The gospel of judas

America is all a flutter with the discovery and the revealing of the "Gospel of Judas", an historical document revealing the insider Judas into Jesus' life and death. Interesting reading, but historically accurate? I'm not quite sure. Why do people trust a more recent document, newer than the gospels, over the four gospels we have preserved in our bible? It is a question of authority really. What has more authority? An eight page document recently discovered that dates back to near the first century, or four "gospels" who also give an historical record of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection? The gospels are not simply a collection of saying of Jesus. They also include place, people, and events which root Jesus' life in an historical, verifiable time and place. The gospel of Judas may have been pushed aside by our ancient church leaders for good reason...maybe because it wasn't good nor more importantly, accurate. Was there a conspiracy to silence the writer of the gospel of Judas? Oooooo. An American public wants to think so, but maybe it wasn't read because it simply was wrong.

Bon Jovi, for example, comes to mind. A year ago they released a 3 CD set with all of their B sides over the course of their music carrier; all of the music that never made it on to one of their recordings to be sold to the public. While there are some good songs on the CD, I do remember thinking as I listened, "No wonder this didn't make it on to the CD."

Another Gospel of Judas was proposed to me through a man named Pete Greig in his book, The Vow. He writes:
"How would Judas Iscariot have responded to the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Matthew tells us that prior to his suicide, Judas was 'seized with remorse.' He ran to the priests declaring 'I have sinned, I have betrayed innocent blood' hoping there might be still some way to undo the deed. Do we dare describe these words as a confession of sin?...Everything seemed hopeless...For Judas, there was no escaping the awful horror of his own heart. No future. And so, in the darkest despair, he hanged himself.

But what if he had waited a weekend? That's all that would have been needed. I love to imagine Jesus on Easter morning deliberately seeking out the disciple more lost than any other. Perhaps now, at last, he might be found! When Judas first sees Jesus, I imagine him wondering how this tumult of madness could now be conjuring up the rabbi in his tortured mind. Slowly Jesus approaches, but Judas is frozen in disbelief. Closer. Closer. Jesus is unbearably close...And then it happens: Jesus greets Judas. With a kiss, whispering, 'Friend.'..A kiss for a curse.

Yes I believe there was even grace for Judas, if only he could have held on through that one dark and desperate weekend."

Judas story may be our story. We may feel so overcome with guilt and shame today that the only option is to take our own life. Friend, hang on. Hang on another day. Grace is finding you too. "Stumble on a few more hours in blind faith, offering God nothing more than your hopelessness and your sin. We cannot rush the resurrection. But wait and watch, and He will surely come."