Judas: Comparing Views Dec 3

If one wishes to compare the two major takes on Judas, then check out the post from Nov 17, where Marvin Meyer’s take on all of this is summarized, with the recent posts and comments from Professor DeConick. Meyer wrote his book aware of the views of DeConick.

If one wishes to compare the two major takes on Judas, then check out the post from Nov 17, where Marvin Meyer’s take on all of this is summarized, with the recent posts and comments from Professor DeConick. Meyer wrote his book aware of the views of DeConick.

The debate really does depend on the wording and reading of the Coptic text of Judas– and which related texts one should appeal to to get help to understand the background. Few people know Coptic. In addition, as DeConick’s comments on the more recent posts make clear, elements of the text have been debated since the original release a year and a half ago. Meyer worked on the release team for these texts. So both scholars do regular work in Coptic, a language I only have done very basic work in.

Key specific questions being assesed within the gospel appear to be:

(1) Should Judas be seen as a more positive or more negative figure in comparison to the 12?

(2) Should Judas be seen as connected to Ialdabaoth or not?

(3) What does the clear effort to distinguish Judas from the 12 mean (seen especially by the fact that he receives the extra mysteries, which is often something a figure being lifted up in a gospel receives)?

(4) Is the idea of "to rule" consistently a negative term in this gospel or not?

Depending on how one answers these questions and those related to them will determine how one is reading the book. The issue becomes which answers (or set of them) are the most coherent with all the factors in play.