Judas Iscariot is one of the most recognizable religious anti-heroes. The traitor was seduced by 30 pieces of silver, but quickly repented. The character's name has become a household name for betrayal, and the amount of money received has become a symbol of reward for those who betray friends and loved ones.
Life story
In official sources, the life of Judas is devoid of detailed details. In the Bible, this is one of the 12 apostles of Jesus, in addition, he is entrusted with the mission of the treasurer of a small community. A responsible position went to the hero for frugality, the ability to refuse useless and unreasonable spending of money. The canonical documents describe the moment when Judas reproaches Mary of Bethany for anointing Jesus' feet with myrrh worth 300 denarii. The money is serious, it would be enough to feed a lot of beggars.
The next time the character appears during the Last Supper: Judas and other disciples of Jesus are having dinner at a common table, and the teacher prophesies betrayal on the part of one of those present.
Non-canonical sources are more generous with the details of the traitor's biography. Judas was born on April 1 (since then, the day has been considered the most unlucky of the year). The child was unlucky from the very beginning: before the birth, the mother had a terrible dream that warned that the newborn son would destroy the family.
Therefore, the parents decided to throw the baby in the ark into the river. But Judas remained alive and unharmed, ended up on the island of Karioth, and when he grew up and matured, he returned to his native land. He fulfilled a terrible prophecy - he killed his father and entered into an incestuous relationship with his mother.
Then Judas received his sight and repented. To atone for sins, for 33 years he daily, taking water in his mouth, climbed a mountain and watered a dried-up stick. A miracle happened - the dead plant released new leaves, and Judas became a disciple of Jesus.
Other apocrypha states that the hero lived next door to Jesus from childhood. The sickly boy was treated by a young healer, but during the procedure a demon moved into him, so Judas bit Jesus on the side. The remaining scar was later hit by a spear from a Roman legionnaire. Some of the legends even speak of the relationship of Judas and Jesus - the characters are even called brothers.
There is no consensus on the meaning of the nickname "Iscariot". The son of Simon ish Cariothes Judas (although the name of the father is not directly named) received a second name to distinguish him from his namesake, another disciple of Jesus. Iscariot appeared as a modified name of the homeland - the only hero of all the apostles was born in the city of Kariot (or Karioth), the rest were natives of Galilee.
Some researchers suggest that the word "keriyot" simply means "suburb", a village near Jerusalem. Others see an analogy with the Greek and Aramaic words, which are translated as “deceitful”, “murderer”, “armed with a dagger”.
The image of Judas was formed from the descriptions of the ancient apocrypha. The character is presented as a short and swarthy man with dark hair, extremely fussy, loving silver (the treasurer often stole from the cash drawer).
In the Gospel, hair color is not indicated; writers endowed this feature of the hero's appearance. And later, the opinion took root that Judas was red. For example, in their works they used the expression "redhead like Judas." The apostle wore clothes made of white fabric, which were necessarily decorated with a leather apron with pockets. In Islam, Judas looks like Jesus - Allah made sure that he was crucified instead of the Messiah.
The death of Judas is accurately described in the Bible, however, in two versions. Having betrayed his teacher, the treasurer went and hanged himself. The legend says that for these purposes the man chose aspen. Since then, the leaves of the trees began to tremble in the wind, and the plant itself acquired amazing properties. Aspen wood makes an excellent weapon against evil spirits (vampires), it is impossible to build housing from it, only outbuildings.
The second canonical version states:
"... and when he fell down, his belly was split open, and all his insides fell out."
The priests do not see a contradiction here, believing that the rope on which Judas hanged himself broke, and he "fell down." According to some sources, the betrayer of Jesus died at a ripe old age from an incomprehensible incurable disease.
Betrayal of Judas
Thinking of betrayal, Judas went to the chief priests and asked what price he would receive for his act. The apostle was promised 30 pieces of silver for his "work". According to the canonical view, this is a decent amount: for such a price, land plots in the city were sold. An opportunity to surrender Christ presented itself that same night. The man led the soldiers to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he pointed to the teacher with a kiss, before explaining:
"Whoever I kiss, He is, take Him."
According to Archbishop Theophylact of Bulgaria, Judas kissed Jesus so that the soldiers would not confuse him with the apostles, because it was a dark night outside.
Why this particular way of pointing to the Messiah was chosen, the researchers of the New Testament also explain - this is a traditional sign of greeting, a wish for peace and good among the Jews. Over time, the phrase "kiss of Judas" has become an idiom that denotes the highest degree of deceit. Once Christ is sentenced to be crucified, Judas realizes what he has done and repents. Returns thirty pieces of silver with the words
"I have sinned by betraying innocent blood"
and hears in response:
“What are we up to? Take a look yourself".
Dozens of minds were taken to discuss why Judas betrayed Christ. One of the most obvious explanations is greed. Evangelists also point to the participation of Satan: he allegedly moved into the treasurer and controlled the actions.
Some representatives of the church claim the inevitability of God's providence, they say, the events were conceived from above, and Jesus knew about it. Moreover, he asked the apostle to extradite him, and since the student was unable to disobey the teacher, he had to obey. Thus, Judas turns into a victim, and instead of hell, the hero will be in paradise.
Some try to justify the act by saying that Judas was tired of waiting for Jesus to finally reveal his glory and mission, while still hoping for a miraculous salvation of the teacher. Others went further, accusing Judas of being disappointed in Jesus, mistaking him for a false Messiah, and acting in the name of the triumph of truth.
In culture
Dozens of writers tried to interpret the image of the biblical Judas in their own way. The Italian journalist Ferdinando Gattina published the book Memoirs of Judas in the mid-19th century, which outraged the religious community - the traitor was exposed as a fighter for the freedom of the Jewish people.
Rethinking the life of the hero Alexey Remizov, Roman Redlich. An interesting look at the acts of Judas Iscariot shared in the book of the same name. The representative of the Silver Age showed a traitor who in his soul infinitely loved Christ. The character is also familiar to Russian readers from the book The Master and Margarita, where Judas goes to a disgusting act for the sake of his beloved.
Painting invariably connects Judas with "dark" forces. In paintings, frescoes and engravings, a man either sits on Satan's lap, or is depicted with a black halo over his head or in profile - this is how demons were painted. The most famous creations of fine arts belong to the pen of artists Giotto di Bondone, Fra Beato Angelico, jeweler Jean Duve.
The character became the hero of musical works. In the sensational rock opera and Tim Rice's "Jesus Christ Superstar" there was a place for the aria of Judas.
They even say that this traitor, as the first revolutionary, at the end of the summer of 1918 erected a monument in the center of the city of Sviyazhsk. However, this story has remained a myth.
Screen adaptations
At the dawn of cinema, the American Frank Gaylor was the first to try on the image of Judas in the film Oberammergau's Passion Game. This was followed by a series of screen adaptations on the theme of the life of Christ, in which the picture "King of Kings" (1961) directed by Nicholas Ray became a bright spot. The role of the apostle at number 12 went to Rip Torn.
Critics appreciated the film interpretation of the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar". Canadian Norman Jewison made a film of the same name in the form of a play, where the traitor was played by Karl Anderson.
Actors Jerzy Zelnik, Harvey Keitel, reincarnated as Judas Iscariot. The film Passion of the Christ (2004) by Luca Lionello was recognized as a striking picture, where Judas was brilliantly portrayed. The last to appear on the screen in the guise of a traitor to Christ was Joe Redden - in 2014, the film "Son of God" was released.
In Russia, under the make-up of Judas, two actors were hiding, and both were in the productions of the novel The Master and Margarita. In 1994, he made a film based on the work of Mikhail Bulgakov, but it only reached the audience in 2011. The director invited for the role of Judas.
In 2005, The Master and Margarita premiered on television from. In this tape, the audience enjoyed the game, which convincingly portrayed an evangelical traitor.
Quotes
“Christ is one for all ages. Judas in each - hundreds.
"It would be good for the whole world, especially for the children of God, that Judas would remain alone in his crime, that there would be no more traitors besides him."
Janusz Ros, Polish satirist:
“Only one Judas for twelve apostles? Hard to believe!"
Vasily Klyuchevsky, historian:
"Christs rarely appear like comets, but Judas are not translated like mosquitoes."
Paul Valéry, French poet:
“Never judge a man by his friends. With Judas, they were impeccable.”
Wiesław Brudzinski, Polish satirist:
"Beginner Judas puts a lot of sincere feeling into his kiss."
Oscar Wilde, English writer:
"Today every great man has disciples, and his biography is usually written by Judas."
Judas (Yehuda) - praise of the Lord(Gen. 29:35), “ praise or illustrious».
Iscariot(Hebrew ????????????????, Ish Krayot, where Heb. ?????? - man, husband; Hebrew ?????????? - cities, settlements, keriof, keriofa, kiriath).
Among the apostles, Judas received the nickname "Iscariot" to distinguish him from another disciple of Christ, Judas, the son of Jacob, nicknamed Thaddeus. Referring to the geographical location of the city of Kerioth (Krayot), most researchers agree that Iscariot was the only representative of the tribe of Judah among the apostles.
Of the evangelists, only John calls Judas Simonov four times. John does not directly call the apostle the son of Simon, which means that Simon could be Judas and the elder brother if the father of Iscariot died prematurely.
bible story
After Jesus Christ was sentenced to be crucified, Judas, who had betrayed him, repented and returned 30 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying: "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." And they said to him: “What is it to us?” And throwing the pieces of silver in the Temple, Judas went and hung himself. (Mat. 27:5)
According to one legend, Judas hanged himself on an aspen, which since then began to tremble with horror at the slightest breeze, remembering Judas the traitor.
After the betrayal and suicide of Judas Iscariot, the disciples of Jesus decided to choose a new apostle to replace Judas. They chose two candidates: "Joseph, called Barsabas, who is called Justus, and Matthias" and praying to God to indicate who to make an apostle, they cast lots. The lot fell to Matthias, and he was numbered with the Apostles. (Acts 1:23-26)
The name Judas has become a household name for betrayal. According to legend, Judas was paid 30 pieces of silver (30 silver shekels, about half the cost of a slave at that time) for betraying Judas, which are also often used as a symbol of the traitor's reward. "Kiss of Judas" has become an idiom denoting the highest degree of deceit.
According to the description of John Chrysostom, Judas, like other apostles, performed signs, cast out demons, resurrected the dead, cleansed lepers, but lost the Kingdom of Heaven. Signs couldn't save him because he was " robber, thief and betrayer of the Lord».
Biography of Judas Iscariot in Apocrypha and Legends
Judas Iscariot was born on April 1, according to the beliefs of the Lusatians and Poles - this day is considered unlucky.
About the young years of Judas Iscariot narrates "The Tale of Jerome about Judas the traitor." According to legend, the parents of Judas Iscariot throw the newborn in the ark into the sea, as they see a dream that their son will be the death of their parents. After many years spent on Iscariot Island, Judas returns, kills his father and commits the sin of incest with his mother.
After repentance (for example, for 33 years he carried water in his mouth to the top of a mountain and watered a dry stick until it bloomed), Judas Iscariot was accepted as a disciple of Christ.
According to the apocrypha "Arabic Gospel of the Childhood of the Savior" (chapter 35 [Jude]), Judas Iscariot lived in the same village with Jesus and was possessed by Satan. When his mother brought him to the little Christ for treatment, Judas, angry, bit Jesus on the side, after which he burst into tears and was healed. “And that side of Jesus, which Judas wounded him, the Jews then pierced with a spear.”
Folk tales are silent about the years of the apostleship of Judas Iscariot, as if they are afraid to compete with the stories of the evangelists, and then they only tell about the death of a traitor. According to the most common version, Judas Iscariot strangled himself on an aspen or an elder tree, according to other beliefs, Judas wanted to hang himself on a birch, and she turned white with fear; in Poland they also believe that Judas hanged himself on a mountain ash. The blood of Judas Iscariot fell on the alder, so its wood has a reddish color. After the death of Judas, tobacco, horseradish, onions, and garlic grew out of his body.
The apocryphal "Gospel of Barnabas" says that the Lord changed the face of Judas. The traitor was mistakenly executed instead of Jesus, and the disciples spread the rumor about the resurrection of Jesus.
I. Sventsitskaya: “In one Muslim medieval treatise, a version is given that Judas betrayed another person instead of Christ, and when he was executed, he killed himself in horror from what he had done.”
According to Ukrainian belief, the soul of Judas has no shelter even in hell, wandering the earth, it can move into a person who has broken the fast on Holy Week and cause epilepsy.
Canonical and non-canonical perception of Judas Iscariot
The ambiguity of the motivation for betrayal
The canonical motives for the betrayal of Judas are: the love of money and the participation of Satan. But forecasters disagree:
M. D. Muretov in the article “Judas the traitor” gives five arguments against considering the love of money “ the main and leading motive in the act of Iscariot»:
In the same article, M. D. Muretov names three contradictions of the fact that “Satan ruled Judas without the free self-determination of the latter”:
The inconclusiveness and contradictions of the testimonies of the evangelists have given rise to various interpretations and interpretations of the motivation for betrayal. Since the end of the 19th century, many non-canonical versions have been put forward, trying to explain the motives for the betrayal of Judas:
The "land of blood" controversy
Of all the weather forecasters, only Matthew voices the amount of thirty pieces of silver, he also reports on the purchase of the “land of blood” (Akeldama) by the high priests: “Having held a meeting, they bought the potter’s land with them, for the burial of strangers ...” (Matt. 27: 7). Perhaps Matthew learned the clue to betrayal in the book of Zechariah: if not, don't give; and they will weigh thirty pieces of silver in payment to me. And the Lord said to me: throw them into the church storehouse - the high price at which they valued Me! And I took thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter” (Zech. 11:12-13)
According to the Acts of the Apostles, Judas himself “acquired the land with an unrighteous reward…” (Acts 1:18).
The Lutheran Heritage Foundation explains the controversy as follows: the high priests bought the land, but since they did it with Judas' money (and possibly on his behalf), the purchase is attributed to Judas himself.
Serious difficulties still arise when trying to explain the difference in spelling:
The price of betrayal
Matthew, the only evangelist, states: “They offered him thirty pieces of silver” (Matt. 26:15). The canonical version considers the amount sufficient for betrayal, since it could be used to purchase a piece of land within the city.
A shekel (a piece of silver) is equal to 4 denarii. A denarius is the daily wage of a worker in a vineyard (Mt. 20:2) or the cost of a quinix of wheat (a man's daily ration) (Rev. 6:6).
It takes about 4 months to work in the vineyard to get thirty pieces of silver. Again, the oil with which Mary of Bethany anointed Jesus ((Mk. 14:5) cost 300 denarii, which is equal to 75 pieces of silver, or a little less than a year of work in the vineyard.
Today, the pieces of silver of Judah are Phoenician tetradrachms with the profile of Melkart, minted in Tyre, and widespread in Judea. Made of silver and weighing 14 grams, they may have circulated like other Roman and Greek coins. With them, the Jews could pay annually to the temple.
There is a counter version that coins depicting foreign gods could not be kept in the Jewish temple, but it is assumed that such coins were saved for "dirty" calculations.
The opposite of the information about the death of Judas Iscariot
Canonical versions of the death of Judas Iscariot:
Mark and John were silent about the death of Judas.
Papias reconciles both versions, saying that Judas hanged himself, but the rope broke and he "fell down" and "his belly burst open." Papias is credited with the version of the story that Judas bought the land and lived to old age, but died of a mysterious illness (swollen to a monstrous size).
One of the Apocrypha tells of the crucifixion of Judas.
Judas Iscariot in literature and art
Literature
The story of Judas attracted a number of modern writers.
Directly and indirectly, the story of Judas Iscariot is comprehended in the parable of M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin “Christ's Night” (1886) and the novel “Lord Golovlev”, in the story of T. Gedberg “Judas. The story of one suffering "(1886), in the drama of N. I. Golovanov "Iscariot" (1905) and the story of L. N. Andreev "Judas Iscariot and others" (1907), in the dramatic poem by L. Ukrainka "On the field of blood" ( 1909), in A. Remizov's poem "Judas the Betrayer" (1903) and his own play "The Tragedy of Judas, Prince Iscariot" (1919), in S. Cherkasenko's drama "The Price of Blood" (1930), the story of Yu. Nagibin " Beloved Disciple, N. Mailer's novels The Gospel According to the Son of God, G. Panas' apocryphal novel The Gospel According to Judas (1973), psychological detective story P. Boileau and T. Narcejac Brother Judas (1974), parable B Bykov "Sotnikov" (1970), novels by M. A. Asturias "Good Friday" (1972), A. I. Solzhenitsyn "In the first circle" (Ruska's line with his "playing Judas"), R. Redlich "Traitor "(1981), N. Evdokimova "Thrice the greatest, or the Narrative of the former from the non-existent" (1984), the novel by A. and B. Strugatsky "Weaved down with evil, or Forty years later" (1988), Yuri Dombrovsky "Faculty of unnecessary things" , (Paris, 1978; USSR, 1989), documentary detective by K. Eskov "The Gospel of Aphranius" (1996), etc., as well as in numerous novels devoted to understanding the history of Jesus Christ, up to the "Gospel of Jesus" by J. Saramago (1998).
One of the most remarkable interpretations of the story of Judas Iscariot is Leonid Andreev's story "Judas Iscariot", where a complex and contradictory image of Judas, who loves but betrays Christ, was created.
Also in the work of Arkady and Boris Strugatsky "Weaved down with evil, or forty years later", Judas is presented as a poor oligophrenic who has joined the company of Christ and fell in love with the latter. Christ, once in Jerusalem, almost got lost among the false prophets and various "teachers", and the only option for him to stand out and attract people to himself was martyrdom. Christ gives clear instructions to the fool Judas where to go and what to say, who does this without understanding the meaning of his actions.
Judas from Kiriath in the novel "The Master and Margarita" in the interpretation of Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov is a handsome young man, a womanizer, devoid of moral principles and ready to commit any crime because of money.
In Kirill Eskov's novel The Gospel According to Aphranius, Judas is a highly qualified officer of the special services of the Roman Empire, introduced into the environment of Christ as part of the implementation of Operation Fish and eliminated at the direction of the procurator, formally for a "double game", but in fact in connection with a change in the plans of the leadership.
Painting
In European iconography and painting, Judas Iscariot traditionally appears as the spiritual and physical antipode of Jesus, as in Giotto's fresco "The Kiss of Judas" or in the frescoes of Beato Angelico, where he is depicted with a black halo over his head. In Byzantine-Russian iconography, Judas Iscariot is usually turned in profile, like demons, so that the viewer does not meet his eyes. In Christian painting, Judas Iscariot is depicted as a dark-haired and swarthy man, most often a young, beardless man, sometimes, as it were, a negative counterpart of John the Theologian (usually in the scene of the Last Supper). On icons called the Last Judgment, Judas Iscariot is often depicted sitting on Satan's lap. In the art of the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, a demon often sits on the shoulder of Judas Iscariot, whispering devilish words to him. One of the most common motifs in painting, starting from the early Renaissance, is the hanging of Judas Iscariot on a tree; at the same time, he is often depicted with intestines that have fallen out (the same detail was popular in medieval mysteries and miracles).
Movies
- Harvey Keitel (The Last Temptation of Christ, 1988)
- Augusto Mastripetri ("Christ", Italy, 1916
- Ian McShane (Jesus of Nazareth, 1977)
- Josef Schildkraut (King of Kings, 1927)
- Jerzy Zelnik (Pilate and others, 1972)
- Carl Anderson (Jesus Christ Superstar, 1973)
- Othello Sestili (Gospel of Matthew, 1964)
- Gerard Butler ("Dracula 2000")
- Frank Gaylor (The Passion Play of Oberammergau USA, 1898)
- Georg Fabnacht ("The Galilean" Der Galil?er Germany, 1921)
- Igor Vernik (Master and Margarita, 1994)
- Luca Lionello (The Passion of the Christ, 2004)
- Luca Grido (Golgotha, France, 1935)
- George Larkin (The Holy City USA, 1912)
- Rip Torn (King of Kings, 1961)
- Alexander Granach (Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews (film), Germany, 1923)
- Dmitry Nagiev (Master and Margarita, 2005)
- James Griffith ("Day of Triumph" Day of Triumph (1954)
There is a legend in the literature that as part of the anti-religious campaign of the communists in August 1918, a monument to Judas Iscariot was erected in Sviyazhsk. The ideological support for this act was allegedly provided by Leon Trotsky, Vsevolod Vishnevsky and Demyan Bedny, who participated in the solemn ceremony [ non-authoritative source?] [non-authoritative source?] . The opening of the monument was accompanied by a military parade. The sculpture was a brown-red figure of a man - more than natural size, with a face turned to the sky, distorted by a grimace, convulsively tearing a rope from his neck. On September 10 of the same year, the monument to Judas disappeared, later a monument to Lenin was erected in the same place [ non-authoritative source?] .
In the same year, a monument to Judas as a "fighter against Christianity" and "false religion" was erected in Kozlov (now Michurinsk). A few days later, it was smashed under unclear circumstances by local residents [ non-authoritative source?] . And in 1921, a monument to Judas was erected in Tambov. The plans of Leon Trotsky included the installation of monuments to Judas in Ivanovo-Voznesensk and other cities of the RSFSR, but they were not destined to come true.
Criticism of non-canonical perception of Judas Iscariot
According to supporters of the canonical version of betrayal, Judas' motivation does not look ridiculous at all, since every person has free will. Judas, on the other hand, could well have been a money-loving person, as can be seen from the Gospel: “Mary, taking a pound of pure precious ointment, anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the world. Then one of his disciples, Judas Simonov Iscariot, who wanted to betray him, said: “Why not sell this world for three hundred denarii and give it to the poor?” He said this not because he cared about the poor, but because he was thief. He had a cash box with him and wore what was put into it”; “And as Judas had a box, some thought that Jesus was saying to him: buy what we need for the holiday, or to give something to the poor.”
In Orthodox interpretations and in liturgical (liturgical) texts, it is emphasized that Christ, knowing that Judas often steals from the money that was intended for distribution to the poor, did not drive him away from himself and did not deprive him of the grace-filled gifts with which Judas, like all the other apostles, he healed the sick and cast out demons. And even during the treacherous kiss, Christ is not angry with the traitor, turning to him: "friend", waiting for the repentance of Judas.
Miscellaneous
- In Belgium, beer is produced under the brand name "Judas"
- In The Big Bang Theory season 3 episode 15, Sheldon demonstrates his friend Leonard's betrayal by placing a tray of 30 cutlery in front of him.
Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, is mentioned in all apostolic lists (Mt 10:4; Mk 3:19; Lk 6:16).
This is a nickname that apparently means "the man from Karyota", he was given, probably in order to distinguish from another disciple named Judas. Because Kariot was in Judea, then probably Judas belonged to the tribe of Judah and was the only disciple of Jesus from this tribe.
We do not know anything about his vocation, but, probably, like his activity, it was not much different from the vocation of other disciples.
Judas heeded the words of the Teacher, saw the miracles He performed, and was sent to preach and perform miracles. Already at the very beginning, the Lord warned the disciples that there was a traitor in their circle, but He did not name him.
Only one thing distinguished Judas from the rest of the disciples: he was the treasurer and, at the same time, he probably sometimes stole money. In Bethany, when a woman poured precious ointment on Jesus' head, Judas said that it would be better to sell this ointment and distribute the money to the poor.
During the last supper, Jesus told the disciples that one of them would betray him.
Later, Judas, who had previously offered his services to the high priests, in the Garden of Gethsemane gave a conventional sign to the soldiers, kissing the Teacher. For his betrayal, Judas received a reward - 30 pieces of silver.
The next day, upon learning that Jesus was condemned to death, Judas repented severely.
Throwing the pieces of silver in the temple, he committed suicide.
Judas Iscariot - 6 facts from the Bible
1 fact. Judas - one of the twelve Apostles
Judas Iscariot was one of the twelve whom Jesus chose to be apostles.
4 Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
(Mat. 10:4)
Iskariotes means "originally from Kerioth (Kerioth)".
2 fact. Judas is a traitor
Judas betrayed Jesus. "Betrayed" is an unpleasant word. The word “betray” and its various forms (“betrayed”, “betray”, “betraying”, etc.) in the sense of “betraying” are used in the New Testament about thirty times, and almost all of these cases refer to Judas.
He really was a traitor!
16 Judas Jacob and Judas Iscariot, who later became a traitor.
(Luke 6:16)
All these words are translated from the Greek verb forms paradidomi, consisting of para And didomi. Para this is a multi-valued preposition, the specific meaning of which depends on the case with which it is used: from, from, from, at, in, among, along. Word didomi also has several meanings, reduced to the words "give", "give".
In describing the act of Judas, this word means "to give out", "to hand over."
3 fact. Judas is a thief
Judas was a thief.
6 And he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because there was a thief. He had [with him a money] box and carried what was put into it.
(John 12:6)
« Thief' in this case is the translation of the Greek word kleptes . "Kleptomania" means an irresistible desire to steal against the backdrop of some mental illness.
« Wore" is the translation of the Greek word ebastazen (initial form - bastazo) with the meaning "raise", "carry in hands". Some scholars believe that this word in John 12:6 may mean "steal". In this case, we are talking about the fact that Judas carried the box and stole from it.
« Box" in this text is the translation of the word glossokomon , consisting of glossa("languages comeo("keep"). This word denoted a box in which they kept parts from wind musical instruments, into which the performer blows air through his mouth (hence the connection with the tongue). Over time, the word has come to mean any container for storing something, including a wallet or a bag for money.
4 fact. Judas was a devil
Judas was the devil.
70 Jesus answered them, Have I not chosen twelve of you? but one of you is the devil.
71 He spoke of Judas Simon Iscariot, for this one wanted to betray him, being one of the twelve.
(John 6:70,71)
The word used here diabolos meaning "traitor" or "traitor".
The devil put in the heart of Judas the desire to betray Jesus. Judas had full freedom of choice, like any other person. He succumbed to the temptation of the devil.
Judas was numbered among the apostles and was involved in their ministry.
17 he was numbered with us and received the lot of this ministry;
(Acts 1:17)
However, he fell by committing a crime.
25 to accept the lot of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas fell away in order to go to his own place.
(Acts 1:25)
5 fact. Judas knew that he had sinned.
Judas knew that he had sinned. He himself confessed to betraying innocent blood. He admitted that Jesus was innocent!
3 Then Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that he was condemned, and repenting, returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,
4 saying, I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. And they said to him: What is it to us? take a look yourself.
(Matt.27:3,4)
You can give Judas credit for not trying to somehow justify himself by declaring Jesus a sinner.
He confessed the sinlessness of Jesus!
6 fact. Judas hanged himself
Judas hanged himself. Luke wrote about it:
18 But he bought the land with an unrighteous reward, and when he fell down, his belly was split open, and all his bowels fell out;
19 And this became known to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that the land in their native language was called Akeldama, that is, the land of blood.
(Acts 1:18,19)
Judas purchased the land of blood in the sense that the money he returned was used to purchase that land. The consequences of the crime were terrible for this man.
« Judas bought a field with the money received for this crime, but fell head down and broke, and all his insides fell out.»
(Acts 1:18, Modern translation).
Act of Judas
The act of Judas Iscariot poses a number of difficult questions for the readers of the Gospel.
How could Jesus choose him as His disciple, entrust him with the treasury, preach the gospel to him, how could He even trust him?
We only know that it happened according to God's plan and that what was foretold was to be fulfilled.
24 However, the Son of Man goes as it is written about Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed: it would have been better for this man if he had not been born.
(Mat. 26:24)
As for Judas himself, it is difficult to say whether he was motivated by greed or a sense of dissatisfaction due to unfulfilled hopes, for he expected Jesus to establish His Kingdom on earth, and assumed to occupy a high position in it.
It is clear that the devil took possession of Judas and that he voluntarily became an obedient instrument in his hands, and this is his fault; It would have been better for him not to have been born.
3 And Satan entered into Judas, who was called Iscariot, one of the twelve,
(Luke 22:3)27 And after this piece, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him: whatever you do, do it quickly.
(John 13:27)
He is the "son of perdition", the only disciple of Jesus whose soul was not preserved by God.
12 When I was with them in peace, I kept them in your name; those whom You gave Me I have kept, and none of them perished except the son of perdition, may the Scripture be fulfilled.
(John 17:12)
APOSTLE JUDAS ISCARIOT
Apostle Judas Iscariot
The most tragic and undeservedly offended figure from the environment of Jesus. Judas is depicted in the Gospels in exceptionally black tones, so gloomy that the question involuntarily arises: how did it happen that Jesus, the smartest man who had a prophetic gift, brought such a vile and vile person closer to himself, like Judas Iscariot, the one who in the end sold his teacher for thirty pieces of silver?
Joseph and his family returned from Egypt with a large sum of money. On this trip, Mary gave birth to another boy, who was named Judas. This event took place in the small village of Kariot. Later, when the boy grew up, his relatives teased him all the time as a joke: “You are a Jew, but you were born in a foreign land, in Karyota.” So this nickname stuck to him - Judas from Kariot
Judas Iscariot is the younger brother of Jesus - the son of Mary and Joseph. The Bible mentions this in the following lines (Mark 6:3):
Is not He the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, Josiah, Judas and Simon? Are not here, between us, His sisters?
In fact, Mary and Joseph had seven children. Jesus had four brothers and two sisters.
Judas was similar in character to both his parents at the same time - from his father he inherited a rebellious spirit, irascibility, from his mother he got a soft, kind soul, affectionateness and sociability.
Outwardly, Judas went all in his father: a heroic height - 190 cm, brown hair, bright green eyes, an open, pleasant smile with a dimple on his cheeks.
Judas was married, had two sons and a daughter, whom he simply adored.
The two brothers - Judas and Jesus - had a very trusting relationship since childhood, both so deeply, truly loved each other that each was ready to give his life for the other. Judas enjoyed the exclusive confidence of his brother, who in everything relied on him as on himself.
Jesus very often secluded himself with Judas from other disciples in order to discuss with him the most important issues. It was Judas who was entrusted with the most important and responsible task - control over money. Judas kept the treasury with him, kept records and expenditure of all funds and accounted for them before Jesus. Because of this, the other disciples did not like Judas, envious of the special position in which he was. Their self-esteem suffered because Jesus, having some dealings with Judas, did not share these secrets with other disciples.
For example, knowing nothing about financial matters, the students eventually began to believe among themselves that Judas was most likely putting his hand into the common treasury. Gradually this opinion became stronger among the apostles. In fact, Judas treated his duties as a treasurer very conscientiously; in general, he was an exceptionally honest and decent person. Jesus knew this and therefore had full confidence in Judas. Judas, being impulsive and quick-tempered by nature, constantly pulled and shook Jesus, believing that it was necessary to act as actively and energetically as possible. Jesus had to constantly reassure and restrain his brother from ill-considered actions. The intemperance and haste of Judas eventually played their sinister role. Everything ended tragically.
Conversation between Jesus and Judas
Judas Iscariot, the brother of Jesus, was closely associated with the rebels. Meeting with Jesus, Judas told him about the plans of the rebels. According to the plan, on Easter night, the conspirators were to unexpectedly attack the Romans and rescue their leader Barabbas from captivity. And the main role in the release of Barabbas was to be played by Judas Iscariot. It was he who was to lead the armed detachment that would begin hostilities.
Jesus did his best to dissuade his beloved brother from doing this, proving the failure of all their plans. But Judas was adamant, and Jesus realized that he could not be persuaded.
The two young people were so carried away by the conversation that they did not notice the apostle Judas Zaakia, who was standing nearby, who overheard their entire conversation.
Judas Zaakiy, having learned about the impending uprising, was simply shocked. After some thought, he decided that he had to act: to stop Judas Iscariot at any cost. To do this, Judas Zaakiy secretly turned to the Jewish priests and told them about the impending rebellion. The high priest Caiaphas, having learned about the uprising, was horrified. He was quite satisfied with a calm, well-fed life under the Romans. Riot, rebellion was supposed to destroy this whole idyll. And what if the Romans suddenly destroy the Jewish temple during the unrest? And what if the Roman emperor suddenly forbids holding divine services and making sacrifices in the temple? This is the end of all prosperity!
Caiaphas received his position from the hands of Pilate and annually paid him a certain amount for this bread place. And he didn't want to lose it all because of some rebels. Particular fear inspired Caiaphas by the fact that in the ranks of the conspirators was the brother of Jesus Christ, Judas Iscariot. And what role in the upcoming action is prepared for Jesus himself? What if this preacher, taking advantage of the situation, will lead the armed masses? What will Jesus do with the Pharisees, scribes, and priests if he wins? It's scary to even think!
Caiaphas feared Jesus more than the Romans. Jesus, by his actions and speeches, undermined the authority of the Jewish clergy. Therefore, Jesus had to be removed at all costs.
It was then that Caiaphas passed judgment on the Son of God, speaking before the priests (Jn 11, 49-50): “You know nothing and do not understand that it will be better for you if one person perishes in the name of the people than if the whole nation perishes” .
Judas Zaakia 30 pieces of silver were paid for his betrayal. By nature, this Judas was envious and greedy, he took this money.
Judas leaves the table
According to the Bible, the whole Easter supper was permeated with painful expectation of the coming tragedy. Jesus constantly talks about his imminent end, about betrayal, invites his disciples to drink wine - the blood of Christ.
In fact, everything was different.
Jesus never said the famous words, "One of you will betray me," to anyone.
This story was invented later in order to denigrate Judas, the beloved brother of Jesus.
Judas Iscariot closely followed how the apostles behave, what they say, what they think. By that time, strife and quarrels had already begun between the students. Many were dissatisfied with the course of events, some even regretted that they had followed Jesus. Judas told Jesus about the defeatist mood reigning among the apostles, that many lost heart, argue about headship, envy each other. Many of the disciples did not like Judas, they constantly tried to denigrate him. They envied him, believing that he enjoyed a special favor on the part of Jesus.
Therefore, in the Gospels written by the disciples, the image of Judas is painted with the blackest colors, some of the actions of Judas were not so understood.
According to the custom, on the Easter Supper it was supposed to fast until a certain hour. Jesus, noticing that the disciples, very hungry, were looking impatiently at the laid table, decided not to torment the audience and start the meal ahead of time. It has been repeatedly said before that Jesus looked through his fingers at all the subtleties of religious rites and did not observe fasts, so he himself broke the bread, served them wine and said:
- Bread is a body, wine is blood, a person cannot do without a body and blood, just as a person cannot do without food. Eat and drink. Jesus dipped bread in wine and gave it to Judas Iscariot. According to custom, this gesture was a sign of great love and special favor. Jesus saw with regret that Judas was more than resolute and no one and nothing could stop him. And then Jesus turned to Judas with the words:
- Do what you have to do. By this, he made it clear that he would no longer keep his brother from his hasty actions, and if he finally decided everything, then let him carry out his secret plan. The disciples present did not even understand what exactly they were talking about and what the words of Jesus really meant. In fact, Judas was supposed to meet the rebel detachment at the appointed place. The rebels wanted to free Barabbas and raise a general uprising.
"You will deny me three times"
When Judas came out, Jesus, tormented by a bad presentiment, carefully looked at his disciples and, unexpectedly for everyone, said: - All of you will deny me this night, as it was written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. After my resurrection, I will meet you in Galilee.
Peter answered him:
- If everyone renounces you, I will never betray you.
Jesus answered him:
“Truly I tell you that on this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.
Peter tells him:
“Even if I have to die with you, I will not disown you.
All the students said the same. They sincerely did not understand what was happening to their Teacher and why he started such strange speeches.
Prayer for a cup
When darkness fell completely, Jesus and his disciples quietly arrived in the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives. It was hard on Jesus' soul - Judas did not return for so long. Jesus foresaw trouble. Taking Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with him, Jesus walked aside with them. Moving a little away from them and left completely alone, he began to pray:
- My father! If possible, let this cup pass me by. However, if nothing can be changed, then let everything be as it will be. When he returned, he found Peter and John and James asleep.
Jesus woke them up and said rebukingly:
"What, you couldn't stay awake with me for one hour?" Watch and pray so that you do not fall into temptation: the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Behold, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Get up, let's go.
Judas taken into custody
At this time, the darkest forebodings of Jesus began to come true. When Judas arrived at the appointed place, instead of the rebel detachments, he was met by the temple guards.
Having arrested Judas, the guards moved to the Garden of Gethsemane. They already knew all the details of the upcoming uprising, so they were in a hurry to capture Jesus.
Jesus, seeing Judas surrounded by armed temple guards, realized that the rebellion's plan had failed. Jesus knew everything about his future and was ready for any outcome of events, knowing full well what awaited him.
In fact, Judas did not betray anyone. He did not lead an armed mob to Jesus, but was himself brought under arrest. The apostles, who did not really know where and why Judas Iscariot was leaving, naturally decided that it was he who had betrayed everyone.
Judas never uttered the famous words: "Whoever I kiss, he is he, take him."
Jesus, who for several years preached to numerous audiences throughout the country, and so everyone perfectly knew by sight. It was difficult to find at that time a person more famous and more popular than Jesus. So the services of Judas to identify the Teacher were simply not needed.
Nor did Jesus say the words, "Here comes the one who betrays me."
He knew exactly what Judas was doing, moreover, he himself sent him for it, having said earlier: "Do what you must do."
Seeing the temple guards in front of him, Jesus bitterly said:
- Why did you come out against me, as a robber, with swords and stakes.
The most offensive thing was that it was not the Romans who came to arrest Jesus, against whom they were preparing an uprising, but their own compatriots - the Jews. When the guards seized Jesus and he did not resist, this led all his companions into bewilderment. They were amazed at his obedience, because usually in such cases, Jesus hypnotized the attackers and quickly went somewhere to the side. Now, for some reason, Jesus calmly allowed himself to be arrested.
Around Jesus that night were not only the apostles, but also many other followers who came to the Garden of Gethsemane. One of the disciples, by the name of Macarius, a young 21-year-old guy, insanely devoted to Jesus, could not stand it and, drawing a sword from the scabbard of the apostle Peter who was standing nearby, hit one guard, named Malchus, on the ear.
Jesus, who did not want to allow bloodshed between the Jews, stopped Macarius with the words:
- Do not do this, put away your weapon, for whoever takes the sword from the sword will die. Then Jesus stopped the bleeding of the wounded man and healed his ear. The guards surrounded Jesus and led him to Jerusalem. Then all the disciples, leaving the Teacher, fled. The soldiers did not pursue anyone, because, except for Jesus, none of them posed a danger.
Execution of Judas
Only a small handful of people, led by Barabbas and Judas Iscariot, came to the defense of Jesus, but they were immediately seized, and they were executed even before Christ was crucified.
Barabbas and his supporters were beheaded by Roman soldiers. This time, Pilate did not hesitate, because the conspirators were captured with weapons in their hands.
April 14, 29 Judas Iscariot was hanged by the Romans.
This is how the earthly path of Jesus' brother ended. He did not betray anyone, did not take pieces of silver, and did not commit suicide. For two thousand years he bore the shameful stigma of the betrayer of the Son of God.
In European iconography and painting, Judas Iscariot traditionally appears as the spiritual and physical antipode of Jesus, as in Giotto's fresco "The Kiss of Judas" or in the frescoes of Beato Angelico, where he is depicted with a black halo over his head. In Byzantine-Russian iconography, Judas Iscariot is usually turned in profile, like demons, so that the viewer does not meet his eyes. In Christian painting, Judas Iscariot is depicted as a dark-haired and swarthy man, most often a young, beardless man, sometimes, as it were, a negative counterpart of John the Theologian (usually in the scene of the Last Supper). On icons called the Last Judgment, Judas Iscariot is often depicted sitting on Satan's lap.
In the art of the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance, a demon often sits on the shoulder of Judas Iscariot, whispering devilish words to him. One of the most common motifs in painting, starting from the early Renaissance, is the hanging of Judas Iscariot on a tree; at the same time, he is often depicted with intestines that have fallen out (the same detail was popular in medieval mysteries and miracles).
Holy place - Jerusalem(Mosque Dome of the Rock in the Old City). Patronizes - Israel, Lebanon, Jordan, all countries of the Arabian Peninsula.
Bible stories are the most studied part of world literature, yet they continue to attract attention and cause heated debate. The hero of our review - Iscariot, who betrayed Iscariot as a synonym for betrayal and hypocrisy has long been a household name, but is this accusation fair? Ask any Christian: "Judas - who is this?" You will be answered: "This is a man guilty of the martyrdom of Christ."
The name is not a sentence
To the fact that Judas - we have long been accustomed to. The personality of this character is odious and indisputable. As for the name, Judah is a very common Hebrew name, and these days it is often called sons. In Hebrew, it means "praise be to the Lord." Among the followers of Christ there are several people with this name, therefore, to associate it with treachery is at least tactless.
History of Judas in the New Testament
The story of how Judas Iscariot betrayed Christ is presented in an extremely simple way. On a dark night in the Garden of Gethsemane, he pointed to Him to the servants of the high priests, received thirty silver coins for this, and when he realized the horror of what he had done, he could not stand the torments of conscience and strangled himself.
For the narration of the period of the earthly life of the Savior, the hierarchs of the Christian church selected only four works, the authors of which were Luke, Matthew, John and Mark.
The first in the Bible is the Gospel attributed to one of the twelve closest disciples of Christ - the publican Matthew.
Mark was one of the seventy apostles, and his gospel dates back to the middle of the first century. Luke was not among the disciples of Christ, but presumably lived at the same time as Him. His Gospel is attributed to the second half of the first century.
The last is the Gospel of John. It was written later than the others, but contains information that is missing in the first three, but from it we learn the most information about the hero of our story, an apostle named Judas. This work, like the previous ones, was selected by the Church Fathers from over thirty other Gospels. Unrecognized texts began to be called apocrypha.
All four Books can be called parables, or memoirs of unknown authors, since it is not established for certain who wrote them, or when it was done. The authorship of Mark, Matthew, John and Luke is questioned by researchers. The fact is that there were at least thirty Gospels, but they were not included in the canonical Collection of Holy Scriptures. It is assumed that some of them were destroyed during the formation of the Christian religion, while others are kept in strict secrecy. In the writings of the hierarchs of the Christian Church there are references to them, in particular, Irenaeus of Lyons and Epiphanius of Cyprus, who lived in the second or third centuries, speak of the Gospel of Judas.
The reason for the rejection of the Apocryphal Gospels is the Gnosticism of their authors
Irenaeus of Lyon is a famous apologist, that is, a defender and in many ways the founder of the emerging Christian doctrine. It belongs to him to establish the most basic dogmas of Christianity, such as: the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, as well as the primacy of the Pope as the successor of the Apostle Peter.
He expressed the following opinion regarding the personality of Judas Iscariot: Judas is a person who adhered to orthodox views on faith in God. Iscariot, as Irenaeus of Lyons believed, was afraid that with the blessing of Christ, faith and the establishment of the fathers, that is, the Laws of Moses, would be abolished, and therefore became an accomplice in the arrest of the Teacher. Of the only Judas was from Judea, for this reason it is assumed that he professed the faith of the Jews. The rest of the apostles are Galileans.
The authority of the personality of Irenaeus of Lyon is beyond doubt. In his writings there is criticism of the writings about Christ that existed at that time. In his "Refutation of Heresies" (175-185), he also writes about the Gospel of Judas as a Gnostic work, that is, one that cannot be recognized by the Church. Gnosticism is a way of knowing based on facts and real evidence, and faith is a phenomenon from the category of the unknowable. The Church demands obedience without analytical reflection, that is, an agnostic attitude toward oneself, toward the sacraments, and toward God Himself, for God is a priori unknowable.
sensational document
In 1978, during excavations in Egypt, a burial was discovered, where, among other things, there was a papyrus scroll with a text signed as the "Gospel of Judas." The authenticity of the document is not in doubt. All possible studies, including textual and radiocarbon methods, concluded that the document was written in the period from the third to the fourth century AD. Based on the above facts, it is concluded that the found document is a list from the Gospel of Judas, about which Irenaeus of Lyon writes. Of course, its author is not a disciple of Christ, the apostle Judas Iscariot, but some other Judas, who knew the history of the Son of the Lord well. In this gospel, the personality of Judas Iscariot is more clearly represented. Some events present in the canonical gospels are supplemented with details in this manuscript.
New facts
According to the found text, it turns out that the Apostle Judas Iscariot is a holy man, and by no means a scoundrel, who insinuated himself into the trust of the Messiah in order to enrich himself or become famous. He was loved by Christ and devoted to him almost more than the other disciples. It was Judas who revealed all the mysteries of Heaven. In the "Gospel of Judas", for example, it is written that it was not the Lord God Himself who created people, but the spirit of Saklas, the helper of a fallen angel, who has a formidable fiery appearance, defiled by blood. Such a revelation was contrary to the basic doctrines, which were consistent with the opinion of the Fathers of the Christian Church. Unfortunately, the path of a unique document, before it fell into the careful hands of scientists, was too long and thorny. Most of the papyrus was destroyed.
The myth of Judas is a gross insinuation
The formation of Christianity is truly a secret with seven seals. The constant fierce struggle against heresy does not paint the founders of the world religion. What is heresy in the understanding of priests? This is an opinion contrary to the opinion of those who have power and power, and in those days the power and power were in the hands of the papacy.
The first images of Judas were commissioned by church officials to decorate temples. It was they who dictated how Judas Iscariot should look like. Photos of frescoes by Giotto di Bondone and Cimabue depicting the kiss of Judas are presented in the article. Judas on them looks like a low, insignificant and most disgusting type, the personification of all the most vile manifestations of the human personality. But is it possible to imagine such a person among the closest friends of the Savior?
Judas cast out demons and healed the sick
We know well that Jesus Christ healed the sick, raised the dead, cast out demons. The canonical Gospels say that He taught His disciples the same thing (Judas Iscariot is no exception) and ordered them to help all those in need and not take any offerings for this. The demons were afraid of Christ and at His appearance they left the bodies of the people tormented by them. How did it happen that the demons of greed, hypocrisy, betrayal and other vices enslaved Judas if he was constantly near the Teacher?
First doubts
Question: "Judas - who is this: a treacherous traitor or the very first Christian saint awaiting rehabilitation?" asked themselves by millions of people throughout the history of Christianity. But if in the Middle Ages an auto-da-fe was inevitably required for voicing this question, then today we have the opportunity to get to the truth.
In 1905-1908. The Theological Bulletin published a series of articles by the professor of the Moscow Theological Academy, the Orthodox theologian Mitrofan Dmitrievich Muretov. They were called "Judas the traitor."
In them, the professor expressed doubts that Judas, believing in the divinity of Jesus, could betray Him. After all, even in the canonical Gospels there is no complete agreement regarding the love of money of the apostle. The story of thirty pieces of silver looks unconvincing both from the point of view of the amount of money and from the point of view of the apostle's love of money - he parted with them too easily. If the craving for money was his vice, then other disciples of Christ would hardly have entrusted him with managing the treasury. Having the money of the community in his hands, Judas could take it away and leave his comrades. And what are the thirty pieces of silver he received from the chief priests? Is it a lot or a little? If there are many, then why did the greedy Judas not go with them, and if there were few, then why did he take them at all? Muretov is sure that the love of money was not the main motive for Judas' actions. Most likely, the professor believes, Judas could betray his Teacher because of his disappointment in His Teaching.
The Austrian philosopher and psychologist Franz Brentano (1838-1917), independently of Muretov, expressed a similar opinion.
Jorge Luis Borges and in the actions of Judas saw self-sacrifice and submission to the will of God.
The coming of the Messiah according to the Old Testament
There are prophecies in the Old Testament that tell how the coming of the Messiah will be - He will be rejected by the priesthood, betrayed for thirty coins, crucified, resurrected, and then a new Church will arise in His name.
Someone had to deliver the Son of God into the hands of the Pharisees for thirty coins. That man was Judas Iscariot. He knew the Scriptures and could not help but understand what he was doing. Having accomplished what was commanded by God and sealed by the prophets in the books of the Old Testament, Judas accomplished a great feat. It is quite possible that he discussed the future with the Lord in advance, and the kiss is not only a sign to the servants of the high priests, but also a farewell to the Teacher.
As the closest and most trusted disciple of Christ, Judas took on the mission of being the one whose name would be forever damned. It turns out that the Gospel shows us two sacrifices - the Lord sent His Son to the people so that He would take upon Himself the sins of mankind and wash them away with His blood, and Judas sacrificed himself to the Lord so that what was said through the Old Testament prophets would be fulfilled. Someone had to complete this mission!
Any believer will say that, confessing faith in the Triune God, it is impossible to imagine a person who felt the Grace of the Lord and remained untransformed. Judas is a man, not a fallen angel or demon, so he could not be an unfortunate exception.
History of Christ and Judas in Islam. Founding of the Christian Church
The story of Jesus Christ is presented differently in the Qur'an than in the canonical Gospels. There is no crucifixion of the Son of God. The main book of Muslims states that someone else assumed the form of Jesus. This someone was executed instead of the Lord. In medieval publications, it is said that Judas assumed the form of Jesus. In one of the apocrypha there is a story in which the future apostle Judas Iscariot appears. His biography, according to this testimony, from childhood was intertwined with the life of Christ.
Little Judas was very sick, and when Jesus approached him, the boy bit him on the side, on the same side, which was later pierced with a spear by one of the soldiers guarding those crucified on the crosses.
Islam considers Christ to be a prophet whose teaching was distorted. This is very similar to the truth, but the Lord Jesus foresaw this state of affairs. Once He told his disciple Simon: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build My Church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it…” We know that Peter denied Jesus Christ three times, in fact, betrayed Him three times. Why did He choose this man to found His Church? Who is the greater traitor - Judas or Peter, who could save Jesus with his word, but refused to do it three times?
The Gospel of Judas Cannot Deprive True Believers of Love for Jesus Christ
It is difficult for believing people who have experienced the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ to accept that Christ was not crucified. Is it possible to worship the cross if facts are revealed that contradict those recorded in the four Gospels? How to relate to the sacrament of the Eucharist, during which believers partake of the Body and Blood of the Lord, who was martyred on the cross in the name of saving people, if there was no painful death of the Savior on the cross?
“Blessed are those who have not seen and believed,” said Jesus Christ.
Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ know that He is real, that He hears them and answers all prayers. This is the main thing. And God continues to love and save people, even despite the fact that in the temples again, as in the time of Christ, there are shops of merchants offering to buy sacrificial candles and other items for the so-called recommended donation, many times higher than the cost of the items sold. Slyly compiled price tags evoke a feeling of closeness of the Pharisees who put the Son of God on trial. However, it is not worth waiting for Christ to come to earth again and drive the merchants out of His Father's House with a stick, as He did more than two thousand years ago with the merchants of sacrificial pigeons and lambs. It is better to believe in the Providence of God and not to fall into it, but to accept everything as a gift from God for the salvation of immortal human souls. After all, it is no coincidence that He commanded the foundation of His Church to the triple traitor.
Time for a change
It is likely that the discovery of an artifact known as the Codex Chakos with the Gospel of Judas is the beginning of the end of the legend of the villainous Judas. The time has come to reconsider the attitude of Christians towards this man. After all, it was hatred towards him that gave rise to such a disgusting phenomenon as anti-Semitism.
The Torah and the Koran were written by people who were not tied to Christianity. For them, the story of Jesus of Nazareth is only an episode from the spiritual life of mankind, and not the most significant. Is the hatred of Christians towards Jews and Muslims (details about the crusades make one horrified by the cruelty and greed of the knights of the cross) compatible with their main commandment: “Yes, love one another!”?
The Torah, the Koran and famous, respected Christian scholars do not condemn Judas. Neither will we. After all, the Apostle Judas Iscariot, whose life we briefly touched upon, is no worse than other disciples of Christ, the same Apostle Peter, for example.
The future belongs to a renewed Christianity
The great Russian philosopher, the founder of Russian cosmism, who gave impetus to the development of all modern sciences (cosmonautics, genetics, molecular biology and chemistry, ecology, and others), was a deeply believing Orthodox Christian and believed that the future of mankind and its salvation lies precisely in Christian doctrine. We should not condemn the past sins of Christians, but strive not to commit new ones, to be kinder and more merciful to all people.
