Judas Iscariot: A Misunderstood State
“Why is it that the bible is more entertaining and instructive than any other book? Is it not because it is addressed to the imagination, which is spiritual sensation, and only immediately to the understanding or reason?” - William Blake
Think about this quote for a few moments before reading any further. Allow your immediate understanding and reason to slowly dissipate and give way to your wonderful human imagination. We’re switching from left brain thinking to right brain thinking, and with this in mind, let’s talk about one of the most hated characters in all of biblical history, Judas Iscariot.
The story of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus is as old as time. We’re taught about this as children in Sunday School because the church likes to get its claws in us as early as possible. We’re immediately taught that this man Judas Iscariot is the ultimate villain who sold his soul for 30 pieces of silver. He betrayed Jesus with a kiss, and because of this, Jesus was arrested by the authorities and eventually crucified. Some time after this, Judas begins to feel guilty about what he has done and commits suicide by hanging himself from a tree, at which point the bible says that all of his bowels gushed out. Wow, what a story.
The church loves to take the bible at face value because it appeals to the reasoning mind, and if taught in this manner it can be used to manipulate masses of people to do their bidding. The bible is a very dangerous book if interpreted this way however and it can have horrendous effects on human society. Just a quick glance at church history is enough to turn your stomach. Ever heard of the Christian Crusades? If not, look into it, and you will see that taking the bible literally can lead to extreme evil and violence, such as innocent people having their heads cut off simply because they had a different viewpoint of God.
So, back to Judas. We’re all familiar with the literal interpretation as described above, but the bible is addressed to the human imagination so obviously there is something else at play here. Remember, the bible itself is an allegory, and all the characters we read about are personifications of states. States of being and states of mind. Ask yourself, what does the story of Judas Iscariot represent? What state is being portrayed? Judas betrays the Messianic Secret. He’s the one who reveals who Jesus Christ really is, and therefore he represents the state of divine awareness. The state of Judas reveals who Jesus Christ truly is, and when you enter this state, you become aware that the real Jesus is your own wonderful human imagination. The secret has been revealed to you, and you no longer see Jesus as anyone other than yourself.
This happens with a kiss, the famous Judas Kiss. A kiss is a symbol of love and affection, and when Jesus is truly revealed to you in this manner, you will feel such an awareness of divine love that you’ll hardly be able to handle it! It is all encompassing both inside and out, the love of God revealed in you and as you. You’ll be so filled with love that you’ll have no choice but to share it with others. You too will “betray” the Messianic Secret by revealing the true identity of Jesus!
But what about the whole suicide thing? Glad you asked. The death of Judas is symbolic of what happens to the old self when Christ is revealed in us. The old ways must die. Your false beliefs you had about Jesus as someone separate and outside of yourself must be killed off. This is a natural process that automatically happens when the truth of I AM is revealed in you and as you. All the false beliefs are expelled, and your “bowels gush out” so to speak. You can’t put new wine into old wineskins, remember?
In love and light,
-J
