The document provides information about the Gospel of Judas manuscript that was rediscovered in 1970 in Egypt. It discusses what the manuscript contains, including portraying Judas in a positive light as acting on Jesus' orders, and promoting Gnostic teachings. The summary criticizes the manuscript for promoting heretical ideas rejected by the early church, such as claiming salvation comes from secret knowledge and depicting the God of the Bible negatively. Modern church leaders also reject the credibility of the Gospel of Judas.

2. The Rediscovery?
• In the 1970’s a
manuscript called
Codex Tchacos,
surfaces near El
Minya, in the
desert of Egypt
and is the only
known
manuscript that
includes this so-
called gospel of
Judas.

3. What is it?
• Not the Epistle of Jude the brother of James (Jude 1) in
the Bible
• In 2000 the manuscript was finally sold to an Egyptian-
born Greek dealer named Frieda Nussberger-Tchacos,
who turned the documents over to experts at Yale
University's Beinecke Library, whom she viewed as
possible buyers.
• In 2001 Nussburger-Tchacos determined to sell the
codex to the Swiss-based Maecenas Foundation for
Ancient Art. The foundation had clearly stated its goal to
restore, preserve, and publish the long-hidden text and
then return the original to its country of origin.

4. What is it?
• The foundation entered into
partnership with the National
Geographic Society, which
announced the ‘Gospel’ of Judas to
the world after nearly 1,700 years
of seclusion.
• The restored original will be
delivered to Cairo's Coptic
Museum….

5. Why has it created such a stir?
• Although perhaps 15 to 20 percent of the
original document was lost, the remainder is a
revelation—more than sufficient to tell the tale of
Judas and Jesus as we've never heard it before.
• The Gospel features dialogues between the
"savior," (not named as Jesus in the surviving
pages) and his disciples. Scholars believe that
these conversations are meant to have occurred
after Jesus' resurrection, though the text is
incomplete and it is difficult to determine an
accurate chronology of its events.

6. Judas a Hero?
• After nearly 2,000 years, the most hated man in history
is back.
• Everyone remembers the story of Jesus Christ’s close
friend, one of the 12 Apostles, who sold him out for 30
pieces of silver, identifying him with a kiss. Later, crazed
with guilt, Judas hanged himself. He is the ultimate
symbol of treachery. Stockyards call the goat that leads
other animals to slaughter the Judas goat. In Germany,
officials can forbid new parents from choosing the name
Judas. Guides at the historic Coptic Hanging Church in
Old Cairo point out one black column in the church’s
white colonnades—Judas, of course. Christianity would
not be the same without its traitor.

7. Judas a Hero?
• The “secret account” gives us a very different
Judas. In this version, he is a hero. Unlike the
other disciples, he truly understands Christ’s
message. In handing Jesus over to the
authorities, he is doing his leader’s bidding,
knowing full well the fate he will bring on himself.
Jesus warns him: “You will be cursed.”
• In a world that turns sin to virtue it makes sense
to even turn the most famous traitor to a hero.

8. What the Early Church Said
• Irenaeus of Lyons (130-202 CE) was a heresy hunter in
the same caliber of Tertullian (155–230 CE) and
Hippolytus (170-236 CE). He excoriated heresies in a
work called Adversus Haereses (the full title of which is
the "Refutation and Overthrow of Knowledge falsely
so-called").
• He wrote "They declare that Judas the traitor was
thoroughly acquainted with these things (divine
enlightenment), 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 (the Gnostic writers)
produce a fictitious history of this kind, which they style
the Gospel of Judas." (1.31.1)

9. What the Early Church Said
• The "Gospel of Judas" was also referred
to by Origen in the year 230 in his book
Stromateis, which vehemently asserted
distain upon Gnosticism. (Means “mystical
teachings to escape from this world
through the acquisition of hidden
knowledge.”)

10. What the Early Church Said
• In AD 367, St. Athanasius the Apostolic, urged Christians to
“cleanse the church from every defilement” and to reject “the hidden
books.”
• St.Paul sharply rebuked the early Christians for giving heed to
seducing doctrines that could shake a person's faith. “Evidently
some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to
pervert the gospel of Christ ... If anybody is preaching to you a
gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally
condemned!” (Galatians 1:7-9, NIV).
• St.Peter said, “But there were also false prophets among the
people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will
secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign
Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves.
Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of truth
into disrepute.” (2 Peter 2:1-2, NIV).

11. Its Content: It starts:
The secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke inThe secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in
conversation with Judas Iscariot during a week three daysconversation with Judas Iscariot during a week three days
before he celebrated Passover.before he celebrated Passover.
When Jesus appeared on earth, he performed miraclesWhen Jesus appeared on earth, he performed miracles
and great wonders for the salvation of humanity. Andand great wonders for the salvation of humanity. And
since some [walked] in the way of righteousness whilesince some [walked] in the way of righteousness while
others walked in their transgressions, the twelve disciplesothers walked in their transgressions, the twelve disciples
were called.were called.
He began to speak with them about theHe began to speak with them about the mysteriesmysteries beyondbeyond
the world and what would take place at the end. Often hethe world and what would take place at the end. Often he
did not appear to his disciples as himself, but he wasdid not appear to his disciples as himself, but he was
found among them as a child.found among them as a child.

12. Its Content: Judas Singled out
When Jesus observed their lack of [understanding, he said]When Jesus observed their lack of [understanding, he said]
to them, “Why has this agitation led you to anger? Yourto them, “Why has this agitation led you to anger? Your
god who is within you and […] [35] have provoked you togod who is within you and […] [35] have provoked you to
anger [within] your souls. [Let] any one of you who isanger [within] your souls. [Let] any one of you who is
[strong enough] among human beings bring out the[strong enough] among human beings bring out the
perfect human and stand before my face.”perfect human and stand before my face.”
They all said, “We have the strength.”They all said, “We have the strength.”
But their spirits did not dare to stand before [him], except forBut their spirits did not dare to stand before [him], except for
Judas Iscariot. He was able to stand before him, but heJudas Iscariot. He was able to stand before him, but he
could not look him in the eyes, and he turned his facecould not look him in the eyes, and he turned his face
away.away.
Judas [said] to him, “I know who you are and where youJudas [said] to him, “I know who you are and where you
have come from. You are from the immortal realm ofhave come from. You are from the immortal realm of
BarbeloBarbelo. And I am not worthy to utter the name of the one. And I am not worthy to utter the name of the one
who has sent you.”who has sent you.”

13. Its Content: Judas Singled out
Knowing that Judas was reflecting upon 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. [36]
For someone else will replace you, in order that
the twelve [disciples] may again come to
completion with their god.”
Judas said to him, “When will you tell me these
things, and [when] will the great day of light dawn
for the generation?”
But when he said this, Jesus left him.

14. Its teachings
• After reading the "Gospel of Judas", one will be introduced to new
titles and deities not commonly referenced today. However, they
were known in that first century among the Syrian-Egyptic Gnostics
such as the Sethians, Thomasines, Valentinians and
Basilideans.
• An example passage reads "His name was Nebro, which means
‘rebel’; others call him Yaldabaoth. Another angel, Saklas (means
"foolish one"), also came from the cloud." The Yaldabaoth, a
'serpent with a lion's head'. This figure is commonly known as the
Demiurge, after the figure in Plato's "Timaeus". This imperfect
divine is taught as the one who created the universe.
• The author claims that God, the Father of Jesus is Barbelo.
“Barbelo”, in Gnostic writings is the first emanation from the divine
essence and mother of all Aeons. These figures have largely to do
with the origin of the universe, and they are commonly found in
Gnostic treatises from Nag Hammadi.

15. Its teachings
• The Gospel of Judas states that Jesus told Judas "You shall be
cursed for generations." It then adds to this conversation that Jesus
had told Judas "you will come to rule over them," and that "You will
exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me."
• The Gospel of Judas not only asserts that the actions of Judas were
necessary, but that Judas was acting on the orders of Jesus
himself. It is no longer a pride-driven rebellion against God's divine
purpose, but Judas' actions are venerated as most profound in
keeping with God's will.
• Gnostic writings will often exonerate orthodox villains as the hero or
heroines to be revered. Jesus purportly said in another passage
"Look, you have been told everything. Lift up your eyes and look at
the cloud and the light within it and the stars surrounding it. The star
that leads the way is your star."

16. Who are the Gnostics
• The Gospel of Judas is typical of many Gnostic writings,
with its notions that:
– Salvation comes through the knowledge of one's divine origin,
– Salvation is exclusive and offered only to the elite,
– Majority of Christians are caught in error and serving the wrong
God,
– Physical existence is a deities fouled mistake and needs to be
transcended,
– Jesus was a teacher of esoteric truths that bear almost no
resemblance to anything a first-century Jewish prophet would
have taught.

17. Who are the Gnostics
• The Gnostics prized their secret
knowledge, and taught a profound dualism
between the material and spiritual worlds.
• They understood the material world,
including the entire cosmos, to be a trap
for the spiritual world.
• In essence, the Gnostics sought to escape
the material world and to enter the spirit
world.

18. Gnostic Teachings
• The Apophatic (means “negative”) Theology mode of
thinking about God is found throughout Gnosticism,
Vendantic Hinduism, Platonic and Aristotelian theology.
Irenaeus alleged that a large number of Gnostic groups,
were semi-maltheists believing that the god of the Old
Testament was evil, and a quite different and much
lesser being to the deity that had created the universe,
and who was responsible for sending Jesus.
• Many Gnostic groups worshipped as heroes all the
Biblical figures which had sought to discover knowledge
or challenge Yahweh's authority, while demonizing those
who would have been seen as heroes in a more
orthodox interpretation.

19. Gnostic Teachings
• Such is the reversal role that we see Mary
Magdalene as harlot turned choice companion
of Christ in the "Gospel of Mary." Gnostics
notoriously flip the canvas of good and evil in
keeping with the understanding of their theology.
For example, in Gnostic stories of creation the
world and humankind are created by a vile god.
But the good serpent comes to reveal
knowledge to people so they can escape the evil
creation.
• Dan Brown borrows this Gnostic Idea to make
his Millions

20. The Attack on Christianity
• The Gospel of Judas claimed, [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.”]
• In fact, the name “Barbelo” is no where in the Bible.
Moreover, it is well know that the name of God revealed
to Moses in the Book of Exodus is “Yahweh”. God further
said to Moses, ‘You are to tell the Israelites, “Yahweh,
the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, the God
of Isaac and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This
is my name for all time, and thus I am to be invoked for
all generations to come.” (Exodus 3:15, NJB).

21. The Attack on Christianity
• The Lord Jesus Christ is begotten from
the eternal heavenly Father, not from
“Barbelo” as claimed. Christ is the ruler
over Israel, “whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2, NIV).

22. What the Modern Church Says
• Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury,
condemned the credibility of the gospel during his 2006
Easter address, saying, "This is a demonstrably late text
which simply parallels a large number of quite well-
known works from the more eccentric fringes of the early
century Church." He went on to suggest that the book's
publicity derives from an insatiable desire for conspiracy
theories. "We are instantly fascinated by the suggestion
of conspiracies and cover-ups; this has become so much
the stuff of our imagination these days that it is only
natural, it seems, to expect it when we turn to ancient
texts, especially biblical texts."

23. What the Modern Church Says
• Pope Benedict XVI of Rome responded on
April 13, 2006 "The Vatican, grants the
recently surfaced Judas' Gospel no credit
with regards to its apocryphal claims that
Judas betrayed Jesus in compliance with
the latter's own requests.”

24. Sources
• Article by Fr. Abraam D.Sleman – Refuting
the Gospel of Judas
http://copticchurch.net/topics/current_issues/R
• http://www.eternalpath.com/gospelofjudas.htm