Jesus should die for the sins of people and rise from the dead on the third day? Without Judas and his kiss, would the Crucifixion and Resurrection ever have taken place?

The enigma of Judas Iscariot, the disciple and betrayer of Jesus, has been explored by many who have wondered about Judas character and motivation. The literature on Judas is rich and includes well-known works of academic scholarship and modern literature -- ---

The Judas Iscariot of the Gospel of Judas betrayer of Jesus, but he is simultaneously the hero of the gospels. He says to Jesus, "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."

In the spiritual is the world of the Gospel of Judas, to confess that Jesus is from 'the immortal realm of Barbelo" is to confess that he is a divine hem , and to declare the ineffability of the name of the one who sent Jesus is to profess that the true God is the infinite Spirit of the universe. Unlike the other disciples, who misunderstand Jesus and cannot bear to stand before his face, Judas understands who Jesus is, takes his place before him, and learns from him.

Judas finally betrays Jesus in the Gospel of Judas, but he does so knowingly, and at the sincere request of Jesus.