Accursed Preachers

The Apostle Paul had some pretty strong words, that many of us take as words inspired by God:

But even if we or ^an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, ^let him be accursed. ⁹ As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

The Holy Bible : English standard version. 2001 (Ga 1:8-9). Wheaton Standard Bible Society.
ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐὰν ἡμεῖς ἢ ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εὐαγγελίζηται [ὑμῖν] παρ᾽ ὃ εὐηγγελισάμεθα ὑμῖν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. ὡς προειρήκαμεν καὶ ἄρτι πάλιν λέγω, εἴ τις ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζεται παρ᾽ ὃ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω.

The Greek New Testament (4th ed.) (Ga 1:8-9). Federal Republic of Germany: United Bible Societies.

There are a number of accursed preachers making the news these days. Tomorrow night, the National Geographic Channel will be airing a program pushing one of those contrary gospels, the Gospel of Judas. Much in Da Vinci Code-like fashion, this is being publicized as a newly discovered "gospel" that the established church has wanted to suppress to keep people in the dark.

This is nothing that was not known about years ago. Irenaeus wrote about The Gospel of Judas in his treatise Against Heresies:

They declare that Judas the traitor was thoroughly acquainted with these things, and that he alone, knowing the truth as no others did, accomplished the mystery of the betrayal; by him all things, both earthly and heavenly, were thus thrown into confusion. They produce a fictitious history of this kind, which they style the Gospel of Judas.

Roberts, A., Donaldson, J., & Coxe, A. C. (1997). The Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol.I : Translations of the writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325. The apostolic fathers with Justin Martyr and Irenaeus. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems.

Geisler & Nix have this paragraph concerning the Gospel of Judas:

The Gospel of Judas (late second century). This gospel was known to Irenaeus and Epiphanius (c. 315-403), bishop of Salamia. The product of an antinomian Gnostic sect, it may have contained “a Passion story setting forth the ‘mystery of the betrayal’ (proditionis mysterium) and explaining how Judas by his treachery made possible the salvation of all mankind.”

Geisler, N. L., & Nix, W. E. (1996, c1986). A general introduction to the Bible. Includes indexes. Includes a short-title checklist of English translations of the Bible (chronologically arranged). (Rev. and expanded.) (Page 307). Chicago: Moody Press.

Let no man be deceived. The truth about Jesus Christ was revealed to mankind in four narrative accounts that were written within a few short years of the events themselves. There are many fictitious accounts, sometimes adopting the names of apostles, in order to yield certain credibility. Those pseudipigraphal gospels were rejected as spurious many years ago. They are neither trustworthy nor are they reliable. Whether Dan Brown, the National Geographic Channel, or an angel from heaven proclaim a different gospel, let him be accursed.

Peace to all proclaimers of the true gospel!

DGF