Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity Kindle Edition

No writer on "Christian history" is better than Ms Pagels

This is really a two star, but I give three if only because the topic is so darn important. Quoting from the Introduction, "Reading the Gospel of Judas as just another example of well-known Gnostic heresy merely repeats entrenched cliches, for we only hear the losers' voices yet again. But if we can get beyond the stereotypes that come from hearing only one side of the story -- a story told so often and for so long that it has wrongly come to seem like the only possible story -- then these new finds can enrich our knowledge of the diversity of early Christian imagination and practice, letting us read both the new discoveries and well-known traditions with new eyes. WHEN WE DO, WE CAN SEE NOW THAT THE BURNING ISSUE IN THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS WAS ONE THAT THE CHURCH FATHERS TOOK PAINS TO AVOID ADDRESSING BY DIVERTING ATTENTION TO OTHER CONCERNS." Well, she (probably King) is more right than than she knows. The "issue" is one of hiding the real Master of the day, James. Judas *was* James the Just, inverted tendentiously. The church fathers wanted to start a new religion. No other has a single martyred savior. It doesn't work that way. John 9:4-5 prove it (C. Sinaiticus original version). There was a real Master behind the red-letter sayings but it wasn't "Jesus." He was invented to hide the real one.https://www.amazon.com/dp/1524627607/ref=cm_cd_asin_lnkThere is no record of 'Jesus', but there is of James. The Nag Hammadi Apocalypses of James show that the character Judas was really James (and that the tradition of "Betrayal" was in inversion of a Mastership installation event). I'm not the first to notice this. Dr. Robert Eisenman, in his fabulous work on James was, as far as I know.http://www.amazon.com/James-Brother-Jesus-Unlocking-Christianity/dp/014025773X/ref=pd_sim_b_2We know this now because of the new discoveries at Qumran and Nag Hammadi. King and Pagels are old-school and can't see out of the orthodox box they live in. ALL SCHOLARS ARE IN THIS BOX -- including Bart Ehrman, an agnostic. Only a Mystic can interpret all this correctly. I am a practicing Mystic. I follow a mystic Master (Maharaj Charan Singh). I know this text because I live the life it outlines and have for forty years.Judas is the sacrifice, as can be seen in numerous other gnostic writings. Self-sacrifice is nearly universal in them. First Apocalypse of James is right in front of gJudas in the Codex Tchacos, found at Al Minya. He is coming to be in the narrative, as the new Master: "Your horn has been raised, your anger [against self] has been kindled, your star has ascended [DeConick trans.], and your heart has grown strong." Judas then ascends into the luminous cloud -- WITH Jesus as they merge as one. Disciples aspire to merge into the Master, even today in Mystic organizations like mine. Judas is "replaced by someone" -- his Master Jesus, in order that the twelve ELEMENTS (Jenott trans) merge into the Pleroma. This is well-known in Indian mysticism. Just see for yourself at Science of the Soul.org. All books are published at cost, many written by real Masters/saviors.

In Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas and the Shaping of Christianity, Pagels and King explore the "Gospel of Judas" and the context in which it was written, to create a framework for the translation of the gospel in the second half of the book. Rather than ignore the gospel as heresy, they ask readers to consider the political forces at work. They argue that the gospel presents Judas not as a betrayer of Jesus, but as his greatest disciple. This challenges readers to reconsider traditional views of Judas, Jesus and the Church, perhaps even to forgive Judas and open their eyes to a larger view of Christianity. Pagels and King explain that through the "Gospel of Judas" we can see that it is not the suffering of Jesus and the persecution of Christians that brings holiness. Rather, Christians must come to understand that Jesus did not die as a blood sacrifice but as a leader showing the way. The physical life is something to be overcome, not mourned. Essentially, Pagels and King strive to overcome the bias with which we may approach the "Gospel of Judas." We must understand the context to see that the author is not simply trying to be inflammatory but reacting to the religious wars of his time. The book is very approachable, written for those who are not biblical scholars with a heavily annotated translation to help the reader in digestion of the gospel. Pagels and King offer a thorough explanation of the events leading to the gospel's conception as they explore other Christian works which lend support to its radical statements in the second section.

I am fascinated by the unearthing of these "termas" and the brilliant translations and contexts for understanding that Elaine Pagels and Karen King (the "tertons") bring to them. This is a scholarly but highly approachable translation and discussion of a gospel that takes on the ultimate contradiction - the existence of evil, pain and human suffering in the presence of an all powerful deity. The writer wrestle's with Jesus' crucifixion, and comes to resolution of the dilemma not through resurrection, but by de-personifying the divine itself.There is never an agenda in the work of these two women, other than to translate as reliably as is possible, in both the written word and the context for understanding the written word. I am very grateful to them both, and consider this work to be an important contribution to our understanding of the early Christians' world.

Thsi was a very moving read. Elaine Pagels and Karen King have done a first class job of translating and interpreting this gospel which is both scholarly and compassionate in its treatment of the gnostic gospel of Judas. It shows the words of Judas in light of the background events of the first century of Christianity which most of us are inclined to view as a time of deep brotherhood and agreement within the early christian community. This book reveals the full extent of the divisions and traumas within this community which tore them apart in many ways. One feels a deep understanding and empathy with Judas as revealed within this gospel, whether or not Judas was the author of it( unlikely). If you value an open and developing mind and spirit, you will benefit greatly from the experience of reading this book.

Unable to get my head round it as such being diyslexic, but bits & pieces are more than beneficial & life[-changing for me - can really recommend as a very worthwhile exposure!

Came punctually. Quality as promised. Super

An easy read and contains a lot of historical background, that gives the reader more insight into 2nd century Christianity. The interpretations presented here are though by no means "final" and are widely debated among scholars.

For years, Judas Iscariot has been portrayed as the betrayer of Jesus. Supposedly for thirty pieces of silver he sold out the man he thought was Israel's messiah. Now, the discovery of the Gospel of Judas presents him as the man who understood Jesus better than all others, was his devoted friend and confidant and did what he did at Jesus' own request to make clear to those around him and to those in the future just who this man Jesus was.I found this book very hard going. I read all the preliminary material before attempting to read the gospel itself which has many lines missing from it. I am wondering if I might have gained more from the book if I had read the gospel itself first and then moved on to the introduction and the very careful and extensive footnotes.The authors have surely gone to great pains to make this material available to those who wonder how much the stories of Jesus have been co-opted to shore up an institution which often seems to be anything but what Jesus thought religion and religious persons were all about but it is hard going even for someone like myself who has been reading about and interested in such things for the past forty plus years. Kudos to the authors for having made the attempt. Perhaps a more popular version will appear in the not too distant future.