Recap

The Judas Gospel

Professor Kenneth Hanson, a scholar of lost Bible texts, discussed the recently publicized Lost Gospel of Judas as well as material from the Dead Sea Scrolls. Unlike the accounts in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, in this newly discovered Gospel, Judas is portrayed as acting at Jesus' request when he is handed over to the authorities. Hanson speculated that the New Testament authors may have turned Judas into a villain in order to dramatize the account. The Lost Judas Gospel is written in Coptic and translated from a Greek source, probably by an early group of Christians, such as the Gnostics, he shared.

Jesus reveals mysteries of the universe exclusively to Judas in the Lost Gospel, speaking of a "great boundless realm" that no angel has ever seen, said Hansen, who noted that such descriptions are similar to Gnostic ideations. He finds the new text to be of monumental importance because of its revelations, authenticity, and antiquity.

Hansen also discussed some of the ancient texts that were banned from the Bible. For instance, in the Dead Sea Scrolls there is a more detailed description of the Nephilim (the fallen ones) than is found in the Bible: The Nephilim interbred with human women and their offspring were said to be giants who grew to the staggering height of 3,000 to 4,000 tall. They were "rapacious in their appetites" and conspired to consume humans, recounted Hansen, who commented that the extreme height may have been used in the text as a kind of symbolism.

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Spotlight: The Lost Gospel

Among the texts Dr. Ken Hanson discussed is the recently revealed Lost Gospel of Judas. For an in-depth examination of the ancient papyrus manuscript (now on display in Egypt) visit National Geographic's interactive presentation.