The Thirteenth Apostle
Table of Contents
Part 1 An Unfamiliar Story
Chapter 1 The Silenced Voice
Provides overview of the diversity of second century
Christianity. Includes complete discussions of the Apostolic Church,
the Marcionite Church, the Ebionite Church, the Church of New Prophecy,
and the Gnostics.
Chapter 2 A Gnostic Catechism
Everything you ever wanted to know about the origins and
ideologies of Sethian Gnosis. Discusses the question, "What is
Gnosticism?" as well as fundamental aspects of Gnostic thought: the
world created by Plato, bible stories about Yahweh's Angel,
oppositional gods in Gnostic theology, God's original sin and fall, the
Gnostic created order, and Gnostic liberation.
Part 2 Translation Matters
Chapter 3 A Mistaken Gospel
Covers the problems I have identified in the National
Geographic English translation, problems which have resulted in an
interpretation of the Gospel of Judas which just cannot be maintained.
Judas is not the perfect enlightened Gnostic; he never ascends to the
holy generation; Jesus does not want Judas to betray him; Judas does
not perform a righteous act by betraying or sacrificing Jesus; Judas'
dream does not mean that he will enter the divine realm one day; the
number 13 is not his lucky number.
Chapter 4 The Gospel of Judas in English Translation
Provides my own English translation of the Gospel of Judas, set out page-by-page and line-by-line according to the manuscript.
Part 3 Good Old Judas?
Chapter 5 Judas the Confessor
Argues for a subversive interpretation of Judas'
confession. This chapter covers the critical attitude of this text
toward the twelve apostles and how Judas fits into this scheme.
| Chapter 6 Judas the Demon
Examines Judas' relationship to demons within the Sethian
traditions, and discusses his tragic fate and the reason for the
revelation of the Sethian mysteries.
Chapter 7 Judas the Sacrificer
This chapter contextualizes the sacrifice of Jesus within
Gnostic traditions about Jesus' passion and Gnostic criticisms of
atonement theology.
Chapter 8 An Ancient Gnostic Parody
Summarizes the narrative in the Gospel of Judas and considers what this Gospel might mean for us today.
Epilogue
Discussion of the contemporary need for a "good" Judas in
light of our reappraisal of Jewish and Christian relationships in the
wake of WWII. Looks at portrayals of Judas in popular film pre- and
post-WWII.
Appendices
Further Reading
Recommends books on the Gospel of Judas, second-century Christianity, the New Testament Apocrypha, Gnosis and the Gnostics.
A Synopsis of Sethian Gnostic Literature
Describes every piece of Sethian Gnostic literature extant,
laid out chronologically by approximate date of composition. Includes
references to where each text is located in manuscript, including
multiple versions.
Testimony from the Church Fathers on the Gospel of Judas
Includes quotes from each Church Father who mentions the Gospel of Judas, plus my own commentary on these quotations.
An Interview with April DeConick
A brief interview covering the main points of the book and its implications.
Notes
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