Thursday, May 31, 2007

The Gospel Of Judas


READ: 2 Timothy 4:1-5

They will turn their ears away from the truth. —2 Timothy 4:4

The recently discovered manuscript The Gospel of Judas alleges that Jesus asked Judas to betray Him. Supposedly, Jesus hoped that His death would free Him from this world of matter to become a pure spirit again.

There is a big problem with this ancient text. Judas could not have written this manuscript that bears his name, since it was written long after the time of Jesus. But because The Gospel of Judas has been newly discovered, it provides a novelty for those who like to speculate.

Proposing a fake story to replace the New Testament account is not new. Paul wrote, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables” (2 Tim. 4:3-4).

There’s a trend today to look for new theories to undermine the Bible. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul told us to “test all things; hold fast what is good” (v.21). Based on the questionable content and authorship of The Gospel of Judas, we know that it’s a fable. The real gospel (good news) lies with the apostles, who walked with Jesus and wrote down His life-saving message in the New Testament. Dennis Fisher

The Bible stands, and it will forever
When the world has passed away;
By inspiration it has been given—
All its precepts I will obey. —Lillenas

To trust God is to trust in His holy Word.

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