The Many Deaths of Judas Iscariot : A Meditation on Suicide

In this bold, captivating and controversial book, the author combines his own intensely moving personal accounts with incisive scriptural analysis, and challenges the reader to reassess what they think they know about Judas Iscariot and suicide. Drawing on the memory of his own brother’s action in taking his own life, Aaron Saari examines Judas Iscariot as the definitive figure of God’s abhorrence for suicide and a powerful symbol of the cultural taboo originating from Christian doctrine. Instead, he argues, this ancient condemnation of Judas’ death is unfounded: Judas is instead a literary invention of the Markan community meant to undercut the authority of the Twelve, entering the Christian story c.70 CE through the Gospel of Mark. Written with passion and clarity and consistently relevant to today’s moral issues, this book is as much an ideal introduction to biblical studies for the general reader as it is essential reading for students, scholars, and anyone with an interest in Biblical studies, ancient scripture and theology. In his thirty-third year, Aaron Saari's elder brother - a sufferer of distressing mental illness - ended his own life by jumping off a rusting steel bridge into the Licking River in Kentucky, an action Christian teaching asserts will condemn him to Hell. Such personal tragedy could have turned this biblical scholar into a confirmed atheist - instead it cemented his faith.Judas Iscariot has for centuries embodied the doctrine of God's abhorrence of suicide and is a powerful symbol of the cultural taboo, originating from Christian doctrine, which still clings to voluntary death. Yet, A.M.H. Saari argues, this ancient condemnation of Judas' death is unfounded: Judas is instead a literary invention of the Markan community meant to undercut the authority of the twelve, entering the Christian story C.70 CE through the Gospel of Mark.In this bold, captivating and controversial book, the author combines his own intensely moving personal accounts with incisive scriptural analysis to challenge the reader to reassess what they think they know about Judas Iscariot and suicide.Written with passion and clarity and consistently relevant to today's moral issues, this book is as much an ideal introduction to Biblical Studies for the general reader as it is essential reading for students, scholars, and anyone with an interest in Biblical Studies, Ancient Scripture and Theology. Book Cover......Page 1 Half-Title......Page 2 Title......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Contents......Page 8 Acknowledgements......Page 10 List of abbreviations......Page 12 Part I Life......Page 14 Prologue......Page 16 1 The legacy of Augustine......Page 28 2 The earliest levels of the written Christian tradition: Paul and Q......Page 31 3 Mark: The beginning of the Judas myth......Page 48 Part II Death......Page 70 4 Whether 'tis nobler......Page 72 5 The growth of a myth: Judas in Matthew......Page 90 6 Luke–Acts: Judas as Satan......Page 112 Part III Resurrection......Page 130 7 Conclusions......Page 132 Epilogue......Page 145 Appendices......Page 150 Excursus one: Judas Iscariot: What's in a name......Page 152 Excurus two: Judas as an historical figure......Page 157 Notes......Page 160 Bibliography......Page 174 Index......Page 176 "In this controversial book, the author combines his own personal accounts with incisive scriptural analysis to challenge the reader to reassess what they think they know about Judas Iscariot and suicide." "Written with passion and clarity and consistently relevant to today's moral issues, this book is as much an ideal introduction to Biblical Studies for the general reader as it is essential reading for students, scholars, and anyone with an interest in Biblical Studies, Ancient Scripture and Theology."--Jacket