I was watching an episode of The Chosen, The Complete Last Supper, when I was drawn to the scene with Judas. The episode showed up in my YouTube feed a couple days ago and didn’t go away which is my cue to watch. Judas gets a bad rap when it comes to the narrative of the Last Supper and the betrayal of Jesus. Interestingly enough The Lost Gospel, The Quest for the Gospel of Judas Iscariot, crossed my path maybe three years ago.
I purchased it from the used book store at the library for $2.00. I don’t think I wrote about it way back when however am feeling compelled to do so today. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that tomorrow is Easter Sunday, I don’t even know. I felt the nudge so I started to type. It was published in 2006, by National Geographic no less. It never seizes to amaze how much information is readily available yet most are completely unaware.
According to the Gospel of Judas, a 2nd-century gnostic text, it portrays Jesus not as a sacrificial lamb for sins, but rather as a divine being seeking to escape his material body. It also depicts Judas as his closest confidant who, under Jesus’ instructions, helps liberate his soul by ‘betraying’ him to the authorities. The gnostics believed that the way to salvation was not through the death and resurrection of Jesus, but through the secret (esoteric) knowledge known as gnosis, which is Greek for knowledge.
The gospel also states that Jesus singles out Judas as the only disciple who understands his true identity, entrusting him with the ‘mysteries of the kingdom’. Again stating that true salvation comes through gnosis rather than through the atonement of sins. The gospel portrays Judas as fulfilling a heroic duty allowing Jesus to complete his divine mission and returning him to spirit, or pure consciousness. And then being shamed for it. Talk about taking one for the team.
This twenty-six page papyrus manuscript hinted at a secret plan Jesus had for Judas. He had asked his most trusted disciple to undertake the greatest sacrifice of all: to betray him and hand him over for execution in order to liberate his soul from the confines of his body and to thus fulfill destiny.
This changes everything, to say the least. The papyrus manuscripts in Cairo contained this new, so to speak, version of history’s most momentous betrayal that turned the facts upside down and inside out. This really should come as no surprise, how many other ancient texts were left out of the Bible for the simple fact that they didn’t meet the early church’s strict criteria for authority. Or in other words, it didn’t follow the narrative of control they were wanting to sell.
We’ve been told to believe for roughly 2,000 years that Jesus was crucified because one of his own disciples betrayed him. When at the end of the day, and according to this gospel (and National Geographic), he only did what his master asked him to do. If Judas didn’t betray Jesus then that changes more than just the Christian understanding when it comes to the death of Jesus.
If Jesus and Judas did in fact have an agreement about what Judas was to do, that changes the understanding of the relationship between Jews and Christians altogether. I remember watching The Chosen last year. We were watching one of the seasons as a Bible study and I specifically recall Judas’ name coming up and everybody more or less attacking his character, to no fault of their own. I didn’t say a word. I remember shaking my head ever so slightly and being like, poor Judas, nobody knows the truth.
Nobody knows the truth about a lot of things, and that’s been intentional. I’m happy to report those truths are now, slowly but surely, coming to light. The truth hurts sometimes, but so does a society who’s been suppressed and repressed for millennia. Fun fact…did you know Easter always falls on the first Sunday following the full moon directly after the spring equinox? It’s actually a lunar holiday as well, and rarely falls on the same Sunday twice.
I will be attending church tomorrow morning which I’m pretty excited about. I want to go for the simple fact that I need connection and affection and I can think of a handful of people who can help me with that. I don’t miss the preaching but I do miss some of the people. There’s a few ladies I had specific soul contracts with, they helped me in tremendous ways to ensure I progressed with forward movement. Because of that I built some friendships along the way. I’m also feeling like I don’t need to be in hermit mode as much anymore, I think the hardest parts are over.
I don’t have to agree with everything they’re preaching, and don’t get me wrong, I do believe there’s some truth in the Bible, albeit cryptic, but truth nonetheless. Jesus is a big part of the puzzle, but he’s not the whole picture. He didn’t come to this planet to die for our sins, he came as a master teacher to show us how to live with unconditional love and compassion. He showed us our healing capabilities and was ultimately crucified for it.
For me, I just take what resonates and leave the rest. I’m not even necessarily interested in religion anymore, I’m learning our cosmic history these days. I’m hoping nobody notices I don’t feel the need to take communion anymore, that’s just no longer in my cards. I’m all about death and rebirth though, and certainly can appreciate the energy of resurrection. May we all experience it tomorrow one way or another.
Love and Light