The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-10-06


Jews were just at this tim ready to burn
the laughter of Caiaphas. because she had
allowed the law to be stolen. Then Judas,
seeing his opportunity, both cleared his
kinswoman and fulfilled his commission to
betray Jesus by declaring that the latter
had stolen the law. On this charge he had
him arrested.
HOW HE HANGED HIMSELF.
A late Venetian manuscript of the Cos
pei of Nicodemus contains the following
curious account of how Judas went out and
hanged himself after the betrayal cf Jesus:
"And Judas went home TO make a halter
to hang himself. and he found his wife
roasting a cock on the Goals. And he said
to her. Rise. wife, and get a rope ready
serve en- And his wife 20 said aliT to him. Why do
you speak like that?' and Judas said.
know in truth that | unJustIy oetrayed
again on the third day, and woe TO US:
And his wife said. DO not speak or think
in that way. 1t is just as likely as that
this cock roasting on the Goals Will crow.
had she said this than the cock Mapped his
wings and crew thrice. This decided judas
and he Immediately made the natter ana
hanged himself"
Another story. of Coptic origin, brings in
the roasted cock in another way. 1t says
that at the last supper, the Lord had a
roasted cock sewed to Him. When Judas
went out TO make the bargain for his be-
trayal, Jesus commanded the cock to rise
I'D and follow the traitor. The cock did so
and reported TO our Lord all that Judas
had done, and for this he shall enter Para
disc. 1t is very evident that these incidents
are suggested by the cocks announcement
Of Peters denial of his Master.
CoveraI early authorities assure lis that IL
was a fig tree upon which Judas hanged
himself, although others favor the view
that 1t was a sycamore. 1t is strange. how
ever, TO find that the earliest traditional
account of the death of Judas, indeed. one
of the earliest Christian fragments in ex-
istence, gives quite a different account of
the traitors death from that found in the
New Testament. The following is from the
few preserved writings of Papias, who
lived from about the year 70 a. d. to 155.
He had been a nearer of the Apostle John.
and gathered up the floating traditions of
his time. He says: Judas walked about in
this world a sad example OF impiety; for
his bowels having swollen 10 such an ex-
tent that he could not pass where a chariot
could pass easily, he was crushed by the
chariot so that his bowels gushed out.
Theophylactus, writing later, adds other
particulars to this account, which he seems
to have derived from Papias. He says that
the eyes of Judas were so swollen that
they could not see the light; that they were
so sunken that they could not be seen, even
by the optical instruments of physicians;
and that the rest of his body was covered
by trimmings and worms. He died in a Soli-
tary spot, which was left desolate during
the following ages, and no man could pass
the place without stopping his nose with
his hands.
FOLLOWED TO HADES.
But the vengeful feelings of medieval
le~gend-mongers were not satisfied with
heaping the last degree of infamy at the
earthly life of Judas; they must needs fol-
low his poor soul into the abodes Of lost
spirits, and describe the torments he suf-
| fered there. The following is from the acts
of st. Andrew and St. Paul, a Coptic work
that is but slightly known and has never
been translated into English. 1t is St. Paul
who speaks:
when 1 had penetrated into the bosom
of the abyss L saw the place where dwell
the souls of the lost, and amongst them
saw Judas, the apostle, the companion of
our Lord, plunged into the most terrible
torments." He goes on to tell how Judas
bemoaned his fate, and how he related that
after his betrayal of the Master, he came
to Him., beseeching Him to have compass
sion upon him. He reminded the Lord that
he had once heard Him tell Peter that one
should forgive his brother who sinned
against him, not only seven times. but sew
enty times seven INES. He further re-
minded the Master that he himself had
sinned but once.
Then Jesus said TO him: Flee into the
desert. and fear none but God. If the devil
cometh TO thee, fear him not" Then Judas
went out upon a mountain to fast, and seek
to obtain forgiveness of God. But the prince
of evil showed himself to him, and so ter
rified him with his open mouth ready to
devour him, that Judas, in desperation,
Frustrated himself before him and acknowl-
edged him for his Lord. Immediately the
devil went away, leaving Judas in despair
because he had thus failed in doing pen
ance. He decided that he would go to the
Savior and again ask pardon, but he found
that Jesus had by this time gone into the
praetorium to be condemned. Then Judas
decided to hang himself, and so came before
Jesus into the place of departed spirits.
Then Jesus came into this place, after His
death, and delivered all the souls that were
there except that of Judas. Upon this the
keepers of hell reproached Satan with the
fact that a stronger than he had delivered
his captives from his power. But Satan
boosted in reply that there was at least one
soul whom the Savior could not deliver.
Then Jesus called the Archangel Michael
and commanded him 10 deliver the soul of
Judas. and to keep it in Tartarus, that
Satan might have nothing more to boast Of.
Judas then excused himself for having
committed suicide, saying that his only de-
sign was to reach the place of departed
spirits in this manner, in the full faith that
Jesus would deliver him along with the
other souls. But Jesus reminded Judas that
he had added now to his other crime that
of bowling down to Satan, and awarded TO
him the punishment of remaining in Tar
tarus until the day of judgment. 1t would
seem to be implied that he might hope for
salvation after this penance had been suf-
fered.
Many other apocryphal writer's describe
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