Dekanatssitzungssaal der Kath.-Theol. Fakultät
Judas Iscariot has gone down in history as the archetypal villain. His betrayal of Jesus for thirty pieces of silver is viewed as the ultimate act of betrayal. Moreover, his reputation is further marred by his committing the heinous sin of suicide. However, the theological necessity of Judas’ actions has led to important questions about freewill and the extent to which Judas can be held morally culpable. In this lecture, we will search for the origins of the Judas story, as well as examine the accounts of his death, and discover there are good reasons for doubting the historicity of the betrayal narratives and his suicide.
Paul Middleton is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at the University of Chester. His research interests are in the areas of early Christian and Second Temple Jewish martyrdom, the Bible and Violence, and the Book of Revelation. He is currently working on a book on Judas Iscariot.