Betrayal

I just came across an article about Judas Iscariot in the New Yorker. You know, the guy who betrayed Jesus in the Bible? It's a long article, but it was interesting to me. It was about how some scholars seem to be trying to 'rehabilitate his image.'

Here's a quote that stuck out to me: For two thousand years, Judas has therefore been Christianity’s primary image of human evil.

I have to say that for whatever reason, be it not paying attention in church all those Sunday morning-Sunday night-Wednesday night-plus revival-plus special activities or just plain missing the boat, I've never thought of Judas that way. I was a little taken by that statement because I've always thought of Judas as the Bible's most tragic character. I've always thought it was just devastatingly sad that anybody had to betray Jesus for the whole story to play out, and I've always felt a little sorry for him in the fact that it was, for whatever reason, him. Always. And, he even kind of tried to undo it, but of course he couldn't. And it was so much on him that he killed himself.

I don't know.
I've just always thought it was sad.

And,I just thought that was interesting.
And it's on my mind since I just finished reading the article.
And it's my blog so I can say what I want.

-b

p.s. Here's the link if you're inclined: http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/atlarge/2009/08/03/090803crat_atlarge_acocella?currentPage=1