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*Includes pictures.
*Includes Scripture passages about Judas's life and betrayal.
*Explains arguments over the Gospel of Judas.
*Includes a bibliography for further reading.
*Includes a table of contents.
"And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present." - Luke 22: 4-6
Even someone with a casual knowledge of the Bible will recognize the name Judas Iscariot. Well known as the disciple who betrayed Jesus, the Messiah, with a kiss, Judas has become synonymous with betrayal and deception. The most infamous of the Apostles, Judas goes from true follower to a turncoat who seemingly sacrifices the cause for personal benefit. Not surprisingly, the names of the other disciples will appear in birth registries around the world, except for Judas, whose name is still associated with suspicion and even fear.
It goes without saying that Judas is an interesting character in the development of the salvation history. His person, his act of betrayal and even his replacement were predicted by the Old Testament prophets, which some Biblical scholars take as evidence that Judas was doomed from the beginning to be the betrayer and had no choice. But by taking a closer look at the history, the reader will see several points along the way, even up to the moment of the final kiss, in which Jesus gave Judas the opportunity to repent. God's plan was going to be fulfilled, and God was going to use an individual to bring about the betrayal of Jesus, but at the same time, Judas made several conscious choices along the way to reject the Messiah and turn Jesus over to the Roman authorities. Like many other teachings of the Bible, the infinite wisdom of God and the finite understanding of man clash in the life of Judas. Divine sovereignty predetermined that Judas would be the betrayer, yet the free will of man allowed him to make his own decisions.
At the same time, a relatively recent discovery has cast doubt on the traditional understanding of Judas's life and actions. The Gospel of Judas, a Gnostic text purportedly written in the 3rd or 4th century A.D., casts Judas as a hero who directly follows Christ's explicit orders and accepts the weight of being responsible for Christ's death as the price to pay for being one of the chosen. In this controversial account, Judas is actually portrayed as the one who is favored by Jesus and worthy of praise, while the other 11 disciples are characterized as not understanding the true nature of God. Not surprisingly, this lost gospel has brought about considerable controversy, both over the authenticity of the text and the validity of what was written in it.
Judas: The Life of the Apostle Who Betrayed Jesus explores the known and unknown of the life of Judas, and the actions that led to Christ's crucifixion. This book looks at the Biblical narrative of the disciple to gain an understanding of his position in the Gospels. Digging into the Biblical record and accompanying that record with cultural and historical facts, readers can begin to understand the character of this disciple turned betrayer. It also looks at the controversial Gospel of Judas, a text purporting to present an alternative account of the relationship between Jesus and Judas. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about Judas like never before, in no time at all.
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