Killing a Messiah

by Adam Winn

As Passover approaches, the city of Jerusalem is a political tinderbox. Judah, a resistance leader, plots to overthrow the Roman occupation. Eleazar and his father, the high priest Caiaphas, seek peace in the city at all costs. Pilate, the Roman governor, maneuvers to keep order (and his own hold on power). Caleb, a shopkeeper, is reluctantly caught up in the intrigue. When rumors start spreading about the popular prophet Jesus, hailed by many as the Messiah, Roman and Jewish leaders alike fear unrest and violence during the upcoming festival. Then, in the midst of this tension, unexpected alliances emerge.

In Killing a Messiah, New Testament scholar Adam Winn weaves together stories of historical and fictional characters in a fresh reimagining of the events leading up to Jesus' execution. Based on what we know of the first-century context, Winn's narrative offers compelling explanations for gaps in the Gospel accounts. The social, political, and religious realities of Jesus' world come to life and shed new light on our reading of the biblical texts.

In a city full of political entanglements, espionage, and competing interests, the blame for the crucifixion is complex and can't land on just a single party. It takes more than one to kill a messiah.

Genres: Fiction, Christian, Historical Fiction, Christian Fiction, Biblical Fiction, Christianity, Historical

248 pages, Paperback

Published January 14, 2020

About the author

Adam Winn (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) is assistant professor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor College of Christian Studies. He is the author of The Purpose of Mark's Gospel: An Early Christian Response to Roman Imperial Propaganda (Mohr Siebeck, 2008) and editor of An Introduction to Empire in the New Testament (SBL, 2016).

Reviews

[Caroline Jack · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this book was so interesting. I'm so glad it was assigned for my New Testament class! Historical fiction is wild! You must remember that you are reading historical fiction when reading this book. The author's intention in this book was not to explain the account of the biblical narrative, so don't get mad when he does not write in this way! As a professor once told me, "don't criticize the author for not writing the book you wanted him to!"

[Jarod Grubbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you take this book for what it is (historical fiction), and consider the authors intention of writing this book (to shed light on the political implications of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem during Passover), you will enjoy this book. Clearly a lot of this book is speculation, and the author is aware of that. This book is helpful to get a sense of what it was like in Jerusalem when Jesus was alive and how his ministry in Jerusalem was seen by the high priests and Roman authorities. Anyone who is upset about what this book lacks or doesn’t highlight is missing the point and should go read something else.

[Amanda Geaney · Rating 3 out of 5]

The reasons I am drawn to biblical fiction are the same reasons why others avoid it. For instance, I like looking for inconsistencies between what the Scriptures tell me and the creative license taken by an author. It keeps me on my toes! I also like how Christian novelists thread the Gospel message into their narratives. Unlike other genres, I've come to expect characters in these stories to wrestle with their faith or to question their salvation. Additionally, a well-researched novel that delves into the customs, traditions, and political climate in a time period can help me put biblical events into context.

Challenge - If you are like me, you welcome a good challenge—Winn is going to give it to you! Many of the choices he made drove me to Scripture with questions like... "Wait, did it happen in that order?" and "Why didn't he include such-and-such in a scene?" Because the events in this novel span all four gospels, I did a fair amount of page-flipping seeking answers to my questions.

Glorifying God - Strangely, Christ was in the story without being its focus. He draws crowds and threatens the peace of the establishment.

Culture and Climate - Winn's plot-driven writing style carried me effortlessly from one key event to the next. While his characters didn't strike me as deep, the author did present their motives well in light of the political climate and the peoples' eager expectation for a Messiah. My interest level remained high throughout the book.

The potential reader should know Killing a Messiah is not a New Testament retelling of the life and ministry of Jesus. Adam Winn is an author with an agenda and while you may pick up on this as you read, he does spell it out for readers in his author's note. Basically, he rejects the idea that Pilate believed Jesus was innocent and crafts a narrative to support this idea. He gives readers a completely new and different perspective on the events surrounding the death of Christ.

In the end, I had mixed feelings about the book. I believe it will appeal to readers who enjoy political intrigue and conspiracy theories, but that it may fail to resonate with readers (particularly women) who are used to certain elements in their biblical fiction.

3.5 Stars/5

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed are 100% honest and my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC's 16 CFR, Part 255 Guidelines, concerning the use of endorsements and testimonials in advertising. 

[Carmen Imes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Winn puts a fresh spin on a familar story, the crucifixion of Jesus, by tracking with those most threatened by Jesus' rise in popularity -- those who have the most to lose. His plot is strong and rooted in solid research. His book reminded me of DeSilva's 'Day of Atonement,' in that it unveils the tensions between family members whose unique perspectives on faithfulness to God and practical necessity differ. Think you understand why Jesus was crucified? The answer may be much more complicated than you realized.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was between and 3 and a 4. This story of the betrayal and crucifixation of Jesus is of course very familiar to me. I appreciated the details and perspective given in the book. And the author was careful to stay true to what we know from the Bible. Although the story is very familiar to me, I found it gave me some fresh perspective on it. This would be a great book to read or listen to during Lent.
My only complaint, is the story was kind of slow at some points.

[Henry Hoekstra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a historical fiction novel. Winn sets out to fill in the gaps as to what the historical, political, and social reasons are as to why Jesus was crucified. This is a good book for any Christian to get an idea of the motives behind the Jewish and Roman leaders. In doing so he shows the believing reader the sovereign hand of God in the works and minds of the leaders. The wicked devise plans, but God laughs as he is the ordained, sustainer, and controller of all things.

[Ellen Vosburg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really excellent historical reconstruction of the political environment surrounding Jesus’s death. It was enjoyable to read personally, but I can really imagine it’s usefulness in a church context, like a Bible study or Sunday school class. Winn establishes the competing political tensions of first century Judea and then effectively demonstrate how Jesus would have upset everyone, especially Rome. The way he places the lion’s share of responsibility for Jesus’s death at the feet of Pilate, along with his succinct and thoughtful note on Christian anti-Semitism, should go a long way in teaching readers that Christians who have committed unspeakable crimes against Jewish people based on the idea that they are responsible for Jesus’s death are wrong. Anti-Semitism is a sin that we must continue to purge from Christian hermeneutics.

[Caleb Hayes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun read and it gives a great idea for how first century Rome and Israel interacted with one another, but I feel like a few of the liberties he took were a little much. 3.5/5

[emma jordan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really tried to read this with an open mind… but it is not worth your time.

The little value it offered in enhancing and expanding upon the historical context surrounding the crucifixion did not outweigh the damage it did to the actual account. It diminished, detracted, softened, and subverted key moments and motives in the biblical narrative, making it unhelpful at best and borderline heretical at worst.

[Josiah Schrodt · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the novel, Killing a Messiah, author Adam Winn records a historical “imaginative re-creation” of the events leading up to and culminating in the death of Messiah Jesus. Taking the New Testament Gospels and other first century literature as his historical basis and possessing a thorough understanding of hopes, assumptions, and desires both of first century Jews and Romans, Winn seeks to provide a compelling account of the tensions and pressures that were instrumental in crucifying Jesus of Galilee. Winn writes from the perspective of several individuals- a Jewish zealot, passionate about the defamation of Rome and victory of Israel, a young Jew, struggling to have faith in God as he navigates financial hardship and Gentile oppression, a prosperous Jewish Sadducee, the son of the high priest of Israel, with an eye for the priesthood, and the Roman governor Pontius Pilate, zealous for the glory of Rome and the subjection of Judeans in his province. Winn writes to propose the idea that a private narrative existed between the Roman and Jewish authorities, namely, Pilate and Caiaphas, that was unbeknownst to the populace and even the Gospel authors. This arrangement, while orchestrated by Rome to keep the peace, placed the blame for Jesus’ death solely at the hands of the Jewish authorities, thus quenching any potential fire of uprising and revolt.

The book’s primary goal was to situate its readers in the socio-political climate of the time and explicate a reasonable, fictional but historically likely, course of events that terminate in the death of the Messiah. Winn shares that Pilate’s dilemma of whether, when, and how to arrest Jesus and his solution to that dilemma lie at the heart of his narrative. The author states, “I propose that Pilate colludes with the Jewish authorities of the city to formulate a strategy for eliminating Jesus and the threat he poses to peace.” I believe the novel succeeded in presenting a plausible course of events that terminate in the death of Jesus from a socio-political understanding of the assumptions, expectations, goals, and values at the time. The explication of such realities was very insightful and appreciated. What the author sought to do, he did well. However, while I believe Winn accomplished what he desired from a literary standpoint, I remain wary about the author’s goal itself. In putting forth a “private narrative” that “the Gospel authors were not privy to and thus did not include,” Winn, in some measure, dismisses the inspired intention of the Gospel writers. Though he states that his reconstructed narrative is not intended to contradict or undermine the evangelists’ claims, the novel, albeit implicitly, communicates that the Gospel writers’ testimonies are insufficient for understanding properly the events surrounding the death of Jesus. My concern is not to denigrate the importance of thorough historical-cultural study but to guard against higher-critical tendencies which attempt to reach beyond the voice of the text to what is “true” and “actual.”

Winn seems more concerned to fill in the supposed gaps of the Fourfold Gospel book than to take the evangelists at their word. For example, Winn presents the historically evidenced swiftness of punishment ascribed to Pontius Pilate in contrast with the reluctance that the Gospel writers depict him with. But is it beyond the scope of New Testament theology to conceive of a Gentile ruler genuinely being afraid of the rule of the Son of God (see John 19:8) and therefore, actually wanting to release him (John 19:12)? Is it not also significant that Matthew sees fit to include the worry of Pilate’s wife, who “suffered much” in a dream because of Jesus, the “righteous man” (Matthew 27:19, ESV)? As an additional element to his narrative that I find concerning, Winn depicts the Jewish authorities as being chiefly concerned with Jesus’ “sedition and disturbance of the peace.” Moreover, the author presents the Pharisees in a somewhat positive light, seeing “something worth protecting in [Jesus].” But I believe the Gospels insistently testify that it was Jesus’ claims to divinity and to the Messiah that brought about his crucifixion at the hands of Jewish leadership (see Mark 14:62-63, Luke 22:70-71, John 8:58-59). It was also Jesus’ denunciation of the traditions of the Pharisees that set them against him and the kingdom of God (Matthew 12:2, 14, 24; 23:1ff Mark 7:1ff). Thus, opposition to Jesus, specifically from the Jewish leadership, I contend, was intensely theological, more so than for the political and social worry that the author ascribes to Caiaphas and the Pharisees, especially. Jesus was crucified at the hands of lawless men because he claimed to be God and Christ and denounced the hypocrisy of the Jewish leadership, not primarily because he was stirring up public upheaval. I understand that the author wants to alleviate “perceptions of Jewish culpability in the death of Jesus,” which, I believe, is helpful to an extent.
But, I believe the author goes too far in removing the murderous initiative from the Jewish leadership. I would note that the Bible is not uncomfortable to say that “[Jesus’] own people did not receive him” (John 1:11, ESV) and, to the high priestly family, “you crucified [Jesus of Nazareth]” (Acts 4:10, cf. 2:23, emphasis mine).

(To respond to the author’s concern with the rise of anti-semitism: It is worth noting that the Bible’s accusation against the Jewish leadership for the death of Jesus should, in no way, promote racism or anti-Semitism (cf. Romans 9-11). It is not the Jewish ethnicity in and of itself that lies behind the murder of Jesus but sin and hatred of God, which dwells in every man who sets himself against the Lord. The Bible is clear that both the Jew and Gentile are under sin (Romans 3:9).)

Perhaps the most significant point of personal application from this novel was to allow the drama of the story to arrest my attention and affections. I profited from thinking about the historical life and death of Jesus as affecting real, specific people at that time. There is beauty in the Gospels in that they do not merely present indicative truth statements about Jesus and his work, but they are stories filled with fear, hope, expectations, prayers, violence, and righteousness. The novel is also helpful to depict characters who are not static but dynamic, changing over time, and who are not simple but complex, with many different and often competing desires within them. Thus, it helpfully calls the reader to avoid over-generalizing or flattening any demographic of people. Finally, the novel inspired hope in the resurrection and reign of the Lord who will inherit all nations because of his obedience to death on a cross.

[Phillip Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The gospels give us the events that lead up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, but there are still details that we may wonder about. What did the priests and politicians discuss among themselves when Jesus entered Jerusalem? What plans were made to make sure He did not cause trouble? Though we don’t know the answers for sure, Adam Winn offers a fictionalized account of the behind the scenes events in Killing a Messiah.

The story itself is interesting, and provides a thought-provoking scenario of what we don’t know about the final week of Jesus’ formal ministry. The priests and politicians have roles in the crucifixion, but the Bible does not tell us everything about the plot against Jesus. This book is plausible, and gives you something to consider as you read the gospels.

It also aims, both in the plot and a section at the end, to counter the idea of anti-Semitism by Christians. This idea should not be held by Christians, but still pops up now and then.

I liked the concept, and the story was good, but I was disappointed by the use of d–n repeatedly in the book. I think that detracted from the story.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Evan Haines · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like many fellow reviewers, I read this book for a seminary class. Below is a portion of my review from that class. I was unable to make technical comments on the book in that review; my primary critique was Winn's argument. On a literary level, I found the lack of unique voice (which has been mentioned by others) to be a hindrance to a more complete immersion in ancient Jerusalem. But, since Winn himself explicitly tells us he is not a fiction author, I don't really hold this against him for the purposes of reviewing. I would also say this review is a 2.5 star rounded up.

Winn’s Goals
Winn’s two goals with this book were “to help readers understand the social and political realities” surrounding Jesus’ death (222), and, “[to reject] the perception that Pilate truly believed that Jesus was innocent, and instead [argue] that he was the primary instigator and orchestrator of Jesus’ arrest from the beginning” (228). Winn primarily reaches the latter goal through a long dialogue between Caiaphas in which Pilate drafts the plot to kill Jesus while allowing Jewish religious leaders to absorb the blame. During that dialogue, Pilate makes plans to pronounce Jesus’ innocence, touting that “my support of his innocence will pour a deluge on any potential fires of rebellion” (123). Winn couches Jewish involvement in Jesus’ death by making Pilate ultimately responsible for it.

What Winn Got Right
I believe Winn does an adequate job of humanizing Jewish New Testament characters who are often vilified beyond their culpability. The second epilogue “The Death of Jesus and Christian Anti-Semitism” shows Winn’s passion against Christian antisemitism and a belief that all Jewish people have some sort of ethnic culpability for Jesus’ death. The belief in a wider ethnic culpability has no doubt resulted in antisemitism from Martin Luther to the present day. I appreciate Winn’s desire to display the complex religious-political climate facing religious leaders in Jesus’ day and humanize these people rather than demonize them.

(My Understanding Of) What Winn Got Wrong
I agree with Winn that ethnic Jews bear no culpability for Jesus’ death two thousand years ago. I also believe that this culpability does not exist even though it was indeed ancient Jewish religious leaders—not Pilate—who primarily advocated for Jesus’ death.
Winn makes the argument that “there was at least some information related to Jesus’ death that the Gospel authors simply were not aware of” (222). However, in my opinion, Winn’s argument of Pilate’s involvement ignores much explicit writing in the New Testament that does not necessarily depend upon that limited understanding (e.g., John 11:53, “…they [the Jewish religious leaders] sought to put him [Jesus] to death,” and Acts 5:30, “God…raised Jesus, whom you [religious leaders] killed…”). Most importantly, Winn’s argument ignores Jesus’ parable of the vineyard tenants in Matthew 21 in which Jesus predicts his own death at the hands of greedy religious leadership. I believe Winn lost the “forest” of the Gospel narrative for the “trees” of Pilate’s possible (even likely) involvement in Jesus’ death.

Conclusion
While I oppose Winn’s underlying hypothesis quite vehemently, I did find some ministerial value in this book. Anecdotally, I believe there is a common failure to view those involved in Jesus’ death as real people who made real decisions that made real sense to them, which is corrected (perhaps overcorrected) in Killing A Messiah. This book provokes a desire to see oneself in those responsible for Jesus’ death as opposed to the natural tendency to view ourselves as Jesus or innocent, bystanding disciples.
I believe this book planted a seed in my mind, not to doubt that Jesus—as predicted by the prophets and himself—ultimately died at the hands of his own people, but, rather, to doubt that Pilate was totally innocent of Jesus’ death. As Winn details, there certainly was a network of people, including Pilate, that would have collected information and made decisions regarding Jesus’ life. The belief that all people, Jews and Romans alike, bear some responsibility for Jesus’ death fits into the biblical ethic of depravity. I will no doubt confidently assume Pilate’s involvement in Jesus' death in my personal hermeneutics, but I also confidently reject the extent of Winn’s argument.

[Baylor Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Few at this meeting thought this group posed a threat and for the most part, they dismissed the group as a misguided sect of fanatics that would soon come to an end. The absurdity of their claims was evident in the simple fact that nothing had changed. Rome still occupied Isreal and everyone still felt its heavy oppression. People still suffered from illness, disease, and financial hardship. If the final age of God's blessing had indeed come, it had fallen far short of Jewish expectations."

Had nothing changed? Or had everything changed in a way no one could see yet?

This is a historical fiction novel about the major players in the execution of Jesus Christ written by biblical scholar, Adam Winn. It does a fantastic job bringing out the high political tensions of that fateful Passover week. From Pilate, to high priest Caiaphus, to Judas himself, Winn shows how each acted out of self-interest. Many characters tied to Christ's crucifixion were simply trying to protect and take care of family members. But not one, for even a moment, stopped to consider the validity of Jesus' claims. I see that same thread playing out in the popular television series, The Chosen. This is speculative fiction and some of Winn's liberties were interesting, such as putting markedly different words in Jesus' mouth at crucial moments, or switching out the insurrectionist Barabas, for a completely fictional character from the story. However, the most surprising was Winn's portrayal of the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, as a sinister, political mastermind. When I was just old enough to read and piece together the basic story of the New Testament as a kid, I remember thinking Pilate seemed like a standup guy! He found no fault in Jesus, lightly defended him, gave the people a solid alternate choice to crucify, and washed his hands of any part in the whole ordeal. It would seem his hand was forced. Maybe sympathy for Pilate can only come from a white child in the United Empire of America, but I couldn't help but thinking stating Pilate's guilt every single week when saying the Apostles Creed seemed a little overboard. Alas, a more nuanced understanding of the politics of first-century Rome and seeing portrayals such as this one and the one in The Chosen have changed my thinking about this ancient governor. Winn's depiction of Pilate as a ruler who spins together an elaborate scheme that includes controlling the high priests like his puppets to neutralize the threat that was Jesus is highly plausible.

It's clear this is written by a biblical scholar because it frequently breaks out into history lessons that, while informative, seem somewhat bland inside the mind of a character. The invented characters have strategic proximity to the Holy Week events but fail to have compelling inner lives. Maybe I've seen too many cheesy Christian movies that go for the on-the-nose, evangelistic jugular, but I certainly expected, at least, the main protagonist to be more affected by Jesus's teaching and life, but nope, Jesus was just a chess piece he was slightly fond of at one point. Winn's aim is clearly to enliven the reader's imagination about first-century Roman-occupied Jerusalem - not to preach. That's fine and he succeeds at his goal. I recommend.

[Sally · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m mostly familiar with InterVarsity Press through it’s a Week in the Life Of series, so I admit I thought that Killing a Messiah would be in a similar format: that of a novel with side bars of explanatory notes. I was wrong. This is a straightforward novel that, according to the opening notes, began over a decade ago as an idea for a lecture about the crucifixion. The opening prologue, although seemingly unrelated, was exciting enough to launch me into the story and hope for great things.

Killing a Messiah takes readers into the heart of ancient Jerusalem, a city under occupation by the Romans. Winn gives us an excellent idea of what life might’ve been like during that difficult time, as the Jewish people attempted to live normal lives while responding to the occupation in different ways. He does so by utilizing a mix of historical and fictional characters. Ultimately, this is a story of political intrigue as various factions fight for Jerusalem’s future.

But, and yes, there’s a but… this isn’t exactly a novel that stays true to the Gospel narratives. Don’t get me wrong; I love Bible-based fiction. I love when authors create a story using the information given to us in the Bible. They weave a narrative built upon that information, fleshing out characters and bringing the stories to life. But, in Killing a Messiah, I spotted discrepancies. Here we have a Jesus that stays silent when he’s in front of the chief priest and Pilate. The prison released instead of Jesus is not called Barabbas.

To me, these are rather memorable things and shouldn't have been left out. But Winn sees things differently. In comments after the story ends, he gives an explanation for framing the story as he does. I’m not sure I fully accept it, however. Yes, it’s good to look at sources such as Josephus, but I’m not sure it’s a good idea to leave out information provided in a source that’s so important to so many. I also take issue with his final note on anti-Semitism. While he emphasizes that only a minority of Jews were involved in Jesus’s trial and crucifixion, he makes no such emphasis on the number of Christians involved in anti-Semitic acts and, instead, hopes that his story will play a part in bringing the two religions closer. Perhaps this is something that should’ve been left out, because I’m not sure his opinion on Christian-Jewish relations is needed. But maybe that’s just me.

Disclaimer: Although I received an electronic copy of this book from the publisher, the words and opinions below are my own.

[Jared · Rating 2 out of 5]

Apparently this author is supposed to be an ordained Baptist minister, which is odd because the book is clearly written from the perspective of secular scholarship (and he says as much in the author's note). That's not to say that someone can't do both at once, but he then proceeds to contradict the Biblical narrative on multiple points, which definitely undermines his credibility from any Biblical Christian perspective.

He even makes explicit in the author's note on antisemitism my biggest issue with the book: "I reject the theory that the Jewish leaders involved in Jesus's death knowingly killed an innocent man out of jealousy or hatred." From an evangelical Christian perspective which views the Bible as inerrant, this is not an acceptable opinion, given how clearly it contradicts multiple Biblical texts such as Mark 15:10 and the parable of the vineyard tenants in Matthew 21. Obviously antisemitism is sinful and should still be condemned; I wholeheartedly reject the idea that all ethnic Jews share "blood guilt" for killing Jesus, but there are better arguments against this than ignoring Scripture altogether.

Apart from that, there are parts of the book where the dialogue is terribly written and the book sounds more like a historical textbook than a novel. That part I can't exactly fault Winn for, he's a scholar and not a novelist, but if the book could be significantly improved by throwing it into an LLM... yikes. Even if there was nothing objectionable about the actual content I would have given it three stars at most.

Despite all my complaints, I wouldn't call it a complete waste of my time, so two stars it is.

[Stephanie Loomis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Adam Winn (2020). Killing a Messiah. [Audible] Narrated by James Anderson Foster.

I did not find this retelling of the days leading to the crucifixion of Jesus compelling or engaging. Several elements from the Gospels go missing (like Judas' kiss) and Jesus himself comes across as passive-aggressive. The level of conspiratorial evil also reads as forced. Granted, the Sanhedran is hardly a force for good in the Scriptures, but this author views them as corrupt as current American politicians.
The narrator didn't help matters. His gravelly voice is well suited for action/adventure/crime novels, but this text requires a smooth voice, one that can become oily when necessary. Character voices weren't distinct (as may be the case when the story is largely about men), but I found the whole thing unsatisfying.

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Killing a Messiah is a fictionalized recreation of the historical circumstances surrounding the crucifixion of Jesus. What Winn does best here is provide a theory for why Pilate would publicly find Jesus innocent. I had never thought too deeply about how unlikely that would be given the climate in Jerusalem under Roman occupation. Jesus was clearly a messianic figure, popular with the Jewish masses, and given to overt criticism of the Roman-backed Jewish authorities. Pilate would be desperate to eliminate Jesus, but how to do that without triggering rioting? I will not spoil it here. But I will say Killing a Messiah offers a very interesting "behind the scenes" narrative that is believable and intriguing.

[Ryan Rhew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this for NT1 class at SBTS. It's a FICTIONAL novel about Jesus's last week in Jerusalem from an interesting (alternate?) perspective. Helpful for feeling what life in Jerusalem would have been like during the time of Jesus; not too sure what I think about the alternate backstory to Jesus's death and resurrection. Engaging read, interesting plot.
Found some points of departure from the Gospels (e.g. wording isn't the same as what the Gospels record), and even if faithful eyewitness testimony in that time period doesn't necessitate word-for-word quotation, some of Jesus's sayings differed quite significantly from all 4 Gospels. If anyone else is taking NT1 and has thoughts on this, let's talk!

[Micah Sharp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable and creative. Focused mostly on ‘offscreen’ scenes and characters from the passion narratives. A few creative decisions detracted from what I think this book could have been especially how some of the main characters related to known biblical characters (though many of these connections were clever as well).
I’m trying to decide whether I think the way he explains what went on Jerusalem that week takes some of the wind out the sails out of the most incredible story or if it encourages us to imagine the genius of Jesus in a whole new light.
The writing was adequate to tell the story well but nothing artful.

[Winston Folkes Jr. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very cool read, I’ve never read Christian fiction before and had many presuppositions and biases going into this books. First disclaimer, if you’re upset by varied details to the Gospel accounts… this is a fiction! With that being said, I was very pleased with reading the author’s notes at the end, after reading the story. Winn, in a few pages, clarifies why and which major details he modifies in the novel and why.

The relationships between characters do have a neat and immediate correlation which makes reading easy to follow, and creates general anticipation with conclusions and story-ends.

[Shay · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book as a requirement for my Masters degree, but I would not read it otherwise. While some of the historical background and insight into the culture could be helpful for Bible students, the story itself really isn't that captivating. Essentially it's an historical, biblical novel, written from perspective of the ruling powers in Rome during the life of Christ. While interesting at points, I felt that it took too much creative license with a story that is so well known. In the end I can't recommend this book.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 really. Any story I’ve ever heard told or watched on a movie or something is always told from the perspective of the disciples or someone near Jesus. In this book, all the events of the last weeks of Christ are from the point of view of the everyone else - the Sanhedrin via the High Priest, Pilot, Jewish insurrectionists. It’s a very compelling story - you don’t want to find yourself on any of their sides, but I did often see their point of view. They were humans, doing what they felt was right, acting out of fear and the need to keep power through “peace”. It was a good Lent-time read.

[Marco Santucci · Rating 3 out of 5]

With historical fiction allowing the author to create their own storylines and by the description of this book, I had very high hopes.
I liked the authors' depiction of what it was like during the Roman rule in Jerusalem during the ministry of Jesus; the reality of Jesus' entry into the city on a donkey angered those in religious power, and why was thought provoking.

Although there was some good character building, I had hoped for more biblical references and found the story a bit slow at times with the main fictional characters.

[JT Stead · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read for my new testement survey class. This book will help you gain an understanding of the setting, culture, attitudes, and beliefs surrounding second temple judiasm. However, this book presents Jesus as a sissified social justice warrior who’s mission had nothing to do with atonement, defeating sin, or saving a people for himself. I belief the author created Jesus in his own image in a lot of ways, which is what liberal theologians do. Nonetheless, it was entertaining to listen to.

[Krista Lyons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fascinating read. You need to read it critically. Possibly reading the author's note at the end first and remember that this is historical fiction. It is a retelling of the life of Jesus through both true historical characters and imaginary characters. It presents the Roman authority in a different light than I have ever though reading Scripture. If you want to be challenged in your interpretation of the Gospels this is a fun and easy read that will do just that! LOVED IT!

[Sheridan Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book! Mixed reviews from my pals who’ve read it but I personally really enjoyed it - obviously not to be held with any kind of the same weight as scripture, but to hear a ~story~ of Jesus’s betrayal and crucifixion is jarring in a way that I’ve never experienced before. Some tears and questions came about at the end of this! Also, I’ve historically been anti-“Biblical fiction” type narratives but this might convince me to read more

[Mathew Dodge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic historical fiction set in the final week of Jesus’ life. The story actually does not revolve around Jesus, but on Caleb, Judah, Pilate, and Eleazor, who have different perspectives on this strange prophet from Galilee and all have a strange part to play in his eventual crucifixion. What the book does best is offer a great explanation of the political situation in Jerusalem at the time. Would recommend

[ShaShawna Bush · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written and well performed. I enjoyed it but was somewhat distracted by the differences between this retelling and the biblical narrative especially when it seemed like the miraculous or divine was missing. But when I thought about whose pov we were seeing events through it really made me think and meditate on their actions, reasoning and decisions which I think is really the point of this book.

[Josiah W · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of extra-biblical material in it, and I think there were a few places that were not portrayed in a totally biblically accurate way, as is to be expected from a historical narrative. However, it was very helpful in understanding what may have been very similar to the sociopolitical dynamic of the day, as well as the lives of ordinary Jewish people living under Roman oppression, the Sadducees, and Pilot. This includes the way they may have perceived Jesus. The fact-based details included in such an accessible narrative form helped me to make sense of things I did not understand before and helped with retention of learned information.

[Andy Sharples · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to the book via Hoopla

An interesting hypothetical way the betrayal and crucifixion of Christ could’ve happened. I was confused for most of the book about whether Judah was Judas or not (he’s not).

Pilate’s handling of Jesus in the book is different than what I have always imagined, but still plausible.