The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot Read online

  31. Judas walked beside him, and began to tell the Scribe of the many good deeds he had witnessed since he had become one of Jesus’ followers.

  32. The Scribe listened in silence, but it was some time before he calmed down and even began to accept it was possible that Jesus was a holy man.

  33. By the time they stopped to rest for the night, Judas hoped he had convinced the Scribe that he should join them when they entered the Holy City the following day. The Scribe nodded, but remained silent.

  34. While they shared supper, Judas’ confidence grew. He confided in the lawyer that he too had misgivings about what might happen when his Master set foot in Jerusalem.

  35. Judas admitted that he feared that Jesus might be in danger from his many enemies who would be only too happy to see him stumble in his path, even perish.

  36. The Scribe suggested: ‘Perhaps it might be wise for Jesus not to be seen in Jerusalem at the present time, but instead return to Galilee.’

  37. Judas said: ‘It is too late for that. The Master has determined his path, and will not countenance turning back. It is the time of the Passover and he believes he is carrying out the will of God.’

  38. The Scribe responded: ‘Then you must save him from himself, and to that end, you can rely on my help.’

  39. Judas listened intently to the Scribe as he suggested how Jesus might be saved.

  40. The Scribe even agreed to come to Judas’ assistance at any time, should he fear that the Master was in danger.

  41. Judas slept soundly for the first time in days, confident that if Jesus faced any danger when he entered Jerusalem, he had enlisted an ally to assist him who was in a position of authority.

  42. When Judas rose the following morning, he was told that the lawyer had woken earlier and already set out on the road for Jerusalem.

  43. Judas went in search of Jesus and found him walking among his followers. The Master was encouraging them as they prepared for the final stretch of the journey that would take them to the Holy City.

  44. Although the other disciples, even Peter, appeared to be uncertain of what might happen to them, Judas was now confident that when they reached Jerusalem, Jesus would no longer be in any danger.

  Chapter 17

  The Lord hath need of him

  1. First they heard the horns, followed by the clamour of voices that grew louder and louder.

  2. Citizens were pouring out of the city gates and running up the hill to greet Jesus, as rumour spread that the great teacher was on his way from Bethany.

  3. As the crowds grew larger, Jesus commanded two of his disciples to go into a nearby village. There they would find a donkey that had I never been ridden, tethered to a barn door.

  4. Jesus said: Unleash the animal and bring him to me. Should anyone ask with what authority you do this, you will say, the Lord has need of him, and they will release the beast.

  5. The disciples left Jesus and entered the village, where they found a donkey tied to a barn door. When they released him, someone watching said: Why are you unleashing the donkey?

  6. The disciples said: The Lord has need of him, and the man did not question them again.

  7. They brought the donkey to Jesus, and after a garment had been placed upon its back, Jesus sat upon the beast and continued his journey into Jerusalem

  8. Many removed their cloaks and spread them in front of Jesus, while others cut down branches from the trees and laid them in his path.

  9. As Jesus approached the city gates, the citizens began waving palms and cried out: Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our Father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!

  John 12:13

  10. Judas watched in dismay as Jesus passed through the gates and entered the Holy City on a donkey.

  see

  Matt 21:2–10;

  Mark 11:2–10;

  Luke 19:30–36

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  11. How could the Master hope to take control of the Temple, and drive out the Romans, astride a donkey, with only an undisciplined group of enthusiastic followers for his army?

  12. Judas stared up at the bleak Antonia fortress that overlooked the city, aware that a legion of infantry was billeted inside.

  13. At the slightest sign of trouble, the great wooden gates would swing open and a phalanx of Roman soldiers would appear.

  14. But the Romans did not even bother to leave their fortress as Jesus made his slow progress towards the Temple, and the crowds, no longer believing that he could possibly be the Messiah, began to dwindle and drift away.

  15. Judas had been heartened when blind Bartimaeus had called out to Jesus, Son of David, and the Master had not denied him. But Jesus’ decision to enter Jerusalem on a donkey would not convince even the simple-minded that this was the Messiah who had come in triumph to finally remove the pagans from the Holy City.

  16. Judas shared his misgivings with Peter, who simply reminded him of Jesus’ words: Get behind me, Satan; this is the Lord’s way, not the way of man, and we must follow God’s will.

  see

  Mark 8:33;

  Matt 16:23

  17. Judas said: ‘But where in our ancient tradition and teaching does it record that the Messiah will enter the Holy City on a donkey?’

  18. Peter raised his eyes to heaven and, as if inspired, uttered the words of the Prophet Zechariah:

  Rejoice, rejoice, people of Zion!

  Shout for joy, you people of Jerusalem!

  Look, your king is coming to you!

  He comes triumphant and victorious,

  but humble and riding on a donkey.

  Zech 9:9

  19. When Jesus dismounted the donkey, he entered the Temple and prayed.

  [xxx]

  20. As it was the evening, he returned to Bethany with some of his disciples to spend the night with Lazarus and his two sisters, Martha and Mary.

  see

  John 11:1–4;

  Matt 21:17

  21. Judas did not accompany his Master to Bethany, but remained in the Temple, where he sought out the Scribe who had befriended him on the road from Jericho.

  22. And when Judas found him, he went to the Scribe’s home, broke bread, and they shared wine together.

  23. And the Scribe said: ‘What will he do tomorrow?’

  24. Judas answered: ‘As it is the Passover, he will return to Jerusalem and go to the Temple. He may perform miracles and cast out demons, and many will believe that he is the Messiah, and for this they will follow him.’

  25. The Scribe responded: Your Master is a good and holy man, but if he allows his followers to indulge in false hopes, it will only end in bloodshed, and the Romans will surely destroy the whole nation.

  see

  John 11:48

  26. Judas knew that the Scribe spoke the truth and, fearing for his Master’s safety, decided to put his trust in this powerful interpreter of the law.

  27. Judas confessed: ‘I no longer believe that Jesus is the Messiah, but John the Baptist proclaimed that he was a man of God, and therefore we must not let him die at the hands of the Romans.’

  see

  John 1:32–34,

  Mark 1:11

  28. The Scribe agreed, and promised to assist Judas with his plans. ‘You must spirit Jesus out of the city and, along with the other disciples, accompany him back to Galilee, where the Romans will not trouble him.’

  29. Judas agreed, and before he left, promised the Scribe that when the time and place were right, he would inform him.

  see

  Mark 14:10;

  Matt 26:15;

  Luke 22:6

  30. Judas left the home of the Scribe to return to Bethany.

  31. As he passed the Antonia fortress, he could hear the Roman soldiers shouting ‘Ioudaei sunt porci!’, an insult that they were well aware was offensive to all Jews, especially at the time of the Passover.

  32. As he left the city and made his way back up the h