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If someone else has covered this, forgive me. I just returned from a two week tour of early Jewish and early Christian sites in western Turkey, and am frantically playing catch up. Judas as twin of Jesus is an important theme in some early Christian circles, but the Judas in question is not the betrayer, but Judas Didymus Thomas (Didymus [Greek] = "twin" = Thomas [Aramaic]). The apostle/disciple popularly known as Thomas seems to have been named Judah/Judas (one of several by that name), and the tradition about him makes him a "twin" in some sense of Jesus. See especially the "Acts of Thomas," and discussions of the opening lines of the Nag Hammadi Coptic "Gospel of Thomas." In the Acts of Thomas, there is even a passage that says something like "we both nursed at the same breast." Bob Kraft, UPenn > > >One more thing - the notion of Christ and Judas as twinsor necessary to each > other was a commonplace and is brilliantly imaged in the scene of the Betrayal > at Pamplona. Christ's and Judas' faces are so close together, their mouths seem > to form but one. > K > > Dear List members > > I realize that this is an old thread however, after going through all the > pictures we took in Paris, I re discovered several *blurry* ones we had taken of > a painting of the Virgin mary breast feeding the Christ Child. Interestingly, > she is holding her breast and offering it to the mouth of Christ Child but the > breast itself seems almost as if it is not attached to her body. Also there is > a bird with outspread wings in the Christ Child's hand - perhaps smbolizing the > Holy Spirit , or God, the Father at the same time. > > > > The title of the painting is** _ Scenes de la Vie de la Vierge_ Angleterre > vers 1325**. One panel is the lactating, breast feeding Mary, the other panel > seems to be Christ appearing to her when she is on her deathbed. There are more > panels I believe but i was unable to develop the film on those. > > > > Does anyone know of this particular painting? If you wish the several views I > have of it,. please email me privately. Unfortunately, as I say, the pictures > are blurry. If any of you who live in Paris have a chance to go to Musee de > Cluny , it is a lovely picture. > > > > Another interesting piece we saw, was an altar wood carving depicting _ The > LAst Supper _ . However, on the plate in Front of Christ was the body of a dog. > Now, this is interesting to me. I know the French love their dogs. They take > them everywhere with them, into cafe;s restaurants, shops. And medieval things > we ahve seen depict a large number of dogs. However, to find a carcass of a dog > on the plate at _The LAst Supper_ seems very very odd. I would like to have your > input on this phenomenon. > > > > If we hadnt seen it with our own eyes, I wouldnt have believe dit. > > > > Of course I have thought of the old adage - Dog backwards spells GOD. However, > I'm not sure this fits here in this place. A Medieval picture depicting such a > "pun" seems somehow irreverent to me. > > > > Any input , please??? > > > > i was also able to get fairly good pictures of the tapestries of the Lady and > The Unicorn. one of my favourites. > > > > And to finish up this section, as I am full of the re-membering of what we > saw, through the pictures - there was a wonderful wood carved picture of the > Crucified Christ adn the hanging Judas in one small rendition. Very interesting. > it got me to thinking that Judas was fulfilling god's will by betraying Jesus. > > > > This leads me to ask for input on Judas, his role, and his destiny. What > lies after death for Judas, who, if he is fulfilling God's will by his betrayal, > is actually serving God??? I hope I offend no one with these questions. they > have been questions I have pondered over for sometime. > > > > Thank you for anticipated input. > > > > Aslo if anyone wants pictures of these I am happy to send them > > > > regards > > > > > > Carol Anne Fountain > > University of WEstern Ontario > > London Ontario > > Canada > > > > -- Robert A. Kraft, Religious Studies, University of Pennsylvania 227 Logan Hall (Philadelphia PA 19104-6304); tel. 215 898-5827 [log in to unmask] http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/kraft.html %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%