The Gospel of Judas Manuscript and Its National Geographic Publication

Record summary

The Gospel of Judas became widely known after the Codex Tchacos was conserved, translated and publicized in 2006. Its Coptic dialogue presents Judas in an unusual theological role and differs sharply from the canonical passion narratives. The lead is useful for comparing alternative portrayals of betrayal, revelation and cosmology, as well as modern media framing of apocryphal texts. Major uncertainties concern the manuscript’s damaged passages, earlier ownership history, date of the surviving codex, relation to the second-century text mentioned by Irenaeus and interpretations of Judas’s role.