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Malchus: Touched by Jesus
A giant sword hung in the sky over Bethlehem. Wielded by an unseen hand, it plunged into a patch of earth in the center of the city. The earth shuddered and quaked as a fountain of blood rose where the blade pierced the soil. Quickly it became a raging torrent, a crimson flood that crashed through the streets, sweeping the inhabitants up into its crest.
Safiya stood, frozen, on her doorstep. She felt a tug at her hand. Josu stood between her and Gershom, trying to pull them toward safety. As the flood came at them she turned to run, but too late. A powerful force pulled her off her feet and into its lethal embrace. All was blackness.When the sword of Herod maimed Safiya and slew her son, Josu, another son lay in her womb.
Meet Malchus ben-Gershom, chief servant of Caiaphas, the high priest. Even his own wife doesn’t know his secret—the secret he must hide from Herod at all costs. His anger with God makes him good at his job: getting rid of false messiahs.
First assignment: capture Barabbas.
When a new teacher surfaces, Malchus is dispatched to neutralize this threat. Encounters with the Nazarene leave him puzzled. How could this Man so change his wife, Alona?
At last a disciple betrays Jesus' secret resting place, and Malchus marches the Temple guard out for the arrest. But the sudden flash of a sword in the torchlight leaves him clutching his bloody head with one hand and preparing to murder a Galilean fisherman with the other. Then something happens that Malchus cannot explain.
Now he is desperate to free the One he helped to capture.
With a cast of 70 vibrant characters, Noni Beth Gibbs offers us a new look at the Man on the middle cross—through the eyes of His enemies.
Safiya stood, frozen, on her doorstep. She felt a tug at her hand. Josu stood between her and Gershom, trying to pull them toward safety. As the flood came at them she turned to run, but too late. A powerful force pulled her off her feet and into its lethal embrace. All was blackness.When the sword of Herod maimed Safiya and slew her son, Josu, another son lay in her womb.
Meet Malchus ben-Gershom, chief servant of Caiaphas, the high priest. Even his own wife doesn’t know his secret—the secret he must hide from Herod at all costs. His anger with God makes him good at his job: getting rid of false messiahs.
First assignment: capture Barabbas.
When a new teacher surfaces, Malchus is dispatched to neutralize this threat. Encounters with the Nazarene leave him puzzled. How could this Man so change his wife, Alona?
At last a disciple betrays Jesus' secret resting place, and Malchus marches the Temple guard out for the arrest. But the sudden flash of a sword in the torchlight leaves him clutching his bloody head with one hand and preparing to murder a Galilean fisherman with the other. Then something happens that Malchus cannot explain.
Now he is desperate to free the One he helped to capture.
With a cast of 70 vibrant characters, Noni Beth Gibbs offers us a new look at the Man on the middle cross—through the eyes of His enemies.
- GenresBiblical Fiction
184 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2005
17 people want to read
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June 12, 2013
Wow.
I picked this up on clearance at the Adventist Book Center, thinking, Oh, another biblical narrative - I love those! I hope this one's good - never expecting to be amazed.
This book sombered me, awed me, then made me laugh and then cry throughout its 184 pages. And this is a debut book? I'll give you an example of the scenes for each emotion I've listed.
Sombered me:
"In the stillness Malchus heard the trumpets announce the start of the evening sacrifice. He knew the doomed lamb was even then being led through the Sheep Gate and up the stairs to the altar of sacrfice. There it would exchange its life for the sins of the people. Somehow he had always pitied the lamb as its life's blood drained away. The sound of a sob reached his ears—and agonized cry such as he had never before heard from a human throat. Jesus sat still on the young donkey, the coats of His inner circle serving as a cushion. His hands covered His face, and He swayed back and forth as if He would collapse with grief.
No one there quite understood the source of the Teacher's pain, but all who heard it were somehow touched. Even Malchus, though he would have died rather than admit it. At last Jesus regained his composure and guided the donkey down the side of Olivet, a much-subdued crowd still following.
The road divided into three at the base of the hill, and Jesus chose the route that paralleled the Temple for a time. He seemed engrossed in the stunning ediface that towered above Him. Then the road turned in toward the city, and Jesus dismounted just inside the thick siege wall. Slowly, majestically, He walked into the Temple by way of the Sheep Gate, tracing the path followed by the sacrificial lamb."
Awed me:
"He [Malchus] glanced down at the stone pavement of the street. "Look," he said softly, pointing with a shaking hand. "We are following in His footsteps." Still visible even after being trampled by scores of people, the bloody imprints told all too clearly a tale of suffering."
Made me laugh:
"Reaching under his arm, Malchus helped him to his feet, saying with a tone of admiration, "In all my life I've never fought anyone like you before."
Clutching one hand to his knee and the other to his nose (the places where Malchus injured him), Eben replied in a muffled voice, "Be deeder."
"What did he say?" several of the men asked at once.
"Um, I think he said, 'Me neither,'" Malchus translated."
Made me cry:
"Pilate tried frantically to bring order. "What shall I do with Jesus?" he yelled.
"Crucify him!" shouted on of Zarad's men on the front row. The crowd took up the cry. Louder and louder it swelled. "Crucify him! Crucify him! Crucify him!""
To anyone who in any way liked or loved Joseph by Terri L. Fivash, I would highly recommend Malchus: Touched by Jesus.
I picked this up on clearance at the Adventist Book Center, thinking, Oh, another biblical narrative - I love those! I hope this one's good - never expecting to be amazed.
This book sombered me, awed me, then made me laugh and then cry throughout its 184 pages. And this is a debut book? I'll give you an example of the scenes for each emotion I've listed.
Sombered me:
"In the stillness Malchus heard the trumpets announce the start of the evening sacrifice. He knew the doomed lamb was even then being led through the Sheep Gate and up the stairs to the altar of sacrfice. There it would exchange its life for the sins of the people. Somehow he had always pitied the lamb as its life's blood drained away. The sound of a sob reached his ears—and agonized cry such as he had never before heard from a human throat. Jesus sat still on the young donkey, the coats of His inner circle serving as a cushion. His hands covered His face, and He swayed back and forth as if He would collapse with grief.
No one there quite understood the source of the Teacher's pain, but all who heard it were somehow touched. Even Malchus, though he would have died rather than admit it. At last Jesus regained his composure and guided the donkey down the side of Olivet, a much-subdued crowd still following.
The road divided into three at the base of the hill, and Jesus chose the route that paralleled the Temple for a time. He seemed engrossed in the stunning ediface that towered above Him. Then the road turned in toward the city, and Jesus dismounted just inside the thick siege wall. Slowly, majestically, He walked into the Temple by way of the Sheep Gate, tracing the path followed by the sacrificial lamb."
Awed me:
"He [Malchus] glanced down at the stone pavement of the street. "Look," he said softly, pointing with a shaking hand. "We are following in His footsteps." Still visible even after being trampled by scores of people, the bloody imprints told all too clearly a tale of suffering."
Made me laugh:
"Reaching under his arm, Malchus helped him to his feet, saying with a tone of admiration, "In all my life I've never fought anyone like you before."
Clutching one hand to his knee and the other to his nose (the places where Malchus injured him), Eben replied in a muffled voice, "Be deeder."
"What did he say?" several of the men asked at once.
"Um, I think he said, 'Me neither,'" Malchus translated."
Made me cry:
"Pilate tried frantically to bring order. "What shall I do with Jesus?" he yelled.
"Crucify him!" shouted on of Zarad's men on the front row. The crowd took up the cry. Louder and louder it swelled. "Crucify him! Crucify him! Crucify him!""
To anyone who in any way liked or loved Joseph by Terri L. Fivash, I would highly recommend Malchus: Touched by Jesus.
Displaying 1 of 1 review