The Secrets of Judas: The Story of the Misunderstood Disciple and His Lost GospelAuthor: Robinson, James M.Genre: History Publisher: HarperSanFrancisco Released: 2006 |
A Review by Kim Lumpkin
05/05/2006
If you ever wondered about this yourself, and were intrigued to learn of a new Gospel of Judas that was recently made public, you will find Robinson's book an informative "behind the scenes" look at how this document made it from discovery to its long overdue revelation in the media. Robinson admits that he is an outsider, "not privy to the details about how The Gospel of Judas is being published," but as a scholar of biblical texts, he does offer insights that most of us could not be aware of without knowledge of the shady business of ancient documents.
Robinson begins with a brief background of the purpose of the Gospels and how Christianity gradually became separated from Judaism. He discusses each Gospel and the similarities as well as the sometimes subtle yet significant differences in their depiction of Judas, noting how the other disciples, as well as Jesus' own family, betrayed him in their own ways, yet are revered as saintly heroes. He also questions why Jesus would choose Judas to be part of his inner circle if he knew Judas would betray him, and if Judas was taken over by Satan, as John states, why the other disciples didn't exercise the demon from him.
After establishing that the case against Judas is not as clear cut as we have been led to believe, Robinson goes into the history of the Gospel of Judas, written by a Gnostic sect called the Cainites some time in the mid second century. Although suppressed as heresy, Robinson makes a good argument for taking the Gnostic point of view seriously, not only in the case of Judas but other biblical figures and events as well, making this one of the most interesting sections of the book.
From the origins of the Gospel of Judas, Robinson moves on to its surfacing many years later, including his attempts to ensure that it is purchased by someone who can appreciate its significance and is willing and able to preserve it properly. For anyone who assumes that such potentially important documents are automatically well-taken care of, the account of all the wheeling and dealing and intrigue surrounding this document will be a real eye-opener and really made me wonder what else is being hidden away from public view or, even worse, at risk of being lost forever.
Robinson's passion for his subject is evident in his thorough discussions of the text and its history, not to mention his liberal use of exclamation points. Published just before the Gospel of Judas was made available for public view, The Secrets of Judas is an ideal companion interested in studying the text or for those who would like to learn more about how such documents are bought, sold, preserved, and interpreted. Most importantly, Robinson calls attention to the need for a rethinking of some of our longest-held beliefs in our never-ending quest for the truth.
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