The Colourful Jester

Prior posts removed as spam and spam byproducts

Since there's a spare thread hanging then, I'll ask a question for a brief answer.

Is this gospel been seen as important?

Agnostic Theist

For those who aren't familiar with Gnosticism, the Book of Judas presents a case from the perspective of the disciple who handed Jesus over. If you don't believe in the whole Easter Story stuff, it's an interesting twist. If you do, it brings the dessert to the table

Phlox Pyros

This has been answered in other recent threads, but since it was asked here...

It is seen as important only because it adds a little more color to the history of Gnosticism. The new Gospel of Judas is a Gnostic text, which is made clear by the use of Gnostic technical terms such as "Barbelo" and the many Gnostic ideas presented in the text itself.

To the history Orthodox Christianity, it is not important because the very book was condemned as heresy as early as 180 A.D. and likely before that. In other words, it does not affect the beliefs of most Christians.

Roger Pearse

Ah, don't you have any Indiana Jones blood in you? It's a lost text. It's one more stick recovered from the wreck of antiquity. 99% of ancient literature is lost (the estimate of Pietro Bembo, reiterated by Nigel Wilson).

Likewise the other three texts in the same codex are interesting. The other three codices offered for sale at the same time -- a Greek version of Exodus, a Sahidic version of Paul's Letters, and an unknown mathematical treatise in Greek -- are all precious. And the backstory for all this is truly weird!

I suspect what you mean, perhaps, is "is this important for a knowledge of the life of Jesus?" The answer is no. It belongs to the period when paganising groups started to produce fake 'gospels' in the name of one apostle or another in order to hoodwink Christians. This one must predate Irenaeus (180), but is plainly sub-Valentinian (140-ish?) so was probably composed around 160-170-ish?

However it gives us light on the Cainite group.

All the best,

Roger Pearse