The Gospel of Judas:

Why It Is False!

The New Testament reveals many false prophets proclaimed “another Jesus … another spirit … and another Gospel” during the first century (2 Corinthians 11:4).  In fact, a significant number of the New Testament epistles were written to defend the true Gospel of Jesus Christ against false teachers who were in the world at that time.  Galatians, Colossians, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, and Jude clearly show that there were false gospels and teachings already seeking entry into the infant church.  The early church needed great discernment in contending for the faith which had been delivered to them (Jude 3).  One of the chief errors that combated the early church was the error of Gnosticism.

The recent surfacing of the Gnostic Gospel of Judas in a National Geographic television special (April 9, 2006), gives to us an amazing example of how error sought to creep into the early church.  Up until recently, the only evidence of this document was the early church leader Irenaeus’ condemnation of it in 180 AD.  As we read it today we can understand why Irenaeus rejected it so vigorously.

Gnosticism held to a belief that matter was evil and spirit was good. The word “Gnostic” comes from the Greek word, “knowledge.”  Gnosticism was a dangerous combination of Jewish legalism, Greek philosophy, pagan astrology, and Christian teachings.  It therefore had broad appeal.  Gnostics  maintained an elite attitude that they possessed a spark of the divine in them and had special insight into the true nature of God.  This led to the heresy that Jesus did not have an earthly body, He was a created being, and therefore He was not co-equal with the One True God.  They held to a strange teaching that went something like this: since God is holy and matter is evil, God could not create matter.  So, God created another holy being but less holy than himself.  The Gnostics called this being an AEON.  This Aeon created another Aeon until a series of Aeons on a descending scale of holiness came into existence.  The lowest of these was close enough to the world, and less holy, to create the world of evil matter.  The word “Aeon” appears many times in the Gospel of Judas.  Gnostics believed Jesus Christ was this lesser Aeon who brought the world into existence.  Gnostics did not believe Jesus had a true physical body nor did they believe that he was the Creator of all things.  (See 1 John 2:22; 4:1-3; 2 John 7.  Also Colossians 1:16-20; 2:9.)  Early Gnostics claimed that the Serpent in the Garden of Eden was a noble character along with Cain, Esau, the Sodomites, and Korah.  It is no surprise that they would want to also make a hero out of Judas.  The Gospel of Judas is clearly a false Gnostic Gospel and on many levels shows itself to be untrue.  Let us examine a few reasons why it cannot be a true Gospel.

If it is true, then why did God in his All-wise Sovereignty not allow it to be circulated, copied and preserved for the past 2000 years along with other Scripture? God’s people rejected this false gospel of Judas from the beginning because there was nothing worthy in it in which to delight. 

Psalm 1:2: His delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

If it is true and equal to the true Gospel accounts, then how come 15% of the Gospel of Judas has been lost forever?  God has promised to preserve His Word and that not a jot or tittle would be lost from it.  Throughout the translation of the Gospel of Judas missing words are in parenthesis or the translators reveal: “two lines missing…about fifteen lines missing…about nine lines missing.”  It is exciting to know that God has preserved His true word.  There are over 5,000 existing ancient Greek manuscripts of the New Testament!  There is only one very deteriorated Gospel of Judas!

Matthew 5:18; Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Psalm 119:89: Forever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

If it is true, then how do you explain Frieda Tchacos’ (the person who sold the rights of the Gospel of Judas to National Geographic) strange notion of being “chosen by Judas” to rehabilitate this document and that Judas was even “asking” her to do something for him.  She somehow feels “connected” to Judas!  Does Judas speak to her?  This sounds like the very new age Gnostic mysticism which The Gospel of Judas promotes!  Do you want to be chosen by Judas or by Jesus?!

John 15:16; Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain…

If it is true, then why is there no crucifixion or resurrection contained in this Gospel of Judas?  The true Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.  Anything claiming to be the Gospel without this message is another Gospel that perverts the truth that is in Jesus.

1 Corinthians 15:1: Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel…For I delivered unto you first of all…how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.

Galatians 1:6,7: I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another Gospel; which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

If it is true, how can The Gospel of Judas record Jesus as saying that Judas “will exceed all of them” (the other apostles.)  This contradicts Jesus’ words as well as the four Biblical Gospel accounts which clearly reveal Judas as a willful traitor who was ultimately lost.

Luke 22:25: Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master is it I?  He said unto him, Thou hast said.

John 17:12; Those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

If it is true, then how can the Gospel of Judas record Jesus derisively laughing at the disciples for praying to the Creator God?  Jesus Himself prayed to His Father in heaven!  Jesus never demeans those who seek God in prayer.  Jesus  laughing reveals the Gnostic heresy that they alone had special divine insight into the real truth of God.

John 17:25: O Righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou has sent me.

James 1:5; If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

If it is true, how can the Jesus of Judas’ Gospel call the Creator of man “Saklas” who was an assistant angel created by “Nebro?”  In the Bible, Jesus reveals that there is One True God who created man and woman in the beginning.  The Father God and Jesus are eternal in the heavens and unchangeably self-existent.

Matthew 19:4; Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female.

Colossians 1:16, 17: For by him (Jesus) were all things created…and he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

If it is true, how can the Gospel of Judas record Jesus as saying that “no generation of the people that are among you will know me,” including the apostles?  The New Testament declares that the apostles knew the Lord and proclaimed Him and many were saved through faith in His name.

John 20:31; But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.

If it is true, how can the Jesus of Judas’s Gospel accuse the disciples of serving a false deity and of leading people astray?  How can Jesus teach that “stars…bring everything to its conclusion?”  This is not Christianity but the Gospel of Judas of full of astrology, polytheism, and a rejection of the New Testament message.

Matthew 28:19 ,20: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations…teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

The National Geographic program subtly and arrogantly communicated that the suffering of Jesus Christ revealed in the Scripture directly led to anti-Semitism and even the Holocaust. The implication was the Gospel of Judas could have prevented this disaster.  They have an agenda to sell magazines and books and to make it seem as if the Gospel of Judas is more true and reliable than the Word of God!  Just as the early church had to stand against false teaching and compromise, believers ever need discernment to know the truth that sets one free from the error of “another Jesus and another Gospel”  Let us continue to contend for the true faith of Jesus Christ revealed in the Word of God and proclaim the crucified and risen and ascended Lord of glory to the world!

By C. Matthew Recker, Pastor