I am still in the process of finishing Anne Rice’s book Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt: A Novel and I thought that I would let you guys in on some of the things I like and dislike about this book.
The first thing I really like about this book is that she gives very good details on how Jesus would have lived as a Jewish child. Jesus abides by the laws and rituals of the church at the time. Sometimes authors make it seem as though Jesus in more Christianized than he would have been. Since Christianity was based on his teachings it didn’t exist before him. As a child Jesus would have been Jewish and expected to follow the teachings of that church.
The next thing that I love about this book is that she shows a very special relationship between Joseph and Jesus. He tells Jesus stories at bedtime. Stories that are in bible. I imagine that theses storied seemed much more fact and less fiction to Jesus as a child. Imagine being told the story of Jonah and the whale as a bedtime story. Fascinating I am sure but also very effective in teaching lessons on life. I have seen writings where it is made to seem that Joseph had a contemptible relationship with Jesus. As if Joseph was annoyed that he had to raise this child. I could never buy into that since I believe that Joseph truly felt blessed and chosen to be the earthly father of Jesus. I think he took this purpose with great pride and seriousness and did what he could to make Jesus’ life what the Lord has set out for him. Anne Rice shows what that relationship must have been like. Respectful and sweet.
I don’t like that Anne Rice tells a story about Jesus killing one of his childhood friends. Jesus is fighting with the child who is teasing him and Jesus doesn’t know he has the ability to kill him but wishes it upon him and he dies. Jesus then goes and brings the child back to life. I find this part hard to believe because it ignores the fact the Jesus was fully God and fully man. This meant that while Jesus had free will he was also free of sin. He never sinned in his 33 years on earth. He certainly taught in many of his teachings about the sin of murder. He would have learned as a child about the Commandments and their dire consequences. I doubt seriously that Jesus would have murdered anyone. I also think that if he had it would have negated his purpose here to die as a clean offering for the sins of all the world. Impossible to do with a sin on your soul.
The final thing I have trouble with is that Anne Rice makes Jesus totally ignorant to his birth, his purpose and his standing as the offspring of Immaculate Conception. She makes it seem as though he goes through his whole early life with no clue as to why these miraculous things happen. She has his parents actively hiding the truth of his birth from him. When Jesus starts to hear murmurings of his purpose they actively stave him off by telling him that he will find out one day. It almost seems as though Anne Rice makes Jesus a regular boy who suddenly becomes an adult and discovers his purpose and powers. I don’t believe that this would have been the case. Since Jesus is part of the Holy Trinity he is all of the parts. Not a father figure who sent his son who didn’t know that the father existed. Anne Rice almost makes it into a paternity reveal that occurs for Jesus when I believe that he would have known and prepared for his purpose throughout his WHOLE life and not just from some revealing moment.
These are just opinions of course and I am not a biblical scholar. I just wanted to point out the things that stand out for me that contradict my beliefs and those that helped to uphold my beliefs. I also realize that this is a fiction piece of work so the story is not meant to be a true account. I think that I really enjoy the book as a whole and find that I enjoy it even more if I read it as some other Jesus. By removing the miracle of his life and birth it makes the story more believable and interesting as that of the life of a Jewish boy from Jesus’ time.
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Thanks for your attention to my novel. Jesus does not sin in the novel. He feels the power go out of him, just as He does in the Gospel of Mark when the woman touches his garment (Mark 5). He is fully God and fully human in the book, but has put aside his Divine knowledge as the Gospel of Mark indicates He did over and over again. In that Gospel, He is angered, and He marvels at the unbelief of those in His hometown, and of course in all the gospels, He prays for the cup to pass. As Hebrews reminds us, He was like us in all ways except that He did not sin. I hope you will understand, His finding things out in the human way was apparently voluntary. At least that is what I discover in Scripture, as I ponder His emotions and His capacity to be surprised and to ask questions. Thanks again for considering the book. Anne.
Thank you for your comments Ms. Rice. It certainly helps to have an explanation of your perspective.It is also helpful to have a reference point in scripture for your thoughts. I look forward to completing your book as well as reading the next one. Please feel free to stop by anytime and leave comments.