The Lost Letters of Pergamum: A Story from the New Testament World

by Bruce W. Longenecker, Ben Witherington

Transported two thousand years into the past, readers are introduced to Antipas, a Roman civic leader who has encountered the writings of the biblical author Luke. Luke's history sparks Antipas's interest, and they begin corresponding. As Antipas tells Luke of his reactions to the writing and of his meetings with local Christians, it becomes evident that he is changing his mind about them and Jesus. Finally, a gladiatorial contest in Pergamum forces difficult decisions on the local Christians and on Antipas.

While the account is fictional, the author is a respected biblical scholar who weaves into this fascinating scenario reliable historical information. Bruce Longenecker is able to mix fact and fiction and paint an interesting and valuable study of the New Testament world and early Christianity. Readers are invited to view Jesus and the early church from a fresh perspective, as his first followers are brought to life.

More reliable than typical historical fiction and far more interesting than standard textbooks and reference books, The Lost Letters of Pergamum provides readers with a delightful opportunity to step into the world of the New Testament. Pastors, Bible study groups, and all thoughtful readers will enjoy this book, which one reviewer said he "couldn't put down."

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

192 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2002

About the author

Dr. Longenecker specializes in the origins of Christianity, including the following emphases: Early Christianity in its Greco-Roman context; Jesus-devotion in the Vesuvian towns (Pompeii and Herculaneum); the life and theology of Paul; care for the needy among Christian communities of the Greco-Roman world.

Dr. Longenecker joined the Baylor faculty in August 2009, having taught previously at St Andrews University (Scotland, 1999-2009), Cambridge University (England, 1995-1999) and Durham University (England, 1991-1995).

- Ph.D. in Theology; University of Durham, England (1986-90).
- M.Rel. in New Testament Studies;Wycliffe College and the University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada (1983-86)
- B.A. in Biblical and Religious Studies; Wheaton College, Illinois, U.S.A. (1979-83)

Reviews

[Douglas Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating fictional treatment of the conversion and martyrdom of Antipas. The book contains a lot of background on first century life in Rome. The only irritation, which was not small, was the use of CE on the dates. Still, quite good.

[Talia Karickhoff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really cool idea for a book! The book is collection of letters between Antipas, a person mentioned in one verse in Revelation who is a rich Roman elite, and writer of Luke’s gospel, Luke.

This is truly a collection of letters, not a narrative story, which I didn’t realize until opening the book. I read this book because it was mentioned in a Bible Project podcast talking about what a typical house church during the Roman Empire looked like. It was cool to get an idea of the social barriers that were broken in a early Christian house church. However, I think the visual image of a house church was developed less in this book than I would have hoped.

I initially was going to give this 3 stars because while the story reads like nonfiction, it is 99% fiction. Yes, it is historically based fiction, but it was hard to be super bought in when I knew these letters (supposedly historical artifacts) were made up.

By the end I wanted to give it 4 stars because the testimony of Christ in characters in this story is so beautiful, so powerful and so encouraging.

If you’ve never read a book set in the time of the early Christians, I would recommend this! Some of the more novel parts of the book I had learned about in Bible Project podcasts or read in Francine Rivers Mark of the Lion series so this wasn’t as groundbreaking for me personally.

[Emma Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting read that gives a great glimpse of the historical, cultural, and societal backdrop of the early church. Antipas’s perspective reminds you of how radical the people of the time thought Jesus and His teachings were. It was a good reminder that some of the teachings I’ve grown lukewarm to in my cultural context did not have the same connotation when they were first written. One theme that I wasn’t expecting was the continued discussion of honor and shame. Living in an honor shame culture, I forget that Jesus did too and there’s a lot I could learn about this from His life.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ugh this book tore me UP inside at the end. Literally had to read this for a class but you bet I would read this again just for fun.

[Kris Rolls · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a beautifully written story that gets you right into the world of the New Testament. Longenecker masterfully wove threads of historical fiction and biblical scholarship together to create a moving and informative story from the first-century world. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in getting a better understanding of the New Testament, it's authors/audiences, or just looking for a compelling story.

[Randy Mccracken · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although a fictional account, "The Lost letters of Pergamum," is based on many historical realities. It certainly allows one to enter the world of the 1st century and grasp many of its social realities. It is also a sobering read as it allows one to see the obstacles that a follower of Christ would face, and the challenge of presenting the gospel in that social environment.

[Rachel DeWeese · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not me reading this book in an entire day and loving it-

I really liked this book, even though I had to read it fairly quickly because I have a paper about it due this week. I loved seeing Antipas slowly come to the faith, disrobing himself of social customs and norms and putting on the self-sacrificial love of Christ. Highly recommend!

[Micah Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could read 100 books like this one. I appreciate almost nothing more than high quality “Biblical fiction”novels. Without being cheesy or anachronistic, Longnecker tells a compelling and instructive story that should really have a wider readership among Christians today.

[Maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating fictional account of early Christianity. Having just read Misreading Scripture with Individualist Eyes, I recognized a lot of the characteristics of the contemporary collectivist culture in the book, and it was interesting to see those things play out in a story. The fictional "editor" of the book was a nice touch, providing little details and comments.

[Maddie Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a well written book. Definitely cried during the final chapter. I can tell this book is going to stick with me for a while 🥺❤️

[Ryan Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short but engaging and intriguing read! Would definitely recommend for reading into what the time of the early church could have looked like, especially through the lens of someone’s journey with their encounter with Christians. I enjoyed also getting a better conception of what Acts 2:42-47 could have tangibly looked like.

[David Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most captivating books I’ve read. Historical fiction at its finest! This ranks up there as an all time favorite!

[José F. de León · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parte ficción, parte histórico, el libro contiene una colección de cartas entre Lucas y Antipas, un benefactor del Imperio Romano. A través de leer la monografía que Lucas escribió sobre un Galileo y sus seguidores (el evangelio de Lucas) y de reunirse regularmente con un grupo de cristianos en casa, Antipas se sorprende de la manera en que esta comunidad vive y se tratan unos a otros de manera distinta. Antipas termina convirtiéndose en discípulo de Jesús al punto de morir como mártir.

[Lindsey Duncan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. I picked it up after seeing it recommended by Tim Mackie, one of the founders of "The Bible Project."

Why I enjoyed the book:

1) Thoughtful look at what a first century church would have looked like: It turns out racism, classism, sexism, are not new wrestles for the church body. In house churches in early Rome, small communities of Christians were learning what it means to put unity in Christ above the identities and distinctions that separated them in polite society.

2) Sincere working out of a faith: We get to see a man slowly, methodically come to faith in Jesus through study and application. He doesn't pray a sinner's prayer or go through simple motions. For most of the book, he's wrestling with the polytheistic traditions of his past while exploring Luke's writings with a group of Jesus followers. The outcome isn't a given, and he is never criticized for taking his time and carefully evaluating all evidence presented to him.

3) Believability: This book is believable. Yes, it's fiction, but it's really good fiction. There are many historically accurate and plausible references. It's clear the author is deeply knowledgeable on the early Roman church and Roman history in general. His writing is thoughtful and intelligent, and the church he imagines in Pergamum is frankly one I'd love to part of (minus the horrific murdering of first-century Christians).

[Amy Bloyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I first heard about this book from Tim Mackie on The Bible Project podcast. I purchased it, and it sat on my night stand for several months. I was DELIGHTED when it was required reading for my NT Class this summer. This epistolary novel is a quick read, and certainly packs a lot of historical information. I think the ideal audience, though, is someone who really wants to learn about first-century Judaism, Greco-Roman culture, and the early church. If that is where your interests lie, this book is accessible and short (less than 200 pages). The story is one definitely worth telling, and the ending was especially compelling. However, this is not literary fiction. The author is trying to teach through a story, and it definitely feels that way sometimes. As others have noted, some of the content of the letters would have been unnecessary explanation between two people living in the same time period (I have to give the author props here - this is just the nature of an epistolary novel). Overall, I enjoyed the reading experience.

[Jeff Kline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Terrific book! It's one thing to read about / study the history of the early church, but another thing altogether to experience it. This collection of dramatic "historical fiction" letters drops the reader into the middle of the first century Roman empire. It granted me the opportunity to receive Luke's gospel from the perspective of his intended audience in a very immersive way. Grew and challenged my understanding of Luke's gospel in many ways.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

My husband was assigned this book for one of his seminary classes and he convinced me to read it with him. We both enjoyed the historical glimpse into what life would have been like for 1st century Christians in the Roman empire.

[Grant Fawcett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Captivating. As an exploration of an applied honour shame framework, this book was a riveting presentation of the dynamics of patron client relationships, cultural caste and evangelism. The presentation of letters between Luke and Antipas were fascinating and thought provoking.

[Steve Molkentin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, distracting, and captivating.

[Tyler Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book as an audiobook for my "Book of Acts" class with Dr. Dean Flemming. Here is the reflection paper I wrote in response to it for the class (caution, there may be a few spoilers):

This book was incredibly helpful to me in understanding the culture into which the New Testament writings, specifically the Gospel accounts, were received. I was particularly struck by the many nuances of the daily life of Antipas and other Greco-Roman citizens, and despite many of the seemingly mundane details, I found myself drawn into the life of Antipas and his peers.

One of the interesting facts that I came to a better understanding of was the suspicion (and confusion) that Christianity was received with by much of the Roman culture. It seemed strange that the Christians would only worship one God, Jesus. Did this mean they did not give their allegiance to the Emperor? Were they actually atheists? It also made me realize the distance that many Romans must have felt from this pseudo-Jewish sect. Antipas’ reaction to learning of who Jesus was, a lower-class manual laborer from an insignificant family in the insignificant town of Nazareth, was revealing. What could this wandering teacher have to teach a highly honorable figure such as himself? I was fascinated by Antipas’ back-and-forth analysis of whether Jesus was an insurrectionist or “antisocial” individual just trying to stir up the poor, and I resonated to some degree with Antipas’ angst about the way Jesus talked about the wealthy. Jesus made uncomfortable claims that shook up the social order.

It was also helpful for me to gain some perspective on what Luke may have been like. What kind of personality would create a two-volume work like the one that he did? As Antipas’ admiration for Luke (and Luke’s writing abilities) grew, I found my own growing as well. Antipas was well read and understood what it took to write a good work. I also thought it was beautiful how the Christian community at Antonius’ house gave a glimpse into the lives of believers at each social level. Each one faced unique challenges as the elite, the craftsman, the day laborer, etc. I was reminded of the power of a local body of believers whose behavior is subversive in their surrounding culture. I realized in reading this how radical the lives of the early believers in Acts must have been as they defied social expectations and showed compassion that was illogical and, as Antipas would describe it, even dishonorable to oneself.

The patient and faithful friendship of Luke and the believers who gathered at Antonius’ house with Antipas, who was slow to come around to the faith, was inspiring and helped me realize what much evangelization may have looked like at the time. It was about personal relationships and the transforming work of Christ through His body. This added a layer to my understanding of the Book of Acts as I was able to more fully see the complexities the early believers and missionaries (like Peter, Paul, Barnabas, Luke, etc.) were facing as they traveled in establishing faithful communities who would live out the Christian faith well, while many of those lacked the literature to guide them on how to do that as we have today (abundantly) in the full biblical canon.

I listened to The Lost Letters of Pergamum as an audiobook on my drive to and from Omaha, and I found tears in my eyes as I listened to the final letter from Antonius recounting how Antipas gave his life in place of Demetrius. It “cut me to the heart,” to use familiar language, and I sat in silence for a long time after the book ended, processing what I had just heard unfold. I realize that Antipas was a fictional figure created by Longenecker, but I also realize that his character was modeled after the lives and experiences of many martyrs at that time. Such a reality sobers my heart. I can only pray to live a life as worthy and honorable as those saints who have gone before us and who gave their lives for the sake of Christ.

[Eustacia Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the spirit of embracing what bookstagram has to offer, I borrowed another book that I found on the platform. This was from BookandBriefcase’s post and I basically decided to read this after she mentioned that the author was a New Testament scholar who used what he knew in the book.

As the title suggests, The Lost Letters of Pergamum is an epistolary novel, featuring fictional letters between Luke (author of the Gospel of Luke and a physician) and Antipas (mentioned in the book of Revelation as a martyr to the Church) as Antipas, respected Roman citizen, starts exploring this new foreign religion.

This reminded me of Letters from a Skeptic, which is another book that contains letters from a non-Christian to a Christian (though I think Letters from a Skeptic is nonfiction). It’s probably easier to read a book where two people talk out their doubts and answers to Christianity than to read a book on apologetics. In that sense, I thought this was a great book to not just learn about the early Church, but also to learn about the foundations of the Christian faith.

But although this is easier to read and more entertaining than a pure apologetics book, please don’t read this expecting Ben Hur levels of drama. There is talk (and action) of martyrdom but most of the book consists of two people talking out their responses to the Gospel of Luke and the Christian faith and life.

And if you’re interested in how reliable the information in this book is, the author also includes an appendix where he lists, for each chapter, what is wholly fictional, what is speculative, and what can be defended historically. If you’re wondering whether a certain person mentioned was real, you can find out here.

Overall, I found this a quick and enjoyable read. While I’m familiar with the basics of Christian theology, I really appreciated getting to learn more about the world of the early Church and the challenges they were facing – it might be about two thousand years ago, but in many ways, it feels similar to our modern world as well.

This review was first posted at Eustea Reads

[Chesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a unique gem of historical fiction—the “discovered” correspondence between Antipas (mentioned in Revelation 2) and the gospel writer Luke. It’s a slow burn, with a myriad of historical detail and sparse plot points. Antipas, here portrayed as an older Roman nobleman, gains a copy of Luke’s account of Jesus, discussing it both with Luke and others, including two differing groups of Christians in Pergamum. The excitement builds as one wonders what is Anitipas going to discover next about Jesus and the “empire of god”? The teachings of Jesus most challenging to societal norms of position, power, and honor are the strongest themes. Begins cerebral and makes a gradual but fascinating journey to the heart.

At the end, the author gives a succinct overview of what in the story is fiction, speculative, or fact.

Excerpts:

(Luke) In many ways, good Antipas and noble Rufinus, I am in agreement with your assessment of the main character of my narrative. Jesus did, in fact, hold out the promise of better things to the poor among whom he lived, not only in the age to come but already in the present, as God’s empire begins to take hold.
***
(Antipas)…For Zacchaeus to undertake financial recompense on behalf of the poor and oppressed indicates a complete reversal of lifestyle and motivation on his part as a consequence of his encounter with Jesus. That, of course, is what we have come to expect from your narrative about Jesus, who advocated a lifestyle at odds with normal expectations.
***
(Antipas) But it strikes me as unusual to see the ordinary as the vehicle for the divine. This merging of sacred and ordinary takes place in the inner sanctuaries of temples and in the person of the emperor Domitian (as claimed by the priests of the imperial cult). For that mixture of the divine and the ordinary to occur even in the lives of common laborers is a radical notion, but again it would not be out of place in a radical narrative such as yours.

[Claire Cook · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting subject matter to me, though because the form of the book is in letters back and forth, you miss some of the inner thoughts. I would have liked more details on how the main character was convinced to follow Jesus! He seemed a little too easily convinced to me, but I suppose you are supposed to read between the lines. I was relieved that the book ended before he was martyred— it ended on a relatively high note. I probably most enjoyed reading (fictional) Luke’s letters to him and how he would have defended the faith in real time with historical accuracy. That was super interesting to me. Enjoyed it overall, though not the most riveting book I’ve ever read, especially at the beginning. But more interesting than many other thought-provoking books since it’s in the form of a novel

[Samuel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I highly appreciate The Lost Letters of Pergamum, although there were some elements of it I didn’t personally enjoy, such as the somewhat confusing inclusion of a fictional editor. Granted, I have not read much historical fiction, so this concept may be commonplace in the genre. I will admit this extra piece of world building did add a fair bit to the surface level plausibility of the story.

Despite my gripes, I found the general content of the book engaging and informative. I feel I now have a cursory knowledge of Roman culture that will benefit my analysis of the New Testament in at least some meaningful way. I have also gained a strong interest in historical texts from the era as a result of the brief introduction provided through this book.

3.5/5

[Abhinav · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fascinating read, and made the world of the New Testament alive for me. Even though this is a fictional account of the life of Antipas, the context of the story is a product of scholarly work that gives a window to both Roman life and Christians living in the first century. The weekly gatherings at the house of Antonius made me long for a church where people of all walks of life, regardless of status/gender/wealth/race come together and carry each others burdens and set aside these worldly categories to embrace each other as brothers and sisters in Christ.

[Ben Clausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

(Read for seminary)

My first foray into historical fiction served as an excellent one. This book’s purpose is two-fold, as I see it: first, it indoctrinates the reader into first century Roman life (it’s written by a New Testament scholar), and second, it provides a compelling picture of the surpassing worth of Christ-following, even against the backdrop of a hostile ruling empire.

[Vince Cancilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating glimpse into the socio-cultural context of the New Testament world. Somewhat in need of pacing and order adjustments in the letters toward the end, but the final scene was resonant and powerful.

[Kristiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so good. A letter correspondence between Luke( Gospel writer) and a roman noble man.
Historical fiction based on the New Testament characters, and sprinkled with many true historical facts in between.
Loved it.

[Abigail Scanlon · Rating 4 out of 5]

book for new testament, so i forgot to add it to my “currently reading” list — i enjoyed this one!! a really cool concept of orienting someone to the world of the NT through historical fiction!

[Ruth]

It's an interesting theory, and certainly an interesting read. I'm not sure how much of it I'm going to retain, though.