The Insider: a biblical novel about Judas

By Arlon Stubbe

This is a third novel about one of the important but lesser known figures in the Jesus narrative. THE INSIDER focuses on the person of Judas (Yehuda), one of Jesus' disciples who, for whatever reason, handed Jesus over to the religious authorities. Little is known definitively about Judas, other than his name and the 20 references to him in the four gospels. On the one hand, this lack of knowledge offers the novelist lots of room to explore some imaginative possibilities.Related to this are important questions that arise out of the events that led to Jesus' execution. For instance, how did Judas come in contact with Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin? It doesn't seem logical that anyone could just walk into the high priest's residence and offer up a preacher from Nazareth in exchange for money. There must be a backstory to all that. Again, what was Judas' motive in taking the 30 silver coins, and why did he return all those coins later, throwing them down in anger? Was it guilt that moved him, or something else? Had he himself been betrayed perhaps? And what are we to make of the fact that the gospels offer two accounts of Judas' demise, suicide by hanging (Matthew 27:5) or literally 'spilling his guts' (Acts 1:17) after buying a potter's field with the money paid him by Caiaphas instead of returning it, as the synoptic gospels insist?There are also questions surrounding Joseph of Arimathea. Why did he want to recover Jesus' body? Why did he choose to bury Jesus in his own family tomb, and who helped him? What happened between this Joseph and others before the crucifixion? Was he involved somehow in arranging an audience for Jesus with the High Court? Was there any connection between what Judas did and the involvement of Joseph of Arimathea? All these questions are relevant to THE INSIDER, as the story unfolds. Whether you know a great deal about the four gospel narratives or very little, this novel will ignite your imagination and invite questions of your own making. Like the two novels before this by the same author -- MALCHUS' EAR (about the high priest's servant attacked by Peter in Gethsemane) and THE OUTCAST (about Barabbas, who was released so that Jesus could die in his place) -- THE INSIDER brings a fresh and more humane perspective to the Jesus saga and all those who were part of it.A book well worth reading.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B085RNKXZJ
• ISBN13: 9798621598457
• Release Date: March 2020
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 6.0" x 9.0"