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

Two gnostic gospels experts weigh in on the meaning of the controversial Gospel of Judas. When it was published by Nat'l Geographic in 4/06, it received extraordinary media attention & was heralded as a major biblical discovery that rocked scholars & laity alike. Pagels & King are the 1st to reflect on this text & its ramifications for telling the story of early Christianity. Reading Judas illustrates how the text provides a window onto understanding how Jesus' followers understood his death, why Judas betrayed Jesus & why god allowed it. Most contemporary readers will find passages in the Gospel of Judas difficult to comprehend outside of its context in the ancient world. Reading Judas illuminates the intellectual assumptions behind Jesus' teaching to Judas & shows how conflict among the disciples was a tool frequently used by early Christian authors to explore matters of doubt & disagreement. Presented with the elegance, insight & accessibility that has made Pagels & King popular, this is a book for all audiences.Introduction1 Reading Judas/ Elaine Pagels & Karen L. KingJudas: betrayer or favored disciple?Judas & the twelve Sacrifice & the life of the spiritThe mysteries of the kingdomA final note 2 The Gospel of Judas/ Karen L. KingEnglish translation of the Gospel of JudasComments on the translationIndex of cross-referencesNotes AcknowledgmentsIndex