Book Review - "Shadow of the Galilean"

“The Shadow of the Galilean” is a fictitious novel written by Gerd Theissen. It attempts to illustrate the story of Jesus from a historical perspective. The writer makes use of known historical facts paired with fictitious creativity to help the reader imagine what life would be like at the time of Jesus. By narrating the story it seems like Theissen hopes to develop the historical study of Jesus and the gospels in a reader-friendly way. The focus isn’t exactly on the story being told but the historical facts that are gathered through the main character’s interactions and experiences with people who actually existed and events that are recorded in the Gospels.

The main character is a fictitious man named Andreas who lived at the beginning of the first century in Palestine. He was a merchant who sold fruit and grain (4). Toward the beginning of the book Andreas gets caught up in a demonstration against the oppressive Roman government, which results in his imprisonment. The first scene describes a dialogue between himself and a Roman officer where he is blackmailed and given an ultimatum. He would either continue to be persecuted and imprisoned or he could act as a spy for the Romans, who desire information regarding Jewish factions who could threaten them. He grudgingly chooses to help them and is given his first task of investigating a surreptitious group of Jews who live near the Dead Sea called the “Essenes”.

Andreas and his two servants, Timon and Malcus, learn much through an encounter with a man named Baruch, who had once been a part of the Essene community. Andreas reports some of his findings to his Roman supervisor, Metilius saying they are religiously disciplined people, set apart from other Jews in the use of their own solar calendar, and a few other details. He purposefully leaves out the fact that the Essenes strongly dislike the Romans except to say they do not agree with Herod Antipas’ polygamous relationships (43).

John the Baptist is killed along with other suspected fanatics. Now that Andreas has successfully reported to the Romans regarding the Essenes he is given his second task of focusing on Jesus of Nazareth as another potential danger to the Roman regime. He starts by going straight to Nazareth where he meets a couple named Tholomaeus and Susanna whose son had left to follow Jesus. They give Andreas a distorted view of Jesus as one who tore apart their family and took their son away (65-71).

Zealots kidnap Andreas (and his slaves) allowing him to learn more about the Roman resistance communities. They then go to Capernaum where Andreas has a conversation with Matthias whose daughter was sick. This interaction reveals Jesus’ ability to heal and willingness to do it on the Sabbath. As he continues his journey Andreas finds out that Jesus is providing hope for many people in a conversation with the tax collector who replaced Matthew. Andreas continues to Tiberias where he converses with a Sadducee named Chuza and his wife Joanna, who was a follower of Jesus.

Andreas writes a statement to Metilius about all he has learned about Jesus. In his report he is careful not to depict Jesus in a negative way. Andreas is trying to keep the Romans from arresting Jesus, which is a foreshadowing of his latter devotion to Jesus. Andreas’ friend, Barabbus is captured so Andreas proposes a way that Barabbus might be set free. By doing this Jesus is unintentionally the one who is crucified instead of Barabbus. Once the crucifixion takes place Andreas discusses the events with Metilius and they both decide to follow Jesus.

The goal of this story is to help the reader picture the Gospel narrative through the lens of a character who lived at the time of Jesus, was in dialogue about him, and was shaped by hopes for a new life that were created by his own past. The historical setting is obviously in the forefront, which in many ways contributes to one’s reading of the Gospels. This type of narrative gives insight to various religious sects like the Esseenes and Saducees noting the nuances of their relationship with empirical Rome and key religious themes like Sabbath, conversion, and healing. This story also speaks to the way particular people-groups may have viewed Jesus. This is seen in the conversation with Levi’s parents and the dialogue with those who pose a threat to Rome. It can be difficult to place yourself in the historical frame of mind especially in trying to understand why the Jews and Romans would have allowed Jesus to be tortured to death. This study in the historical setting helps shape my reading of the gospel most in identifying with key characters that really existed.

While there are many noble aspirations within this novel there are many ways it can be critiqued. First, it must be said that as a Bible scholar it is easy to be overly critical of this type of writing. We aren’t used to it. If it isn’t read with the author’s intention one can tear it apart and completely miss its validity. Thus, I will attempt to discuss some of the disadvantageous notions.

The correspondence with Dr. Kratzinger was distracting to me for many reasons. Theissen is opening himself up to criticism by virtue of analyzing his own intentions. The letters are very one-sided painting Dr. Kratzinger in a negative light and discouraging an academic approach to the Gospel narrative in many ways. Theissen often replies noting a specific historical fact that in some way is to justify a fictitious dialogue. Another problem with this type of narrative historical study is the tendency to oversimplify very complex, historical questions and issues that have been constantly interrogated through the centuries. It is important to study the historical setting of scripture knowing that there comes a time when one cannot make completely accurate assertions. This is one reason why many parts of Theissen’s narrative could be heavily scrutinized. Context is of the utmost importance in Biblical study but can’t override that which we know from scripture. For example, Theissen’s depicts the Essenes, Saduccees (Chuza), and followers of Jesus in a certain, relatively concrete way. Much can be gathered from historical data although each of these groups is rarely discussed at length in scripture. The Essenes don’t show up at all. Even though you can make assumptions based on fragments of historical data one must ask why scripture isn’t concerned with a lengthy explanation of all the relationships Jesus had with all people-groups. When approaching scripture that way one is more likely to ask difficult historical questions with a sense of fluidity rather than inserting exact notions that could easily distract from the writer’s true intention.