Die Kultpolemik im »Evangelium des Judas«

After its initial publication in 2006, research on the Gospel of Judas from Codex Tchacos has made considerable advances, especially by the recent announcement of several unknown parts of the text. This essay analyses the portrayal of the Eucharist and the polemic that uses widespread sacrificial metaphors in order to attack the teaching and life of the majority church. A quotation that concerns God's acceptance of sacrifice (Gos. Jud. 40,18–23) may be seen as a hint that the attacked group understood itself as fulfilling the prophecy of Mal 1:10–14, as Justin Martyr, Irenaeus of Lyons and Tertullian do. The Gospel of Judas turns this into the accusation that the majority church »sacrifices«, i.e. kills their people by misguiding them away from the true God to the archon Saklas.