That Boy from Nazareth: The Coming of Age of Jesus of Nazareth

by Joel Gordonson

Set in ancient Palestine during the dangerous Roman occupation and Jewish rebellion, That Boy from Nazareth weaves a suspenseful coming-of-age adventure in which God reveals to a young Jesus his true identity as the Son of God. Powerful opposing forces pursue him using any means necessary to find the boy and either kill him or use him for their own nefarious purposes. Rich with captivating detail, this compelling, fast-paced adventure, told through the characters who later define Jesus’ life in the Gospels, is filled with suspense, humor, and intriguing dialogue that lend a new and real sense of humanity to the story of how a twelve-year-old boy from a humble family in a Galilean town was given the power to change the world.

370 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2015

About the author

Joel Gordonson, before becoming a novelist, has enjoyed a career as an international attorney. He holds law degrees in the United States and from the University of Cambridge.

Gordonson’s family tree includes a long line of ministers, including a great-grandfather who emigrated from Europe in 1860 to become a missionary on the American western frontier. It is this lineage that influenced the subject of his first novel, That Boy from Nazareth.

Reviews

[Pagandeva2000]

Nice But Phony

Oh, so the disciples knew each other from childhood? Mary moved into town as a young girl? This would have been a nice story if the childhoods were discussed separately and then how they came together... that , to me, took what could be a nice story but made insincere.

[Janet]

This is a fictional account of Jesus when he was a twelve year old boy. However, it seems farfetched and is full of biblical and historical inaccuracies. Those who are familiar with the Bible will notice them right away.

But one that stood out to me, might not be obvious to most Christian readers. For the majority of the book, Zacharias is preparing Jesus and Judas for a trip to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover. While there, the boys go to the Temple and read from the Torah and give a commentary on their Scripture passage. What the author is alluding to is a bar mitzvah. But at the time of Jesus, Jewish boys didn't come of age until closer to twenty years old and there was no special ceremony or prayers. (The bar mitzvah we know today came about closer to the Middle Ages and the boys came of age at 13 years old. The bat mitzvah was created in the 20th century and is for 12 year old girls.)

[Casi Willis]

Obviously, a fiction story about this time of Jesus' life has to take much liberty with his life, as well as the other historical characters. I did not agree with some of the choices the author made and therefore found it difficult to digest the book. I actual liked the story line--I just did not like it being about Jesus. Usually when I read historical fiction, there are more historical facts with completely fictional characters, or if it is a real person in history, more is known about them than we know about Jesus at this age. So, I found it hard to imagine that Jesus would do things or be as the author wanted to portray him.

[ERM]

I found this book to be a fantastic blend of historical and creative writing for both religious and non-religious readers. The clever character depictions of Jesus' childhood community made for an entertaining story with twists and turns of suspense and humor. The power struggle of political and religious leaders, parental conflict of raising and protecting their son and a seemingly normal boy who is discovering his beliefs. A truly enjoyable read with 'aha' moments throughout.