King Jesus

"King Jesus" is a semi-historical novel by Robert Graves, first published in 1946. The novel is controversial for the way it treats Jesus not as the son of God, but rather as a philosopher with a legitimate claim to the Judaean throne through Herod the Great [ [http://www.robertgraves.org/bio.php St John's College Robert Graves Trust] ] , and also for the way it treats numerous Biblical stories and contradictions while demystifying Jesus' life.

The Story

Graves wrote the story from the perspective of an official living in the time of Domitian. The novel opens with the statement, "I, AGABUS the Decapolitan, began this work at Alexandria in the ninth year of the Emperor Domitian and completed it at Rome in the thirteenth year of the same." [ [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0374516642 First Sentence] ] The novel consists primarily of dialogues between the prophets and other people of the story told by the Roman official. It begins with the reign of Herod before Jesus is born and explains in an epic style the dynastical roots of Jesus both from his mother's and his father's side, establishing a dual while terrenal - temporal- right to the throne of Israel. The second part starts with Nativity and Jesus's youth. Finally, the third part chronicles Jesus's work in adulthood as a prophet, his death on the cross, and his resurrection.

Criticism

[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/printout/0,8816,887225,00.html "Old Heresy, New Version", Time Magazine, Monday, Sep. 30, 1946]

Notes