If there is anything I took from the Gospels of Mary of Magdala and Judas Iscariot, it is that the world of Christianity and its complexities stretches far beyond my mind’s comprehension. Although I am a Christian who has grown up learning about the Bible and its teachings both at church and in my own home, I admittedly do not know nearly as much as I should. Coincidentally, to further add to my confusion and ignorance, our discussions of these two intriguing gospels further proved that I am barely even standing on the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the history of Christianity and its teachings.
The Gospel of Mary Magdalene is a non-canonical text discovered in Cairo in 1896 by German scholar Dr. Carl Reinhardt. As of right now, around half of the gospel is missing. Already containing debatable and controversial material, the incomplete Gospel of Mary Magdalene has raised serious debates about Christian teachings, and it has sparked the discussion of what teachings are right or wrong and who has the authority to decide their validity.
The text itself is shocking to many and is unsurprisingly considered a controversial text in Christianity. Some of its “radical” teachings include the rejection of Jesus’ suffering and death as the path to eternal salvation, and the idea that there is no such thing as sin. The text also addresses Mary Magdalene and her experience as a follower of Jesus, addressing a woman’s role in interpreting Jesus’ teachings. More specifically, in the Gospel of Mary Magdala, Mary is the only one who comprehended one of the Savior’s teachings, while the other disciples are left distraught and confused. When Mary attempts to explain and interpret the message to help the other disciples understand, they scrutinize her and question her reliability because she is a woman.
Regarding the Gospel of Judas, what stood out the most was the question of who wrote it. One could argue that Judas or someone who wanted to clear his name took some part in it because, overall, this gospel paints Judas in a better light than expected. He is seen, according to his gospel, as a favored disciple. Many times, Jesus comes to him personally to discuss secret teachings and other messages that are not shared with the other disciples. This favorable image of Judas would arguably be written by someone who wanted to clear his name. Even in the conclusion, Judas’ betrayal is not painted as something horribly tragic; it focuses more on just stating the facts, further leading me to think it was written by Judas or someone trying to clear his name.
I struggled to understand both of these gospels when I first read them, but once I understood the context and the messages of both after re-reading them and discussing them in class, it made me reflect on the individuals who gradually compiled the New Testament together over an incredibly long period of time. What gave them the authority to determine what made the cut and what didn’t? In addition, how many other stories have been lost with time that could have answered many of our questions today? Even what we have access to today is flawed, like these two gospels that are missing so much of their context. As time goes by and more is lost, who will determine what will be kept and what will be forgotten?