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The
Witness
By
W. G. Griffiths, CrossAmerica Books, 2000, 322 pages Using
the accounts written in the gospels (most specifically John 18:10 where the high
priest’s servant is named), W. G. Griffiths has written a story about Malchus,
the one whose ear Peter cut off at the arrest of Jesus in the Garden of
Gethsemane. According
to Griffiths’ story, Malchus was born free, then orphaned, and left in the
care of his uncle. The uncle, a
rather foolish man, lost all of his property and went into debt.
According to the customs of the time, Malchus was sold into servitude,
along with his uncle and his cousin, to satisfy the creditors. According to Levitical law, his term of service was to be seven years unless he chooses to become a slave for the rest of his life. But Malchus is looking forward to freedom, which will be his in a short while. Caiaphas, the high priest, perhaps with an eye to capturing Malchus’ romantic interest, has put him in the company of a beautiful slave, Zara. Malchus doesn’t seem to realize that the high priest might have an interest in trapping him into a life of slavery. He is very glad to go on a lengthy errand, which will put him in the company of the lovely Zara. Meanwhile,
Jesus of Nazareth has been attracting a following, and both Zara and Malchus see
Him entering Jerusalem on a donkey. They
are excited by the crowds of people who throw their coats on the road and spread
palm branches on the way so the donkey can pass over them. The
High Priest, extremely upset by the turmoil Jesus is causing, orders Jonathan,
captain of the temple guard, to track down the followers of Jesus, especially
those seen at the triumphal entry into Jerusalem.
Jonathan composes a list of names, which includes those of Malchus and
Zara. Their lives are suddenly endangered. After
Judas has betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (the price of a house in
Jerusalem, according to the author), the high priest orders Malchus to accompany
the soldiers to Gethsemane to arrest Jesus. Because
both Malchus and Zara have believed on Jesus, Jonathan is determined to capture
them. But Jonathan’s intentions
go beyond merely upholding the law; they extend to sadism and brutality. The
beautiful Zara is in great danger. The
two seek to escape and the ensuing chase is the highlight of the story. The
author has used a large dose of imagination based on the gospel story and the
law. He is careful to follow all
the restrictions placed on him by the Bible; for example, an old man is beaten
with 39 stripes. (This seems pretty
humane considering that in modern times people were sometimes sentenced to 2,000
stripes.) There is one flaw, however, that stands out. Modern slang doesn’t fit, to my ears, in a historical novel. Since Griffiths has been so careful to avoid anachronisms in other areas, it seems that he wasn't as careful a writer as he could have been. I suspect he is trying to show the intimate level of friendship between two slaves who also happen to be cousins. However, considering that he uses phrases made popular by television, this doesn’t sound authentic and destroys the mood and the scene he has tried to portray. In other scenes, it appears that the author forces dialog to fit a biblical pattern of speech, which seems unnatural to the modern ear. Library
trade journals have given high marks to some Christian fiction published
recently. One that seems to set a
high standard of Christian writing is Vilma
Still Cooks in Leeway by Vinita Hampton Wright Hampton.
In my opinion, The Witness doesn’t come up to that standard.
Readers who want to read fiction about the early church might do better
to choose The Robe
by Lloyd Douglas, The Silver Chalice
by Thomas Costain, or Dear and Glorious Physician by Taylor Caldwell.
However, reading fiction is a matter of personal taste, and many people
will be greatly moved by The Witness ninetyandnine.com ©
2001, David Agriesti --------- David Agriesti lives in Columbus, Ohio with his wife, dog and cat.
He attends Calvary Apostolic Church on Sunday mornings and La Iglesia
Apostólica El Calvario on Sunday afternoons.
The cat and the dog are great opera buffs, whether they want to be or
not.
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