Copyright 2022 by David Benjamin. Published by Last Kid Books, Madison WI.
The usual disclaimer: David Benjamin is a lifelong friend.
I started reading Witness to the Crucifixion with the expectation that it would be written with the same whimsy that characterizes Benjamin’s other books. I expected a fun read. But a quarter of the way into it I realized that this book was devoid of whimsy. It was a serious book. A mystery, like his Jim Otis books (e.g., Woman Trouble), but heavier. I was disappointed. I occasionally read a serious book, but it is always non-fiction. When I read a mystery I want to be entertained.
I put the book aside and started another. But the question kept nagging me: where was Benjamin headed with this most unusual book? I picked it up again. And finished it today.
Now I have to characterize and evaluate the book. This is going to be very difficult.
Yes, it is a mystery. But the “detective” is the apostle Paul. He is, 10 years after the death of Jesus on the cross, tormented by his role in his death (he was a spy who fed information to the men in power) and tortured by a growing belief that Jesus was, indeed, the Son of God. He is driven to understand fully what happened at the crucifixion as he believes that a great secret was revealed to the few who witnessed his death.
I won’t reveal that secret but will say that it is a whopper. A mystery with a Big Reveal is always satisfying. But in this case I think the characters are even more interesting than the Big Reveal. As chronicled by Benjamin, the characters were:
- Peter, a brute of a disciple who was more brawn than brain.
- Mary, a weak woman with severe dementia at 60
- Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ most trusted disciple and the only man Jesus would trust to carry out the necessary betrayal
- Mary Magdalene, an unabashedly slutty woman who bedded all of Jesus’ disciples (but not Jesus)
- James, Jesus’ half-brother and effectively his Chief of Staff
James is particularly interesting. He is credited with engineering all of Jesus’ so-called miracles.
This is a work of fiction, but a well-researched one. The historical detail is astounding. The plot, which is undoubtedly blasphemous to some, is nevertheless plausible. And thought-provoking.
As I read this book I found myself thinking more about Christ and the origins of Christianity than I have at any point in my life. That is quite an accomplishment.
It isn’t a fun read, but it is fascinating and thought-provoking.
7 out of 10.