Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Truth vs. Error

Have men become so derailed that the authencity of the Bible is to be challenged again & again? First there was the uproar of the blasphemous Da Vinci Code, and now fresh from the National Geographics News is the finding of the lost gospel of Judas as discovered by the Coptic, or Egyptian Christian which also is yet another absurd attempt which depict the gullibility of some intellectual groups.

Here is an excerpt of the news:

"After being lost for nearly 1,700 years, the Gospel of Judas was recently restored, authenticated, and translated.

Biblical accounts suggest that Jesus foresaw and allowed Judas's betrayal.

As told in the New Testament Gospels, Judas betrayed Jesus for "30 pieces of silver," identifying him with a kiss in front of Roman soldiers. Later the guilt-ridden Judas returns the bribe and commits suicide, according to the Bible.

The Gospel of Judas, however, gives a very different account.

The text begins by announcing that it is the "secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot during a week, three days before he celebrated Passover."

It goes on to describe Judas as Jesus' closest friend, someone who understands Christ's true message and is singled out for special status among Jesus' disciples.

In the key passage Jesus tells Judas, "'you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me.'"

Kasser, the translation-project leader, offers an interpretation: "Jesus says it is necessary for someone to free him finally from his human body, and he prefers that this liberation be done by a friend rather than by an enemy.

"So he asks Judas, who is his friend, to sell him out, to betray him. It's treason to the general public, but between Jesus and Judas it's not treachery."

The newfound account challenges one of the most firmly rooted beliefs in Christian tradition."

______________________

"Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many."
"Take heed that no one deceives you."
(Matt 24: 11, 4)


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