The Biblical's Judas Iscariot

Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve original apostles of Jesus Christ, is believed to be the man who betrayed Jesus to the Romans. Judas Iscariot, as indicated in his last name, was born in Kerioth, a city of Judah, which uniquely places him as the only apostle who was not a Galilean.

Judas was in many ways distinguished from the other apostles, the most distinct being that he is never mentioned without reference to his betrayal. Never was he mentioned in accordance or in any circumstantial relation to miracles of the Apostles. Instead, his every mention in the New Testament is tied with betrayal and he is branded so well with his crime that his name has now become synonymous with backstabber or a friend who betrays another.

Some even believe that the name Judas is the Bible’s attack towards Judaism because the English word “Jew” is derived from the Latin word “Judaeus” and many pieces of art depict Judas with stereotypical Jewish characteristics such as shorter stature and exaggerated nose, yet this theory is often played down.

The Gnostic Scripts' Judas Iscariot

The most recent development relating to Judas’ role in the Bible and Christianity is the discovery of The Gospel of Judas in Beni Masah, Egypt. According to the narrations, the Gnostic scripts described the events of the crucifixion which states that Christ asked of Judas to turn Him into the Romans to complete His mission on Earth. This controversial finding may shed a different light on what truly happened in the most infamous betrayal in history.