So Jesus and Judas planned the whole thing together? It is funny to note that two Canadian novelists had already anticipated and proposed the notion.

Bertram Brooker in his 1949 novel The Robber constructed Judas as the most devote of the disciples. He was the only one to actually believe that Jesus was the mesiah -- believed in it so strongly that he did not fear for his saviour's death. The interesting thing about the novel, which adopts the perspective of Jesus Barabbas, the Robber freed by Pontius Pilate in Jesus's stead, is that it actually never confirms (nor denies) the paranormal features of the Christian mythology. In very subtle and effective story-telling, the narrative weaves in and through gospel moments without confirming or denying the abilities of Christ. Mystical ambiguity was a hallmark of Brooker's style -- himself a mystic who rejected occultist dabblings with magic.

The other novel was Morley Callaghan's 1983 A Time for Judas. In that book, which is also one of Callaghan's strongest, Judas appears as a tragic co-conspirator -- honest, filled with integrity and love, and forced to self-sacrifice his passion for the Passion. It is a very powerful novel, and well written. In many respects, the work, in confirming Callaghan's commitment to the Christian tradition, attempts to resolve many of the questions his earlier (and, most would agree, better) books raised. Such is My Beloved and More Joy in Heaven, for instance, both probe the hypocrisies of Christians in the world, including the hypocrisies of the Church. They resolve in rather grim postulates of faith in a falling world.

Incidentally, apparently Barry Callaghan has a book out on Judas as well, though I am not familiar with it. Creates an interesting theme, particularly when you factor in that Brooker and Callaghan were close friends. I haven't tracked down the book yet, but it makes you wonder what they were all up to. Sort of like bpNichol and Michael Ondaatje's simultaneous interest in Billy the Kid.