” “"We don’t see how this manuscript may reopen debate and research into the Christianity of the origins. If anything, it may help get a few details of the development of some Gnostic groups". Father Claudio Bottini, dean of the Faculty of Archaeology and Biblical Science at Studium Biblicum Franciscanum (Sbf), speaks in these terms of today’s presentation in Washington of the ancient Coptic manuscript that is supposed to contain the only surviving copy of Judas Gospel. Reconstructed, authenticated and translated by the National Geographic, the Maecenas Foundation for Ancient Art and the Waitt Institute for Historical Discovery, as previewed by the National geographic channel, the manuscript is assumed to shed "new light" on the figure of Judas, with likely repercussions on the history of the origins of Christianity and on doctrine. "We must wait until it is published to see what new light the text seems to shed on the figure of Judas that must have raised problems with the apostolic community as well", says father Bottini to Sir. "In John’s Gospel, Jesus prays: When I was with them, I kept in your name those you gave me and I guarded them. None of them has gone lost, except the son of perdition, for the Scripture to be accomplished (Gv 17,12)". ” “
