(Video version below)
Greetings!
Today we continue our foray into the strange theological world of the gnostic gospels. Of these ancient apocryphal texts, perhaps the most sensational is the Gospel of Judas.
Discovered in the 1970s and only made publicly available in 2006, this strange manuscript provides a radical reimagining not only of the character of Judas Iscariot, but of the entire origin story of the cosmos. In a bizarre and at times frustratingly mysterious series of descriptions, the text introduces us to “the immortal realm of Barbelo,” the angels “Saklas” and “Nebro” or “Yaldabaoth”, and the luminous divine cloud, among other wonders.
I invited Biblical scholar Bart Ehrman to help me understand it all. Dr. Ehrman was one of the first people in the world to see the manuscript, when he was asked by National Geographic to join a small team of experts who verified its authenticity.
More superficially, this is one of the most beautiful-looking podcasts I have ever produced. These episodes are expensive to make, and so if you are reading this as a paying subscriber on Substack, I hope you can see that your financial support is being put to good use.
Thank you for your continued support. More to come soon.
- Alex
