King Jesus: Analysis of Major Characters
"King Jesus: Analysis of Major Characters" offers a unique exploration of the key figures surrounding Jesus, a pivotal figure in Christian history, presented within a narrative framework by the character Agabus. This analysis delves into the life of Jesus, depicted as a "wonder-worker" born in Bethlehem, raised in Egypt, and later recognized for his prophetic and healing abilities, ultimately leading to his condemnation and crucifixion.
The document introduces significant characters, including Mary, Jesus' mother, who grapples with her son's royal destiny and stands by him through his trials. Joseph of Emmaus, a timber merchant, provides a protective role for Mary and Jesus, while Simon, a high priest, serves as a mentor to Jesus during his formative years. The narrative also highlights the political turmoil of the time, embodied by Herod the Great, whose ruthless actions shape the early life of Jesus.
Other notable figures include Mary of Bethany, Jesus' wife, and Mary the Hairdresser, a representation of contrasting feminine power. Through Agabus' perspective, readers gain insight into the complexities of these relationships and the historical context that defines Jesus' life and mission. This overview invites readers to explore the intricacies of these characters and their influence on the narrative of Jesus as the awaited king.
King Jesus: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: Robert Graves
First published: 1946
Genre: Novel
Locale: Palestine
Plot: Historical
Time: The first century c.e.
Jesus, the “wonder-worker” of Palestine, the circumstances of whose birth, development, ministry, and death are chronicled by the narrator, Agabus. He is the son of Mary, the heiress of Michal (wife of King David), and Antipater, the eldest son of Herod, to whom Mary was married secretly. He is protected by Joseph, a retired timber merchant from Emmaus. Born in Bethlehem, Jesus is taken as an infant to Leontopolis, Egypt, where during his first twelve years he learns carpentry from Joseph and the Hebrew Scriptures from Simon. Later, he marries Mary of Bethany, the sister of Martha and also an heiress of Michal. By refusing to consummate the marriage, Jesus stands for a love untouched by “the act of death.” He preaches in the synagogues and in open places, always conscious of his destiny as priest, Messiah, and future king of Israel. Jesus' healings, prophetic sayings, and bold challenges to conventional interpretations of the Hebrew Scriptures lead to his condemnation by both religious and political authorities and to his crucifixion as a false king of the Jews.
Mary, or Miriam, a beautiful temple virgin. She is secretly married to Antipater before his death; by him, she bears her only child, Jesus. With the elderly Joseph, who accepts her as his wife, she rears Jesus in Egypt and, later, in Nazareth. Puzzled by the way in which her son is working out his royal destiny, she is present at the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
Simon, later called Simeon, an Alexandrian Levite Jew, a high priest. He convinces Antipater that his future title as king of Israel would be perfected by a marriage to a descendant of Michal, one of King David's queens, and officiates at the secret marriage of Mary to Antipater just before Antipater's assassination. Later, as Simeon, he becomes Jesus' teacher in Egypt.
Joseph of Emmaus, an old timber merchant. A widower, he has been joined in his trade by his four sons. Urged by Simon, he accepts marriage to Mary but retains a small part of the bride-price until after Antipater's death, when he pays the remainder and assumes the protection of Mary and her baby, fleeing from Bethlehem to Egypt.
Herod the Great (HEHR-uhd), the king of the Jews under the protection of the Romans. He is insanely protective of his position. He arranges for the death of his descendants, including his eldest son, Antipater, and decrees the death of all children born in Bethlehem, where astrologers had predicted a future king of the Jews would appear.
Antipater (ahn-TIHP-ay-tuhr), the eldest son of Herod the Great and Queen Doris. He is secretly married to Mary and is executed soon thereafter by Herod as a potential threat to his power.
Mary the Hairdresser, the queen of the harlots, modeled on Mary Magdalene. She is the priestess of an ancient fertility cult in Hebron that celebrates the power of Eve. In a contest of wills, Jesus overcomes the power of the Female by invoking the power of God the Father. With the two other Marys, she is present at the Crucifixion and the Resurrection.
Mary of Bethany, who is married to Jesus in Hebron as his queen. She is resentful of Jesus' unwillingness to give her a child but convinces him to raise her brother Lazarus from the dead as a substitute.
Agabus the Decapolitan, the author of the narrative, begun in Egypt in 89 c.e. and finished in Rome in 93 c.e.. The son of a Syrian father and a Samaritan mother, he had seen Jesus only once, as a child. From several informants, however, he has been given the secret oral traditions of Jesus' birth, life, and death; he has visited the meetings of the “Chrestians” (followers of the Chrestos, or Good Man); and into the events of Jesus' life he has woven his interests in astrology, numerology, and mythology, through which he explains why Jesus is king and why his significance has been misunderstood by his followers.