Lost for 1,700 years, the Gospel of Judas has an approximate origin in the 2nd century and was found preserved in an Egyptian cave. The Coptic language text was written by Gnostic Christians and elevates Judas from traitor to teacher of sacred mysteries. While this find has been touted as a great revelation, early Christians labeled it heresy.

Wahler defines self-sacrifice as the goal of Gnosticism. According to the book, when Jesus and Judas spoke together before the handover to Jewish leaders, their conversation concerned the personal sacrifice of Judas to become one with the Master. This would occur through the mystic practice of the Name (Logos, the presence of the divine). There is no mention of betrayal in this history. The author goes on to explain that a Gnostic Master is succeeded by the installation of another. Using New Testament text, he establishes the claim that the Apostle James became the Master following Jesus’ death.

With the popularity of Dan Brown’s pulse-racing books, including The Da Vinci Code, some who question the Christian interpretation of the New Testament gospels are now accepting the Gnostic viewpoint. Even the Jewish scholar Hyman Maccoby concurs in rejecting the idea of Judas as a traitor with Jewish involvement. This 103-page book is the author’s call to fellow researchers of Biblical texts to join him in validating the Gospel of Judas’ place in history. His own thorough research results are meticulously presented, comparing Nag Hammadi Library codes in Gnostic text to chapter and verse of Christian works to prove controversial points. Also included is a substantial bibliography.

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