Paulus Si Rabi Yahudi

by Walter Wangerin Jr.

Paulus akh, bukan Paulus, tapi Saulus, seorang Yahudi sejati, pembasmi pengikut Kristus demi kemurnian agama Yahudi. Dalam suatu pengejaran, dia mengalami penampakan langsung dari Kristus dan menjadi buta. Menurut Matias, teman seperjalanan dan saudara iparnya, kebutaan Paulus itu pastilah sebuah kutukan dari Allah. Menurut Yakobus saudara Yesus, Paulus adalah orang murtad. Bahkan dikatakan bahwa tokoh terpenting dalam agama Kristen yang ajarannya menyeleweng dari ajaran Yesus ialah Paulus. Dia dianggap nabi palsu. Dia memang seorang agitator ulung, jago pidato, mahir bersilat lidah, cerdik seperti ular. Sayangnya, tidak banyak yang kita tahu tentang dirinya. Boleh jadi kita sebenarnya tidak tahu apa-apa. Kalau tidak benar-benar mengenalinya, mengapa kita begitu saja percaya padanya, bahkan menerima coretan tangannya sebagai Kitab Suci? Kalau Anda ingin tahu siapa sebenarnya Paulus itu, simaklah buku PAULUS: Si Rabi Yahudi Sebuah novel hasil perkawinan antara riset yang saksama dan imajinasi historis. Pertama di Indonesia! Apa pun keyakinan Anda, inilah bahan luar biasa yang pernah ada, teman yang akan membantu Anda menjawab teka teki kisah hidup Paulus .

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Christian, Christian Fiction, Religion, Christianity, Theology

704 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Walter Wangerin Jr. is widely recognized as one of the most gifted writers writing today on the issues of faith and spirituality. Starting with the renowned Book of the Dun Cow, Wangerin's writing career has encompassed most every genre: fiction, essay, short story, children's story, meditation, and biblical exposition. His writing voice is immediately recognizable, and his fans number in the millions. The author of over forty books, Wangerin has won the National Book Award, New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year Award, and several Gold Medallions, including best-fiction awards for both The Book of God and Paul: A Novel. He lives in Valparaiso, Indiana, where he is Senior Research Professor at Valparaiso University.

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Walter Wangerin Jr.'s novel is imaginative even though it relies heavily on biblical texts.
He tells the story of the Apostle Paul through various eyes: Prisca, Timothy, Titus, Jude, James, Barnabas, Luke, Paul himself, the Roman philosopher Seneca (to provide the picture of what was going on in the empire at the time). For the most part, the Luke passages are direct quotations from Acts, and the Paul sections are quotations from his epistles. Portions of the other chapters also quote directly from his letters.
I'm sure that Wangerin would hope people who read this novel also would be familiar with the New Testament so they can separate fact from fiction. There's nothing in the Bible, for example, about Prisca taking Paul's place in prison.
Although reading "Paul" is certainly no substitute for reading the Bible, it did put flesh on the life of the great apostle for me. For example, it helped me get a better idea of why Paul might have sounded so testy in his letter to the Galatians. ("You foolish Galatians" ... "I wish those who are troubling you would even mutilate themselves.")
Paul was a larger-than-life figure: great theologian, adventurer, traveler, church-planter, evangelist, writer. One of my favorite pastors commented that everywhere Paul went either a riot or a revival broke out. I suspect Paul was easy to love but not always easy to live with.
No book could do more than scratch the surface of Paul, but Wangerin gives us a good scratch.

[John Gardner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rarely have I encountered a book with such brilliant wordsmithing as this one. Wangerin, a Lutheran pastor and professor at Valparaiso University, is possibly the best storyteller I’ve ever read. Many times I re-read passages just to marvel at how beautifully written they were!

“Paul” is a novelized version of the life of the apostle Paul, narrated by those who knew him, including Prisca, Luke, Timothy, James, Titus, and Barnabas. While obviously a work of fiction, Wangerin has done a lot of research into the geography, lifestyle, and political landscape of Paul’s time. While he has taken some artistic liberties in describing things left unsaid in Scripture (such as what specifically was the thorn in Paul’s flesh mentioned in 2 Corinthians 12:7), most of the “story” is taken directly from the Bible and historically reliable extra-Biblical accounts.

Under most circumstances, I would frown on an attempt to write this sort of novel, but I believe Wangerin has done a masterful job. It’s important to realize that this book is NOT written by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but it has greatly helped my understanding of the New Testament and the early Church seem much more “real”. Buy it here.

[Chris Gager · Rating 1 out of 5]

I picked this book up recently because of the subject matter. My older brother is a pretty famous scholar concentrating on the early stages of Christianity and the only book of his that I've read was "Reinventing Paul." I wondered how a nice, straightforward historical fiction account might flesh out Paul's life. So ... I started this book last night with high hopes for such an outcome but was so turned off by the goofy-giddy prose style of the author that I gave up pretty quickly. The author is a teacher of English and Theology/Religion at Valparaiso(Valpo to basketball fans) University in Indiana, a school with a strong Lutheran affiliation. I take it that the author is a true believer(of Christ's divinity) himself and that makes all the difference to me. In other words ... UGH! The true believer fanaticism comes through right from the git-go and is very off-putting(to me). Religionism has no appeal for me, so I will wind up now w/o making anybody unhappy. If you're looking for a straightforward and well-written(that means that the writing is good, as well as the story) account of a significant historical human being and his times this is NOT the book for you. If you don't care how bad(over-elaborate and flowery, with bits of Greek tossed in for no reason) the writing is then this will work. There are plenty of high ratings on G'reads(not that that means much, of course).

[Lee Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may know Wangerin from The Book of the Dun Cow. I love Wangerin’s writing and I loved Paul. From the insatiable and inexplicable drive of the book’s hero, Paul of Tarsus, to the endearing antics of his biggest fan Titus, this is a captivating story in a fascinating era.

Wangerin knows his Bible; that much is clear, yet he makes the Bible fun. When you grow up in a church atmosphere, Bible characters become legend, untouchable, bigger than life. This book brings them back to earth and gives them breath. Paul, especially, becomes human again. Love him or hate him, you will admire him and shake your head in wonder at his passion.

Readers of my reviews know fiction is not my favorite. It has to be historical and well-researched, it has to be thought-provoking, and it has to be moving, for fiction to make the top shelf. This one has it all.

[Mamabee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. I enjoy well-researched historical fiction, and I liked the idea of Paul's story told from multiple perspectives. It was just way too much, and so much of it was just odd.

A more tightly edited book of 250-300 pages would have worked better. The author was clearly trying to use distinct voices for each narrator, but many of them ended up sounding clunky and unrealistic, with a lot of inconsistency in tone within narratives. "I lowered my looking" is just a weird way to say "I lowered my eyes," and it doesn't add anything to do this or the dozens of strange wordings like it.

The friendship between Paul and Priscilla was uncomfortable to read from beginning to end. I am very sure the author meant no implication of romantic or sexual tension between them. But it's almost like it didn't occur to him that a reader even *could* think that, so he didn't steer clear of wording that could imply it to any reader with the worldliness of your average 8th grader. Having Priscilla be clearly enthralled with Paul in front of her husband (who is mostly described as nice, quiet, and with bad vision) is squicky, and the scene of her massaging the painful scar tissue on Paul's back, after dark, without her husband around - it takes a special kind of clueless to think that doesn't have some inappropriate overtones for a married woman and an apostle.

I appreciate Wangerin's decision not to portray Paul as tall, handsome, with a beautiful speaking voice. But he went way, way too far with this. If I had to read about Paul's moist lips one more time I was going to start editing with my own pen. He is described dozens of times as being short and thin with a large head and skinny neck, thin arms and legs, bowlegged, with disfiguring scars on his head, tiny eyes, perpetually damp lips, and a loud, high, grating whine for a voice. The incessant descriptions of his high-pitched giggle and squealing laughter got really old - he came to seem like a caricature from a Lewis Carroll story after the hundredth derogatory description of his appearance and voice.

It's too bad. There was a lot about the book that worked well and told a familiar story in a new way, but when every few pages something made me go "ewww, no", it got hard to keep my eye on the story.

[Sara Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes it takes a book like this to remind me of what I already know. It is nothing short of incredible that the Bible has survived this long. It never ceases to amaze me how many times the truths that I hold dear today could so easily have been snuffed out. Political powers, raging tyrants, rules and regulations of governments, natural disasters, time, distance or language seem to have been no deterrent for what is ultimately a work of God. All aspects of the Bible, especially the New Testament could only have survived because of the Almighty hand of God ensuring that nothing that was vital for today's believer would be left out of the account.

In Paul, the author vividly captured the times and all the forces that were at play, while a vulnerable man with a powerful message, prevailed against great odds. The account was kept interesting because each chapter was a narrated by a different person, all of whom should be familiar to any reader of the Bible. All the characters came alive in their accounts painting a rich background against which Paul's life sparkled in all its complexity.

This was a well written account that brought to life what we can only imagine it must have been like during the time of Paul. I doubt I'll ever read any of the epistles in quite the same way again!

[Mae Clair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying any review I write of this book won’t do it justice.

It’s. Just. That. Good.

If you want to immerse yourself in the early church of the New Testament, the life of Saul-become-Paul, and the spread of the Gospel to Gentile nations, you can’t do any better than this literary epic. It’s a fairly massive tome at 512 pages, but the chapters aren’t long, and the first person POV from multiple individuals make the pages fly. I devoured the story in three days. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down.

The reader experiences Paul through the eyes of his traveling companions and those who knew him best. Even those only mentioned in scripture, such as Erastus (Acts 19:22; Romans 16:23; 2 Timothy 4:20) become fully fleshed out individuals with detailed backstories. I fell in love with him, as well as Timothy, Titus, Barnabas, Priscilla (called Prisca), Luke, and so many more!

Of Paul himself, his perspective is relayed through several of his Epistles. This is an impassioned man, unapologetic of his faith, driven to bring the good news of Jesus to the Gentiles. The story moves from Jerusalem to Damascus, Antioch, Macedonia, Corinth, Ephesus, Troas, and Rome, among other sites. Vast in scope and rich in history, vivid descriptions made me feel as though I walked the streets of ancient cities and marketplaces—that I climbed the Acrocorinth in Greece with Paul. An experience almost as spiritual for me as it was for him.

But there is division too. New faith, coupled with the spread of the Gospel, brings contention between Jews devoted to Torah Law, Jewish believers of Jesus, and uncircumcised Gentiles. Paul, zealous for the Lord, and the infant churches he starts, clashes more than once with Peter, James, and others over Law vs. Grace.

What I’ve read in the Book of Acts and the Epistles played out in a manner I never grasped before. I was there when Paul debated James and Peter over circumcision at the Council of Jerusalem, and when Paul challenged the “super apostles” at Corinth. So many events unfolded with fresh understanding and passion. The depth of emotion had me in tears on more than one occasion and my soul singing with praise on others.

It took me a while to adjust to the physical descriptions of Saul/Paul, particularly at the beginning of the book, but oh, what devotion this man had for Our Lord! In that respect he towered over everyone around him.

I picked up this novel from a used book sale in hardback. It sat on my shelf for a few years, partly because of its size, partly because of content. Although I love Biblical fiction, I usually prefer stories set during the Old Testament. Mr. Wangerin’s book has changed that. Paul: A Novel is without a doubt the best book I’ve read all year, and ranks among my most treasured reads of all time. I can’t recommend it highly enough.

[Patricia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fictional but based in Scripture and history. Brought St. Paul to life and showed the struggle of the early Christian church making its way after the ascension of Jesus. Interesting!

[James Korsmo]

Paul comes to life! The well-known writer and Valparaiso professor Walter Wangerin lends his pen to this novelization of Paul's ministry years. Wangerin shows a thorough knowledge of the relevant scholarship, and especially of the New Testament text, as he weaves together the narratives in Acts and the relevant data from Paul's own letters to form a coherent story of Paul's post-conversion life. Starting with his journey to Damascus, we met Paul and a broad cast of characters that come alive off the pages of the New Testament. Paul is of course the focus of the book, and it is the compelling characterization that Wangerin gives him that makes this book work so well. Paul is a driven personality, captivated by Jesus Christ and single-minded in his pursuit of God's call.

Wangerin does, I think, a good job of portraying some of the tensions that beset early Christianity, especially relating to questions of the Law and Jew-Gentile relations, portraying the relationship between Paul and James as a genuine but rocky friendship. He also brings out Paul's displeasure with the pronouncement of the Jerusalem council (Ac 15), asserting that Paul was deeply disappointed that they didn't go far enough in breaking down barriers.

Paul is a well-written novel, and it follows nicely the outline of Acts. Wangerin also peppers Paul's speech with words right from his own letters, both enlivening the often familiar words and also keeping his characterization of Paul close to that found in the NT especially in Paul's own writings. There could of course be quibbles about various details large and small with regard to Paul and early Christianity (e.g., Wangerin relates Ac 15 to the visit Paul relates in Gal 2, certainly a legitimate interpretation, though not one I favor; or the depth of the rift between Paul and James), but these are certainly eclipsed by the value that comes with Wangerin's imaginative yet faithful writing.

[Kyndal Schlup · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wangerin’s novel on Paul presents a perspective on how Paul’s humanity and faith are correlated. I found it important to have a strong biblical knowledge of Acts and the Pauline letters in order to distinguish between biblical truth and the fictional elements created to help readers imagine how events may have unfolded. While reading, I noticed an emphasis on Paul’s deep love for the gospel of Christ and his desire to keep communities of believers united and at peace. The character of Paul wrestles with the tension between truth and peace. There is a balance he seems to find between leading people to the true Christ and what following Him entails with prioritizing a unifying and loving gospel. Additionally, the novel helped me better understand Paul’s humanity and find meaning in the complexity and what some might consider inconsistencies within his letters included in the biblical canon.

[The other John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those books that just sucks me in and causes me to neglect my daily chores to read just one more chapter. I wasn't expecting this, really. I mean, I like Walt Wangerin's work, but I'm not a big fan of his. But then I just devoured this book. The reason, I suspect is the source material. Paul is a fictionalized tale of the life of the apostle Paul. As such, it naturally draws its plot from the Bible, from the book of Acts. In my opinion, Acts is the most readable book of scripture, so it makes sense that I would also enjoy reading this one. Mr. Wangerin embellishes the tale with appealing characters--fleshing out the names of those early saints into people whom you might encounter in your own church. Of course, the tale is also enhanced by liberal quotes from Paul's letters, dramatized to give a sense of how Paul's own understanding and teaching might have developed. Perhaps I should give this book another reading, and pay closer attention to the book's theology instead of just the literary aspects. Maybe it would make it less enjoyable. Either way, I think I'd like to get Paul on my shelf.

[Rosie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of the apostle Paul told in the form of a novel, mostly from the multiple points of view of the major people in his life -- Prisca (Priscilla), James the Just, Barnabas, Timothy, Luke, Titus, along with Jude the Damascene, and Seneca.

Absolutely riveting. Wangerin invents just enough extra details of Paul's life and those of his friends to make these stories come alive in a new way, without falsifying the biblical accounts.

It was a bit disturbing how much attention Wangerin gave to disagreements within the early church (over circumcision, etc.) and how irascible he made Paul out to be over these things. But perhaps it was good to be shaken from my naiveté by these realistically portrayed conflicts. Too often we whitewash over the controversies and dream about the good old days when the church was just starting out. But human nature hasn't changed in all these years, and there no doubt has always been internecine bickering. It's just that it was kind of shocking to see Paul's foibles so starkly emphasized.

[Jonelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for my church book group this month. Largely based on the book of Acts and some of Paul's letters (Romans, Galatians, Ephesians), it provides a great description of life at that time, and the activities of Paul as he spread faith in Christ to the Gentiles. Wangerin took an interesting approach by using multiple characters to provide windows into Paul's work. Plus, there were several moments where Wangerin's narrative reallly brought the Bible to life for me. For example, it was the first time that I've ever read a description of a Biblical stoning that actually gave me a sense of its terrible violence. However, on the whole, I don't think I would read another book by Wangerin. It's too easy to confuse Wangerin's fictional events with those in the Bible. I think I prefer to non-fiction books about the period and research into Paul's work.

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Walter Wangerin’s writing, even though he’s a little florid sometimes. But this retelling of the life of Paul was artful in the way that he imagined the spaces between what is recorded for us on the Bible about his life. Wangerin depicts the very real conflicts that Paul embroiled himself in as a way of deepening one’s understanding of Paul’s own writing in his epistles, but he does it through story, rather than direct instruction. The various characters he tells the stories through—Timothy, Luke, Titus, Priscilla, Seneca, etc.—are well drawn and made very real for the readers. Toward the end, he begins to make Paul quote himself whole cloth, as if Wangerin wanted to squeeze in more of Paul’s words and couldn’t figure out another way to get them in. But all in all, the book is illuminating and beautifully written.

[Robin Luftig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautifully written. I "read" this book via audio version and it worked well in that format. I felt I was being told a story in an old English way. The challenge for me was the tension was not consistent. When there was tension, it was riveting, but there were a spots throughout the story that went a bit long. But all in all, this story, while fiction, helped me imagine what could have been. The Bible is so understated at times; these accounts could have happened. Thanks, Mr. Wangerin, for writing such a melodic account of a great man of God.

[Ty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paul isn't any more likeable here than he is in the New Testament. I liked this a lot, it made me want to be the world's foremost scholar of Bible fan fic until forty seconds ago when I googled "bible fan fic".

[Kevin Findley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the book, but I struggled with the second half. Mr. Wangerin brought in too many players and by then, they became more of a distraction from Paul's story rather than contribute to it. For anyone who wants to read fiction from those times though, I'd still recommend it.

[Chris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good insight to early church. Shows the danger they ere constantly in, Paul's abrasive personality. But the writing is so over-the-top flowery it was distracting

[Richard Moreno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Paul, by Walter Wangerin. Masterful, imaginative, and powerful work of storytelling revealing a comprehensive knowledge of history, scripture and much meditation. A great read!

[Mary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not finish book. Got 50 pages into book and the writing was all over the place. Writing was poor. Do not recommend this book.

[Briansmom · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book. Walter Wangerin is an outstanding storyteller but I think he overstepped on this one.

For one thing, the book is too long. Some events early in Paul’s missionary career are glossed over very quickly (like his conversion) and others are dealt with in excruciatingly minute detail (such as the early church debate on circumcision.).

Each chapter is narrated by a character involved in, and observing, Paul’s “story.” While this is an interesting narrative technique, I believe that Wangerin could have made better use of it to avoid confusing the reader. Each narrator/chapter launches into a story, and sometimes without introducing him or herself. Who are some of these people? Some are obvious to the Christian reader familiar with Paul’s basic story (Barnabas, Timothy, etc.) while others are not (Seneca???). While the timeline of the narrative is basically a straight line, sometimes an overlap in chapters is confusing.

I understand that Wangerin felt this would be more interesting than a traditional recitative in first- or third person; however, I think he is skillful enough to have employed it better.

[Ferrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm no expert on the Apostle Paul, but I've been reading the New Testament over 60 of my 69 years and this novel seems to nail his personality. Yes, Wangerin had to use his imagination, and there is no way everything actually happened like this 2,000 years ago, but there is much more to the life of Paul than could be captured in the Book of Acts and a few of Paul's letters.

Wangerin's novel quotes Scripture a lot but not in a heavy way. Equally important, however, is Wangerin's ability as a storyteller and character developer. Read this book and you'll feel like you know, Paul, Priscilla, James, Barnabas, and many other New Testament personalities better.

If you have never read the New Testament and really haven't cared to but would like to know about this Paul guy Christians talk about, read this book. You will not come away loving everything about him; he could be difficult, which should surprise no one who has read his letters. But you will get a deep sense of his power with people.

[Circle of Hope Pastors · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Walter Wangerin's book should be better known. It is a splendid fictionalization of one of the greatest stories people don't really understand -- the invention of the church by the power of the Holy Spirit. Wangerin traces Saul/Paul on his way through the account of his conversion and deployment in Acts. Along the way, he adds some wonderful flesh to the other names mentioned in Acts and the letters Paul wrote to his churches. A great deal of the narrative is a retelling of the history, the rest falls into the category of "if this isn't true, it should be." The relationship of Paul to Barnabas, James, Peter, Timothy, Prisca, Titus, and Erastus are particurlarly moving. Adding in Seneca (related to Gallio, mentioned in Acts) makes the Roman angle come alive. Each character (except Paul) is given their own voice to describe what is going on. As a result, Wangerin does what he does best: concoct a human story charged with faith, hope and love to which we can all relate.

[John Stanley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was great in portraying Paul the man and was a lot better than his previous one, The Book of God. It flowed better and was more engaging, not surprising as there was one narrative to focus on.

I loved how it showed the struggles of the early church and the division that there was. Paul was also portrayed very real, as a man with flaws (anger, arrogance etc) but also capable of great love. Too often people either love Paul or condemn him so it was great to get some balance. It has really encouraged me to read his letters in the Bible. The historical background with letters from Rome describing Nero and the political situation was also very good and neatly threaded to come together throughout the book.

I was very encouraged and pleased reading this, feeling How it must have been in the early days of my Church.

[Joshua · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 1/2 stars

It's certainly one of Wangerin's most ambitious books to date and while I enjoyed how he wove together biblical fact and fiction (especially his use of creative license for telling a good story), I can't say the story stuck with me in any way.
The style he uses by jumping from one character's POV to another is creative but somewhat distracting and rather hard to keep up with and while I usually enjoy his style of writing it felt like it didn't quite work with this particular work genre of fiction.
Paul himself, is an interestingly written character, and while I understood Wangerin's decision to make Paul a flawed character; I found him rather difficult to like with a way too abrasive personality. 
The amount of research he put into this is obvious and I greatly respect it, but can safely say that this will probably be one of my least favorite works of his.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an excellent telling of Paul and those around him - James, Priscilla, Aquila, Peter ... and of course a host of original characters created by the author. We hear everybody's point of view, including Paul (and his words as well as James' are mostly taken from their Biblical letters). The author does not gloss over the real and serious disagreements among the founders of the Christian church, nor how ugly and violent they got. These are real people and they feel passionately about their beliefs and are generally incredulous that another follower of Jesus could actually feel and believe differently about such vital points. There is something very topical about that. This book is also a total immersion in a very different time and place which is always fun in a book.

[Evan Hays · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, I only got to skim read this since I didn't have much time to read since I was using it to teach a class, but once again, Wangerin just is such a great story teller. And the amazing amount of research he clearly put in to be able to write this is so impressive. I will read this again more carefully someday when I get a chance, and what I will do is read it along with re-reading Acts and the rest of the Pauline epistles in the New Testament. That's what this book does--it brings the New Testament alive by especially drawing out the characters. Such an ambitious task, and I can't think of anyone who could do it better.

[Michael Yundt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, a good read. The best aspect of this book is that the author takes all of the separate accounts and letters and weaves them into a single timeline, all centered around Paul, from all of the many people involved.
The narrative is from the perspective of each character — Timothy, Luke, Priscilla, etc., — as if you, the reader, were hearing first-hand accounts from these people. It’s similar in style to “The Eternity Artifact”, by L. E. Modesitt. It’s quite a joy to see certain key versus appear in regular conversation.
I found the style a little rough to read; not difficult, but not smooth and free flowing. That was my only reason for giving 4 stars.

[Christina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this Audible book and loved how he changed his voice for so many characters. The book is about Paul's travels after Jesus died and what he did to spread the gospel and encourage others. He did write 13 of the books in the New Testament and this goes through most of that. I feel like the author did a lot of research into the areas that he spoke about and I'm going to Greece next month so it will be encouraging to be able to see these towns he spoke about. Paul had great passion and I think Wangerin pulled that off in this book. It was a quick, easy listen that brought the Bible alive, at least from Paul's perespective. Looking forward to my Greece trip now for sure!

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a very interesting book. It was not a quick, easy, light read. I liked the different perspectives shown by having different narrators tell the various parts of the story. It did help to get a feeling for how much time passed, which is easy to miss when reading the Bible. Some of the author's interpretations were interesting. For example, Paul himself goes through quite a transformation during the story. I'm not sure if I agree that Paul changed his mind about the role of the Law in comparison to Jesus. It is definitely food for thought.