becoming

I don’t want to blog about it since I disagree with most of the media that this is "the most important archaeological discovery of the last 60 years." But since Andrew brought this up, I will just say a few words about it:

1) The discovery was not new. It was found in the 70’s. What IS new is that we now have an English translation of the text and HarperSanFrancisco and National Geographic is publishing it. (So now you understand why they want you to feel excited!)

2) The document (a copy of G of J) that was discovered dated back to 350 AD earliest. The original G of J (if this is indeed the same document which the bishop of Lyons Irenaeus was referring to in Against Heresies) was written around 150 AD. Reading from text, one can immediately sense its gnostic nature, with phrases like Jesus is "from the immortal realm of Barbelo", "But you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me". While it is almost certain that it comes from a split-off branch of Christianity, and can give us considerable insights as we learn more about church history in the period from the late 2nd century through the fourth century, it tells us nothing about the origins of Christianity or the beginnings of the Jesus movement.

3) For those that claimed they have found the "True story of Judas" are just using the same rationale as those in the DVC — that the church has been so vigorusly trying to hide the truth and so everything the church has been saying is false, and everything you found which is different from the traditional teachings of the church is, hence true. I think even a chimp can find the fault in that logic.

4) The only useful thing I found reading the news and programme is a general idea how archeologists, scientists and scholars examine and preserve old manuscripts and what the process involved. This is good for those of you that do not understand the discipline of ancient text analysis (e.g. NT).

I will stop here and point you to several comments which I think should put things in the right perspective:

• The Gospel of Judas et al. (BW3), Part 2
• The Gospel of Judas (Scot McKnight), Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
• BBC Radio 4 Beyond Belief — Judas
• 猶大福音 (Littleho’s Blog)
• Gospel of Judas megapost (Mark Goodacre)

Also before you can talk about it, whether you agree or not, please read the text yourself.