What is Gehenna?

The Gospel of Judas

The Gospel of Judas

You may have heard of the 'Gospel of Judas' which is getting a lot of press coverage at the moment. This is a document which claims to give an account of Christ's life from the perspective of Judas, the Apostle who betrayed Jesus to the Jewish Authorities. Two questions keep coming up:
1. Is this truly an ancient document from the early centuries after Christ?
2. Does this document give us the True Word of God?

Is the Document Ancient?

With regard to the first question, there is no reason to doubt the experts who say that the parchment, the ink and the language all come from about AD 400 or before. So the document is as old as some of the copies we have of the accepted Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. But what about the message it contains?

Is the Document in Harmony with the Bible?

It says early in the document (talking about Jesus Christ):

'Often he did not appear to his disciples as himself, but he was found among them as a child.'.

This is rather a strange statement; if it means that Jesus had the humility, trust and simplicity of a child, then this would concur with the accepted Gospels. If, on the other hand, the writer means that Jesus literally took on the form of a child to talk to his Disciples, then this has no parallel with any Bible account.
A bit later in the document, it states:

'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.''

Quoting from a web encyclopedia...........

'Barbelo is from the Greek, meaning forethought. (She is also referred to as Ennoia, intention) The Barbelo is the first thought (ennoia), or emanation of the Supreme being in Gnostic creation stories, the mother of the Aeons. She is the emanation of the First Cause, the creative principle who in turn creates (or causes to be created) the entire manifest world. In a sense, she also contains the universe within her; she is sometimes referred to as the womb of the world.'

It seems strange that Barbelo should be mentioned, when this word appears nowhere in the accepted Bible. As we can see from the encyclopedia, this is a Greek or Gnostic idea with no parallel in the 4 Gospels of the Bible.

The Central Message

A central theme of this 'Gospel' is that only Judas understood Jesus and his message and the other disciples were even in opposition to the 'truth'. For example, when interpreting a dream about decadent priests, Jesus says this to the 12 disciples: 'Jesus said to them, 'Those you have seen receiving the offerings at the altar - that is who you are. That is the god you serve, and you are those twelve men you have seen. The cattle you have seen brought for sacrifice are the many people you lead astray before that altar.'

Conflict with Accepted Bible Writings

What this means is that to accept the Gospel of Judas as the Word of God would mean that we have to throw away from the New Testament, the Gospels of Matthew and John, because they were of the 12, John's three letters and Revelation and Peter's two letters. Mark's Gospel is generally thought to be based on Peter's testimony, so this would have to be rejected also. As Peter says in his second letter, chapter 1:

'16 For we did not follow cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty.'

Luke writes in chapter 1 (verses 1 to 4) of his Gospel:

'Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus; that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.'

Both these writers were using first-hand accounts as material for their writing. If they were lying or fabricating, then firstly, those eyewitnesses would denounce them; secondly, would God allow error to be included in His Holy Word?

The Internal Harmony of the Bible

One of the main proofs of the Divine Inspiration of the Bible, is the internal harmony. This means that despite apparent minor discrepancies, (that could be due to translation or copying errors or could just be down to witnesses of the same event noticing different details), all books of the Bible are in harmony with the others. God does not change; neither does His message.

The 'bottom line' is that either the Bible IS the Word of God or it isn't. If it is not the Word of God, then it cannot matter which books and gospels are included and which are excluded. It is merely an academic exercise.

If the Bible IS the Word of God, then we have to ask whether God would allow it to be filled with false gospels and false writings, whilst the real writings have been excluded and even lost for many centuries, denying countless generations the opportunity of learning the true gospel message?

Gnosticism

The fact is that the gospel of Judas belongs to what are called the Gnostic writings. Gnosticism was a movement that had to be contested by the early true Christians. It was based on the idea of secret knowledge (which is what Gnosis means), which only a select few were allowed to know. It drew on ideas from pagan beliefs and Greek philosophy.

Read what Wikipedia, the free web encyclopedia list for one of the Gnostic sects:

'The Cainites were a Gnostic and Antinomian sect who were known to worship Cain as the first victim of the Demiurge Jehovah, the Old Testament God, who was identified by many groups of gnostics as evil. They venerated Cain, on the basis that by creating murder Cain allowed men to deny it, and thus have a greater chance at redemption from Original Sin. The sect following was relatively small. They were mentioned by Tertullian and Irenaeus as existing in the eastern Roman Empire during the 2nd century. One of their purported apocryphal texts was the Gospel of Judas.'

Just in case you missed it, many Gnostic sects regarded Jehovah as evil! If any further proof were required that the teachings of these people were in opposition with the true teachings of the Bible, then we need not go any further.

Gnostic Teaching on the Resurrection

The Treatise on the Resurrection

For if you remember reading in the Gospel that Elijah appeared and Moses with him, do not think the resurrection is an illusion, but it is truth! Indeed it is more fitting to say that the world is an illusion, rather than the resurrection which came into being through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ 

So the author plainly believes as we do that the 3 apostles Peter James and John say the risen Elijah and the risen Moses.

Gospel of Philip 

22.  Those who say that the Lord first died and then arose, are confused. For first he arose and (then) he died. If someone first acquires the resurrection, he will not die; (as) God lives, that one was [not] going to [die]. (Lk 20:36, Jn 11:26,)

23.  No one will hide a thing of great value in something ostentatious, but oftentimes has one placed (things worth) countless myriads in something worth a pittance. Thus it is with the soul— a precious thing came to be in a humble body. (Job 10:11, )

24.  There are some made fearful lest they arise naked. Therefore they desire to arise in the flesh, and they do not know that those who wear the flesh are the denuded. These who are made [into light] (by) divesting themselves (of the flesh), are they who are not naked.¹ (¹because they are clad in the images°; Ph 26 85; Odes of St. Solomon 25:8, ‘I was clothed with the covering of thy Spirit, and thou removed from me my garment of skin’;)

25.  (Paul° claims that) ‘flesh [and blood will not be able] to inherit the Sovereignty [of God].’ (=I-Cor 15:50!) What is this which shall not inherit? This which is upon every one of us? Yet this is rather what will inherit— that which belongs to Yeshua with his blood. Therefore he says: He who eats not my flesh and drinks not my blood, has no life within him. (Jn 6:53) What is his flesh? It is the Logos; and his blood is the Holy Spirit. He who has received these has food and drink and clothing. I myself rebuke those others who say that (the flesh) shall not arise. (For) both of these are in error: thou say that the flesh shall not arise, but tell me what will arise so that I may honour thee; thou say it is the spirit in the flesh and this other light in the flesh, (but¹) this also is an incarnate saying. Whatever thou will say, thou do not say anything apart from the flesh! It is necessary to arise in this flesh, (as¹) everything exists within it. (Job 19:25, Isa 26:19, Lk 24:39;

26.  In this world they who wear garments¹ are more valuable than the garments. In the Sovereignty of the Heavens the garments² are more valuable than those whom they have clothed thru water with fire, which purify the entire place. ( Ps 104:2!, Ph 24 85;)

78.  The [Lord arose] from among the dead. [He became (again)] as he had been, but [his body] had been made [entirely] perfect. He is flesh, but this [flesh is indeed] a true flesh.¹ [Yet our flesh] is not true, but rather a mirror-image of the true [flesh]. (¹Jn 1:14 20:27, II-Jn 7;)

So the author plainly teaches the physical resurrection in the flesh which is now immoral flesh no longer subject to corruption and death

Now, a Spiritual body is as material, or substantial and tangible, a body as that which we now possess. It is a body purified from "the law of sin and death." Hence it is termed "holy," and "spiritual," because it is born of the Spirit from the dust, is incorruptible, and sustained by the ruach, or spirit, independently of the neshemeh, or atmospheric air." "That which is born of the flesh," in the ordinary way, "is flesh," or an animal body: and that which is born of the Spirit," by a resurrection to life, "is spirit," or a Spiritual body (John 3:6). Hence, in speaking of Jesus, Paul says, "born of David's seed according to the flesh; and constituted the Son of God in power, by the spirit of holiness, through a resurrection from the dead" (Rom 1:3-4). Thus, He was born of the spirit, and therefore became "a Spirit;" and, because highly exalted, and possessing a name which is above every name (Phil 2:9-11), He is styled "the Lord the Spirit."

http://www.christadelphia.org/books/elpis02.htm

Three Great Bible Prophecies A Life For Eternity Genesis 3:1-15

Bible Prophecy: Resurrection and Judgement Must Precede Salvation

Before Christ and the Saints can go forth to establish the Kingdom of God, and to restore the Kingdom of Israel in the earth, it is necessary that the faithful of all generations be resurrected and judged worthy of places in that Kingdom. The first action of Christ at his return, then, will be to raise the dead to life again, for the purpose of judgment.

1TH 4:16-17 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The purpose of the judgment is to save the righteous and condemn the wicked. Those judged righteous will go forth with Christ to establish his kingdom. Those judged wicked will be returned to the world and die.

2CO 5:10 For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Not all men will come forth to judgment. Countless billions of the world's population never knew the plan and purpose of God, and have no responsibility toward it. Of these men God said:

PRO 21:16 The man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shall remain in the congregation of the dead.

ISA 26:13-14 O LORD our God, other lords beside thee have had dominion over us: but by thee only will we make mention of thy name. They are dead, they shall not live; they are deceased, they shall not rise: therefore hast thou visited and destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish.

Those who do appear at the Judgment are those who have been called to a knowledge of God's plan, whether they have been obedient to it or not. Jesus said through John:

JOH 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

The word translated "condemnation" is from the Greek word "krisis," and it means "the decision" or "the judgment." The judgment is based upon "light" being in the world. It is the light (a symbol of understanding) therefore, that makes a man responsible to the Judgment Seat of Christ. Therefore, Christadelphians believe:
XXIV.--That at the appearing of Christ prior to the establishment of the Kingdom, the responsible (namely, those who know the revealed will of God, and have been called upon to submit to it), dead and living--obedient and disobedient--will be summoned before his judgment seat "to be judged according to their works," and "receive in body according to what they have done, whether it be good or bad."

XXV.--That the unfaithful will be consigned to shame and "the second death," and the faithful, invested with immortality, and exalted to reign with Jesus as joint heirs of the kingdom, co-possessors of the earth, and joint administrators of God's authority among men in everything."

The Resurrection of the Dead in Bible Prophecy

Revelation 20 Binding The Dragon

Standing before the Judge and His Reward

Revelation Understanding Our Time

The Dead Sea Scrolls and the Text of the Old Testament

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ an Historical Fact