Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot (died April AD 29–33, Hebrew יהודה איש־קריות Yəhûḏāh ʾΚ-qəriyyôṯ) was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve original apostles of Jesus, and the one who ultimately betrayed him.

Theological questions

Judas has been a figure of great interest to esoteric groups, such as many Gnostic sects, because of the apparent contradiction in the idea of "the betrayal of God". The possibilities seem to be these:

Related Topics:
Gnostic - God

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• Jesus did not foresee the betrayal by Judas.
• He was unable to prevent it.
• He allowed Judas to betray him.
• Judas was an informed accomplice in Jesus's planned destiny.

Irenaeus records the beliefs of one Gnostic sect, the Cainites, who believed that Judas was an instrument of the Sophia, Divine Wisdom, thus earning the hatred of the Demiurge. His betrayal of Jesus thus was a victory over the carnal world. The Cainites later split into two groups, both praising Judas over Jesus Christ, but disagreeing over the significance of Jesus in their cosmology.

Related Topics:
Irenaeus - Cainite - Sophia - Demiurge

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The text of the Gospels suggests that Jesus both foresaw and allowed Judas' betrayal.

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