Free The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot by Jeffrey Archer Page A

horror, suddenly aware that the Master had been referring to him when he had said during the Passover feast: One of you will betray me, even one of the twelve .
    see
Mark 14:18
    12. Jesus then turned to the officers and asked: ‘Whom do you seek?’
    13. They answered: ‘Jesus of Nazareth .’
    14. Jesus said to them: ‘I am he .’
    John 18:4–5
    15. Judas was shocked to see that among the group who had come to arrest Jesus was the Scribe who had claimed to be his friend.
    16. Judas charged angrily towards him, his fists flying in every direction as he cried out: ‘You have betrayed me.’ But two of the officers grabbed him by the arms and held him back. Judas spat on him.
    17. Jesus looked at the Scribe, and said: Am I to be treated as a thief, that you come in the night armed with swords and staves to arrest me? Day after day I attended you in the Temple and you did not approach me, but you have now chosen this moment in the darkest hour of the night to arrest me .
    see
Mark 14:48–49;
Matt 26:55;
Luke 22:52–53
    18. As the guards continued to hold on to Judas, the Scribe turned to Jesus and said: You do not understand. It is better that one should die for the people than the whole nation should be destroyed .
    see
John 11:50
    19. The disciples were suddenly woken from their slumbers and, seeing Jesus surrounded by soldiers and officers of the Temple, were filled with fear.
    see
Mark 14:50
    20. They all forsook Jesus and ran away .
    21. Even as they fled, a soldier grabbed one of Jesus’ followers, who was wearing only a loin cloth round his body, but the young man shed the garment and escaped naked .
    see
Mark 14:51–52
    22. The officers then released Judas, who stood his ground and watched as Jesus was led away.

Chapter 22
I do not know the man
    1. Judas waited until the group of officers that surrounded his Master was out of sight before he followed in their footsteps, always keeping his distance.
    2. Although Judas no longer believed that Jesus was the Messiah, he had never lost faith in John the Baptist’s judgment: He is a man of God .
    see
John 1:34
    3. Judas hoped that even at this late hour there might be some way of rescuing Jesus.
    4. He watched as Jesus was escorted to the house of Caiaphas, the Chief Priest, where a trial would take place, and a verdict would be handed down that had already been agreed upon.
    5. Judas pulled the top of his robe over his head and disappeared into the shadows behind a pillar in the courtyard.
    6. He listened to the gullible and innocent as they talked among themselves, passing on the latest rumour that was being circulated by well-placed Scribes and officers of the Sanhedrin.
    7. One said: ‘Jesus of Nazareth has been arrested and charged with blasphemy.’
    8. Another: ‘No one was willing to come forward in his defence.’
    9. And yet another: ‘All his disciples ran away the moment they saw the officers of the Temple.’
    10. Judas stepped out of the shadows. Even at this last moment hehoped that the Scribe would confirm his story, and the Sanhedrin would allow Jesus to return to Galilee, as long as he gave them an assurance that he would never again be seen in Jerusalem.
    11. And then he saw a stooped figure on the far side of the courtyard.
    12. Judas approached Peter, confident that together they could bear witness for Jesus, and perhaps even at this late hour save his life.
    13. A serving girl stopped and, looking at Peter, said: I saw you with Jesus of Galilee .
    14. Peter said: I do not know the man .
    15. And another attendant turning to look at Peter, said: This man was a follower of Jesus , and once again, Peter denied ever knowing him.
    16. A cock crowed once.
    17. A little later, others came up to Peter and said: You were with Jesus of Nazareth , and he denied him a third time.
    18. Judas heard the cock crow a second time.
    19. And then Peter recalled Jesus’ words: Before the cock