Epilogue

For the curious

Now: What it this novel has a historical basis, and what is the result of my imagination? As I mentioned at the beginning, there is no evidence that John had homosexual tendencies, or that he had the characteristics of Asperger's Syndrome, such as difficulty in social situations, physical awkwardness, and so on. I suppose I will have to apologize to him when I meet him in a few years (or sooner), but it made the novel--to me--more interesting, and it stressed one point I was trying to make in all of the series: that saints are just people who try hard, and that the Master does not demand success, but that we try.

The childhood of John is, of course, nothing but fiction, except that he had a brother James and was a fisherman. The fiction includes the boat the Jesus and Joseph built for the brothers. That John learned to read and was to study to be a rabbi is also fiction, though it is likely from his writings that he knew how to read, and also knew Greek at least passably (it is only likely, because many people "wrote" by dictating to a scribe; but he probably had to have written Revelation himself). The fact in Chapter Two that the family knew Annas is based on John 18 (i.e. John's Gospel), which says that he was known to "the high priest," and I took this to be Annas. John's becoming acquainted with Samuel and Samuel's death is also fictional (as is Samuel himself, except that we know from a few references to Thomas in John that he was called "didymus," the twin, but we know nothing of the twin.

Also, John's knowing Jesus's mother Mary is fictional, but there is an inference from some of the incidents of his Gospel. Andrew's size, by the way, is fictional, as is any hint that John was attracted to him.

Chapters 5 through 8, about the stay in the school for rabbis is fictional, as is Daniel. In Chapter 9, the reason why Simon and Andrew were in Jerusalem is fictional. In Chapter 10, the episode with John as he bathed people is in all the Synoptics (Mark, Luke, and Matthew) as well as John, and I borrowed pieces from all; the thunder's speaking is in all three Synoptics. The fact that Judas was there is fictional. I mainly followed John's report of what happened.

In Chapter 11, the conversation with Jesus is fictional, but Simon's being summoned by Andrew and being called Kepha is out of John's Gospel (Chapter 1).

In Chapter 12, everything is fictional until John and James are trying to untangle the net (of course, how it got that way and what John did with the knife are fictional) and Jesus comes and tells them to follow him. Zebedee's accident is fictional, because I had to make up a situation which would dispose him to let his two sons and the two brothers in the other boat leave and follow Jesus.

In Chapter 13, Philip's acquaintance with Zebedee and his sons is fictional, as is the "fact" that he is the son of a wine merchant. Judas's being a priest, as well as a strikingly handsome man, are fictional, as well as his knowledge of philosophy. I made Judas the quintessential rational man, and gave him the problems that such a man would have with Jesus. He exemplifies pride, by the way, something not uncommon with such men.

In Chapter 14, Philip's bringing Nathanael is from John Chapter 1, but why he is astounded at Jesus's saying he saw him under the fig tree is made up. Ezra is completely fictional. There were Judeans (Jews) in Ethiopia, and I assumed some intermarried with black people and had black children. Ezra and Nathanael's going to Thomas and rescuing him from delerium tremens is fictional, as is Thomas's alcoholism. The addition of Thomas's father to Zebedee's crew is fictional; we know nothing whatever of Thomas's father.

In Chapter 16, that Judas was present when John bathed Jesus is fictional. The students' concern about wedding garments is an inference from Matthew's parable about the wedding and the meeting of a person without one. Philip's living in Bethsaida is from John, Chapter 1.. The prejudice of the Judeans against Galileans is an in John's Gospel (e.g. "Do some studying and you will see that no prophet comes from Galilee") and explains John's pejorative references in his Gospel to "the Jews" (the "Judeans" in the original Greek).

In Chapter 17, I have Andrew and Simon living in Capernaum, having moved there from Bethsaida (where John 1 says they came from), because it made the novel easier. As far as I know, there is no indication where John is from. Joseph's sickness and his later death is an inference from the omission of references to him in the Gospels, though his mother appears many times. The episode of the changing of the water into wine is in Chapter 2 of John's Gospel, though of course, Thomas's cup's being water is fictional.

In Chapter 18, the trip to Jerusalem for the feast is in John's Gospel, where he tells of the driving of the sellers out of the Temple. I used mainly John's report of it, with an addition or two from the Synoptics (who all put it at the end of his career, since they first report what went on in Galilee and leave Judea to the end). The Gospels are not chronological reports, but arrangements of the events to make the case for Jesus's divinity more clear, as a lawyer arranges his arguments in court. The introduction of the Garden of Gethsemani at this point is fictional, though it could well have happened. When it is first mentioned in the Gospels, it is done so as someplace where Jesus was accustomed to go. Jesus's seeing Nicodemus is from John' Gospel, as is the bathing of people by the students and the return to Galilee through Samaria and the episode with the Samaritan woman. Jesus's return to Nazareth is mainly from Luke, though of course, the "fact" that Matthew was in the synagogue is fictional.

In Chapter 19, Matthew's being the occasion for the parable Luke relates about the Pharisee and the tax-collector is fictional, though Jesus's disappearance when the crowd tried to throw him off the cliff is not; it is from Luke. The call of Matthew is in the Synoptics (though all but Matthew himself call him "Levi"; I made up a reason for it), but the circumstances are fictional, as is the "fact" that the soldier who was his guard was Longinus, who by tradition (and my novel) is the one who crucified Jesus. We know nothing about this soldier except that there was one.

In Chapter 20, the incident of the paralytic let down through the roof is in all three Synoptics. Jesus's disappearance with Matthew is fictional. In Chapter 21, Judas is doing what the rational man would do in interpreting Jesus. John's studying Greek from Matthew is, of course, fictional. Jesus's habit of stroking his beard is also something I made up.

In Chapter 22, the resurrection of the son of the widow of Nain is in Luke, but everything surrounding it is my imagination, much of it from my Matthew novel. Matthew's feast is in all the Synoptics, though of course there is no mention either of David's part in it nor of the episode of the dogs; that was a miracle that happened only in my brain. The death of Joseph is an inference from his not being mentioned in the Gospels, though there is a strong indication that Matthew got his information on the birth of Jesus either directly or indirectly from him. The military officer's son is from John, but the fact that Longinus was his assistant is fiction.

In Chapter 23, the Sermon on the Mount is from both Matthew and Luke (I gave Luke's version). The selection of the Emissaries (implied here) is in the Synoptics, as is their mission. Of course, John's experience in driving out a devil is fiction.

In Chapter 24 the episode of the rich young man is in all three Synoptics, as is the declaration of the Rock and Jesus's response--including the prediction of the Passion. Matthew's getting rid of--almost--all of his wealth is fictional, though I suppose it really happened. Everything about David except the fact that he was brought back to life is fictional, by the way. The conversation with Matthew is how I connected what is in the early chapters of John and the naming of Simon as "Rock" here; and, by the way, the use (in the Greek text) of the singular in "I will give you the keys" is one way I explode that interpretation some give of Jesus's saying "you are rock (pointing to Simon) and on this rock (pointing to himself) I will build. . ." That latter interpretation is based on the different genders of Simon as rock and the normal gender of the word. But you can't call a man a female rock; and the Aramaic doesn't support it. End of sermon. The episode of the paralytic at Bethesda is from John, as is what follows, continuing into chapter 25.

In John's visit to Daniel, the death of the Bather is from the Synoptics. The visit to Martha and Lazarus is not mentioned but implied in the Gospels, and the fact that Mary was not there is not anywhere implied, but is purely my imagination. The story of the rich man and Lazarus is from Luke, but not that it was told in the presence of Lazarus, whose reaction to it, of course, is fiction.

In Chapter 26, the transfiguration is in all three Synoptics, as is the cure of the possessed boy whom the students could not cure (that Nathanael was the one who failed is made up). The stilling of the storm on the lake is also in all the Synoptics, as well as the cure of Legion.

In Chapter 27, the episode with the possessed woman is in Luke (I made her, following some traditions, also Mary of Magdala, the prostitute, and Mary of Bethany. See the Mary novel).

In Chapter 28, the story of the prodigal son is in Luke, though its application to Mary is my imagination. The discussion of who was to take posts of power is in all three Synoptics, though I gave it a nuance that is only slightly implied in the Gospels. The Jairus episode is also in all three Synoptics, as is the woman with a hemorrhage. The episode of Judas's "mistakingly" offering wine to Thomas is fiction. The implication that Judas is embezzling money from the group is stated by John in recounting the anointing of Jesus by Mary. The mother of John's request that James and John hold high positions is in Mark and Matthew.

In Chapter 29, the incident with Judas is fiction. But the episode of the feeding of five thousand is in all four Gospels, though the walking on water is only in Mark, Matthew, and John. John's Gospel is the only one to report the Bread of Life speech (and interestingly, the only one to omit the institution of the Eucharist later--something even mentioned by Paul). The statement "and one of you is a devil" is from John's Gospel, who remarks that it was meant about Judas.

In Chapter 30, of course the encounter between John and Ezra is completely fictional. The relatives of Jesus waiting outside is in the three Synoptics, but I added to it from John's Gospel the advice to show himself in Judea. I put it in his cousin James's mouth, because (a) the evidence is that this James was neither of the two Emissaries, and (b) that his letter seems to indicate strong influence from Alexandria. The text says "brother(s), but this clearly meant any close relative--either that, or Mary's mother had two daughters called "Mary": Jesus's mother and Clopas's Mary, whom John calls her "sister."

What Jesus tells John about homosexual sex is what I have concluded from my philosophical research. John gives the best argument in its favor, and Jesus shows where the fallacy is; it also refutes the fallacy that if the attraction is innate, it is legitimate ("natural") to follow it. Jesus's advice to "preach" by one's life is also, I think, the best way to do it.

In Chapter 31, I am not sure, but I suspect that when people wrestled, they did so naked. The ancients were considerably less prudish that we are, even in our "enlightened" age. Of course, the fight is fictional. John returns to the group when Jesus solves the dilemma about taxes to Caesar, which is in all the Synoptics, and the woman caught in adultery, which is in John's Gospel. Note that Jesus, as the "one without sin" should have thrown the first stone. I made up a reason why he did not. John also hears Jesus refer to himself as "I AM," which is in John's Gospel, as is his claim to be in existence before Abraham.

In Chapter 32, the man born blind is from John's Gospel, as are Jesus's remarks that follow the episode. Jesus's talking with Mary, as well as Martha's reaction, are from Luke. What happened with Thomas and his father is fiction, as is what happened between Ezra and Judas, of course.

In Chapter 33, the incident at the Feast of Dedication is out of John's Gospel, as is the withdrawal to Peraea and also the raising of Lazarus.

In Chapter 34, John's visit to Annas is an inference from his being able to enter his palace after Jesus's capture. The invitation to dinner at Lazarus's house and what Mary did in the dining room, as well as Judas's reaction are from John's Gospel, and it is there we learn that Judas was an embezzler. Of course, the aftermath with Lazarus and the women is fiction.

In Chapter 35, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem is recounted in all four Gospels; I followed mainly John's and Luke's. Philip's approaching Jesus and Jesus's reaction are from John's Gospel, as is what followed. The Last Supper's occurrence on the day before the Passover comes from the Synoptics' clear indication that it was the Passover dinner, plus John's Gospel's insistence that on the next day, the Judeans would not enter Pilate's praetorium in order "to be able to eat the Passover meal" that night. I reconciled this by assuming that there was a confusion in when the moon was full. This is not necessarily far-fetched, by the way. The moon becomes full at an instant, just as the Vernal Equinox occurs at an instant (the instant the sun crosses the equator); and if that instant happened to occur at the time one day passed into the next (i.e. at sundown, in this case), some might take it as the day before and some the day after, especially among the careful Pharisees.

The washing of the feet and the offer of the food to Judas is from John's Gospel, as well as Jesus's discourse afterwards.

In Chapter 36, John does not relate the "this is my body" and so on, though he had implied it in the Bread of Life speech earlier; it is recounted in all the Synoptics and Paul. The agony in the garden is in the Synoptics (and not John's Gospel; John portrays him as always in complete control). Jesus's stunning the soldiers with "I AM" is in John's Gospel; I have mingled this with much from the Synoptics; basically, what happened with Jesus himself is from the Gospels, and is not fiction; what is fiction is the reactions of others. The interview with Annas is from John's Gospel. The Rock's denial is in all four.

In Chapter 37, I assumed that the knowledge of what went on in Jesus's trial was from Nicodemus, who would have been in attendance. There are slight differences in detail in the Gospel accounts as to what happened, but no substantive disagreements. (E.g. Luke has Herod's men put the mock royal robes on Jesus; the others say it was Pilate's.)The trial before Pilate is mainly from John's Gospel. The dimming out of the sun is from the Synoptics; the removal and hurried burial of Jesus's body is also from the Gospels.

In Chapter 38, what went on among the students is fictional, except that they gathered in the upper room. I invented a reason why Thomas was not present when Jesus first appeared to the others. The apparition of Samuel is based on Matthew's statement that at that time, many dead people appeared. John's acquiring Mary as his mother is from his Gospel. Judas's throwing his blood money into the Temple and hanging himself is from Matthew.