Do you all know the story of Oedipus? If not, in short, the Greek tragedy goes like this:
Oedipus was born to King Laius and Queen Jocasta of Thebes. An oracle prophesied that their son would kill his father and marry his mother, so they tried to avoid the prophecy by abandoning him as an infant on a mountainside.
However, he was found and adopted by the king and queen of Corinth.
As an adult, Oedipus learns about the prophecy and, believing his adoptive parents are his real ones, leaves Corinth to avoid fulfilling it.
On his journey, he unknowingly kills his real father, King Laius, in a confrontation at a crossroads.
He then arrives in Thebes, where the city is plagued by a sphinx. Oedipus solves the riddle of the sphinx and is rewarded by becoming the king of Thebes and marrying Jocasta, who is his biological mother—though he doesn’t know this.
Years later, a plague strikes Thebes, and Oedipus vows to find the cause. He learns through an investigation that he is the one who has caused the plague:
he has killed his father and married his mother, fulfilling the prophecy.
Jocasta, devastated by the truth, takes her own life. Oedipus, in anguish, blinds himself and goes into exile, fulfilling his tragic fate.
Why talk about this Greek tragedy today as we celebrate Maundy Thursday. Again, in short, because the character of Oedipus and a certain character in today’s Gospel Reading, in medieval literature – maybe even before – became alike.
Can you guess which character I am talking about?
Judas.
Judas. To some he was and is a disciple that one rather not talk about. He was the reason Jesus was captured. He was the reason Jesus was killed. He was the one to betray, as today’s Gospel Reading is all about.
Also, he was kicked out of the group of disciples making room for Paul. Truly, he has been interpretated – and still are being interpretated – as a bad guy.
Yet, there are more to him than that. Such ideas arose during medieval times. Because despite being the betrayer. He also is a necessary character in the entire gospel.
Because without him Jesus would not have been sacrificed for our sake. The prophecy of Jesus would not have been fulfilled. The salvation of humankind would not have occurred.
Hence, Judas, in medieval literature got portrayed – not only as a villain – but as a tragic hero as well. A tragic hero who just followed his predetermined destiny. Just as Oedipus did in the Greek tragedy.
The idea – the idea that Judas only did something bad because it was a necessity for the story of salvation – has older origins than medieval times though.
In the Gospel of Judas, which was discovered back in 2006, the same idea is found. This Gospel is not a part of the Bible. Also, it was written by and to a specific group of people known as the Gnostics. Hence, I do not want to talk a lot about it.
But not only because of its sectarian background, more importantly because it in a way only highlights various perspectives of the portrayal of Judas that already exist in the Bible.
In the Gospel of Judas, Judas is the head of the Disciples meaning that the portrayal of him is more positive than the ones we are used to. In the four Gospels of the Bible the head of the Disciples is Peter.
In the Gospel of Judas Peter is instead a kind of typical Judas. One that does not only do good things, but bad as well. All culminating in the denial.
The evil acts of Peter might be overlooked reading the four Gospels of the Bible, but they most certainly still are there. At one point Peter even is called Satan by Jesus. Hence, no disciple is perfect. No person is perfect. That is what we all must acknowledge.
Judas. A Danish bishop in line with this recently said that all of us caries a Judas within. Judas has been portrayed were badly throughout time.
But when all come to all he just is a human being responding to faith in a human way – full of flaws. And despite him being maybe a little worse than the rest of the disciples, the rest of the disciples are just as human as he was.
And salvation is not that God saves those who always abide his word – no human does that. Salvation is that God saves all his creation. Judas as well. Not least due to how Judas regrets his acts in the end. This is something that we almost must remember
God saves despite our flaws. God wants us to acknowledge our flaws. But mostly he wants us to do so because gratitude and praise springs forth among those who acknowledge their flaws and is met with love.
Oedipus. He blinded himself. This symbolizes his acknowledgment of his lack of control over his own destiny. I tried to flee from it but ended up fulfilling it anyway.
What medieval literature wanted to make us aware of as they portrayed Judas as a Oedipus was how all human beings should acknowledge how we simply are and always will be blinded to certain aspects of our lives.
Only in faith can we get real sight. Sight for what is not seen yet is a salvation and restoration of all.
Judas probably will forever be a hated character. But I guess one with my sermon in mind can say that when we encounter such a character – in literature or in reality – one should hesitate in judging.
Because out of judging only more hatred occurs. Out of judging we only learn to point other people out. And sometimes with the sole purpose of glorifying ourselves.
Therefore, let us hesitate in doing that. Let us instead point the finger at ourselves and ask ourselves if we in any way share story or similarities with those whom we hate.
I believe we often will find that we do. Hence, we are in no position to point others out. We are in no position to judge objectively. But we close our eyes and pray.
Pray for those we hate. Pray for ourselves. Close our eyes and have them opened – opened by God.
Amen.