The Gospel of Barnabas · Chapter 219 “Judas whom we believed to be Jesus our master.” The substitution account and its early Christian context:
Jesus Appeareth to His Mother and the Faithful
The Virgin returned to Jerusalem with him who writeth, and James and John, on that day on which the decree of the high priest went forth.
Whereupon, the Virgin, who feared God, albeit she knew the decree of the high priest to be unjust, commanded those who dwelt with her to forget her son. Then how each one was affected!—God who discerneth the heart of men knoweth that between grief at the death of Judas whom we believed to be Jesus our master, and the desire to see him risen again, we, with the mother of Jesus, were consumed.
So the angels that were guardians of Mary ascended to the third heaven, where Jesus was in the company of angels, and recounted all to him. Wherefore Jesus prayed God that he would give him power to see his mother and his disciples. Then the merciful God commanded his four favourite angels, who are Gabriel, Michael, Rafael, and Uriel, to bear Jesus into his mother's house, and there keep watch over him for three days continually, suffering him only to be seen by them that believed in his doctrine.
Jesus came, surrounded with splendour, to the room where abode Mary the Virgin with her two sisters, and Martha and Mary Magdalen and Lazarus, and him who writeth, and John and James and Peter. Whereupon, through fear they fell as dead. And Jesus lifted up his mother and the others from the ground, saying: 'Fear not, for I am Jesus; and weep not for I am alive and not dead.'
They remained every one for a long time beside himself at the presence of Jesus, for they altogether believed that Jesus was dead. Then the Virgin, weeping, said: 'Tell me, my son, wherefore God, having given thee power to raise the dead, suffered thee to die, to the shame of thy kinsfolk and friends, and to the shame of thy doctrine? For every one that loveth thee hath been as dead.'
The Virgin returned to Jerusalem with the writer, James, and John on the day the high priest's decree was issued.
Although the Virgin feared God and knew the high priest's decree was unjust, she commanded those living with her to stop speaking of her son. How deeply everyone was affected! God, who discerns human hearts, knows that grief over Judas's death—whom we believed to be Jesus our Master—and the desire to see him risen again consumed us and Jesus's mother.
The angels who guarded Mary ascended to the third heaven, where Jesus was among the angels, and told him everything. Jesus prayed that God would grant him permission to see his mother and disciples. The merciful God then commanded his four favored angels—Gabriel, Michael, Rafael, and Uriel—to carry Jesus to his mother's house, guard him there continually for three days, and allow him to be seen only by those who believed his doctrine.
Surrounded by splendor, Jesus entered the room where the Virgin Mary stayed with her two sisters, Martha, Mary Magdalene, Lazarus, the writer, John, James, and Peter. They fell as though dead from fear. Jesus raised his mother and the others from the ground and said: 'Do not be afraid, for I am Jesus. Do not weep, for I am alive and not dead.'
For a long time they remained overcome with amazement at Jesus's presence, because they had all believed he was dead. Then the Virgin said through her tears: 'Tell me, my son, why did God, after giving you power to raise the dead, allow you to die, bringing shame upon your relatives, friends, and doctrine? Everyone who loves you has been as though dead.'
The Virgin returned to Jerusalem with him who writeth, and James and John, on that day on which the decree of the high priest went forth.
Whereupon, the Virgin, who feared God, albeit she knew the decree of the high priest to be unjust, commanded those who dwelt with her to forget her son. Then how each one was affected!—God who discerneth the heart of men knoweth that between grief at the death of Judas whom we believed to be Jesus our master, and the desire to see him risen again, we, with the mother of Jesus, were consumed.
So the angels that were guardians of Mary ascended to the third heaven, where Jesus was in the company of angels, and recounted all to him. Wherefore Jesus prayed God that he would give him power to see his mother and his disciples. Then the merciful God commanded his four favourite angels, who are Gabriel, Michael, Rafael, and Uriel, to bear Jesus into his mother's house, and there keep watch over him for three days continually, suffering him only to be seen by them that believed in his doctrine.
Jesus came, surrounded with splendour, to the room where abode Mary the Virgin with her two sisters, and Martha and Mary Magdalen and Lazarus, and him who writeth, and John and James and Peter. Whereupon, through fear they fell as dead. And Jesus lifted up his mother and the others from the ground, saying: 'Fear not, for I am Jesus; and weep not for I am alive and not dead.'
They remained every one for a long time beside himself at the presence of Jesus, for they altogether believed that Jesus was dead. Then the Virgin, weeping, said: 'Tell me, my son, wherefore God, having given thee power to raise the dead, suffered thee to die, to the shame of thy kinsfolk and friends, and to the shame of thy doctrine? For every one that loveth thee hath been as dead.'