Judas Iscariot

The discovery and publication of the Gospel of Judas created a sensation in scholarly and popular settings alike. Much of the interest in the new publication grows out of the interpretation that was advanced, in which Judas Iscariot is understood as a hero, more or less, the greatest of the disciples, to whom Jesus entrusted his most important teaching. Ongoing critical study of the Coptic text, however, has raised troubling questions about this interpretation and on what basis it rests. The recent recovery of more fragments of the text also undermines the widely reported interpretation. The present study reviews several recent publications that suggest a very different interpretation.

The fulfillment of “the Scriptures” in John 17:12 has long been a bone of contention among commentators on the Fourth Gospel. The majority of authors have argued that ἡ γραφή unmistakably refers to a passage in the Hebrew Bible. Wendy Sproston (North) and Francis Moloney, however, picking up on an earlier observation by Edwin Freed, suggest Jesus’ own words as a more appropriate referent of ἡ γραφή in this verse. The issue of the correct scriptural referent is intrinsically connected with the question of the thematic referent within the verse in question. As it turns out, the fulfillment of the scripture can refer to either the tragic fate of Judas or the preserving of Jesus’ other disciples. The article surveys recent scholarship on these issues in order to identify the most convincing solutions.

Análisis de textos bíblicos canónicos y extracanónicos. RESUMEN Este artículo propone un recorrido analítico literario sobre la figura de Judas Iscariote. Para ello se rastrearán sus huellas en una serie de escritos del Nuevo Testamento: Los cuatro Evangelios y Hechos de los Apóstoles; y de la literatura cristiana posterior: escritos extracanónicos (apócrifos). Se prestará especial atención al Evangelio de Judas, cuyo descubrimiento revolucionó nuestro conocimiento sobre la comprensión que los gnósticos tenían de nuestro personaje: cómo puede reconciliarse la imagen del Judas traidor con la visión de un Judas mártir que obedece un mandato divino. ABSTRACT This paper proposes an analytical course on the literary figure of Judas Iscariot. For this we will trace its footprints in a series of New Testament writings: the four Gospels and Acts of the Apostles; and the later Christian literature: extracanonical writings (Apocrypha). We will have special attention to the Gospel of Judas, whose discovery has revolutionized our knowledge of the Gnostics comprehension of our character: how to reconcile the image of the Judas traitor with the vision of a martyr Judas who obeys a divine mandate.

Summary:  Matthew and Luke provide us with quite different accounts of Judas’s death.  Despite what’s often claimed, these accounts aren’t irreconcilable;  rather, each author chooses to record a different aspect of Judas’s death, and does so for his own particular purposes.  Matthew wants us to see Judas as an Absalom—a man who ends up hung as a result of his own selfish ambition—, while Luke wants us to see Judas as an Ahab—a man whose ill-gotten ends up soiled by his blood—, and each author’s portrayal of Judas has important Christological implications.

Keywords:  Judas, Field of Blood, hung, historical, Matthew, Acts, contradiction.  Date:  Mar. 2021.

Scopo della presente ricerca è dimostrare in che modo il mito greco di Edipo sia suscettibile di essere studiato alla luce del folklore, ovvero in base a quali elementi si possa parlare di un "folk-tale" di Edipo e come uno studio comparato dell'antica leggenda tebana e delle sue supposte varianti folkloriche medievali e moderne, possa fornire chiavi di lettura utili alla comprensione dello stesso mito antico.
In un primo momento si è studiata l'evoluzione del mito di Edipo dalla tradizione letteraria pre-tragica (cap. I) alla tragedia ateniese del V sec. a.C., in special modo sofoclea (cap. II), per poi andare ad analizzare i possibili rapporti tra Edipo e il folklore, proponendosi di dimostrare se sia possibile individuare un "folk-tale" di Edipo da accostare e comparare a un ingente corpus di materiale folklorico medievale e moderno, comprendente fiabe e leggende d'area cristiana, che pare replicare struttura e temi del mito antico preso in esame (cap. III).

In this article, I examine the tradition of San Simón in Guatemala, from the perspectives of antisyncretic sacerdotes mayas (Maya Priests) associated with an activist Maya Spirituality, and costumbristas (followers of local "Maya-Catholic" religion) from the K'iche' Maya town of San Andrés Xecul. After offering basic background on the tradition, I argue that the difference in perspectives is linked to both the nature of community in each case (extra-local versus local), and more fundamentally, the indigenization of modernity and its promises (especially those associated with human rights), versus the persistence of local and nonmodern cosmologies. While sacerdotes mayas seek to establish a definitive identity for San Simón—rejecting nominally Catholic options, including Judas Iscariot—costumbristas favor multiplicity in their interpretations of the deity, a hallmark of Amerindian perspectivism. I consider the degree to which these perspectives may complement each other, but stress that a necessary tension or breach remains.

The cognomen "Iscariot" is usually explained as "Man from Kerioth". This theory is herein found to be wanting, and in its place other proposals are offered relating to Arimathæa, to leprosy, and -- newly added to this essay -- to the afikoman shared at the end of the Seder.

What is meant by the puzzling expression "during eight days, three days before he celebrated Passover", appearing at Gospel of Judas page 33, lines 3-6? After showing how chronological references have literary functions within gospel narratives, and reviewing scholarly opinions about the chronological arrangement of the Gospel of Judas, this article reads this expression as a reference to the Markan chronology: the three-days refers to a period within the eight-days sequence forecasted by Mark from Jesus'entering into Jerusalem to his resurrection.

Despite this renewed attention, scholars have avoided situating their analyses of this pericope within the major debates about Papias' work. The question of whether Papias employed the methods of Greek rhetoric sits as the most relevant issue for this discussion. Though many scholars champion rhetorical readings of Papias, detractors contend that they overstate his ostensibly technical vocabulary (e.g., τάξις, συντάσσω, χρεία, διάλεκτος, ἑρμηνευτής in Frag. 2). They generally construe these as Papias' colloquial or historical characterizations of Gospel narratives. Whether and how Papias testifies to source-critical concerns for Synoptic studies—such as the Sayings Gospel Q, a proto-Matthew, and the oral transmission of Jesus' life—depends on their interpretation. Opposition primarily disputes the meaning of individual words in the context Papias provides them, so that his rhetorical forms and flourishes remain relatively unscathed from criticism. Papias' death of Judas has never figured into this discussion, but it nonetheless points in favor of a rhetorical backdrop.

In this article review of the most common gestures of Judas Iscariot in “The Last Supper” icons іn Ukrainian art is
presented. The period 15th—18th centuries is considered. The main author’s conclusions are as follows. The gesture in the
iconography of Judas Iscariot promotes expression of the main content and substance the idea of the composition. Some of
the Judas’ gestures based on the narratives of Scripture, other gestures have symbolic value and are not described in the
Gospels. Quite common gestures of Judas in the iconography of "the Last Supper" are pointing gestures. A common symbol
that often accompanies the image of Judas in the iconography of the "Last Supper" is a knife – as a symbol of Judas betrayal
of Jesus. Gestures of Judas also closely related to his main attribute – pouch of coins. It can be attached to a Judas belt, or
Judas holds a pouch in his hand.

La forma de representar a Judas Iscariote en la imaginería religiosa española RESUMEN Este breve artículo trata sobre la manera de representar al apóstol traidor (Judas Iscariote) en imaginería religiosa, iconografías herederas del siglo XIII en la figura de Francisco Salzillo y que llega hasta los escultores más actuales. Abstract This little article talks about how to represent the treacherous apostle (Judas Iscariote) in religious imagery. These are iconography are coming from the eighteenth century in the Francisco Salzillo´s figure and they reach the current sculptors.

El término predestinación refiere específicamente a la actividad cognitiva de Dios respecto a las acciones humanas libres, puede decirse que refiere a la actividad volitiva del Creador.  Cualquier decisión divina relacionada con la naturaleza o la realidad creada debe considerarse dentro de la predestinación. En este artículo trataremos las dos posturas principales que han disputado la verdad acerca de dicho concepto. Este tema sigue siendo objeto de debate entre los eruditos, debido a que las ideas de Calvino y Arminio en particular formularon conceptos contrapuestos que son base de algunas corrientes teológicas contemporáneas.

У монографії розглядаються особливості іконографії Юди Іскаріота в українському мистецтві XV—XVIII ст. та символіка його образу. В дослідженні зібрано та проаналізовано збережені пам’ятки образотворчого мистецтва з музейних та приватних збірок, з іконостасів та розписів храмів на теренах України та Польщі. Обґрунтовуються риси оригінального образу Юди в українському мистецтві, які проявляються в характері зображення його зовнішності, міміки, жестів, кольорового трактування.

Summary. We study several Hispanic, Christian epitaphs, of Byzantine and  Visigothic epoch, with a common denominator: they refer to Judas Iscariota (the Apostle of Jesus), in a typical formula of religious penalty or sorceress against the rapists of graves.
Resumen. Estudiamos varios epitafios hispanos, cristianos, de  época bizantina y visigoda, con un denominador común: hacer referencia a Judas Iscariota en una típica fórmula de condena religiosa o mágica lanzada contra los que violentan los sepulcros.

Representations of a life’s end generally play a decisive role in biographical storytelling. As the very last chapter they give a final status to all previous events. It is against this background this paper aims at a synopsis of the New Testament’s accounts of the dying of Jesus juxtaposed with their modern literary appropriations. What happens with the structure of biographical narratives if death is not the last chapter? Grounded on a specific understanding of the notion of “narrative of dying”, the paper first identifies this very genre within the gospel’s passion narratives. The observations on the biblical basic script – among others the key role of the last words – are then related to two novels: Amos Oz’s Judas (2014) represents Jesus’s dying in a complex anachronic narrative which takes the betrayer’s viewpoint as its focus. Franz Heinrich Achermann’s The Antichrist (1939) includes the re-enactment of the Passion within a Sci-Fi novel, merging it with the Second Coming of Christ. The observations made give rise to final remarks regarding both the genre “narrative of dying” as the so-called ‘Jesus Novel’.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT
In this article, we examine the iconographical and textual evidence of Judas's damnation. Are his byzantine and post-byzantine representations in Hell corresponding to the canonical or extra-canonical sources and if so, in which degree? Firstly we consider the dominant iconographic theme of Judas on the Devil's lap and secondly we focus on the images deviating from the conventional type and indicating in a more or less evident way either the punishment imposed to the traitor, or the exact reason for his damnation. Lastly, we examine two remarkable post-byzantine representations of Judas' Suicide that through their atypical iconography add a further dimension to his fate in the afterlife.
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RÉSUMÉ FRANÇAIS
Dans cet article nous examinons le témoignage iconographique et textuel de la damnation de Judas. Ses représentations byzantines et post-byzantines en enfer correspondent-elles aux sources canoniques ou extra-canoniques et si oui, à quel point ? En premier, nous abordons le thème iconographique dominant de Judas dans le giron du Diable, et deuxièmement, nous distinguons les images qui dévient du type traditionnel pour indiquer de manière plus ou moins évidente soit le châtiment infligé au traître, soit la raison exacte de sa damnation. Pour finir, nous examinons deux représentations remarquables du Suicide qui de par leur atypie iconographique ajoutent une dimension supplémentaire au sort de Judas dans l'au-delà.
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RESUMEN ESPAÑOL
En este artículo examinamos la evidencia iconográfica y textual de la condena de Judas. ¿Se corresponden sus representaciones bizantinas y post-bizantinas en el infierno a las fuentes canónicas o extra-canónicas y, si es así, hasta qué punto? En primer lugar abordamos el tema iconográfico dominante de Judas en el regazo del diablo; en segundo lugar, distinguimos las imágenes que se desvían del tipo tradicional para indicar de manera más o menos evidente ya sea el castigo infligido al traidor o la razón exacta de su condenación. Finalmente, examinamos dos representaciones notables del suicidio de Judas que por su rareza iconográfica añaden una dimensión suplementaria a la suerte de Judas en el más allá.

The monograph "The Death of Judas in the Bible and the Christian Tradition" (published in the scientific  series  "The Library ‘the Word of the Cross’"; Verbinum, 2012) is devoted to the Biblical account of the Judas’ death. It analyzes the process of developing of the image of the traitor in Greek and Latin Christian cultural environment. Its innovation due to the fact that it interprets not only the canonical, but also the apocryphal and the folk story, and references it to the relation between the eastern and western Christian tradition. As the theological study, it combines  philological  and  cultural  approach  to  the  subject,  becoming  an  interdisciplinary work. Based on the results of both the world biblical studies, and patrology and ethnology, it fills a gap in Polish scientific literature, as well as opens up new research perspectives on the relationship  between  the  Catholic  and  Orthodox  cultural  heritage,  which  contributes  to  the enrichment of intercultural and interfaith dialogue.

My Huffington Post review of CNN's third "Finding Jesus" Episode (03/17/2015); while the Gospel of Judas offers no historical insights into the ministry of Jesus, it does reflect second- and third-century speculation about the role of Judas and political associations regarding perceptions and memories of Jesus later on.

On pense souvent que la littérature qui traite de religion n’est que la mise en mots d’une pensée élaborée par le théologien, qu’il peine à exprimer : la Bible, texte premier, est d’abord interprétée par des théologiens, et ensuite les écrivains s’emparent de leurs interprétations. Or il n’en va pas toujours ainsi, comme le prouve la réception de Judas Iscariote : de Klosptock à Kazantzakis en passant par Victor Hugo et Gérard de Nerval, ce sont les gens de lettres qui ont précédé les exégètes dans l’interprétation de la figure de celui qui a livré Jésus.

(eng) It is often considered that the literature dealing with religion is nothing more than the expression of a thought elaborated by the theologian, which he struggles to express: the Bible, the primary text, is initially interpreted by theologians, and then writers gather their interpretations. But it is not always so, as the reception of Judas Iscariote testifies: from Klosptock to Kazantzakis through Victor Hugo and Gérard de Nerval, it is the people of letters who preceded the exegetes in the interpretation of the figure of the one who betrayed Jesus.

The death of Judas (Matthew 27:5, Acts 1:18) in its patristic and medieval understanding as a divine retribution mirroring the traitor's sinful behaviour against Christ is investigated as a literary or iconographic subtext of medieval representations of the infernal punishments inflicted by divine justice on sinners of a similar kind or upon Judsas himself in Hell.

A copy of my latest Sermon, from my first church service conducted in the new Fale Iupeli of the CCCS in Samoa.  May God be praised for His continuing love and faith in my life and ministry.  May He bless His Word as it continues to be preached in this capacity.  All Glory, Honour and Power be His, now and forever more...Amen.

In the past decade, following the publication of Codex Tchacos and the Gospel of Judas, biblical and literary scholars have re-evaluated the presentation of Judas's actions and suicide in ancient texts and early literary traditions. Yet there has been no such re-evaluation of visual evidence for the representation of Judas, and specifically the treatment of his voluntary death. Although the iconography of his suicide became the most prominent among the many pejorative images of Judas that were constructed and circulated across the Medieval period, the origins of the iconography remain poorly understood. We know little about when the image was created; and, owing to the nature and prominence of its role in Medieval art and literature, we may assume too much about its original purpose. This paper will explore that purpose by returning to the earliest surviving depictions of the death, and examining the pictorial contexts in which they appear and for which they were developed.

Kann man Barths Judas-Interpretation als Schlüssel zu seiner Erwählungslehre wie zu seiner Dogmatik insgesamt lesen? Matthias Käser rückt mit seiner Studie Judas Ischarioth, der als «Überlieferer» von Christus seinen apostolischen Dienst wahrnimmt, ins Zentrum der Barth-Forschung. Er systematisiert Barths Judas-Auslegung im Horizont der Lehre von Gottes Gnadenwahl in KD II/2 als «Geschichte in Partnerschaft»: in den Beziehungen mit Jesus Christus, den übrigen Aposteln, dem Volk Israel und Gott. Die Studie bietet mit der Explikation einer begründeten Hoffnung für alle Judasgestalten ein starkes Stück Eschatologie. Die Beschäftigung mit der barthschen Erwählungslehre wie mit der biblischen Judasfigur und ihrer Rezeptionsgeschichte erfährt mit dieser dezidiert theologischen Rehabilitierung des Apostels jenseits der Alternative von Verrat und Mitwirkung am Heilsgeschehen eine wegweisende Neuorientierung.

Judas, der Gerechte des Alten Testamentes

Der vorliegende Beitrag widmet sich dem Thema „Der Tod des Judas (Mt 27,3-10) im Licht der alttestamentlichen Gesetzesvorschriften“. Im ersten Teil beleuchtet der Verfasser die Person des Judas und behandelt sodann die Thematik des Verrats im Alten Testament.
Im zweiten Teil wird die Frage der Schuld des Judas und die seiner Verantwortlichkeit gestellt. Dargestellt wird die innere Dramatik des Judas, die in Form eines Gerichtsbildes in Zusammenhang mit der damaligen Ethik gebracht wird. Judas ist zugleich Verbrecher, Opfer, Ankläger, Verteidiger und Richter.
Teil drei ist ein Versuch, den Blick auf Judas in der Perspektive des Matthäus zu werfen (der Evangelist rechtfertigt ihn mit Hilfe kleiner Gedankenmittel). Unter Berufung auf Deuteronomium 19,16-19 und 21,22-23 stellt der Autor den Selbstmord des Judas in den Zusammenhang der Unmöglichkeit der Wiedergutmachung der Schuld. In Übereinstimmung mit dem verpflichtenden Religionsgesetz ist zugleich die Konsequenz das Selbstgericht. In diesem Licht betrachtet erscheint Judas als Gerechter, gemäß dem Alten Testament.

While the sacrifice of the man who bears Jesus in the Gospel of Judas is evidently what sets off the salvific dissolution of the archontic world, its way is prepared by the “stars that bring everything into completion.” These later, according to Jesus revelation to Judas, include leaders and representatives of different classes of sinners who collectively claim to be “like the angels.” This article inquires whether and how the concept of “redemption through sin”, as first detailed by Gerschom Scholem, is operative in this gospel. Understanding this gospel’s counternarrative of salvation will, in turn, also allow us to evaluate Irenaeus of Lyon’s claim that the adherers of this gospel believed, like the Carpocratians, that sinning will bring about salvation. Irenaeus’s claim may have been a thorough, if enlightening, misunderstanding of the way this concept functions in this gospel’s soteriological scheme, which nevertheless may have been Pauline in its origins.

Wer bei einem Kommentar und Studien zu gerade einmal 163 hexametrischen Versen aus Sedulius’ carmen paschale ein schlankes Büchlein erwartet, wird beim Anblick von Deerbergs Werk erstaunt sein. Auf nicht weniger als 552 Seiten bietet der Autor dem Leser nebst einer umfassenden Bibliographie (S. 487-510) und hilfreichen Registern (S. 511-552) vor allem seine für die Publikation leicht überarbeitete Dissertation. Durch „das Miteinander von [philologischer] Detailanalyse und strukturell-poetologische[r] Reflexion der Befunde“ verspricht sich der Autor „einen neuen Blick auf das literarische Konzept ‚Bibeldichtung‘“, wie Deerberg in der kurzen Einführung (S. 3-5) darlegt. Beim Versuch, die herkömmlichen Kategorisierungen ‚Epos‘ oder ‚Paraphrase‘ zu überwinden, legt Deerberg mehr Gewicht sowohl auf die „poetologischen Selbstaussagen“ des Sedulius wie auch auf die „gesellschaftlichen und kirchlich-theologischen Voraussetzungen und Umstände“, um die vom Dichter gewählte Form durch ihre Funktion genauer zu bestimmen (S. 5).

116 ché a causa della defezione di Giuda il numero di dodici è rimasto incompleto; invece la citazione del Sal 109, la Scrittura che deve essere adempiuta, apre all'elezione di Mattia. La complicazione centrale era stata implicitamente anticipata dal fatto che nell'elenco degli apostoli di At 1,13 si possano contare solo undici nomi, mentre in Lc più volte si è fatto riferimento ai «Dodici» (Lc 6,13; 8,1; 9,1.12; 18,31; 22,3.47): è il segnale di un problema, prolessi della complicazione ora esplicitata.

Despite the cautiousness of the earliest gospel writer, there still stands Jesus´ note referring to Judas during the Last Supper, „It would have been better for that one not to have been born.” (Mk 14,21) A different stand is held by other gospel writers. According to them it is Judas and the Jews who are responsible for Jesus´ death. Thus the gospels are slowly becoming the root of later anti-semitism. The importance of the vicarious sacrifice of Jesus is pushed aside in the letters of apostle Paul. This trend is confirmed also by the Apostolic fathers. In the apostolic church the benefit of Christ for man is not fully appreciated. Ignatius understands the fulfillment of Jesus´ call in the imitation of his death (IgnEf 10,3; 21,1-2). Judas is to a certain degree rehabilitated in the apocryphal literature, since here Jesus´ death is perceived in a different light. The open question remains whether we encounter here a transformation
of the original tradition or a totally different tradition. Yet, what is certain is that in the early church there existed various schools of thought that were guided by their own theological insights. Theologians rooted in Reformation teaching sola gratia warn against being too critical towards Judas. The grace of God is not limited and therefore man has no right to judge concerning the salvation of others. The verdict belongs solely to Christ. The evil of Judas remains, yet the mercy of God is valid nevertheless. Moreover, Judas´ guilt can be perceived as collective guilt. The Reformation teaching of sola gratia applies to us all, it applies also to Judas, since Christ died for all.

This is a short story that illuminates why Jesus went willingly to his death.  It is a dramatization of my Shorten-the-Days theory of the passion.  It’s one heck of a short story, if I do say so myself, and it gives a whole new perspective on the passion.  Eventually it will be part of my book Jesus and Esoteric Judaism.  Dan Washburn.  (Written in 2010)

Any eye wandering through the dense lines of Nahuatl text found among the rich contents of the so-called Codex Indianorum 7, presently held at the John Carter Brown Library in Province, Rhode Island (henceforth JCB-Ind. 7), will be caught by the elegant heading “Ju Das”. It will lead the reader into an appealing and colorful legend that apparently attracted the attention of an indigenous writer, so much so that he included this exotic story in the book’s diverse materials.  This manuscript, which probably dates from the late sixteenth century and was presumably made in Mexico-Tenochtitlan, is a compilation of devotional materials of various kinds, assembled and written by literate native authors (Burkhart 2001, 32–33). The Judas story in Nahuatl reveals the challenges and results of a translation process that brought an important component of the Old World’s medieval tradition to an indigenous audience: a medieval and early modern hagiographic bestseller and a pan-European folktale.

the Gnostic gospel of Judas, featuring some advanced doctrines and a few jokes by Jesus. 

Jesus confronts the rebellion of a number of his apostles.

Here is a confession in Jesus name, that he walked out on everybody like the Buddha and the room of sleeping people, because so many people had turned evil, and because he regarded his soul-spirit to be a great angel, and thus the rebellious people were unworthy of him.