The first of the teaching gospels, and fourth in the Martyrion Collection, this gospel is technically an anonymous text, although our group has attributed it to Judas Thaddeus, the brother of Jesus, due to an event within the book in which he is called by Jesus (the event takes place in chapter five, if you'd like to read it). This gospel, as its prologue suggests, is dedicated to declaring, or preaching, the secret things that the Lord made known to his disciples long ago. The prologue of the book quotes I Samuel 2:10 and Isaiah 4:2, a very strange compound of scriptural quotations indeed, although for the author of the text it seems to have the desired effect. Thaddeus doesn't actually delve any further into the historical events of Jesus' life than the synoptics, as it begins with a baptism account seemingly inspired by Mark and Matthew. It then transitions into a Johannine recalling of Jesus' first cleansing of the temple and a non-canonical resurrection of a dead man, with the former obviously based on John 2:13-22, before finally entering into its own original narrative. Here we see the author's focus on Jesus' Galilean ministry and a willful ignorance of the later Judean ministry until Christ's eventual execution in Jerusalem.
The text presents Jesus as an itinerant teacher and healer, with a divine purpose and a deep desire to teach to the Jews the 'hidden things from of old.' He is presented as the Christ, and one who is not afraid to admit his true identity as the foretold Messianic prophet and king. His inner circle of disciples consists almost entirely his brothers; James, Judas Thaddeus, and Simon called Cananeus make up three of his four closest disciples. Unlike in the synoptic gospels or John, where he only prepares his disciples to preach the gospel to all nations a few times in the three years he knows them, the ministerial content of Thaddeus appears to be constantly finding ways to prepare the apostles and the Christians reading it with the necessary tools to teach others with. Much of what makes this a teaching gospel is its uncanny ability to make use of parabolic sermons; much of the parables seem to come from the four canonical gospels, and one of them appears to be a parallel with the Nag Hammadi's Gospel of Thomas, while some of them are original and entirely unparalleled.
This book is apart of the free-to-use and distribute New Covenant Edition (NCE) that our group has put together, and it has been compared with the KJV, NKJV, and the NIV to make for a concise and fluid read. It is our hope that you enjoy studying and reading this translation of the Gospel According To Judas Thaddeus.
|
1THE DECLARATION OF the secret things which the Lord made known to his disciples in the land of Galilee beyond the Jordan. 2 Surely this is the one of whom it is written, 3 “indeed, God shall judge the ends of the earth. He shall give strength to his king, and exalt the horn of his Christ. 4 And again, “in that day the Branch of God will be made great and majestic, 5 and the abundance of the earth will be the pride and honor of the remnant of Israel.” 6 In those days Jesus came down from the wilderness to the river Jordan, where John was proclaiming the kingdom of God. 7 And he came to baptized by John in the Jordan, and John said to him, 8 “I am not worthy to baptize; rather, it is you who should baptize me.” 9 But Jesus said to him, “You are worthy; baptize me, that we might fulfill all that was spoken of us.” 10 And John baptized Jesus in the Jordan. And behold, a voice out of heaven cried out, and all who were with them were very afraid. 11 Now John had many disciples, and when they had seen what had taken place, they went to John and said to him, 12 “Lord, we know you are a prophet of God. Therefore tell us who this man is, since a voice out of heaven came before him.” 13 John said to them, “Seek him out yourselves, that you might know.” 14 And the disciples went to Jesus and said to him, “Lord, from where have you come, and to whose house do you go to dine?” 15 He said to them, “Come." |
|
1AND WHEN THE time came for the Passover, the Lord went up with his disciples to the temple to pray. 2 Having seen the money-changers, moreover, he drove them out from the temple with a whip of cords, and overturned their tables. 3 Then the Jews came to him and said, “Who are you, man, to do this to us?” 4 He said, “Zeal for this house has consumed me; for my enemies have forgotten God’s words. 5 Therefore destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” 6 They said to him, “This temple was built forty-six years ago, and you will raise it up in three days? Leave this place!” 7 And he went out from Jerusalem and returned to his own country, where he proclaimed the kingdom, and gathered many disciples. 8 And as Jesus was healing many by the power of the Lord, the Jews said to him, 9 “What you have done elsewhere, do here in your own country also!” 10 Now they spoke of the wonders he had done in Jerusalem and Capernaum, and in Bethsaida. 11 Jesus said to them, “A prophet is exalted in all places but in his own village. Surely a physician does not heal a man who knows him!” 12 And his brothers and sisters came to him, saying, 13 “Jesus, why do you do these things? Return home, for your mother is weeping.” 14 He said to them, “I have neither mother, nor brothers and sisters, save the ones who hear the word of God and keep it.” 15 And as he continued on his way, James his brother came to him and said, “Lord, I know that you are the Son of David.” 16 Jesus said to him, “Then come, follow me.” 17 And going on his way, he came to Beth-kamar, and he went to the house of a certain man named Ananias, for his brother was ill. 18 And as he drew near to the house, the servants would not allow him to enter, saying, 19 “Lord, do not enter the house, for the man whom you seek has died.” 20 Jesus said to them, “Have you no faith? Why do you doubt the Father? Your master sleeps, and he shall be awoken.” 21 Now there was a disturbance in the house, for many flutes were being played. 22 He said, “Be quiet! You disturb even the multitude with your endless clamor!” 23 And he touched the edge of the bed upon which the body rested, and said to the man, “Rise, and eat.” Now his name was John. 24 And he embraced him, and ordered that he be given bread to eat.25 And the crowd was amazed and questioned amongst themselves, “Who is this man, that even the dead shall do as bade by him?” 26 And Ananias said to his brother, “Let us have a feast on account of this thing; amen, this man is a prophet of God!” And the crowd looked for Jesus. 27 Yet as they sought him, he went away privately with his disciples, instead going on to Simonias in Galilee. 28 And as he was there, he taught them the gospel of the kingdom of God, saying, 29 “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand! The Lord shall gather up his saints for the harvest, and all eyes of the living will see his glory. 30 Yet upon the evil one he will have no mercy, for in the things he was dealt, he had none. 31 Have mercy, therefore, on the one who hates you, and fast on account of him, and amen, I tell you, you will have no enemies. 32 Also give according to the mercy that you have, and have love for the beggar on account of his wealth in the heavens. 33 Take no thought for your garments, nor the bread you will eat, for your Father knows of the cold, and the hunger of men. 34 Do this, and your Father in heaven will reward you with the abundance of many nations. 35 These things that you hear have been said elsewhere—in Capernaum and Nazareth, and in Bethsaida, yet they have not heard me. 36 What man among you can say to the heavens, ‘Be opened,’ and they will open? Likewise, who is it that is good, but God alone? 37 Behold, it is written, ‘there is none that is righteous before your face.’ How true is this saying! 38 And a man came to him and said, “Lord, if there is none that desires that which is excellent, and there is none that righteous before God, who is it that will live? 39 He said to him, “The Law has been given to men that they should keep it; therefore it is given to man that he should obey the Law in its fullness. 40 For I tell you, he who has cast out the least of the Law and teaches others to do likewise is least in the kingdom.” |
|
1THE KINGDOM OF heaven is like a man who was going on a journey to a far-away country... Coming soon! |
|
|
|
|