Author’s Prologue
Anathema -the Secret Story of Jesus before the Holy Gospels were Written is a historical-fiction portrayal of three obscure but profoundly influential men named *1. Jesus (but who was actually called and is generally known as *2. “Barabbas” instead); *3. Judas the Galilean and, *4. Saul of Tarsus (later known as the Apostle Paul, -the actual creator and founder of ‘Christianity’).
This literary work, iconoclastic to ‘Christian’ orthodoxy and modern western thought and culture, begins with those tumultuous days of the otherwise glossed-over ‘insurrection’ and, ends shortly after the crucifixion of the Jewish ‘messiah’, -in this particular case, that of Judas the Galilean. Nevertheless, Anathema is based upon ‘certain passages’ of the Holy Gospels as well as ‘certain passages’ of The Complete Works of (Flavius) Josephus (Antiquities of the Jews and Wars of the Jews) as well as other sources, -the rest of this work might be regarded as ‘fiction’ (or, more accurately, ‘reasonable speculation’, that is to say ‘studied opinion’). It delves into the historically ‘documented’ identity and obfuscated roles of the barely mentioned Holy Gospels’ Jesus [Barabbas] and Judas the Galilean as well as the behind-the-scenes machinations of Saul of Tarsus and his cohorts in discrediting Jesus Barabbas and His actual ‘commission’ while on earth and the re-writing the circumstances of Judas the Galilean.
In the case of Jesus [Barabbas], unfortunately very little information is ‘documented’ concerning him, -despite his “notoriety” or, has been suppressed and is hidden away somewhere. Nevertheless, He appears to be ‘documented’ -even if only in passing, -only in the Holy Gospels, -Jewish and Roman ‘historians’ have, it seems, nothing whatsoever to say about him. However, from what very little the Holy Gospels’ do note concerning Him, there are two issues or items that are worthy of serious consideration. First and foremost, is that his name was “Jesus”, -actually written in the original Greek version of the Holy Gospels (or New Testaments) but omitted from the Latin translation of the same text (see Mt. 27:17); secondly, but equally important, is that “Barabbas” is an Aramaic appellation, the meaning of which is: Bar = Son + Abba = Father (or God). Therefore, this particular “Jesus” was called (the) “Son of God” and is therefore the main protagonist of this controversial work.
In the case of the actual ‘documented’ history of Judas [the Galilean] (from The Complete Works of (Flavius) Josephus), who is named, as (the) “author and ringleader of the insurrection”, -(it appears that Josephus either failed to divulge any details regarding the demise of Judas or, said details were summarily removed, -as it appears is the case regarding “Barabbas”). However, it is clear that Judas sought to re-establish or expand the ancient theocracy as originally instituted by David. Obviously, he failed. What is not ‘obvious’ is ‘what happened to Judas and his movement and, his messianists followers’?
Why were the ‘authorities’ in Jerusalem always in fear of ‘riots’ (as during “Jesus Christ’s” trial), -spawn by whom, -Judas’ messianists followers?
It is not until we examine the ‘history’ of Saul of Tarsus that the light of ‘truth’ emerges upon the bloody conflict of ‘theocracy’ versus ‘secularism’ in the governance of the Jewish nation. Without knowledge of Saul, -i.e. his background and (the then current) agenda, we never get to see the core of life-long resentment, bitterness and total hatred that Saul held for the ‘descendants of David’, the ‘messiah’ and his ‘messianists’ followers.
Saul was the namesake of the original and first ‘anointed’ king of the Jews. It was his forefather who was ‘expelled’ from that exalted high office, -disgraced in dishonored and everlasting shame (for not obeying the Lord’s commandment).
The (nameless) Lord was so pleased with David’s rulership and governance that the Lord promised David “that his progeny or ‘descendants’ shall rule over the Jews forever”. Thus, David was succeeded by Solomon. Solomon was succeeded by Rehoboam, -but ten tribes revolted from him and instituted a secular government in parallel with the already existing theocratic government. That ‘schism’ among the Jews continued for nearly nine hundred years, -and, was still in force during reign of Herod the Great. The ‘theocratic government’ (of only one or two tribes) was, at that time, ‘marginalized’, -that is, until Judas instigated an armed ‘insurrection’ to overthrown Herod and thus re-establish the theocracy of his ancestor David.
David successfully replaced and succeeded the ‘anointed king’ Saul.
Aside from the Holy Gospels’ author’s obfuscations of both [Jesus] Barabbas as well as that of Judas the Galilean, likewise is the case as rendered concerning Saul. Despite his ‘admission’ that he persecuted ‘Christians’ prior to his epiphany and conversion, one wonders why. Prior to Saul’s epiphany of the deceased Jewish ‘messiah’ (Judas the Galilean, -renamed “Jesus Christ”) there were no ‘Christians’. Saul, in reality, persecuted ‘messianists’ (or followers of the Jewish ‘messiah’), -and, for ‘good’ reasons or, for reasonable circumstances based upon his own ancestry.
Saul had every reason to see to the demise (crucifixion) of the ‘messiah’. No man in all Jewry hated the ‘descendants of David’ and/or the Jewish ‘messiah’ more than Saul.