Surely the allusions in GMark to Vespasian are clear enough: healing a blind man with spittle; restoring a lame limb by a touch. Interpreters can find links between Mark 13's "little apocalypse" and Josephus's signs presaging the destruction of the Temple.
But then we come to the middle of the second century and we read Justin's attempts to validate the Christian view of things. He explains that the Christian record confirms that the Twelve Disciples were sent out to the world by the resurrected Jesus even though they, all twelve it seems, had cowered and hidden themselves at the time he was arrested and executed.
So how could Justin possibly have known of the canonical gospels that all pinpoint Judas as the renegade member of the twelve, so that the twelve were not a unit up to the resurrection? Justin's narrative tells us that the twelve were a unit -- first followers of Jesus, then fleeing in fear at the time of the passion of Jesus, then hiding, then all being sent on their way to evangelize the world by the resurrected Jesus.
Surely Justin did not know the canonical gospels.
But but ... Justin did know that Jesus changed the name of Simon to Peter (and called James and John the Sons of Thunder) and that is something that is specific to GMark. But Justin also rattles off lots of other things that are only found, in our surviving manuscripts, in "late apocryphal" gospels. Example: Jesus was born in a cave. Or nowhere else at all. Example: the Jordan River erupted in flames when Jesus was baptized in it.
But I cannot see how Justin could have overlooked the story of Judas if he had known of the gospels that became canonical.
So soon after Justin we meet Tatian who is said to have composed a harmony of our four gospels.
Is it reasonable to surmise that after Justin wrote the works that we read today, that an earlier version of the Gospel of Mark was supplemented with the Judas details?
Is it not odd, or at least slightly eyebrow-raising, that in the Gospel of Mark, each time Judas is mentioned, he is identified as "one of the twelve" -- as if we might have forgotten that detail even though it was spelled out with demonic caps when he was first mentioned as one of the chosen twelve. There, the list of the twelve is concluded with "Judas, who also betrayed him". So we know Judas is going to betray him from the moment he is first named. So why do we read "who was one of the twelve" each time he is named in the later part of the book?
Mark 3:
[14] And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,
[15] And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:
[16] And Simon he surnamed Peter;
[17] And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:
[18] And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
[19] And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him.
Mark 14:
[9] Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
[10] And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.
[11] And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
How easy is it to remove Judas as a betrayer from the above passages? Paul said Jesus was delivered up. Is there a connection here and if so, how seamless or well-seamed is it?Mark 14:
[42] Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.
[43] And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and the scribes and the elders.
[44] And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; take him, and lead him away safely.
[45] And as soon as he was come, he goeth straightway to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.
[46] And they laid their hands on him, and took him.