The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 217 Judas crucified in the likeness of Jesus. The substitution account and its early Christian context:
Judas Is Taken, Judged, and Crucified in the Likeness of Jesus
The soldiers took Judas and bound him, not without derision. For he truthfully denied that he was Jesus; and the soldiers, mocking him, said: 'Sir, fear not, for we are come to make thee king of Israel, and we have bound thee because we know that thou dost refuse the kingdom.'
Judas answered: 'Now have ye lost your senses! Ye are come to take Jesus of Nazareth, with arms and lanterns as against a robber; and ye have bound me that have guided you, to make me king!'
Then the soldiers lost their patience, and with blows and kicks they began to flout Judas, and they led him with fury into Jerusalem.
John and Peter followed the soldiers afar off; and they affirmed to him who writeth that they saw all the examination that was made of Judas by the high priest, and by the council of the Pharisees, who were assembled to put Jesus to death.
Whereupon Judas spake many words of madness, insomuch that every one was filled with laughter, believing that he was really Jesus, and that for fear of death he was feigning madness. Whereupon the scribes bound his eyes with a bandage, and mocking him said: 'Jesus, prophet of the Nazarenes, tell us, who was it that smote thee?' And they buffeted him and spat in his face.
When it was morning there assembled the great council of scribes and elders of the people; and the high priest with the Pharisees sought false witness against Judas, believing him to be Jesus: and they found not that which they sought.
And why say I that the chief priests believed Judas to be Jesus? Nay, all the disciples, with him who writeth, believed it; and more, the poor virgin mother of Jesus, with his kinsfolk and friends, believed it, insomuch that the sorrow of every one was incredible.
As God liveth, he who writeth forgot all that Jesus had said: how that he should be taken up from the world, and that he should suffer in a third person, and that he should not die until near the end of the world. Wherefore he went with the mother of Jesus and with John to the cross.
The high priest caused Judas to be brought before him bound, and asked him of his disciples and his doctrine. Whereupon Judas, as though beside himself, answered nothing to the point.
The high priest then adjured him by the living God of Israel that he would tell him the truth.
Judas answered: 'I have told you that I am Judas Iscariot, who promised to give into your hands Jesus the Nazarene; and ye, by what art I know not, are beside yourselves, for ye will have it by every means that I am Jesus.'
The high priest answered: 'O perverse seducer, thou hast deceived all Israel, beginning from Galilee even unto Jerusalem here, with thy doctrine and false miracles: and now thinkest thou to flee the merited punishment that befitteth thee by feigning to be mad? As God liveth, thou shalt not escape it!'
And having said this he commanded his servants to smite him with buffetings and kicks, so that his understanding might come back into his head. The derision which he then suffered at the hands of the high priest's servants is past belief. For they zealously devised new inventions to give pleasure to the council. So they attired him as a juggler, and so treated him with hands and feet that it would have moved the very Canaanites to compassion if they had beheld that sight.
But the chief priests and Pharisees and elders of the people had their hearts so exasperated against Jesus that, believing Judas to be really Jesus, they took delight in seeing him so treated.
Afterwards they led him bound to the governor, who secretly loved Jesus. Whereupon he, thinking that Judas was Jesus, made him enter into his chamber, and spake to him, asking him for what cause the chief priests and the people had given him into his hands.
Judas answered: 'If I tell thee the truth, thou wilt not believe me; for perchance thou art deceived as the chief priests and the Pharisees are deceived.'
The governor answered: 'Now knowest thou not that I am not a Jew? But the chief priests and the elders of thy people have given thee into my hand; wherefore tell us the truth, that I may do what is just. For I have power to set thee free and to put thee to death.'
Judas answered: 'Sir, believe me, if thou put me to death, thou shalt do a great wrong, for thou shalt slay an innocent person; seeing that I am Judas Iscariot, and not Jesus, who is a magician, and by his art hath so transformed me.'
When he heard this the governor marvelled greatly, so that he sought to set him at liberty.
The governor therefore went out, and smiling said: 'In the one case, at least, this man is not worthy of death, but rather of compassion. This man saith that he is not Jesus, but a certain Judas who guided the soldiery to take Jesus, and he saith that Jesus the Galilean hath by his art magic so transformed him. Wherefore, if this be true, it were a great wrong to kill him, seeing that he were innocent. But if he is Jesus and denieth that he is, assuredly he hath lost his understanding, and it were impious to slay a madman.'
Then the chief priests and elders of the people, with the scribes and Pharisees, cried out with shouts, saying: 'He is Jesus of Nazareth, for we know him; for if he were not the malefactor we would not have given him into thy hands. Nor is he mad; but rather malignant, for with this device he seeketh to escape from our hands, and the sedition that he would stir up if he should escape would be worse than the former.'
Pilate, in order to rid himself of such a case, said: 'He is a Galilean, and Herod is King of Galilee: wherefore it pertaineth not to me to judge such a case, so take ye him to Herod.'
Accordingly they led Judas to Herod, who of a long time had desired that Jesus should go to his house. But Jesus had never been willing to go to his house, because Herod was a Gentile, and adored the false and lying gods, living after the manner of unclean Gentiles.
Now when Judas had been led thither, Herod asked him of many things, to which Judas gave answers not to the purpose, denying that he was Jesus.
Then Herod mocked him, with all his court, and caused him to be clad in white as the fools are clad, and sent him back to Pilate, saying to him: 'Do not fail in justice to the people of Israel!'
And this Herod wrote, because the chief priests and scribes and the Pharisees had given him a good quantity of money.
The governor, having heard that this was so from a servant of Herod, in order that he also might gain some money, feigned that he desired to set Judas at liberty. Whereupon he caused him to be scourged by his slaves, who were paid by the scribes to slay him under the scourges.
But God, who had decreed the issue, reserved Judas for the cross, in order that he might suffer that horrible death to which he had sold another. He did not suffer Judas to die under the scourges, notwithstanding that the soldiers scourged him so grievously that his body rained blood.
Thereupon, in mockery they clad him in an old purple garment, saying: 'It is fitting to our new king to clothe him and crown him': so they gathered thorns and made a crown, like those of gold and precious stones which kings wear on their heads. And this crown of thorns they placed upon Judas' head, putting in his hand a reed for sceptre, and they made him sit in a high place.
And the soldiers came before him, bowing down in mockery, saluting him as King of the Jews. And they held out their hands to receive gifts, such as new kings are accustomed to give; and receiving nothing they smote Judas, saying: 'Now, how art thou crowned, foolish king, if thou wilt not pay thy soldiers and servants?'
The chief priests with the scribes and Pharisees, seeing that Judas died not by the scourges, and fearing lest Pilate should set him at liberty, made a gift of money to the governor, who having received it gave Judas to the scribes and Pharisees as guilty unto death. Whereupon they condemned two robbers with him to the death of the cross.
So they led him to Mount Calvary, where they used to hang malefactors, and there they crucified him naked, for the greater ignominy.
Judas truly did nothing else but cry out: 'God, why hast thou forsaken me, seeing the malefactor hath escaped and I die unjustly?'
Verily I say that the voice, the face, and the person of Judas were so like to Jesus, that his disciples and believers entirely believed that he was Jesus; wherefore some departed from the doctrine of Jesus, believing that Jesus had been a false prophet, and that by art magic he had done the miracles which he did: for Jesus had said that he should not die till near the end of the world; for that at that time he should be taken away from the world.
But they that stood firm in the doctrine of Jesus were so encompassed with sorrow, seeing him die who was entirely like to Jesus, that they remembered not what Jesus had said.
And so in company with the mother of Jesus they went to Mount Calvary, and were not only present at the death of Judas, weeping continually, but by means of Nicodemus and Joseph of Abarimathia they obtained from the governor the body of Judas to bury it. Whereupon, they took him down from the cross with such weeping as assuredly no one would believe, and buried him in the new sepulchre of Joseph; having wrapped him up in an hundred pounds of precious ointments.
The soldiers seized Judas and bound him, mocking him as they did so. Although he truthfully denied being Jesus, they said: 'Sir, do not be afraid. We have come to make you king of Israel, and we have bound you because we know you refuse the kingdom.'
Judas answered: 'Have you lost your senses? You came armed with weapons and lanterns to arrest Jesus of Nazareth as though he were a robber, yet you have bound me, the man who guided you, in order to make me king!'
The soldiers lost patience. They mocked Judas with blows and kicks and dragged him furiously into Jerusalem.
John and Peter followed the soldiers from a distance. They later told the writer that they witnessed Judas's entire examination before the high priest and the council of Pharisees assembled to put Jesus to death.
Judas spoke many frantic words, causing everyone to laugh, for they believed he was truly Jesus and was pretending to be insane out of fear of death. The scribes blindfolded him and mocked him, saying: 'Jesus, prophet of the Nazarenes, tell us who struck you.' Then they beat him and spat in his face.
In the morning, the great council of scribes and elders assembled. The high priest and Pharisees sought false testimony against Judas, believing him to be Jesus, but could not find what they wanted.
Why do I say that the chief priests believed Judas was Jesus? All the disciples, including the writer, believed it as well. Even the sorrowful Virgin Mary, Jesus's mother, together with his relatives and friends, believed it, and everyone's grief was beyond description.
As God lives, the writer forgot everything Jesus had said: that he would be taken out of the world, that he would suffer in the person of another, and that he would not die until near the end of the world. Therefore he went with Jesus's mother and John to the cross.
The high priest had Judas brought before him in chains and questioned him about his disciples and doctrine. Judas, appearing beside himself, gave no relevant answers.
The high priest then solemnly charged him by the living God of Israel to tell him the truth.
Judas answered: 'I have already told you that I am Judas Iscariot, who promised to hand Jesus the Nazarene over to you. But you, through some power I cannot understand, have lost your senses and insist that I am Jesus.'
The high priest answered: 'O perverse deceiver, you have misled all Israel, from Galilee to Jerusalem, through your doctrine and false miracles. Do you now think you can escape the punishment you deserve by pretending to be insane? As God lives, you will not escape it!'
Having said this, he ordered his servants to strike Judas with blows and kicks so that, as they thought, his understanding might return. The mockery he then suffered at the hands of the high priest's servants defies belief. They eagerly invented new amusements to please the council: they dressed him up as a juggler and so worked him over with hands and feet that even Canaanites would have been moved to pity at the sight.
But the chief priests, the Pharisees, and the elders of the people were so hardened against Jesus that, believing Judas really was Jesus, they delighted in seeing him treated this way.
Afterwards they led him, bound, to the governor — who secretly loved Jesus. He, believing Judas to be Jesus, brought him into his chamber and asked why the chief priests and the people had handed him over.
Judas answered: 'If I tell you the truth, you will not believe me, for perhaps you are deceived just as the chief priests and Pharisees are.'
The governor answered: 'Do you not know that I am not a Jew? The chief priests and elders of your people handed you over to me. Tell me the truth so that I may act justly, for I have the power to release you or put you to death.'
Judas answered: 'Sir, believe me, if you put me to death, you will commit a great injustice by killing an innocent man. I am Judas Iscariot, not Jesus. Jesus is a magician and has transformed me in this way by his magical art.'
When the governor heard this, he was greatly astonished and sought to release him.
The governor went outside and said with a smile: 'In either case, this man does not deserve death but compassion. He says he is not Jesus, but a certain Judas who guided the soldiers to arrest Jesus, and that Jesus the Galilean transformed him by magical art. If this is true, it would be a grave injustice to kill him, since he is innocent. But if he is Jesus and denies it, he has clearly lost his mind, and it would be impious to kill a madman.'
The chief priests and elders, together with the scribes and Pharisees, shouted: 'He is Jesus of Nazareth; we know him. Had he not been the criminal, we would not have handed him over to you. Nor is he insane, but malicious. He is using this trick to escape us, and the uprising he would cause if released would be worse than the first.'
To rid himself of the case, Pilate said: 'He is a Galilean, and Herod is king of Galilee. Therefore this case is not mine to judge. Take him to Herod.'
They accordingly led Judas to Herod, who had long desired Jesus to visit his house. Jesus had never agreed to go because Herod was a Gentile who worshiped false and lying gods and lived according to the impure customs of the Gentiles.
When Judas was brought before him, Herod asked him many questions. Judas denied being Jesus and gave answers unrelated to what was asked.
Herod and his whole court mocked him, dressed him in white as fools were dressed, and sent him back to Pilate with the message: 'Do not fail to administer justice to the people of Israel.'
Herod wrote this because the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees had given him a large sum of money.
After hearing this from one of Herod's servants, the governor, hoping to receive money as well, pretended that he wished to release Judas. He then ordered his slaves to scourge him; the scribes had paid them to kill him under the lashes.
But God, who had determined the outcome, preserved Judas for the cross so that he might suffer the dreadful death to which he had sold another. God did not allow him to die under the scourging, although the soldiers beat him so severely that blood poured from his body.
Then, in mockery, they dressed him in an old purple garment, saying: 'It is fitting that we clothe and crown our new king.' They gathered thorns and formed a crown resembling those of gold and precious stones worn by kings. They placed it upon Judas's head, put a reed in his hand as a scepter, and seated him in a high place.
The soldiers came before him, bowed in mockery, and greeted him as King of the Jews. They held out their hands to receive the gifts that new kings customarily give. When they received nothing, they struck Judas and said: 'What kind of crowned king are you if you will not pay your soldiers and servants?'
When the chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees saw that Judas had not died under the lashes, they feared Pilate might release him. They gave the governor money, and after accepting it he handed Judas over to them as a man condemned to death. They also condemned two robbers to die with him on crosses.
They led Judas to Mount Calvary, where criminals were commonly executed, and crucified him naked to increase his shame.
Judas did nothing but cry out: 'God, why have you forsaken me, while the criminal has escaped and I die unjustly?'
Truly, I tell you, Judas's voice, face, and entire appearance were so like Jesus's that the disciples and believers fully believed he was Jesus. Therefore some abandoned Jesus's doctrine, believing he had been a false prophet who performed his miracles through magic. For Jesus had said that he would not die until near the end of the world, when he would be taken from it.
Those who remained faithful to Jesus's doctrine were so overwhelmed with sorrow at seeing a man who looked exactly like Jesus die that they forgot what Jesus had said.
Together with Jesus's mother, they went to Mount Calvary and remained there, weeping continually, throughout Judas's death. Through Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea they obtained permission from the governor to bury Judas's body. They took him down from the cross with such weeping that no one would believe it and buried him in Joseph's new tomb, wrapping him in a hundred pounds of precious ointments.
The soldiers took Judas and bound him, not without derision. For he truthfully denied that he was Jesus; and the soldiers, mocking him, said: 'Sir, fear not, for we are come to make thee king of Israel, and we have bound thee because we know that thou dost refuse the kingdom.'
Judas answered: 'Now have ye lost your senses! Ye are come to take Jesus of Nazareth, with arms and lanterns as against a robber; and ye have bound me that have guided you, to make me king!'
Then the soldiers lost their patience, and with blows and kicks they began to flout Judas, and they led him with fury into Jerusalem.
John and Peter followed the soldiers afar off; and they affirmed to him who writeth that they saw all the examination that was made of Judas by the high priest, and by the council of the Pharisees, who were assembled to put Jesus to death.
Whereupon Judas spake many words of madness, insomuch that every one was filled with laughter, believing that he was really Jesus, and that for fear of death he was feigning madness. Whereupon the scribes bound his eyes with a bandage, and mocking him said: 'Jesus, prophet of the Nazarenes, tell us, who was it that smote thee?' And they buffeted him and spat in his face.
When it was morning there assembled the great council of scribes and elders of the people; and the high priest with the Pharisees sought false witness against Judas, believing him to be Jesus: and they found not that which they sought.
And why say I that the chief priests believed Judas to be Jesus? Nay, all the disciples, with him who writeth, believed it; and more, the poor virgin mother of Jesus, with his kinsfolk and friends, believed it, insomuch that the sorrow of every one was incredible.
As God liveth, he who writeth forgot all that Jesus had said: how that he should be taken up from the world, and that he should suffer in a third person, and that he should not die until near the end of the world. Wherefore he went with the mother of Jesus and with John to the cross.
The high priest caused Judas to be brought before him bound, and asked him of his disciples and his doctrine. Whereupon Judas, as though beside himself, answered nothing to the point.
The high priest then adjured him by the living God of Israel that he would tell him the truth.
Judas answered: 'I have told you that I am Judas Iscariot, who promised to give into your hands Jesus the Nazarene; and ye, by what art I know not, are beside yourselves, for ye will have it by every means that I am Jesus.'
The high priest answered: 'O perverse seducer, thou hast deceived all Israel, beginning from Galilee even unto Jerusalem here, with thy doctrine and false miracles: and now thinkest thou to flee the merited punishment that befitteth thee by feigning to be mad? As God liveth, thou shalt not escape it!'
And having said this he commanded his servants to smite him with buffetings and kicks, so that his understanding might come back into his head. The derision which he then suffered at the hands of the high priest's servants is past belief. For they zealously devised new inventions to give pleasure to the council. So they attired him as a juggler, and so treated him with hands and feet that it would have moved the very Canaanites to compassion if they had beheld that sight.
But the chief priests and Pharisees and elders of the people had their hearts so exasperated against Jesus that, believing Judas to be really Jesus, they took delight in seeing him so treated.
Afterwards they led him bound to the governor, who secretly loved Jesus. Whereupon he, thinking that Judas was Jesus, made him enter into his chamber, and spake to him, asking him for what cause the chief priests and the people had given him into his hands.
Judas answered: 'If I tell thee the truth, thou wilt not believe me; for perchance thou art deceived as the chief priests and the Pharisees are deceived.'
The governor answered: 'Now knowest thou not that I am not a Jew? But the chief priests and the elders of thy people have given thee into my hand; wherefore tell us the truth, that I may do what is just. For I have power to set thee free and to put thee to death.'
Judas answered: 'Sir, believe me, if thou put me to death, thou shalt do a great wrong, for thou shalt slay an innocent person; seeing that I am Judas Iscariot, and not Jesus, who is a magician, and by his art hath so transformed me.'
When he heard this the governor marvelled greatly, so that he sought to set him at liberty.
The governor therefore went out, and smiling said: 'In the one case, at least, this man is not worthy of death, but rather of compassion. This man saith that he is not Jesus, but a certain Judas who guided the soldiery to take Jesus, and he saith that Jesus the Galilean hath by his art magic so transformed him. Wherefore, if this be true, it were a great wrong to kill him, seeing that he were innocent. But if he is Jesus and denieth that he is, assuredly he hath lost his understanding, and it were impious to slay a madman.'
Then the chief priests and elders of the people, with the scribes and Pharisees, cried out with shouts, saying: 'He is Jesus of Nazareth, for we know him; for if he were not the malefactor we would not have given him into thy hands. Nor is he mad; but rather malignant, for with this device he seeketh to escape from our hands, and the sedition that he would stir up if he should escape would be worse than the former.'
Pilate, in order to rid himself of such a case, said: 'He is a Galilean, and Herod is King of Galilee: wherefore it pertaineth not to me to judge such a case, so take ye him to Herod.'
Accordingly they led Judas to Herod, who of a long time had desired that Jesus should go to his house. But Jesus had never been willing to go to his house, because Herod was a Gentile, and adored the false and lying gods, living after the manner of unclean Gentiles.
Now when Judas had been led thither, Herod asked him of many things, to which Judas gave answers not to the purpose, denying that he was Jesus.
Then Herod mocked him, with all his court, and caused him to be clad in white as the fools are clad, and sent him back to Pilate, saying to him: 'Do not fail in justice to the people of Israel!'
And this Herod wrote, because the chief priests and scribes and the Pharisees had given him a good quantity of money.
The governor, having heard that this was so from a servant of Herod, in order that he also might gain some money, feigned that he desired to set Judas at liberty. Whereupon he caused him to be scourged by his slaves, who were paid by the scribes to slay him under the scourges.
But God, who had decreed the issue, reserved Judas for the cross, in order that he might suffer that horrible death to which he had sold another. He did not suffer Judas to die under the scourges, notwithstanding that the soldiers scourged him so grievously that his body rained blood.
Thereupon, in mockery they clad him in an old purple garment, saying: 'It is fitting to our new king to clothe him and crown him': so they gathered thorns and made a crown, like those of gold and precious stones which kings wear on their heads. And this crown of thorns they placed upon Judas' head, putting in his hand a reed for sceptre, and they made him sit in a high place.
And the soldiers came before him, bowing down in mockery, saluting him as King of the Jews. And they held out their hands to receive gifts, such as new kings are accustomed to give; and receiving nothing they smote Judas, saying: 'Now, how art thou crowned, foolish king, if thou wilt not pay thy soldiers and servants?'
The chief priests with the scribes and Pharisees, seeing that Judas died not by the scourges, and fearing lest Pilate should set him at liberty, made a gift of money to the governor, who having received it gave Judas to the scribes and Pharisees as guilty unto death. Whereupon they condemned two robbers with him to the death of the cross.
So they led him to Mount Calvary, where they used to hang malefactors, and there they crucified him naked, for the greater ignominy.
Judas truly did nothing else but cry out: 'God, why hast thou forsaken me, seeing the malefactor hath escaped and I die unjustly?'
Verily I say that the voice, the face, and the person of Judas were so like to Jesus, that his disciples and believers entirely believed that he was Jesus; wherefore some departed from the doctrine of Jesus, believing that Jesus had been a false prophet, and that by art magic he had done the miracles which he did: for Jesus had said that he should not die till near the end of the world; for that at that time he should be taken away from the world.
But they that stood firm in the doctrine of Jesus were so encompassed with sorrow, seeing him die who was entirely like to Jesus, that they remembered not what Jesus had said.
And so in company with the mother of Jesus they went to Mount Calvary, and were not only present at the death of Judas, weeping continually, but by means of Nicodemus and Joseph of Abarimathia they obtained from the governor the body of Judas to bury it. Whereupon, they took him down from the cross with such weeping as assuredly no one would believe, and buried him in the new sepulchre of Joseph; having wrapped him up in an hundred pounds of precious ointments.