I wrote these books, Jesus of Nazareth: Poking the Hornets' Nest and Kicking the Hornets' Nest as narrative theology. Thousands of books have been written about Jesus of Nazareth, but these two are an attempt to give voice to what it was like to be him. What was it like to be fingered by John the Baptist as the Messiah? What was his job description, his final objectve or mission statement? Everyone else had their own ideas about what he should do, but he had to get it right inspite of their help. The enormous needs he met, the draining healings and the confrontations meant his ministry was no picnic. How did he cope? Our subsequent myths have bred confusion. They have made Jesus of Nazareth remote, incomprehensible, and a magical figure. The Risen Christ is far removed from us and supposed to return one day, an unrelated figurehead. This has produced religion rather than faith.
Narrative theology, a term I just invented, describes my use of: recent theological developments, historical accounts and the biblical texts. I introduce Annas, father-in-law to Caiaphas the High Priest. He had been fired in 15 CE by Valerius Gatus, Pilate's predecessor, but continued to control the politics of the Temple. That is history and can be found in the writings of Josephus, a contemporary Jewish historian. In my book, Annas plotted the death of Jesus. This is somewhat supported by the text, but for the sake of the story I had to create in Annas a counterbalance to Jesus. This I did by inventing a very convenient Diary in which Annas wrote all his thoughts. That is fiction.
Recently there has been an effort to rewrite history and steer the blame for Jesus' death away from the Jewish people and onto Pilate. Neither the Jewish people who welcomed Jesus a week before and nor the rest of the citizens of Jerusalem filled the courtyard during Jesus' trial before Pilate, nor did they demand Jesus' death. The Jewish people of Jerusalem were never party to the decision to condemn him or call for his crucifixion. His arrest, initial hearing and condemnation took place at night in Annas' private residence. The plan was to hand him over to Pilate before anyone could interfere, or the people of the city riot. The trial before Pilate happened early in the morning. Word had not got out and the citizenry were unaware of what was happening. (Jesus was on the cross by noon. His trial, flogging, and execution took only four hours. This was a rush job carried out without the people's knowledge.)
Those who planned and carried out the arrest, handed him over to Pilate. They, the Temple clergy together with their retainers filled that courtyard. They called for him to be crucified. In every religion it is the clergy who point the finger, light the fires under the martyrs and then wring their hands in lament that such things are necessary. The most shameful action of the Christian Church down the centuries has been the persecution of the Jewish people based on a misreading of the gospel accounts. I refute the notion that the Jewish population of Jerusalem were responsible, and I write a very different account as I re-open the cold case of Jesus' murder. I ask, "So who did want him dead and why?"
Then God reverses the field and the resurrection happens. I use some of the scientific info the Turin Shroud provides, I re-examine the texts of the gospels and try to be realistic about this anomolous event. The resurrection happened. That's hard for modern people to get their head around, but we will just have to get used to it for the story doesn't end there.
