The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot Read online

  see

  Mark 3:6

  3. Although the two groups despised each other, they were united in one common purpose: to rid themselves of Jesus.

  4. Judas had friends in Capernaum who warned him that the Pharisees and Herodians were secretly working together to plot the downfall of Jesus.

  5. Judas dismissed these claims, as everyone knew that they were sworn enemies, until he came across two of them whispering in the Synagogue. They parted the moment they saw him.

  6. Judas warned Simon of his fears, and he in turn advised the Master to leave Capernaum until such ill feelings had withered away.

  7. Jesus took Simon’s counsel, and departed that day on the long journey for Nazareth, with only those disciples he had first called – Simon, Andrew, James, John, Judas, Philip, Nathanael and Matthew.

  8. After they had travelled a short distance, Judas became aware that others were following them.

  9. Some simply wished to remain in the presence of Jesus, while others hoped they might witness a new miracle.

  10. As Jesus made his way from village to village, the crowds grew larger and larger.

  11. Whenever he appeared in a town, he would enter the Synagogue and teach those who had assembled to hear him preach.

  12. Jesus would proclaim the good news, preparing them for the forthcoming reign of God in Israel.

  13. He also touched those who were sick, curing them of their infirmities.

  14. Jesus was aware of the injustices the local people were suffering at the hands of a foreign power.

  15. Every town and village was administered by a group of corrupt Jewish leaders who were becoming wealthier by the day, while the Romans remained their paymasters.

  16. Jesus told his disciples that the vast crowds were like sheep without a shepherd.

  see

  Mark 6:34;

  Matt 9:36

  17. When Judas heard these words, he reminded Simon of the prophecy of Ezekiel: God would raise up a shepherd king, to restore the kingdom of the first shepherd king, King David.

  see

  Ezek 34:23–24

  18. On hearing this, Simon responded with the words of the Prophet Isaiah: He took our infirmities, he bore our diseases.

  Isa 53:4

  19. Simon and Judas were among the first followers of Jesus to believe that the promises of Isaiah were being fulfilled.

  20. After Jesus had finished preaching in the Synagogue, he and his followers departed from that town and made their way up into the hills north of the Sea of Galilee and like a flock of sheep, the crowd continued to follow the shepherd.

  21. When Jesus reached the top of the hill, the disciples needed to rest, and one or two of them were so tired that they fell asleep.

  22. Judas sat on the ground and watched as his Master withdrew a short distance.

  23. Jesus fell on his knees and began to pray.

  24. As the sun disappeared behind the mountain, Judas also slept.

  25. When Judas eventually woke, he looked up to find his Master still deep in prayer. It appeared as if his whole mind and body were committed to solitary worship.

  26. As dawn broke, Jesus rose from his knees. He once again joined his followers, and began to walk among them.

  27. Jesus stood on the side of the mountain and addressed those who had waited all through the night to hear his words.

  28. He warned them not to gather simply in the hope of witnessing another miracle, and after leading them in prayer, advised them to return home to their families.

  29. Jesus waited for the crowd to disperse before he gathered around him a small group whom he charged to remain with him while he continued his ministry.

  30. Jesus selected twelve men to be by his side. They were: Simon, whose name he changed to Peter, Andrew his brother, and the two sons of Zebedee, James and John; Philip and Nathanael as well as Thomas, who like Judas had been a follower of John the Baptist. Also added to the number were Matthew the tax collector, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddeus, Simon of Canaan, and finally Judas Iscariot.

  see

  Matt 10:1–4;

  Mark 3:13–19;

  Luke 6:12–16

  [xv]

  31. Jesus changed Simon’s name to Peter, to emphasize to all his followers that he had been chosen to lead the other disciples.

  32. The name Peter comes from the Greek petros, which translated means ‘rock’.

  33. Judas often recalled his Master praising Peter for his wisdom and insight, and on one occasion describing him as the rock upon which he would build his church.

  Matt 16:18

  34. Judas was also one of the favoured disciples, and on several occasions it was he who pressed Jesus for a fuller explanation of his teaching and, when it proved necessary, was willing to take bold actions on behalf of his master.

  35. Having selected his disciples, Jesus told them that from that moment, they would be invested with powers that would allow them to preach in his name, cure the sick and cast out demons.

  see Mark 3:13–15;

  Matt 10:1;

  Luke 9:1–2

  36. As well as these twelve men, Jesus also gathered around him a group of women who had been loyal to him from the beginning of his ministry.

  37. They had also sacrificed everything to follow him.

  38. Among these women were Mary, from the village of Magdala, who came to be known as Mary Magdalene; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward whom she left to serve Jesus, and several others who were willing to support the purpose they all believed in.

  see

  Luke 8:1–3

  39. They gave both of their time and money.

  40. From that moment, until the tragic end of Jesus’ life, the twelve disciples and the faithful women accompanied him everywhere as he went about his wandering ministry among the people.

  Chapter 9

  Whenever you pray, speak these words

  1. Jesus and his disciples came down from the hills and made their way towards the Sea of Galilee.

  2. By the time they reached the plain, word had spread that Jesus and his disciples had been resting in the hills and they were met by a large crowd who had gathered to await them.

  3. Although Jesus had not yet set foot in the holy city of Jerusalem, on hearing the good news of his teaching and the many miracles he had performed, citizens came from that city and all parts of Judea to seek him out.

  4. Others had travelled from the gentile coastal towns of Tyre and Sidon, while some had come from as far afield as the Decapolis on the other side of the Jordan.

  5. Many came to hear him preach, while others, sick with infirmities, hoped to be cured of their ills.

  6. Jesus walked among the vast crowd and made whole several who were troubled by unclean spirits.

  7. Many others waited patiently, hoping simply to touch his robe, as it had become clear for all to see that power and goodness came forth from Jesus and that he transmitted healing and strength to all those with whom he came into contact.

  8. One of those in the crowd was a woman who had been afflicted with a continuous flow of blood for more than twelve years. She believed that if only she could touch his robe, she would be cured. As the crowd surrounded Jesus, she leant forward and touched the hem of his garment. Immediately she was cured of her disease.

  9. Jesus stopped and said: Who touched me? The disciples could not understand what he meant, and reminded Jesus that he was surrounded by people on all sides.

  10. Jesus again said: Who touched me?

  11. The woman stepped forward because she feared Jesus would be angry that she had rendered him impure by her touch.

  12. She fell on her knees, bowed her head and told him that it was she who had touched him.

  13. Jesus said: Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.

  see

  Mark 5:25–34;

  Matt 9:20–22;

  Luke 8:43–48

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