I've been watching Amazon and it looks like the revised version of 13th Apostle is now in stock. So if you have pre-ordered it, I imagine that it will come clambering into your mailbox very soon.This is not a paperback release of the first edition. I revised this book substantially, including two new chapters - one on Judas and astrology (my paper from the Codex Judas Congress) and another on Judas and ancient magic (I cover the magic gem that I think is related to the ideology put forth in the Gospel of Judas). I also have a new preface, covering what has been happening with the Gospel of Judas since its initial release, and I added a section on Thomasine church in the chapter on early Christianity.
I hope you enjoy it.
5 comments:
April, we will review this in The Gnostic if you get your publisher to send a review copy.
Andrew
Thanks for the announcement - I look forward to reading the chapter on the magic gem!
Good News indeed, if you will pardon the pun, for those of you across the Pond, but Amazon UK still has no mention of the revised edition.
Perhaps you might mention to your publishers that there's a market for it over here, thus saving me the extra postage...
I look forward to it!!! Really enjoyed the first version, and I love your work in general! Only bummed I missed your session at the SBL.
I agree that Judas is portrayed as the hand of the archons in this gospel, this was clear to me even in the official translation. What I don't understand is why a eucharist is assumed here considering that the context here is of obviously pre betrayal and there is no evidence here of a "last supper". In other words, no later christian dogma is being addressed here, this prayer of thanksgiving over bread must be a tradition already established, such as the traditional Hebrew blessing over bread:
Blessed art Though, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.
I am curious about some of the translation, such as
"your god who is within you"
what is the term for god here?
"whoever has the strength among men, let him bring forward the perfect person, and let him stand in front of me"
I am curious about "perfect person", the possible meanings here. I find it interesting that what is referred to here seems to be an internal essence that knows, this is what makes it perfect even while it is not necessarily "good".
Also, "but their spirits were not able to get up the courage to stand before him" - is the term spirit here the same one that is used to describe Judas, the one that is a reference to daimon and is this the case to each reference to spirit throughout the text? For example when it speaks of spirit leaving the body, which makes me wonder about the term for body and soul in this text as well.
I agree that gnostics felt that one can break the chains of fate utilizing astrology in the process, I don't see what Jesus tells Judas as predeterminism as much as an ignorance of the image of the cosmos embedded within him leading to being bound to it through this ignorance.
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