Millions of people watched The Passion yesterday and you may have seen it too. Personally, I always get a bit of a bad feeling about it and I'll tell you why. It's about the last supper Jesus had with his apostles and in that story he is betrayed by Judas, but is that really true?
There are a few interesting gaps in this story. The Greek word translated "betray" in our translations is "paradous," which means to surrender. Surely that is a different nuance
Jesus wanted to be surrendered to the people. Because? Only in that way could he become a master. By leaving his body behind and surrendering it. On the cross.
But then again, who wants him on the cross -- his 12 best friends?
Not really. No one wanted to do that, of course. Jesus appointed Judas to deliver him over. Who was the only one who understood that Jesus had to do this. At least that's how it says it in the Gospel of Judas. That Judas was precisely Jesus' best friend who took that upon himself.
The Gospel of Judas was discovered in 1970s in a desert in Egypt and referred to by scholars as writings recorded at the same time as the Bible. Only that book is not included in the Bible.
Makes sense, because it stated that Judas was not a traitor at all ... but rather his best friend who was commissioned by Jesus to deliver him to the Romans.
After all, how strong do you have to be to deliver your best friend so that he goes down in history as master and the son of God, but you as the greatest traitor of the past 2,000 years?
That can only be an act of the greatest love imaginable.
Turning your brother into a Jesus. Knowing that you are going to be seen as a traitor for thousands of years. Would you be willing to do that for your brother? For your best friend? For him to become a master?
So what does that make you?
The very largest if you ask me....
