if Jesus indeed asked Judas to betray him, how does that change Christian theology?
362498
Why would it?\n\nAccording to general Christian doctrine, "God" came to earth for the sole & exclusive purpose of committing suicide. After which, he miraculously regained life, thereby negating his own "death."\n\nJudas was just another minor character playing his role in the Jesus drama. Christian theology is so full of holes & contradictions, those who choose to believe it do so on faith, not facts.
757429
Jesus on the torture stake asked this question, not because he did not know why  God, his heavenly Father, had forsaken him, but in order that prophecy might be fulfilled. The prophecy here fulfilled was one found in Psalm 22, which was written by David, who was a prophetic type of the Lord Jesus Christ in many respects.\n\nIn the opening words of that psalm, David cries out: “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (AV) When any disciples of Jesus who were standing near his torture stake, such as John and Mary, the mother of Jesus, heard him cry out those words of Psalm 22:1, they may not at the time have appreciated why Jesus made such an outcry. But after understanding came upon them, following the outpouring of the holy spirit on the day of Pentecost, then they must have remembered and appreciated the fact that this prophetic outcry identified Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah of God.\n\nOn the torture stake Jesus was indeed forsaken by his heavenly Father, in order that his integrity to God might be tested to the very limit. God forsook him, abandoning him to the cruel devices of Satan the Devil and his wicked religious agents on earth. Thus Satan, who has the means to cause death, was given free allowance to exercise that power against the Son of God.\n\nBut God’s abandonment of Jesus was only as far as allowing the Devil and his dupes to put Jesus to death. This abandonment of Jesus did not include the disposal of his dead body or corpse. Instead of Jesus’ enemies taking his body down from the torture stake and casting it into the fiery valley of Hinnom (or Gehenna), his body was recovered from the torture stake by Joseph of Arimathea, who had the corpse buried in a new tomb that he had cut. This burial of Jesus meant he was in Sheol, the common grave of mankind. In Sheol he was not abandoned by Jehovah God, for Psalm 139:8 (which was written by David, a type of Jesus Christ) says: “If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, thou art there.” (AS) Hence on the third day after Jesus’ death Jehovah God showed that he had not permanently abandoned Jesus, by raising him from the dead to spirit life immortal. When Jesus later appeared to his disciples that same resurrection day he could therefore say: “All the things written in the law of Moses and in the Prophets and Psalms about me must be fulfilled,” including Psalm 22:1 (AV), namely, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”—Luke 24:44.
365679
I watched the special on National Geographic. Have they made the text available to read anywhere?\n\nBased on the information that was given on the National Geographic premiere...I firmly believe that Jesus chose Judas to sacrifice him. Someone had to do it and he wanted Judas to be the one. The thing that gets me is that when Jesus tells Judas that he will be known as deceitful person for many, many years but in the END, the truth will be known. Wow, that means we know now....does that mean that we are really close to the end?\n\nI would love to look at it more in depth when they release it; if you know anywhere it has been published, please let me know.
310344
3rd or 4th-century document called "The Gospel of Judas" was launched upon an unsuspecting world yesterday by no less a biblical authority than the National Geographic magazine in Washington. Its contents were "explosive", according to Mario Roberty, president of the Swiss foundation which now owns the ancient papyrus manuscript. \n\nSo as the heat faded from the television lights at the press conference, has 2000 years of orthodox Christianity been overturned? Well, not quite. But it was all jolly interesting, for those who love that sort of thing.\n\nHalf of the 62-page codex, written in Coptic script, is devoted to an account of the final days of Jesus Christ written from the viewpoint of the man who has for two millennia been excoriated as Christ's deadly betrayer. The text begins: "The secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot three days before he celebrated Passover..."
875004
If you are thinking of trying to spot a contradiction, then you will be disappointed. The Bible did not say that Judas committed suicide in two different ways. It clearly says in Matthew that he hung himself. Acts simply recorded that he fell headfirst and his stomach was cut opened by the fall. You only call it a contradiction when the two accounts are impossible to reconcile. But it is perfectly plausible that he hung himself from a tree near a cliff or ravine and the branch upon which he was hanging later broke off. Unless you are saying that this scenario is impossible you do not have a contradiction to rave about.
632633
The Bible clearly indicates that Judas was not saved. Jesus Himself said of Judas, “The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born” (Matthew 26:24). John 17:12 also says concerning Judas, “While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost  except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.” At one time, though, Judas believed that Jesus was a prophet, or possibly even believed He was the Messiah. Jesus sent the disciples out to proclaim the Gospel and perform miracles (Luke 9:1-6). Judas was included in this group. Judas had faith, but it was not a true faith, or at best it was a very shallow faith. Judas was never “saved” but for a time he was a follower of Christ.
350946
No. But then i dont believe in anything Christian either. \n\nThe Gospel of Judas shows that the gospels were written not about historical facts, but from the theology of the authors. If a gospel author believed something, he wrote a story to 'prove' what he believed. The author of the gospel of Judas believed Judas was doing the will of Jesus, so he wrote a story to 'prove' it. The same is true with the other gospels in the Christians' New Testament.
383534
I would have to go with, Judas was'nt only a devoted apprentice but Jesus's friend! And he only followed Jesus's instruccions to hand him over!As for the Gospel According to judas it has remained hidden for more than 1800 yrs for a reason, and as for the bible oh!Remember those times when the catholics persued the christians and took away their bibles?they burned them; now ask yourself why do we still have them?(they made their own similar to the original)They changed lots of stuff in there, and that is what we read now to guide us!As for Jusdas's gospel it has remained untouched and unchanged.Its authentic!!
302209
If you understand the nature of the "Gospel of Judas" and related works, I think you'll agree that the New Testament gospels are a better bet by far.  (By the way, there are FOUR of them, and all tell of Judas's betraying Jesus.) \n\nThe "Gospel of Judas" was one of a host of "Gnostic gospels" that began to pop up in the second century (decades after the four gospels in the New Testament).  The Gnostics believed that they were a very special elite  (beyond the common, 'run of the mill' Christians) who had been given a very special, secret knowledge that was withheld from everyone else.\n\nWhat that implies is that the REAL truth must be something hidden, a secret that 'ordinary' people (or ordinary Christians) do not and cannot get, only the initiated. \n\nWhat the Gnostic gospels have in common is that they pick ONE person to whom Jesus is supposed to have told "the REAL plan", which was different from what everyone else thought.\n\nInteresting implications of this are\n1) ONLY Thomas, or Judas, or whichever person supposedly had been given this special truth and passed it on, had the truth.  So only ONE of these gospels can be correct. ALL the other gospels (including all the other Gnostic gospels!!) had to be mistaken!\n2) Because it was a SECRET, revealed on the sly to just one person (initially), you could not DISprove it by pointing to all the evidence and teaching that did not fit in with it!\n\nAs for Judas.  Since this "gnosis" or '(hidden) knowledge' was a secret NOT revealed to anyone else, and was beyond the understanding of ordinary 'unenlightened' folk (Gnostics wer real spiritual elitists!) it makes sense for it all be a big surprise (not at all what you would expect from general Christian teaching).  That would make Judas an ideal choice.   You see, the ordinary people THOUGHT that Judas chose to betray Jesus.   Only the enlightened knew the truth!\n\nBASIC GNOSTIC BELIEFS in short: \nElitist (not accessible to most people), can only have ONE gospel (all others false), the special knowledge CANNOT be proven false (historical evidence does not count), and incidentally, thinks VERY negatively about the physical world (Christian view, like the Hebrew was that the physical world was created good... believed in a REAL physical incarnation of Jesus, the hope of a physical resurrection  vs. Gnosticism which holds that the spiritual world is good, the material world is evil)\n\nDo people understand that THIS is what the "Gospel of Judas" and the rest are about??   Is that really what folks want to believe?  (Or maybe the information they are being fed about it doesn't tell them some of these things?)
353811
It seems to me the remainder of your question has a slight bent towards Alexandrian Christology, which if taken to its extreme can lead to dynamic monarchianism, apollinarianism and possibly eutychianism. \n\nBasically all those things assert this. That though Jesus was fully God, and yet fully man, the dynamic monarchianists would assert that his divinity "swallowed up" or "consumed" his humanity so that he was not really, or essentially "human", therefore, it was the divine who suffered, and died rather than the humanity. \n\nThis is problematic however, since in His divine nature, he was that who maintained the cosmos, was omniscient and omnipresent, etc, but that it could not have been his divine nature who had suffered and died, for it would be logically inconsistent for the Logos (Word) to- as God, die, for Jesus declared himself (as God): "I am the way the truth and the LIFE", and in Him and through Him were all things wrought since the beginning of the world. \n\nHis humanity therefore was the only substance that could have on our behalf, suffered and died, and that it was through the empowerment of his human nature, by the divine nature that (was Life) that ressurected the body from the grave, for apart from the Logos (Life, the Word), there could have been no ressurection. \n\nIf you read the work "On the Incarnation of the Word" by Athanasius, in it, it is discussed that the cross was a befitting death for the God-man. It was by no means an underscored type death for one who was also fully man as well as God. For in His death, it was his humanity which suffered and died, not his divine nature.\n\nIn response to the pre-ordainment of the Temple and the events leading to the incident with Judas, again this relied on human agency (will) as well as the "media scientia" (middle knowledge)-where God knows all contingent effects from all and every act that could possibly exist. In other words, he knew what would happen if Judas betrayed him, and yet he also knew what would happen if Judas did not betray him.  \n\n--Hope that helps--
1122638
I think it went much further than Gay.  Much of the old writing were of a vengeful God. One whose name you could not mention.  Jesus freed us from the old testament.  Beside Jesus told us to love your brother, sounds pretty perverted to me.  But also pretty open minded.  His first invite to heaven was a theif wasn't it. If God is good and the Devil is evil both without the other concept in them aren't they equals in some sense. Hell was in the times of the Bible only a burning pit for the evilest of criminals outside the gates of Jerusalem not someplace of eternal damnation
157114
IN MY OPINION HE DID BETRAY HIM, BUT AS YOU SAID IT WAS THE LORDS WILL BEING DONE.  SO I FEEL IF HE HAD NOT BETRAYED HIM HE WOULD NOT HAVE FELT GUILTY AND HUNG HIMSELF.  AND HE WAS ALSO REPLACED BY ANOTHER APSOTLE.
284161
It was a dirty job, but someone had to do it.  Even Jesus knew that at the time.\n\nHe told Judas to go do what he had to do.
405645
I have to say absolutely yes, he did forgive him because he knew what was going to happen.  He knew why he was here.  He knew from the first what his destiny was.  When he spoke to Judas at the last supper and told him to do what he had to do, he knew.  When he was praying in the garden, he knew.  When the soldiers came to take him, he knew.\n\nWhether you buy the theory now being talked about from the manuscript being called The Gospel of Judas, that he was Jesus' favorite, and the only one he could trust to do the deed, or whether you think he was a weasel and a betrayer, it changes not one bit that Jesus knew his reason for being here and the "betrayal" was part of the plan.  Judas being a willing friend, or a "traitor" doesn't change the outcome or the certainty it was going to happen.  Anyways, Jesus was here for forgivness of ALL mankinds sins and that includes Judas.
1184942
Not Sure\n\nFirst 12 Appointed Apostle will rule of Israel in Rev.  Jesus Christ Appointed = Judas was one of them\n\n2nd  In the bible suicide does not mean you will go to Hell, it only says you MAY  = May can mean May Not\n\n******\nJudas did repent, He did take the money back, but had guilt, how many people doyou know today that  are eat up with guilt?\n\n3rd  Someone had to betray Jesus, Do you think this was a example Jesus set on us, we are all sinner and weak, even if we do live for God and do our best ( we still sin), we are human also?
118803
I admire where you are going with this. I am a Christian and I believe the Bible. But I think you should know something. Did you know that in the Bible it never says anything about "accepting Jesus as your Personal Savior"? Jesus already is Jesus and He already is Lord and Savior. Accepting that does not save you. Applying His word to your heart and completely surrendering your will to Him is the only way. Acknowledging the Gospel and the bottomless pit of our sin, and the neverending grace and mercy of His blood redemption. Those are the things that bring salvation. I hope you understand. I suggest you read the Gospels and search carefully for the text that says that we must accept Him. It doesnt exist. For even Satan himself acknoweledges Christ in all his glory.\n\nFurthermore we need not run around wild screaming and cursing people to hell. Remember the "WWJD" bracelets. Look at how Jesus approached people. He served his enemies. He loved them. He preached to those who wanted to hear it. What good is condemnation to people who dont believe? The fear of hell is not what makes people believe in Christ. We should tell people about Him. But we should try to be like Jesus was about it. Remember how he washed Judas's feet, even though He knew that Judas had already betrayed Him in his heart?\n\n\nSisters in Christ.
343780
As Judas leads the procession up the Mount of Olives, he feels sure he knows where to find Jesus. During the past week, as Jesus and the apostles traveled back and forth between Bethany and Jerusalem, they often stopped in the garden of Gethsemane to rest and to converse. But, now, with Jesus possibly concealed in the darkness beneath the olive trees, how will the soldiers identify him? They may never have seen him before. Judas provides a sign, saying: “Whoever it is I kiss, this is he; take him into custody and lead him away safely.”\n\nJudas leads the great crowd into the garden, sees Jesus with his apostles, and goes straight up to him. “Good day, Rabbi!” he says and kisses him very tenderly.\n\nHe led a great crowd, including Roman soldiers and a military commander. The mob had clubs and swords as well as torches and lamps, which they would need if clouds covered the full moon or if Jesus was in the shadows. The Romans probably would not recognize Jesus, so, according to a prearranged sign, Judas greeted Christ and in an act of hypocrisy “kissed him very tenderly,” thus identifying him.