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dipsydoodle

(42,239 posts)
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 03:12 PM Apr 2013

Gospel of Judas text likely authentic, researchers find

A long-lost gospel that casts Judas as a co-conspirator of Jesus, rather than a betrayer, was ruled most likely authentic in 2006. Now, scientists reveal they couldn't have made the call without a series of far more mundane documents, including Ancient Egyptian marriage licenses and property contracts.

The Gospel of Judas is a fragmented Coptic (Egyptian)-language text that portrays Judas in a far more sympathetic light than did the gospels that made it into the Bible. In this version of the story, Judas turns Jesus over to the authorities for execution upon Jesus' request, as part of a plan to release his spirit from his body. In the accepted biblical version of the tale, Judas betrays Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

As part of a 2006 National Geographic Society (the Society) investigation of the document, microscopist Joseph Barabe of McCrone Associates in Illinois and a team of researchers analyzed the ink on the tattered gospel to find out if it was real or forged. Some of the chemicals in the ink raised red flags — until Barabe and his colleagues found, at the Louvre Museum, a study of Egyptian documents from the third century A.D., the same time period of the Gospal of Judas.

"What the French study told us is that ink technology was undergoing a transition," Barabe told LiveScience. The Gospel of Judas' odd ink suddenly fit into place.

http://science.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/08/17656331-gospel-of-judas-text-likely-authentic-researchers-find?lite

9 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Gospel of Judas text likely authentic, researchers find (Original Post) dipsydoodle Apr 2013 OP
3rd century AD? Duer 157099 Apr 2013 #1
Just like most of the texts not included in the Bible and referred to sinkingfeeling Apr 2013 #2
I never understood why Judas was considered a "betrayer", when that was the whole plan arcane1 Apr 2013 #3
Yep, same as people hating the "Jews" skepticscott Apr 2013 #6
He gave up Jesus to the authorities so that makes him a traitor. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #9
Here's the text: rug Apr 2013 #4
It appears that all they mean skepticscott Apr 2013 #5
Thanks. That was the sense I was getting. rug Apr 2013 #7
It is as authentic as the rest of the official and not so official gospels. Warren Stupidity Apr 2013 #8

Duer 157099

(17,742 posts)
1. 3rd century AD?
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 03:15 PM
Apr 2013

Just imagine what people will read about 300 years from now! How will the Kennedy assasination be depicted? 9/11? So many things.

Nice to put things back into perspective anyway.

 

arcane1

(38,613 posts)
3. I never understood why Judas was considered a "betrayer", when that was the whole plan
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 03:16 PM
Apr 2013

That little bit never made sense to me

 

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts)
9. He gave up Jesus to the authorities so that makes him a traitor.
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 04:35 PM
Apr 2013

Even if it was preordained it was still betrayal.

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
4. Here's the text:
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 03:51 PM
Apr 2013
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lostgospel/pdf/GospelofJudas.pdf

It starts out with "The secret account of the revelation". It sounds pretty Gnostic.

The article isn't clear what the authenticity is. That it dates from 280?
 

skepticscott

(13,029 posts)
5. It appears that all they mean
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 04:23 PM
Apr 2013

is that it is not a more recent forgery, and does actually date to a time not too far removed from extant Biblical manuscripts. This says nothing about "authenticity" as far as the accuracy of the account relative to the canonical Gospel version.

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
7. Thanks. That was the sense I was getting.
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 04:28 PM
Apr 2013

The more the age of ancient writings is verified, the better off we all are. Imagine if some of the manuscripts from the Library at Alexandria were recovered.

 

Warren Stupidity

(48,181 posts)
8. It is as authentic as the rest of the official and not so official gospels.
Mon Apr 8, 2013, 04:30 PM
Apr 2013

Which is to say of almost no value at all as historical records of the time they relate, but of some value as historical records of the time in which they were written.

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