Judas Iscariot has been portrayed as the quintessential traitor, the infamous disciple who betrayed his teacher for thirty pieces of silver. But the discovery of the long lost Gospel of Judas, with its portrayal of Judas as the disciple closest to Jesus, raises serious new questions. In Judas, Marvin Meyer, one of the world’s leading experts on the Gospel of Judas presents a fuller portrait of this enigmatic figure.

Meyer presents period texts that deal with Judas, including New Testament writings, Gnostic documents, and other early Christian literature. Later writings provide glimpses of the vilification of Judas and the emergence of anti-Semitic themes. Meyer also explores the possibility that the story of Judas and his betrayal of Jesus could be simply a piece of fiction.

Marvin Meyer is Griset Professor of Bible and Christian Studies and director of the Albert Schweitzer Institute at Chapman University, Orange, California. Among his recent books are The Gnostic Gospels of Jesus: The Definitive Collection of Mystical Gospels and Secret Books About Jesus of Nazareth; The Gospels of Mary: The Secret Tradition of Mary Magdalene, the Companion of Jesus; The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus; and The Gnostic Bible.

“This book offers a thrilling journey through early Christian texts about Judas, asking the question if the devilish figure of this disciple is founded on historical elements or if it is merely a literary creation ... You won’t be able to stop reading this book.”

– Madeleine Scopello, Directeur de Recherche au Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Paris IV-Sorbonne, and author of Femme, Gnose et Manichéisme