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Jesus & Judas
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In Washington, the National Geographic Society has presented the English translation of the Gospel of Judas written by an early Christian sect sometime before 180 A.D. After disappearing for nearly 1700 years the 26-page manuscript was recently restored, authenticated and translated. It appears to be of monumental importance in that it indicated that Judas Iscariot did not betray Jesus to the Romans for thirty pieces of silver. On the contrary, Christian scholars say it proves Judas was acting on the instructions of Jesus because: Jesus says it is necessary for someone to free him finally from his human body’ and that he preferred this be done by a friend rather than an enemy.
In Jerusalem, Rabbi David Rosen discussed the ramifications of the Gospel of Judas and assessed the visit by Shimon Peres to the Vatican for a meeting with Pope Benedict.
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Judas Iscariot, portrayed in history as the ultimate Jewish traitor, was acting on the instructions of Jesus. That’s the startling revelation in the lost Coptic, or Egyptian-Christian manuscripts that have now been revealed by National Geographic News in Washington.
Christian scholars are hailing the document as casting Judas in a completely different light from his historic role of traitor. Professor Rodolphe Kasser of the University of Geneva, a leading Coptic scholar who translated the ancient manuscripts explains: ‘Jesus says it is necessary for someone to free him finally from his human body, and he prefers that this liberation be done by a friend rather than by an enemy. So he asks Judas, who is his friend, to sell him out, to betray him. It’s treason to the general public, but between Jesus and Judas it’s not treachery’. Bart Ehrman, the chair of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina adds: ‘This gospel has a completely different understanding of God, the world, Christ, salvation, human existence – not to mention Judas himself-that became embodied in the Christian creeds and canon’. The author of the 26-page Gospel of Judas is anonymous. It disappeared nearly 1700 years ago and was discovered hidden in Egypt in the late 1970s.
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Rabbi Rosen and Pope Benedict
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Unrelated to the authentication of the Gospel of Judas, Israel’s Shimon Peres has just met with Pope Benedict in the Vatican. Peres carried an invitation to visit Israel from Prime Minister designate Ehud Olmert. The pontiff hoped to visit the Holy Land early next year. Rabbi David Rosen, the international director of inter-religious affairs for the American-Jewish Committee says the Pope Bendict is following in the path of John Paul in fostering Jewish-Catholic relations.
Visit National Geographic's 'Lost Gospel' mini-site.
Rabbi Rosen's Website
David Essing, ISRACAST,
Jerusalem
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