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Dramatic re-creations of "The Gospel of Judas"

Bindu Shajan Perappadan

NEW DELHI: What if an ancient gospel was rediscovered that offered a radically different perspective on a man that history has painted as the ultimate villain? What if these account turned Jesus' betrayal on its head, and in it the villain became a hero?

This coming Sunday, National Geographic Channel will air the world premiere of "The Gospel of Judas", an exclusive two-hour global event that traces the incredible story of what has happened to the Gospel of Judas since it was found, the recent authentication process and analysis, and key insight gleaned from its laborious translation and interpretation.

The ancient document tells a different story of Judas Iscariot, the disciple who betrayed Jesus and has been synonymous with treachery and deceit.

Discovered by chance in the 1970s, sold twice and stolen once, the gospel's condition had deteriorated severely. The race is now on to preserve its pages before they turn to dust.

But when was this gospel written and by whom? The research and documentary reveal fascinating details contained within the document as well as key sections translated from its ancient Coptic script. A team of biblical scholars and scientists verified its authenticity. The authentication process, involving radiocarbon dating, ink analysis, multi-spectral imaging, contextual evidence and more is covered in depth. The special programme being aired on National Geographic Channel also examines the modern history of the document since it was found, including the exhaustive conservation process.

The Gospel of Judas presents a lost version of the last days of Jesus, using dramatic recreations to portray and clarify the complex story of intrigue and politics of the earliest days of Christianity.

The gospel reframes Judas as the disciple closest to Jesus, who committed his act of betrayal at Jesus' behest. "The Gospel of Judas turns Judas' act of betrayal into an act of obedience,'' says Craig Evans, Payzant Distinguished Professor of New Testament at Acadia Divinity College in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.

Pages from the document will be exhibited at the National Geographic Museum in Washington. Once the conservation process is complete, the document will be delivered to its country of origin, Egypt, and housed in Cairo's Coptic Museum.

Speaking about the programme, Joy Bhattacharjya, Senior Vice-President Programming of National Geographic Channel India, says: "The Gospel of Judas is the television event of the year as it has already created excitement worldwide and brings to light information that will make us rethink our beliefs. The Gospel of Judas along with other films from the `Secret Bible Week' reveal facts, beliefs, conspiracies, secrecies and a lot more about Christianity, which our viewers will get to witness for the first time.''

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