The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot Read Online Free

law. His reply was to the point: The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath .
    Mark 2:27
    5. Judas and the other disciples were amazed that Jesus was able to silence these rigid guardians of the law with such simple wisdom and common sense.
    6. Although the Pharisees were unwilling to come out publicly against Jesus, they were unable to hide their anger whenever theyheard him speak, as his teachings continued to undermine their authority.
    7. They remained close by, in the hope that they might trap Jesus should one of his disciples break another tenet of the law. They did not have long to wait.
    8. The Scribes and the Pharisees strictly adhered to the tradition of fasting and the Prophet Daniel had even risked his life to abide by the law.
    see
Tobit 12:8,
Judith 4:9;
Daniel 1:1–16
    9. So when the disciples ignored the laws of fasting, the Pharisees took this as another opportunity to reproach Jesus.
    10. They asked: Why do you condone the actions of your disciples when they forsake the fine tradition of fasting that Daniel and John the Baptist always obeyed?
    See
Dan 1:1–16;
Mark 1:6;
Matt 3:4
    11. Jesus did not hesitate with his reply: Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast .
    Mark 2:19;
Matt 9:15;
Luke 5:34
    12. Judas was aware that the prophets, as well as the poets, had throughout Israel’s history, often described Israel as a bride, waiting for the coming of the bridegroom.
    see
Hos 2:19–20;
Song of Solomon
    13. On hearing these words, Judas, along with Simon, Andrew, Philip and Nathanael, began to believe that Jesus might be the God-given Messiah, who had come to take possession of his bride, Israel.
    see
John 3:29
    14. They did not voice this view openly as they knew it would further anger the Pharisees and might even place Jesus’ life in danger.
    15. The Pharisees continued to let it be known that they considered Jesus to be a sinner, a blasphemer and a man who broke the laws of the Torah. After all, had he not ignored the fine tradition of fasting, and now he seemed to be adding to his sins by claiming that he was the messianic bridegroom.
    16. The Pharisees hung on Jesus’ every word in the hope that they could find another example of his flouting the laws of the Torah.
    17. The following Sabbath, when Jesus was in Capernaum, a man with a withered hand entered the Synagogue in search of him.
    18. The Pharisees watched closely, hoping that Jesus would attempt to heal the man on the Sabbath, so that they could chastise him for a further breach of the sacred laws.
    19. On seeing the man, Jesus approached him and said: Stretch out your hand .
    Mark 3:5;
Matt 12:13;
Luke 6:10
    20. The man did so, and his hand was restored .
    21. This was all the proof the Pharisees needed to show that Jesus was a sinner and a blasphemer, willing to abuse the law, even in the Synagogue on the Sabbath.
    22. Judas observed that many of those who had gathered to hear Jesus preach did not share the misgivings of the Elders, for they had come to hope that Jesus might be the expected Messiah, as promised by Isaiah.
    see
Isaiah 35:3–5

Chapter 8
The rock upon which he would build his church
    1. The Scribes and the Pharisees became so despondent about Jesus’ growing popularity with the people that they agreed among themselves the time had come to take extreme measures.
    2. Thus it was that the Pharisees, who held fast to the laws of Israel, joined forces with the Herodians, local Jews who carried out such orders that were decreed by their political masters in Rome.
    see
Mark 3:6
    3. Although the two groups despised each other, they were united in one common purpose: to rid themselves of Jesus.
    4. Judas had friends in Capernaum who warned him that the Pharisees and Herodians were secretly working together to plot the downfall of Jesus.
    5. Judas dismissed these claims, as everyone knew that they were sworn