|
- |
THE ARTICLE BY Reg Henry ["Gno way, gno
The word "Gnostic" in Greek does not mean "troublemaker"--rather, it means "pertaining to knowledge." A spiritual fusion of Christianity
From the Pythagorean doctrine of the pagan philosophy, the Gnostics inherited the idea of reincarnations of the soul, wandering in search
Gnostic mythology has a female counterpart of the Christ--the Soul of the World, the Holy Wisdom (Sophia)--the ultimate source of life (not unlike Shekhinah of the Jewish Cabbalistic tradition).
The Gnostic trend, sublime and profound, reverberates in the centuries of religious search, philosophy and literature, deserving more respect than the giddy "Gno way, gno how."
Having disparaged the Gnostics, the author makes his case against the universal culprit: "Judas has to be the villain of the New Testament because being betrayed by a friend adds a human poignancy to the story that eternally touches us all. I cannot believe Jesus conspired in his own death."
And yet, reducing the story of Jesus to that of a good guy betrayed by his buddy obliterates the Gospels' essential message. It does not take a believer--much less a religious scholar--to see
Jesus is well aware of his destiny: "Jesus said unto them, the Son of Man shall be betrayed into the hands of men" (Matthew 17: 22-23).
Moreover, Jesus knows the exact time of the forthcoming betrayal: "After two days is the feast
He even knows that the traitor will be one of the apostles: "Assuredly I say to you, one of you who eats with Me shall betray Me." (Mark 14:18).
Jesus makes no secret of Judas' identity as the designated traitor (John 13:21-26). He even prods Judas to hurry to get the job done: "That thou doest, do quickly." (John 13:27).
Judas is not the only one who disappoints Jesus on his last day. Notoriously, Peter shares his part of the betrayal: "Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice." (Matthew 26:34). The apostles fall asleep, despite Jesus' request to stay awake: "Could you not watch with me one hour?" (Matthew 26:40). All abandon Jesus at the last moment (Matthew 26:56): "Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled."
Jesus of the Gospels is far from a helpless victim of a bad guy's betrayal: "I lay down my life. No man taketh it from me" (John 10:17-18).
Even the role of the Synedrion is divinely ordained: "One man should die for the people. And this spake he [Caiaphas] not of himself: but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus should die" (John 11:49-51).
Jesus dies in fulfillment of his mission of the Savior: "My blood is shed for many" (Matthew 26:28).
Thus, blaming Jesus' death on Judas alone is just as preposterous as blaming it on the Jews--the ironic fallacy and a fodder to centuries of anti-Semitism.
The apocryphal Gospel of Judas does not essentially alter the established tradition. It merely shifts the moral accent from blame to praise. In doing so, however, it despoils the story of its profound personal ambiguity and the emotional intensity.
As a young man Jesus fears death and torture: "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. If it be possible, let this cup pass from me" (Matthew 26:38-39). But die he must, to fulfill his mission.
And to have it fulfilled, someone has to betray him. This is Judas, locked in the love-hate nexus to Jesus and the act of redemption.
It is that psychological ambiguity--not the mere fact of a friend's betrayal--which really adds the human poignancy to the Gospel story.
OLGA ARANS is an adjunct professor in the department of classics, philosophy and religion at the University of Mary Washington.
