|
In comparative recent
years there has emerged a re-evaluation of the long
accepted view of the above major New Testament figures.
A reading of the synoptic Gospels gives the clear
impression that Judas was to say the least a wicked
betrayer and that Mary Magdalene was a (reformed)
sinner, with a dubious moral background. This teaching
was fostered by the Catholic Church (and others) as it ,
put simply, suited their book. For two thousand years
this fiction has been believed by adherents of the major
Christian religions. In the case of Judas, if one
accepts the version of events narrated in the Gospels,
Christ was led to his death at Judas` instigation. All
four of the writers of the first four Books of the New
Testament, agree on this ‘fact’.
But who exactly were the
authors of these Books? And are they completely
trustworthy and reliable? The discovery of the Dead Sea
Scrolls might suggest that all they wrote could not be
relied upon, since the Scrolls often give a different
interpretation of biblical events. With regard to Mary
Magdalene, the RC `s notorious misogyny is explicit.
Fathers of the Church could not accept that a female
could play a significant role in the life of Jesus and
so she had to be downgraded. Indeed, Mary Magdalene is
mentioned several key times in the synoptic gospels but
readers are left in no doubt of her less than worthy
past – a figure upon whom Jesus bestowed compassion, but
(as the apostles thought) not deserving of the status
of close companion.
REFERENCES
IN THE FOUR SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
Without
any preamble (26;14) in Matthew`s gospel we are told
that “one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot
went to the chief priests” and agreed to betray Jesus
for thirty pieces of silver by greeting him with a kiss.
As we know this happened and Jesus was arrested. Later
(27;3) Judas repented, returned the pieces of silver and
hanged himself. – so we are told.
At Jesus` death,
we read that there were many women there who had
followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him.
“Among them were Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of
Jesus….” Meanwhile all the Apostles “had deserted him
and fled”. . After the body of Jesus had been placed in
the tomb, “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there,
sitting opposite the tomb”. After the Sabbath, Mary
Magdalene went “to see the tomb” and discovered Jesus
was not there. They ran to tell his disciples,
but on the way they met
the risen Jesus, who greeted the women. Later on he
appeared to his disciples. Clearly Mary Magdalene plays
a prominent role in Jesus` latter days; more prominent
than that of the disciples. The other three gospel
writers largely repeat this narrative but it is Mark
(16;9) who refers to the casting out of seven demons
from Mary Magdalene. What could be a very significant
passage is encountered in John where we read that as
Jesus was dying on the cross he was aware of his mother
and “the disciple whom he loved” , namely, Mary
Magdalene. Nowhere in these four gospels is there any
mention of Mary Magdalene being a reformed prostitute
The four gospel writers,
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, all make reference to
Judas as the one who would betray Christ. John also adds
the words that “the devil having now put into the heart
of Judas” ( the determination to betray Jesus): 12:14..
Luke also echoes these words.in 22:3. Matthew and Mark
relate how Judas went to the chief priests to apprise
them of his purpose. John speaks of the moment at the
Last Supper, when Jesus identifies which one will betray
him: “He it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have
dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop , he gave it
to Judas Iscariot….” (13:26). . It is clearly shown in
these instances that all four writers believed
implicitly in Judas` betrayal of Jesus. This is the
accepted view of Judas for two millennia – according to
those Books thought worthy of being included in the
“canon”. As is well known the bibles and their contents
differ a good deal from each other, reflected in the
differing “bibles” used by individual Christian
religions. Who decided their several contents- those
considered for acceptance, and those for exclusion? . Of
course it was largely subjective: what fitted, what best
reflected the current view, what reinforced the
teachings of the Churches. Christian and Jews alike
decided on a collection most consonant with their own
dogmas and traditions. This “winnowing” process took
place over hundreds of years, but mostly in the first
millennium, so that by and large the “canons” were
established for the second millennium. The personnel who
had this task were the hierarchy of the Churches, led of
course in the case of the Catholic Church by the Pope of
the time. Also it is important to remember that we do
not know for sure that the four main gospels were
written by the people whose names are given to them.
More important still is the fact that neither do we know
for certain when the gospels were written.
However the question
arises: did Jesus need someone to act as
catalyst to further his mission to die , and thereby
atone, for the sins of humanity. This is the viewpoint
of those who do not, or no longer, accept the
traditional portrayal of Judas. This view was
dramatically given a boost when in the spring of 2006
the text of the Gospel of Judas was promulgated after
being hidden from public eyes for decades. The gospel
was discovered in 1970 in Egypt but was not really
identified as the Gospel of Judas until 2000, and from
then on it underwent a variety of adventures. It had
first to be restored and then translated into English
from the Coptic. The text is not the original but a
translation of a Greek text probably dating from about
170 AD or later, written by a Christian or Christians,
members of an early (dissident) sect.
Far from being a
traitor the Judas depicted in this document is one who
acts out Christ`s wishes, sacrificing himself in the
process (later) . Judas appears as one who was in fact
the facilitator of Jesus` apprehension and death. It
does seem as though Judas and Jesus had initiated a type
of collusion whereby the stages leading to the
crucifixion were agreed. The message given by this
Gospel is that Judas was only following Christ`s wishes.
Why therefore
was Judas painted by the authors of the four main
gospels in the way he was? It might be that they were
simply mistaken – after all, one gospel writer followed,
I do not say, copied, the other!
Or perhaps they
were motivated out of jealousy arising from a perceived
close relationship with their leader. Or as Judas was
the “treasurer” for the group, and felt to be somewhat
materialistic, he was regarded as the likeliest
candidate for betrayer – if there had to be one. .
Whatever, it is clear that Judas was not liked by the
other apostles. The revealed document is therefore to be
considered as an attempt “to put the record straight” by
a sect member who clearly disagreed with the version of
our four writers and may indeed have some sort of
“inside” knowledge of the true circumstances, handed
down to him/her.
The text itself
begins with an account of a meeting of Judas and some of
the other apostles with Jesus, set probably some time
before the crucifixion. Judas comes over as an intimate
of Jesus, maybe his best (male) friend . Without the
assistance of Judas, we may surmise, Christ could not
have fulfilled his destiny – this is the message. In
the conversation it is intimated that Jesus` soul will
be liberated from the body and thereby is able to reach
heaven.
EXTRACTS FROM THE GOSPEL
OF JUDAS
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 good deal. 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.
(The
apostles recounted a vision to Jesus which he explains,
and then Judas recounts a vision and Jesus replies)
Intriguingly Jesus refers
to Judas as “You thirteenth spirit” and then explains
Judas` vision of twelve disciples stoning him, saying
Judas , your star has led you astray. I have explained
to you the mysteries of the kingdom and I have taught
you about the error of the stars…”
Why does Jesus refer to
Judas as “Thirteenth” ? Was Mary Magdalene one of the
twelve?
Jesus said to him(Judas)
you will become the thirteenth and you will be cursed by
the other generations – and you will come to rule over
them.
Having asked about his own
fate, Judas is taught by Jesus about cosmology and the
Spirit.
Jesus said, “Come that I
may teach you about secrets no person has ever seen.
For there exists a great and boundless realm…”
A great deal of
cosmographical information is given to Judas by Jesus,
and the subjects of rulers
and angels, the creation of humanity, the destiny of
Adam and humanity, the destruction of the wicked. Judas
asks many questions, related to these topics. Then the
conversation turns to Judas and the part that he will
play in the final hours before Jesus is crucified.
Judas wonders what those
will do who have been baptized in Jesus` name. Jesus
gives an explanation but then speaks some very
significant words.
“But you will exceed all
of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes
me.”
A difficult line but which
probably means you will sacrifice the mortal body which
hides the immortal, i.e. the Son of God.
And then later, Jesus addressing Judas,
says, “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”.
Judas lifted up his eyes
and saw the luminous cloud and he entered it.
The gospel ends with a brief account of
Judas` final action in the trial of Jesus.
The text having undergone
final examination and authenticated now presents a
coherent narrative. It is being made available to the
public generally. Finally the Maecenas Foundation in
Switzerland , the owners of the document, will donate
the document to Egypt, where it was found, to be kept in
the Coptic museum in Cairo. A translation issued by
the National Geographic Society is now available, the
latest edition being in 2006.
At this juncture we can
address ourselves to the enigma of Mary Magdalene, who
like Judas, has undergone a recent fundamental
reappraisal . As we have said, the usual view of Mary
Magdalene is of a reformed sinner who features but
occasionally in the New Testament, and is definitely
tangential to the main story. However if we look more
closely at her role and put this in context we
can see just how vital a part she does play. Apart from
this is the testimony of the Gospel of Mary which
enables us to see Mary Magdalene in a completely
different light from the traditional. This gospel was
discovered in 1896 so it has been around for a long
time but it was not until the 80s that a final
translation was published. The original text was written
in Greek about 150AD. It is true that Mary is not often
mentioned in the Bible but when she is it is always on
important occasions. Thus she is the first witness of
the Resurrection when she sees the stone rolled back;
she accompanies Jesus on his journeys; she is present at
the crucifixion. She is the first to see Jesus after his
resurrection; she is clearly well known as a disciple of
Jesus. However, it is equally clear the Mary was not
liked by some of the other disciples, especially Peter,
largely because she was a woman. Much modern biblical
scholarship regards the gospel as presenting “a radical
interpretation of Jesus` teachings…and asks us to
rethink the basis for church authority.” (Karen King)
The text of the
gospel is missing several pages at the beginning and
several in the middle. Consequently, the story begins
in the middle of a scene , leaving the circumstances
unclear. However, various clues suggest the scene is a
post resurrection one, where Christ is talking to his
disciples, and answering their questions on the nature
of matter and sin. After the discussion Jesus leaves and
the apostles are upset and troubled.
What we have of the gospel is
presented below. Before we read it we can summarise the
story, beginning from the departure of Jesus. Mary
attempts to comfort the disciples. Peter asks Mary to
share with them any special teaching she may have got
from the Savior. Peter addresses Mary in very
significant words and says that as Jesus loves her more
than the other women, she could perhaps tell them (the
apostles) the words of the Savior which she knew but
they did not. Mary replies by recounting a conversation
she had with Jesus in a vision, In the vision, Jesus
it appears is talking about the soul, the spirit and the
mind, and the relationship of these to the ablity to see
visions. The next few pages are missing and we take up
the text where Mary is recounting a revelation given in
the vision about a soul ascending to heaven but having
to confront various hazards on the way: the four
“powers” Her account of the vision only succeeds in
arousing a degree of animosity among some of the
disciples, jealousy being one of the emotions.
Certainly Peter and Andrew were
offended but Levi/Matthew defends Mary.
` In this text Mary certainly
is seen as a fervent disciple, especially singled out
for especial attention by Jesus. She is the comforter of
the apostles in their mood of despair. Before the gap in
the narrative, where the risen Christ is in converse
with the disciples , the nature of sin is discussed. It
is not an easy passage to comprehend but the message
seems to be that sin is not so much a moral offence but
is something that is the result of mixing the spiritual
and the material, improperly. After the lacuna, we see
that Mary tells the disciples
things that they did not know. Mary then describes
Jesus` revelations about the soul rising and confronting
the four powers (mentioned in the text) ,overcoming them
and attaining eternal peace.
At the end of
the gospel we are left with the impression that Mary is
special to Jesus who has knowledge and the ability to
teach above that of the accepted apostolic tradition.
THE GOSPEL OF MARY
MAGDALENE
(Italics denote my
comment. Otherwise it is the original text)
The disciples are in
conversation with Christ sometime after the
Resurrection, but as the initial part is missing, we
enter the converse in the middle as it were.)
….Will matter be destroyed
or not?
The Saviour said , All
nature , all formations, all creatures exist in and with
one another , and they will be resolved again into their
own roots.
For the nature of matter
is resolved into the roots of its own nature alone.
He who has ears to hear ,
let him hear.
Peter said to him, Since
you have explained everything to us , tell us this also.
What is the sin of the world?
(Maybe at this juncture we should
offer a comment. It is
important to remember that words and expressions might
have undergone a change of meaning in translation. For
example the “roots” reference may be better understood
by the word “origin”.)
The Saviour said There is
no sin , but it is you who make sin when you do the
things that are like the nature of adultery , which is
called sin.
That is why the Good came
into your midst, to the essence of every nature in order
to restore it to its root.
Then he continued and said
, That is why you become sick and die , for you are
deprived of the one who can heal you.
He who has a mind to
understand , let him understand.
Matter gave birth to a
passion that has no equal, which proceeded from
something contrary to nature. Then there arises a
disturbance in its whole body.
That is why I said to you , Be of good
courage , and if you are discouraged be encouraged in
the presence of the different forms of nature.
(i.e. all God`s creation)
He who has ears to hear ,
let him hear.
When the Blessed One had
said this , He greeted them all saying , Peace be with
you . Receive my peace unto yourselves.
Beware that no one lead
you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of
Man is within you.
Follow after him!
Those who seek him will
find him.
Go then and preach the
gospel of the Kingdom.
Do not lay down any rules
beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like
the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.
When He said this, He
departed.
But they were grieved,
They wept greatly saying, How shall we go to the
Gentiles and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of the Son
of Man? If they did not spare Him how will they spare
us?
Then Mary stood up ,
greeted them all, and said to her brethren, Do not weep
and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for His grace will
be entirely with you and will protect you.
But rather let us praise
His greatness, for he has prepared us and made us into
Men.
When Mary said this , she
turned their hearts to the Good , and they began to
discuss the words of the Saviour.
Peter said to Mary, Sister we know that
the Saviour loved you more than the rest of woman. Tell
us the words of the Saviour which you remember which you
know but we do not, not have we heard them.
(denotes how special Mary was to Jesus)
Mary answered and said ,
what is hidden from you I will proclaim to you.
And she began to speak to
them these words: I, she said, I saw the Lord in a
vision and I said to Him, Lord I saw you today in a
vision . He answered and said to me,
Blessed are you that you
did not waver at the sight of Me . For where the mind is
there is the treasure.
I said to Him, Lord how
does he who sees the vision see it, through the soul or
through the spirit?
The Saviour answered and
said, He does not see through the soul nor through the
spirit, but the mind that is between the two . That is
what sees the vision and it is…..(missing pages)
And desire said , I did
not see you (i.e. the soul) descending , but now
I see you ascending .Why do you lie since you belong to
me? i.e.Man`s natural concupiscence)
The soul answered and said
I saw you You did not see me nor recognize me . I served
you as a garment and you did not know me. (i.e. the
soul is greater than desire)
When it said this it (the
soul) went away rejoicing greatly.
Again it came to the third
power, which is called ignorance.
The power questioned the soul , saying,
Where are you going? In wickedness are you bound. But
you are bound, do not judge! (
probably some kind of slur or taunt)
And the soul said, Why do
you judge me , although I have not judged?
I was bound though I have not bound. I
was not recognized. But I have recognized that the All
is being dissolved, both the earthly things and the
heavenly. ( It may be that the
“All” refers to something mentioned in the missing
pages, or simply refers to a dissolution of the then
known universe by God).
When the soul had overcome
the third power, it went upwards and saw the fourth
power, which took seven forms.
The first form is darkness, the second
desire, the third ignorance , the fourth is the
excitement of death , the fifth is the kingdom of the
flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh, the
seventh is the wrathful wisdom. These are the seven
powers of wrath. (possible that
“wisdom” as used here is a misplaced or even
perverted show of wisdom, and as “flesh” is used twice
here in the same context the second use denotes flesh
as humanity)
They asked the soul ,
whence do you come slayer of men. Or where are you
going , conqueror of space?
The soul answered and said , What binds
me has been slain , and what turns me about has been
overcome. (i.e. the forces of
evil)
And my desire has been ended and
ignorance has died. (i.e. the
second and third forms above)
In an aeon I was released from a world ,
and in a Type from a type, and from the fetter of
oblivion which is transient. (It
is possible this difficult passage refers to the
sacrifice of Jesus enacted for all mankind: the “Type”.
The redemption of the soul/souls will last through all
eternity)
From this time on will I attain to the
rest of the time , of the season, of the aeon, in
silence. ( i.e. everlasting
peace)
When Mary had said this,
she fell silent, since it was to this point that the
Saviour had spoken with her.
But Andrew answered and
said to the brethren, Say what you wish to say about
what she has said. I at least, do not believe that the
Saviour said this. For certainly these teachings are
strange ideas.
Peter answered and spoke
concerning these same things.
He questioned them about
the Saviour . Did He really speak privately with a
woman and not openly to us. Are we to turn about and all
listen to her? Did He prefer her to us?
Then Mary wept and said to
Peter , My brother Peter, what do you think? Do you
think that I have thought this up myself in my heart, or
that I am lying about the Saviour?
Levi (Matthew)
answered and said to Peter , Peter you have always been
hot tempered.
Now I see you contending against the
woman like the adversaries.(i.e.
the antagonistic powers above)
But if the Saviour made
her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the
Saviour knows her very well.
That is why He loved her
more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and put on the
perfect Man and separate as He commanded us and preach
the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law
beyond what the Saviour said.
And when they heard this
they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach.
|
