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The Christian church today is highly focused on the deity of Jesus -- as well it should be! Still, millions of people have never understood Jesus as a human personality; a man with dusty feet and calloused hands. After all, Jesus' favorite term for himself -- by far -- was indeed, SON OF MAN. Millions more might grow to love him if they could walk alongside him for a while on the dirty roads of Judea and Galilee, or spend an evening by the campfire with him and his disciples talking about the God who loved fishermen, prostitutes and thieves. They might really like the Jesus who loved to laugh, often about institutionalized religion. In this volume of SON OF MAN, Joseph bar Sabbas, called Justus, theologian, philosopher, educator and erudite crafter of words, takes us step by step through the searing personal adventures, miracles and teachings of the Man, Jesus. Under flickering shadows he pens an irresistible story; swift-paced, romantic, violent, gentle, bawdy, comic, lyrical, hard-bitten, haunting and passionate; guiding his readers heartbeat by heartbeat in the steps of this Carpenter of wood, this Carpenter of Men.
R E V I E W S
"SON OF MAN IS THE BEST BOOK I HAVE EVER READ IN MY SEARCH TO KNOW MORE ABOUT JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES (reviewer's emphasis). In my continuous search to know more about Jesus’ quest to establish His kingdom on earth in such a short span of time, His selection of the disciples was most important . . . how He chose them, how He related to them, how He led them.
By the time I finished this book, I felt that I knew each of them intimately, and had almost been a part of their journey. A rare insight into the lives of these twelve men who truly, through and with Christ, changed the world."
Jacque Bowen
Alpharetta, GA
"SON OF MAN" made me feel like I was there myself, following Jesus'' every move. I always wanted to know about what Jesus may have eaten or where he slept, and where he went. Fiction, yes, but only to a degree, based on sound Biblical and recent archeological facts. Each evening I look forward to reading a few chapters before bed, and I ask myself, "I wonder where Jesus will be tonight and what he has been doing today?" My problem is trying to stop reading because it is so action filled. Being a dog lover, Abishag adds such additional warmth and love. It's a page turner for sure, but it's also a satisfying, rich and fascinating "re-read."
-- Joan Conant
"Even if the reader realizes that there's some fiction intertwined with facts, this unusual page turner depicts the life of Jesus so uniquely that it was hard for me to put it down.
Now more than ever, our celebrity hung-up society needs to read stories like "SON OF MAN." I highly recommend it."
Andrew J. Rodriguez
Author: "Adios, Havana,"
a Memoir
"SON OF MAN gives the reader a sense of what it feels like to be close to the humanness of Jesus. One feels as though Jesus were standing at his shoulder reading with him. But this time you can hear him breathe, you can smell him. It is almost as if you can see him. And such an experience to be so close to the Man who is God, is a wondrous, powerful emotion. As he can be “touched with the feeling” of our infirmities, so we become “touched with the feeling” of his presence and of his love."
"SON OF MAN added so many wonderful insights to my understanding of the Gospel. The old, old story told with the perspective of the "non selected" apostle was what attracted me to the book. It reminded me that we all have a story to tell no matter what position we hold in the Lord's family. How often we see a "no" as a stop, instead of redirection.
"I do wonder how many more stories we will hear when we meet all those obscure folks that followed Jesus while he was here. The author's words reveal years of research and a heartfelt investment. I was truly blessed. Thank you so much. As St. John said, there would never be enough books to hold all the mighty works He has done."
Nancy Chalmers
Marietta, GA
"In reading SON OF MAN, I felt for the first time that someone was showing me the real Jesus within the world of the first century. More important, since Jesus is God in human flesh, the author gave me a new view of a God with the power to create a universe, but also with the love to forgive us all - even the soldiers who crucified him. SON OF MAN reveals a real Jesus and a real God."
I have never read any book that is written so "smoothly" that you just RACE though the pages. Although the size of the book is overwhelming (to me) - I just started picking any random page and find myself ENGROSSED so much that I would finish 2-3 sections without even stopping for a breath. I have decided to keep it on my desk for a year and 'swiss-cheese' my way through it.
Louis B. Tharp, Ph.D
Psychologist
Professor of Psychology and Religion
"I have read stories and seen movies of Jesus' life many times. But when I read SON OF MAN it was as if I was right there, as a young boy, meeting him, traveling with him as he grew up, and experiencing life with him. Jesus became so much more real to me. The author has captured the essence of Jesus' life in this book. As I read it, I felt the joys and pain that he went through. As a result I love him more than ever. As the old hymn goes . . . "What a friend we have in Jesus." I am grateful to the author for helping us to see Christ as a man, touchable, as a brother and as the Son of God."
S. Ray Bailey
"How does one go about writing a book about the life and times of Jesus Christ without making it preachy? It is well-known that Jesus, before being accepted by a great part of mankind as the Son of God, was just that: a preacher. Thus, it seems like there's little one can do about the preachy nature of a novel dealing with Jesus and His times, doesn't it? A lot of people probably think that the time of entertaining books featuring Christ as a character, and written in accordance with His teachings have long gone by. As it turns out, it hasn't. I am blessed beyond belief to have found the 21st-century equivalent of such masterpieces as "Ben-Hur". And I found it in a novel called SON OF MAN, written by Dr. Paul David Morris, of which I had the tremendous honor of receiving a signed copy. This is definitely one of those books about Jesus that are meant to become classics. SON OF MAN retells the life of Christ through the eyes of Joseph Barsabbas, also known as Justus, the man who did not get chosen to replace Judas, the betrayer. The apostles cast lots, the two candidates they had in mind were Justus and Matthias, and the latter got chosen.
This book is a nourishing feast for the mind and soul. I say it wholeheartedly, for it has truly impressed me. The amount of research that went into it is obvious in the vivid descriptions of ancient places and important figures in the time of Christ. The language is simple, yet profound, and very appropriate for the time and place described in the novel: there is no flowery King James Bible-style language, but the novel is not filled with colloquialisms that would make it sound too modern, just for the sake of reaching a wider audience.
What I love the most about this book is its refreshingly human, yet reverent portrayal of Jesus. Yes, he is the Son of God, but in this book, readers get to see Him both in all His divine glory and all His vibrant humanity: this is a Jesus that miraculously heals diseases and raises the dead, but He is also a Jesus who unashamedly shares laughs with His disciples, confronts the falsely pious Pharisees(I just fell in love with the description of the clearing of the Temple, so gradual that I could see it in the back of my mind, just like a movie), and even owns a very lovable female dog, called Abishag, after King Solomon's bride.
A lot of people seem to find it hard to imagine and portray Jesus as a fully human being with fully divine power, and I find it refreshing that Dr. Morris isn't one of them. He has found the inspiration to portray Christ as He should be portrayed: as Someone whom it is very easy to love. For this, and the courage of showing Him as the greatest revolutionary of all times, just as I see Him, I would give the book ten stars out of five, but I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice! Thank you and may God bless you, Dr. Morris! You've created a tale of the Christ for the ages!"
-- Alex Szollo
Professional Reviewer
"As you overhear the old man's attempt to supervise the loading of his heavy copper box onto the large Egyptian two-masted sailing ship and watch him board, you know you’re about to embark on a fascinating and delightful journey. It will be the beginning of an unforgettable trip back into the past, some 2000 years, steeped in the rich tapestry of historical and religious themes.
Dr. Morris, drawing on many years of deep interactions with a vast array of people, his own experiences, his profound knowledge of the Bible, Biblical times, and his personal walk with Christ, weaves a captivating and enlightening narrative. His considerable storytelling skills draw the reader deeper and deeper into the everyday experiences of Jesus and His band of followers. It's a fanciable journey that will fully engage you as it did me. The familiar people of the Bible will be transformed into close friends with whom you won't want to part."
-- Bill Royal
"This is one of the very best Christian fiction books I have ever read. It is written by the disciple who was not chosen to replace Judas Iscariot as an apostle. It is written by a man who truly loved Jesus and wanted the world to love Him too. At times I felt like I was reading from the Bible because Justus was telling the same story as did Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Justus was telling more of the human side of Jesus. Jesus chose sinners, rough men, to be His apostles. They talked rough, drank too much but had a lot of fun along the way. Jesus even had a little dog. The book has everything; love, hate, laughter, pain and best of all, redemption. I loved the book. It told the story of Jesus, God living as a man of that time, who was a child with friends, then a young man and then the Savior of all mankind. I recommend this book to everyone. I could not put it down once I started reading it."
"A very real, rough, earthy and probably accurate look at Jesus and his disciples. Has to be the first account of Jesus being a dog owner. Jesus hung out with a rough crowd. Very likely to be true. And as a bonus. A very poetic interpretation of John 1 at the end of the book. A real pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Read it!"
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