Iscariot
The name Judas has become synonymous with “traitor” as a result of one of the most heinous acts of betrayal ever—Judas Iscariot selling Jesus to the Jewish authorities for thirty pieces of silver. History has been quick to condemn Judas who, through his own belated sense of guilt, condemned himself and committed suicide. What horrible twisting existed in his mind to make him commit such despicable acts?
That is exactly the question author Lee attempts to answer in this engrossing study of Jesus’ disciple turned traitor. No stranger to the exploration of maligned characters, Lee delves deeply into the mind of Judas and finds there a man passionate both about liberty for the Jewish people and his love for Jesus. In this novel Judas is depicted as a man that has seen his loved ones destroyed by the atrocities of the Romans against the Jews, a man whose desire for vengeance is in opposition to everything his master, Jesus, teaches. How can he reconcile these two warring factions of his psyche?
Other than the scant accounts of him in the Bible, there is nothing known of Judas, but the author’s extensive research into ancient Israel results in an intriguing and completely plausible portrait of the man. Other characters come forth in a lively manner that shakes off the dust of hagiography. As well, Judas’ perspective of Jesus forms a new way of seeing and comprehending the most famous religious figure of all time.
This is an exciting and colorful novel that retells an ages-old story in a fresh, new way. It is well-worth the read.
