Exciting

1
Exciting New Gospels?What Catholics need to
knowabout the Gospel of Judas and other
apocryphal writings

• Religious Education Congress
• Sunday, March 2, 2008
• Felix Just, S.J.
• http//catholic-resources.org

2
Introduction Apocryphal Books

• There are MANY ancient Jewish or Christian
  writings not found in the OT or NT!
• Have you read the entire text of
• the Gospel of James? of Peter?
• the Gospel of Thomas? (both?)
• the Gospel of Mary (Magdalene)? of Judas?
  really?
• the Letter of Barnabas? the Didache?
• the 1st Book of Enoch? the Book of Jubilees?
• Have you read ALL of the four NT Gospels?
• The whole NT? The whole OT?

3
Introduction Apocryphal Books

• Should Catholic-Christians read these books?
• Yes! (If you wish!) But for what purpose?
• Historical knowledge Jesus apostles? NO!
• Historical knowledge How early Christian
  beliefs developed in the first few centuries?
  Yes!
• Theological understanding Our faith today?
  Only indirectly! (learning about anything
  helps us)
• It's OK to read non-canonical books!
• Some suppressed/neglected in past (dangerous?)
• Widely available today popular in some circles
• Yet OT NT are still much more important!

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I) Important Definitions

• "gospel" "good news" oral preaching
• from Gk. ???a??????? Evangelion (cf. Eng.
  "Evangelist")eu "good" angelos "messenger"
• "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to
  Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and
  saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom
  of God has come near repent, and believe in the
  good news.' " (Mark 114-15 NRSV)
• "Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an
  apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which
  he promised beforehand through his prophets in
  the holy scriptures, the gospel concerning his
  Son" (Romans 11-3 NRSV)
• "But the birthday of the god (Caesar Augustus)
  was the beginning of the good news for the
  world" (Prien inscription)

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I) Important Definitions

• "Gospel" "written account about Jesus"
• Mark was first to use "gospel" in this sense
• "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ,
  the Son of God." (Mark 11)
• NT Gospel Titles (added in 2nd Cent.)
• "Gospel according to Mark Gospel according to"
• "Canon"
• "Official List" of writings ("scriptures")
  considered foundational by some group HB canon,
  NT canon
• Usually religious, but not onlye.g.
  Shakespearean canon

6
I) Important Definitions

• Four "Canonical Gospels"
• Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
• Dates 1st century (60's 90's)
• Order? Mark probably first, then Matthew, Luke
  John last
• "Non-canonical Gospels"
• Many other short books
• mostly from 2nd to 4th cent.
• about Jesus' life and/or his teachings.

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I) Important Definitions

• "Apocryphal" "hidden, secret"
• Cf. English "crypt," "cryptic"
• MANY ancient Jewish or Christian books outside
  of HB or NT, overall called "Apocrypha"
• Apocryphal Gospels, Acts, Epistles, Apocalypses
• Not "canonical" i.e., not in anyone's Bible
• Caution Protestants refer to OT "Apocrypha"
• Tobit, Judith, 1 2 Maccabees, Wisdom, Eccl.,
  Baruch
• Called "Deutero-canonical" by Catholics
  Orthodox
• Don't confuse with "Apocalyptic"
• "Revelation" lit. "uncovering, revealing,
  opening"

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I) Important Definitions

• "Pseudepigraphic"
• Writings "falsely attributed" to famous figures
  of the past (esp. biblical, but not only)
• Actual authors anonymous written (much) later
• "Gnostic"
• Religious systems related to Judaism
  Christianity
• Dualistic good vs. evil spirit vs. matter M
  vs. F !
• Human life "divine spark" trapped in mortal
  body
• Salvation freeing soul/spirit from its bodily
  prison,by attaining proper (secret/esoteric)
  "knowledge" of our divine origins eternal
  destiny

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II) Canonization of the NT

• Long Process of Development
• writing, sharing, collecting, editing,
  translating, debating, interpreting the
  books/letters now in NT
• 1st Cent. individual writings composed
• 2nd Cent. writings collected (4 Gospels Pauls
  Letters)
• 4th Cent. early canon lists
• some with fewer than books 2 Peter?
  Revelation?
• some with more Didache, Shepherd of Hermas,
  etc.
• 367 Easter Letter of St. Athanasius first
  list of all 27
• 16th Cent. Council of Trent
• First "official" listing of all 46 OT 27 NT
  books
• In reaction to Protestants (esp. regarding OT
  Apocrypha)

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End of Luke Beginning of John
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II) Canonization of the NT

• Main Criteria for Inclusion
• 1) Apostolic Origin
• attributed to and/or based on preaching/teaching
  of first-generation apostles (or their closest
  companions)
• 2) Universal Acceptance
• acknowledged by all major Christian communities
  in the Mediterranean world (by end of 4th
  century)
• 3) Liturgical Use
• read publicly along with OT when early Christians
  gathered for Lord's Supper (weekly worship
  services)
• 4) Consistent Message
• containing theological ideas compatible with
  other accepted Christian writings (incl. divinity
  humanity Jesus)

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II) Canonization of the NT

• Reasons for Non-Inclusion in NT Canon(opposites
  of the four criteria)
• Apostolic Origin? written by later generations
• Universal Acceptance? rejected by some
  communities
• Liturgical Use? too esoteric, obscure, private
• Consistent Theology? present God/Jesus
  differently
• Christology (Who is Jesus?)
• Catholic Both/And Both HUMAN and DIVINE
• Jewish or Adoptionist Human, not really divine
• Gnostic or Docetist Divine, not really human

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III) Non-canonical Gospels

• We know of at least 30 "Gospels" not in NT
• many different origins, styles, theologies
• some positively influenced Church tradition
• others rejected as "Gnostic" and/or "heretical"
• some texts complete, others badly damaged/
  fragmentary, others known only by title!

Arabic Infancy Gospel Gospel of Matthias Gospel of the Lord Gospel of the Nazareans Gospel of Gamaliel Gospel of James Gospel of the Egyptians Gospel of the Birth of Mary Gospel of Nicodemus Gospels of the 12 Apostles Gospel of the Ebionites Gospel of Basilides Infancy Gospel of Thomas Coptic Gospel of Thomas Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew Gospel of Bartholomew Gospel of Mary (Magdalene) Gospel of the Hebrews Gospel of Mani Gospel of Peter Gospel of Truth, etc.
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III) Non-canonical Gospels

• (See the bibliography, on back of the handout.)

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III) Non-canonical Gospels

• Some of the most famous or influential
• Gospel of James mid-2nd Cent.
• mainly about Mary (of Nazareth) as the mother of
  Israel's salvation
• Gospel of Peter late 2nd Cent. (discovered
  1886)
• earliest non-canonical narrative account of
  Jesus' passion resurrection
• Infancy Gospel of Thomas late 2nd Cent.
• strange miraculous events from Jesus'
  childhood,from ages 5 to 12
• Sayings Gospel of Thomas 2nd 3rd Cent.
• (more below)

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III) Non-canonical Gospels

• Nag Hammadi Library
• Over 50 texts in 13 codices, Coptic, mostly
  gnostic, discovered in 1945 near Nag Hammadi,
  Egypt
• Gospel of Thomas
• Orig. 2nd 3rd Cent. some old fragments in
  GreekCollection of 114 short sayings
  teachings of Jesus
• Gospel of the Egyptians
• Gospel of Philip
• Gospel of Truth
• Many other books, including various Acts,
  Dialogues, Treatises, Apocalypses, etc.

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Nag Hammadi Codices
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Nag Hammadi Codex IV
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III) Non-canonical Gospels

• More recent texts
• Secret Gospel of Mark (1958, Morton Smith)
  forgery?
• Gospel acc. to Peanuts (1965, Robert L. Short)
• Gospel acc. to the Simpsons (2001/2007, Mark I.
  Pinsky)"Bigger and Possibly Even Better!
  Edition With a New Afterword Exploring South
  Park, Family Guy, and Other Animated TV Shows"
• Gospel acc. to Harry Potter (2002, Connie
  Neal)"Spirituality in the Stories of the World's
  Most Famous Seeker"
• Gospel acc. to Doctor Seuss (2004, James Kemp)
• Gospel acc. to Martha (2000, Barbara Murphy)

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III) Non-canonical Gospels

• "Are you serious?" (I hear you cry!)
• How are these modern texts related tothe ancient
  Apocryphal Gospels?
• Similarities they are mostly authors
  attemptsto understand the teachings or meaning
  of Jesus, or of other spiritual themes more
  broadly
• Differences most modern texts are not
  forgeries modern authors' names known

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Excerpts Gospel of James

• (mid-2nd Cent. Engl. trans. Andrew Bernhard)
• Chap. 1 In the histories of the twelve tribes
  of Israel, Joachim was an extremely rich man . .
  . As the great day of the Lord was drawing near
  and the children of Israel were bringing their
  offerings, however, Reubel stood in his way,
  saying, "You cannot offer your gifts first
  because you have not conceived a child in
  Israel." . . .
• Then, Joachim was extremely frustrated and did
  not appear to his wife, but gave himself to the
  desert and pitched his tent there. He fasted
  forty days and forty nights. All the while,
  Joachim was saying to himself, "I will not go
  down for food or drink until the Lord my God
  visits me prayer will be my food and drink."

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Excerpts Gospel of James

• Ch. 2 Then, his wife Anna mourned and lamented
  greatly for two reasons, saying, "I lament that I
  am a widow and I lament that I am
  childless."she petitioned the Lord, saying,
  "God of my ancestors, bless me and hear my
  prayer, just as you blessed our mother Sarah and
  gave her son Isaac to her."
• Ch. 4 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood in
  front of her, saying, "Anna, Anna, the Lord God
  has heard your prayer. You will conceive and give
  birth and your child will be spoken of everywhere
  people live." And Anna said, "As the Lord God
  lives, whether I give birth to either a male or a
  female child, I will bring it as an offering to
  the Lord my God and it will be a servant to him
  all the days of its life."

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Annunciation to Joachim AnnaGaudenzio
Ferrari(154445)

• Next, two angels came, saying to her, "Look your
  husband Joachim is coming with his flocks." For
  an angel of the Lord had gone down to Joachim,
  saying, "Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has heard
  your prayer. Go down from here. Look, your wife
  Anna has conceived in her womb."

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Excerpts Gospel of James

• Ch. 5 After nine months, Anna gave birth and
  she said to the midwife, "What is it?" The
  midwife said, "A girl." Anna said, "My soul
  exalts this day." And she put her baby to bed.
  After her days were completed, Anna cleansed
  herself and gave her breast to the child and gave
  her the name Mary.
• Ch. 6 At 6 months, Mary walks. At one year, she
  is blessed by the high priests.
• Ch. 7 At age 3, Mary is taken to live in the
  temple.
• Ch. 8-9 At age 12, Mary is given to Joseph, a
  widower.
• Ch. 11-12 At age 16, Mary is visited by the
  Angel Gabriel then she visits her cousin
  Elizabeth.
• Ch. 13-14 Joseph discovers her pregnant
  Joseph's dream
• Ch. 15-16 Mary Joseph are questioned before
  the court.

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Excerpts Gospel of James

• Ch. 17-18 They go to Bethlehem, and Jesus is
  born.
• Ch. 19-20 A midwife attests that Mary is still
  a virgin.
• Ch. 21-22 Magi come visit Herod kills all the
  infant boys near Bethlehem Mary hides Jesus
  Elizabeth hides John
• Ch. 23-24 Still seeking John, Herod murders
  Zechariah(see Matt 2335 Luke 1151 "the
  blood of Zechariah son of Zarachiah, whom you
  murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.
• Ch. 25 "I, James, wrote this history when there
  was unrest in Jerusalem, at the time Herod died.
  I took myself into the desert until the unrest in
  Jerusalem ceased. All the while, I was glorifying
  God who gave me the wisdom to write this history.
  And grace will be with all who fear the Lord.
  Amen.
• Birth of Mary / Revelation of James
• Peace to the writer and the reader

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Gospel of James

• Evaluation of this text
• Not accepted as "canonical" but why not?
• Yet also not "gnostic" nor "heretical"
• Popular / traditional / influential in Christian
  history
• Parallels parts of Matthew 12 and Luke 12
• But also adds material (both earlier filling in
  gaps)
• Birth of Mary to Joachim Anna
• Some episodes in Mary's childhood
• Her marriage to Joseph
• More details surrounding her pregnancy
• More episodes re. Herod killing children
  Zechariah

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Infancy Gospel of Thomas

• (Mid-2nd Cent. Engl. trans. Andrew Bernhard)
• (1) I, Thomas the Israelite, am reporting to you,
  all my brothers from the nations, to reveal the
  childhood and the greatness of our Lord Jesus
  Christ, what he did in my country after he was
  born. This is the beginning of it.
• (2) When the boy Jesus was five years old, he was
  playing in a narrow part of a rushing stream. He
  was gathering the flowing waters into ponds, and
  immediately they were made clean, and he ordered
  these things with a single word.

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Infancy Gospel of Thomas (2)

• (2 cont.) And after he made clay, he molded
  twelve sparrows from it. And it was the Sabbath
  when he did these things. . .
• Then, a certain Jew saw what Jesus was doing
  while playing on the Sabbath. Immediately, he
  departed and reported to Jesus' father, Joseph,
  "Look, your child is in the stream and he took
  clay and formed twelve birds and profaned the
  Sabbath?"
• And Joseph went to the area and when he saw
  him, he shouted, "Why are you doing these things
  that are not permitted on the Sabbath?" Jesus,
  however, clapped his hands and shouted to the
  sparrows, "Depart, fly, and remember me now that
  you are alive."
• And the sparrows departed shrieking.
• When the Jews saw this, they were amazed. . .

29
Infancy Gospel of Thomas (3)

• (3) The son of Annas the scribe was standing
  there with Jesus. Taking a branch from a willow
  tree, he dispersed the waters which Jesus had
  gathered.
• When Jesus saw what had happened, he became
  angry and said to him, "You godless, brainless
  moron, what did the ponds and waters do to you?
  Watch this now you are going to dry up like a
  tree and you will never produce leaves or roots
  or fruit."
• And immediately, this child withered up
  completely.
• Then, Jesus departed and returned to
  Joseph's house. The parents of the one who had
  been withered up, however, wailed for their young
  child as they took his remains away.
• Then, they went to Joseph and accused him,
  "You are responsible for the child who did this."

30
Infancy Gospel of Thomas (4-8)

• (4) Next, he was going through the village again
  and a running child bumped his shoulder. Becoming
  bitter, Jesus said to him, "You will not complete
  your journey." Immediately, he fell down and
  died.
• Then, some of the people who had seen what
  had happened said, "Where has this child come
  from so that his every word is a completed deed?"
• And going to Joseph, the parents of the one
  who had died found fault with him. They said,
  "Because you have such a child, you are not
  allowed to live with us in the village, or at
  least teach him to bless and not curse. For our
  children are dead!"
• (5-8) Jesus, at age 5, is already wiser than
  teachers.

31
Infancy Gospel of Thomas (9)

• (9) And after a few days passed, Jesus was up on
  a roof of a house. And one of the children
  playing with him died after falling off the roof.
  . . When the parents of the one who had died
  came, they accused Jesus, "Troublemaker, you
  threw him down."
• But Jesus replied, "I did not throw him
  down, rather he threw himself down. When he was
  not acting carefully, he leaped off the roof and
  died." Jesus leaped off the roof and stood by the
  corpse of the boy and cried out with a loud voice
  and said, "Zeno," - for that was his name - "rise
  up, talk to me did I throw you down?"
• And rising up immediately, he said, "No,
  Lord, you did not throw me down, but you did
  raise me up."
• And when they saw this, they were
  overwhelmed. The parents of the child glorified
  God on account of the sign which had happened and
  they worshipped Jesus.

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Infancy Gospel of Thomas (10-11)

• (10) another miracle, after which the witnesses
  worship him
• (11) When Jesus was six years old, his mother
  sent him to draw water to carry into the house.
  But he accidentally let the water go in the
  crowd, and crashing, the water jar broke. But
  unfolding the cloak which was thrown around him,
  he filled it with water and carried it to his
  mother.
• When his mother saw the sign he had done,
  she kissed him and treasured in her heart the
  mysterious things she had seen him do.

33
Infancy Gospel of Thomas (12-15)

• (12) Then again, in the season of sowing, the
  child went with his father to sow grain in their
  field. And as his father was sowing, the child
  Jesus also sowed one measure of grain.
• And after he harvested and threshed it, it
  produced one hundred measures. And calling all
  the poor of the village to the threshing floor,
  he gave them grain freely.
• And Joseph carried the remaining grain away.
  
• Jesus was eight years old when he did this
  sign.
• (13) another miracle, after which Joseph is
  grateful
• (14-15) more stories of Jesus being wiser than
  teachers

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Infancy Gospel of Thomas (16-19)

• (16) Then, Joseph sent his son James to tie up
  wood and bring it into his house, but the child
  Jesus also followed him.
• And while James was collecting the bushes, a
  viper bit his hand. And as he lay on the ground
  dying, Jesus approached and blew on the bite. And
  immediately, his anguish ceased and the animal
  broke apart and at once James was healthy.
• (17-18) more miracles, after which everyone is
  amazed
• (19) Jesus, at age 12, goes to Jerusalem with
  his parents (see Luke 241-52)
• Conclusion "And Jesus continued to grow in
  wisdom and age and grace. To him be the glory
  forever and ever, amen."

35
Jesus in the Temple at age 12Gustave Doré
36
Infancy Gospel of Thomas

• Evaluation of this text
• Fills in biblical gaps Jesus' childhood (esp.
  ages 5-9)
• Not accepted as "canonical" Why not?
• How does it portray the young Jesus?
• Cruel? Curses people, and they immediately die?
• Powerful? Miraculous healings raising the
  dead!
• Wise? Better than anyone who tries to teach him!
• What can we learn from this text?
• Anything about (the historical) Jesus? No!
• Some early Christians' beliefs about him? Yes!

37
Gospel of Peter

• (late 2nd Cent. text discovered 1886
  fragmentary begin end)
• The text begins near at the end of Jesus'
  trial,narrates the crucifixion fairly briefly,
  with some elements similar to the canonical
  Gospels, but some different.
• Jesus is condemned to death (Herod gives the
  orders!)
• Joseph (of Arimathea) asks for Jesus' body
  (before he dies!)
• Jesus is mocked scourged, is crucified, and
  dies.
• His body is taken down from the cross and buried.
• Jewish leaders people lament and repent.
• The elders ask Pilate for soldiers to guard
  Jesus' tomb.
• On the sabbath, a crowd comes to see the sealed
  tomb.
• New details about the morning of the resurrection

38
The Empty TombGustave Doré
39
Excerpts Gospel of Peter

• Par. 9-10 (trans. Sam Gibson)During the night
  before the Lord's day dawned, as the soldiers
  were keeping guard two by two in every watch,
  there came a great sound in the sky, and they saw
  the heavens opened and two men descend shining
  with a great light, and they drew near to the
  tomb.
• The stone which had been set on the door rolled
  away by itself and moved to one side, and the
  tomb was opened and both of the young men went
  in.
• Now when these soldiers saw that, they woke up
  the centurion and the elders (for they also were
  there keeping watch).

40
Excerpts Gospel of Peter

• While they were yet telling them the things which
  they had seen, they saw three men come out of the
  tomb, two of them sustaining the other one, and a
  cross following after them.
• The heads of the two they saw had heads that
  reached up to heaven, but the head of him that
  was led by them went beyond heaven.
• And they heard a voice out of the heavens saying,
  "Have you preached unto them that sleep?" The
  answer that was heard from the cross was, "Yes!"

41
Excerpts Gospel of Peter

• The story continues
• Soldiers report back to Pilate he tells them to
  say nothing.
• Mary of Magdala other women go to the tomb to
  weep
• They're afraid of being seen by the Jewsand
  wonder who will roll away the stone for them.
• They find the tomb open, and see a young man
  inside.
• Final paragraph
• Now it was the last day of Unleavened Bread, and
  many were returning to their homes since the
  feast was ending. But we, the twelve disciples of
  the Lord, continued weeping and mourning, and
  each one still grieving for what had happened,
  left for his own home. But I, Simon Peter, and
  Andrew my brother, took our fishing nets and went
  to the sea. With us was Levi, the son of
  Alphaeus, whom the Lord...(text breaks off here)

42
Gospel of Peter

• Evaluation of this text
• Again, fills in a few biblical gaps (esp. Easter
  morning)
• Not accepted as "canonical" Why not?
• What can we learn from this text?
• What really happened on Easter morning,how Jesus
  was raised from the dead? No!
• Some early Christians' beliefs about Jesus?
  Yes!

43
Ex Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• Greek fragments from 2nd 3rd Cent.4th Cent.
  Coptic text discovered 1945 near Nag Hammadi
• Collection of 114 Sayings of Jesus excerpts
  here from "The Scholar's Translation," by S.
  Patterson M. Meyer.
• 0) These are the secret sayings that the living
  Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas recorded.
• 1) And he said, "Whoever discovers the
  interpretation of these sayings will not taste
  death."

44
Ex Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• 2) Jesus said, "Those who seek should not stop
  seeking until they find. When they find, they
  will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they
  will marvel, and will reign over all. And after
  they have reigned they will rest."
• 3) Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you,
  'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,'
  then the birds of the sky will precede you. If
  they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the
  fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is
  within you and it is outside you. When you know
  yourselves, then you will be known, and you will
  understand that you are children of the living
  Father. But if you do not know yourselves, then
  you live in poverty, and you are the poverty."

45
Ex Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• 4) Jesus said, "The person old in days won't
  hesitate to ask a little child seven days old
  about the place of life, and that person will
  live. For many of the first will be last, and
  will become a single one."
• 6) His disciples asked him and said to him, "Do
  you want us to fast? How should we pray? Should
  we give to charity? What diet should we observe?"
  Jesus said, "Don't lie, and don't do what you
  hate, because all things are disclosed before
  heaven. After all, there is nothing hidden that
  will not be revealed, and there is nothing
  covered up that will remain undisclosed."

46
Ex Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• 7) Jesus said, "Lucky is the lion that the human
  will eat, so that the lion becomes human. And
  foul is the human that the lion will eat, and the
  lion still will become human."
• 8) And he said, The person is like a wise
  fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew
  it up from the sea full of little fish. Among
  them the wise fisherman discovered a fine large
  fish. He threw all the little fish back into the
  sea, and easily chose the large fish. Anyone here
  with two good ears had better listen!

47
Ex Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• 9) Jesus said, Look, the sower went out, took a
  handful (of seeds), and scattered (them). Some
  fell on the road, and the birds came and gathered
  them. Others fell on rock, and they didn't take
  root in the soil and didn't produce heads of
  grain. Others fell on thorns, and they choked the
  seeds and worms ate them. And others fell on good
  soil, and it produced a good crop it yielded
  sixty per measure and one hundred twenty per
  measure.

48
Ex Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• 48) Jesus said, "If two make peace with each
  other in a single house, they will say to the
  mountain, 'Move from here!' and it will move."
• 56) Jesus said, "Whoever has come to know the
  world has discovered a carcass, and whoever has
  discovered a carcass, of that person the world is
  not worthy."
• 77) Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all
  things. I am all from me all came forth, and to
  me all attained. Split a piece of wood I am
  there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me
  there."

49
Ex Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• Last saying (possibly added late)
• 114) Simon Peter said to them, "Make Mary leave
  us, for females don't deserve life."
• Jesus said, "Look, I will guide her to make her
  male, so that she too may become a living spirit
  resembling you males.
• For every female who makes herself male will
  enter the kingdom of Heaven."

50
Coptic Gospel of Thomas

• Evaluation of this text
• Not accepted as "canonical" Why not?
• Heretical? Gnostic? Not universally accepted.
• How does it portray the teachings of Jesus?
• Familiar? Strange?
• What can we learn from this text?
• Anything about (the historical) Jesus? Yes, a
  bit!
• Some of the 114 sayings may date to the 1st
  Cent.similar in wording and style to the
  Synoptics
• Others are later, more gnostic in theology.

51
IV) Gospel of Judas

• Ancient Origins
• Originally written in Greek, mid-2nd Cent.
• Known rejected by Irenaeus of Lyons (ca. 180)
• Others again declare that Cain derived his
  being from the Power above, and acknowledge that
  Esau, Korah, the Sodomites, and all such persons,
  are related to themselves. On this account, they
  add, they have been assailed by the Creator, yet
  no one of them has suffered injury. For Sophia
  was in the habit of carrying off that which
  belonged to her from them to herself. They
  declare that Judas the traitor was thoroughly
  acquainted with these things, and that he alone,
  knowing the truth as no others did, accomplished
  the mystery of the betrayal by him all things,
  both earthly and heavenly, were thus thrown into
  confusion. They produce a fictitious history of
  this kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas.
• (Against Heresies, I.30 Doctrines of the
  Cainites)

52
IV) Gospel of Judas

• Modern Re-discovery
• Codex Tchacos, late 3rd Cent., Coptic, found
  1970's
• 66 pages, with four texts, badly fragmented in
  part
• 1) Letter of Peter to Philip 2) James (First
  Apocalypse of)
• 3) Gospel of Judas 4) Book of Allogenes (frag.)
• Languished on antiquities market for decades.
• Published by National Geographic Society in
  2006, with huge marketing blitz!
• Press Conference April 6, 2006
• National Geographic Magazine, May 2006
• Three books published by NG
• Plus other books, other scholars, other
  publishers.

53
Gospel of Judas
54
IV) Gospel of Judas

• Sensational Claims by NGS
• Judas was Jesus' favorite disciple!
• Jesus asked Judas to betray him!
• The Gospel of Judas gives a different view of
  the relationship between Jesus and Judas,
  offering new insights into the disciple who
  betrayed Jesus. Unlike the accounts in the
  canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
  John, in which Judas is portrayed as a reviled
  traitor, this newly discovered Gospel portrays
  Judas as acting at Jesus request when he hands
  Jesus over to the authorities.
  (http//www.nationalgeographic.com/lostgospel/)
• Really?
• Can mid-2nd-cent. texts give us reliable new info
  about what really happened in the days of Jesus?

55
IV) Gospel of Judas

• More Careful Statements by Scholars
• Scholars say the text not only offers an
  alternative view of the relationship between
  Jesus and Judas but also illustrates the
  diversity of opinion in the early Christian
  church.
• "I expect this gospel to be important mainly for
  the deeper insight it will give scholars into the
  thoughts and beliefs of certain Christians in the
  second century of the Christian era, namely the
  Gnostics," said Stephen Emmel, a Coptic studies
  professor at the University of Münster in
  Germany.
• (National Geographic Press Release, April 6, 2006)

56
IV) Gospel of Judas

• Other Cautions
• The text is very fragmentary codex badly damaged
• Translations of some passages are still disputed
• Theology is obviously Gnostic but to understand
  such texts at all, we need to know what ancient
  Gnosticism believed and taught!
• Literary Form
• Mostly dialogues between Jesus and Judas,as
  explicitly stated at the very beginning.

57
Gospel of Judas
58
IV) Gospel of Judas (Intro)

• Excerpts from The Gospel of Judas, edited by R.
  Kasser, M. Meyer, and G. Wurst. National
  Geographic Society, 2006.
• The secret account of the revelation that Jesus
  spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot during
  a week three days before he celebrated Passover.
• When Jesus appeared on earth, he performed
  miracles and great wonders for the salvation of
  humanity He began to speak to them about the
  mysteries beyond the world and what would take
  place at the end. Often he did not appear as
  himself, but he was found among them as a child.

59
IV) Gospel of Judas (Scene 1)

• Judas said to him, 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.
• Knowing that Judas was reflecting on something
  that was exalted, Jesus said to him, Step away
  from the others and I shall tell you the
  mysteries of the kingdom. It is possible for you
  to reach it, but you will grieve a great deal.
  For someone else will replace you, in order that
  the twelve disciples may again come to
  completion with their god.

60
IV) Gospel of Judas (Scene 3)

• Judas said, Master, as you have listened to all
  of them, now also listen to me. For I have seen a
  great vision. When Jesus heard this, he laughed
  and said to him, You thirteenth spirit, why do
  you try so hard? But speak up, and I shall bear
  with you.
• Jesus said, "Come, that I may teach you about
  secrets no person has ever seen. For there
  exists a great and boundless realm, whose extent
  no generation of angels has seen, in which
  there is a great invisible Spirit,"

61
IV) Gospel of Judas (crucial part)

• Judas said to Jesus, "Look, what will those who
  have been baptized in your name do?" Jesus
  said, "Truly I say to you, this baptism my
  name
• ca. 9 lines missing
• to me. Truly I say to you, Judas, those who
  offer sacrifices to Saklas God
• 3 lines missing
• everything that is evil. But you will exceed all
  of them. For you will sacrifice the man that
  clothes me."

62
IV) Gospel of Judas

• Conclusion of the Text
• . . . Their high priests murmured because
  he had gone into the guest room for his prayer.
  But some scribes were there watching carefully in
  order to arrest him during the prayer, for they
  were afraid of the people, since he was regarded
  by all as a prophet.
• They approached Judas and said to him, What are
  you doing here? You are Jesus disciple.
• Judas answered them as they wished. And he
  received some money and handed him over to them.
• The Gospel of Judas

63
V) What Can These Texts Teach Us?

• About early Gnosticism
• We learn a little more, recovering texts of
  previously lost ancient writings (albeit often
  very fragmentary) but nothing really new or
  different.
• They mostly confirm Irenaeus' reports about their
  contents, and why the early Church rejected them.
• About Jesus and his apostles
• We learn nothing historically about the 1st
  Century.
• About Early Christianity
• We learn more about the beliefs that some groups,
  in the centuries after Jesus, began developing.

64
V) What Can These Texts Teach Us?

• So why all the fuss? Good question!
• Modern anti-Christian bias?
• Selling more books and magazines?
• Learn about these texts
• But beware the "hype"!
• Learn to ask intelligent questions
• So you'll be better informed about such
  issues,and not as susceptible to wild or false
  claims!
• P.S. Dont forget to read the BIBLEeven more
  than the non-canonical books!

65
V) What Can These Texts Teach Us?

• What should we teach others about all this?
• What should we , as Catholic Religious Educators,
  teach our children, RCIA Candidates, and others?
• 1) Criteria for Canonicity
• WHY the Four Gospels were included, but others
  not?
• 2) Existence of MANY OTHER ancient religious
  books, not included in either the OT or NT
• WHEN / WHERE they come from, in time theology?
• 3) Differences between Christianity Gnosticism
• Xnty Jesus as fully human and fully divine!
• Xnty world/body/matter as both GOOD and sinful
• Vs. Gnost DUALISTIC the WORLD mostly EVIL

66
Bibliography

• W. Schneemelcher, ed. New Testament Apocrypha. 2
  vols. Louisville Westminster/John Knox, 1991-92.
• J.K. Elliott, ed. The Apocryphal New Testament.
  New York Oxford University Press, 1993.
• H. Koester. Ancient Christian Gospels.
  Harrisburg, PA Trinity Press International,
  1990.
• R.J. Miller, ed. The Complete Gospels Annotated
  Scholars Version. Sonoma, CA Polebridge Press,
  1992.
• http//www.earlychristianwritings.com
• http//wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/
• http//www.nationalgeographic.com/lostgospel/

67
(No Transcript)
68
X) Gospel of Philip

• From Nag Hammadi (Codex II,3) Valentinian
• loosely compiled sayings of Jesus mostly on life
  death
• Two texts referring to Mary Magdalene(mentioned
  in the daVinci Code)
• 1) "There were three who always walked with the
  Lord Mary, his mother, and her sister, and
  Magdalene, the one who was called his companion.
  His sister and his mother and his companion were
  each a Mary." (59.6b-11a J. Robinson, NHL, p.
  145)

69
Gospel of Philip Ref. to M.Mag.

• 2) As for the Wisdom who is called "the barren,"
  she is the mother of the angels.And the
  companion of the . . . Mary Magdalene. . .
  . loved her more than all the disciples and
  used to kiss her often on her . . .. The
  rest of the disciples . . . // . . .. They
  said to him, "Why do you love her more than all
  of us?" The Savior answered and said to them,
  "Why do I not love you like her? When a blind
  man and one who sees are both together in
  darkness, they are no different from one another.
  When the light comes, then he who sees will see
  the light, and he who is blind will remain in
  darkness." (63.30b-64.9 J. Robinson, NHL, p.
  145)
• Note The online copy does not indicate all the
  lacunae!

70
X) Gospel of Mary (Magdalene)

• PB 8502 discovered 1896 not publ. until 1955!
  Pages 1-6 (ch. 1-3) and 11-14 (ch. 6-7) are
  lost!
• Ch. 5 But they were grieved. They wept
  greatly, saying, How shall we go to the Gentiles
  and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of the Son
  of Man? If they did not spare Him, how will they
  spare us?
• Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to
  her brethren, Do not weep and do not grieve nor
  be irresolute, for His grace will be entirely
  with you and will protect you. But rather, let us
  praise His greatness, for He has prepared us and
  made us into Men.
• When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to
  the Good, and they began to discuss the words of
  the Savior.

71
X) Gospel of Mary (Magdalene)

• Peter said to Mary, Sister we know that the
  Savior loved you more than the rest of woman.
  Tell us the words of the Savior which you
  remember which you know, but we do not, nor have
  we heard them.
• Mary answered and said, What is hidden from you
  I will proclaim to you. And she began to speak
  to them these words I, she said, I saw the
  Lord in a vision and I said to Him, Lord I saw
  you today in a vision. He answered and said to
  me, Blessed are you that you did not waver at
  the sight of Me. For where the mind is there is
  the treasure. I said to Him, Lord, how does he
  who sees the vision see it, through the soul or
  through the spirit? The Savior answered and
  said, He does not see through the soul nor
  through the spirit, but the mind that is between
  the two that is what sees the vision and it is .
  . . pages 11-14 missing

72
X) Gospel of Mary (Magdalene)

• Ch. 9 When Mary had said this, she fell silent,
  since it was to this point that the Savior had
  spoken with her.
• But Andrew answered and said to the brethren,
  Say what you wish to say about what she has
  said. I at least do not believe that the Savior
  said this. For certainly these teachings are
  strange ideas.
• Peter answered and spoke concerning these same
  things. He questioned them about the Savior Did
  He really speak privately with a woman and not
  openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen
  to her? Did He prefer her to us?
• Then Mary wept and said to Peter, My brother
  Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I
  have thought this up myself in my heart, or that
  I am lying about the Savior?

73
X) Gospel of Mary (Magdalene)

• Levi answered and said to Peter, Peter you have
  always been hot tempered. Now I see you
  contending against the woman like the
  adversaries. But if the Savior made her worthy,
  who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the
  Savior knows her very well. That is why He loved
  her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and
  put on the perfect Man, and separate as He
  commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying
  down any other rule or other law beyond what the
  Savior said.
• And when they heard this they began to go forth
  to proclaim and to preach.
• The Gospel according to Mary