The Last Temptation of Christ - Matthew and the Gospel

In another scene in the book (not shown in the film, at least not that I recall...), Kazantzakis lays out a possibility as to the composition of the Gospel. Jesus has not yet gone to the cross.

"Matthew kept his quill ready and his eyes and ears open. He did not allow even a single word to fall to the ground, but collected everything and placed it on paper. And thus little by little, day by day, the Gospel - the Good News - was copmosed....

Mathew knew the Scriptures by heart. He noticed how the teacher's sayings and deeds were exactly the same as the prophets, centuries earlier had proclaimed; and if once in a while the prophecies and Jesus' life did not quite match, it was because the mind of man was not eager to undersatnd the hidden meaning of the sacred text.

The word of God had seven levels of meaning, and Matthew struggled to find at which level the incompatible elements could find their mates. Even if he occasionally matched things by force, God forgives! Not only would he forgive, he desired this. Every time Matthew took up his quill, did not an angel come and bend over his ear to intone what he was to write?

Today was the first time Matthew clearly understood wehre to start and how the life and times of Jesus had to be taken in hand. First of all, where he was born and who is parents and grandparents were, for fourteen generations. He was born in Nazareth to poor parents - to Joseph the carpenter and Mary, daughter of Joachim and Anne...Matthew took up his quill and called silently upon God to enlighten his mind and give him strength.

But as he began to inscribe the first words on the paper in a beautiful hand, his finger stiffened. The angel had seized him. He heard wings beat angrily in the air and a voice trumpeted in his ear, "Not the son of Joseph! What says the prophet Isaiah: 'Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son'...Write: Mary was a virgin..."

More Scriptures are applied to Jesus' life.

"But Matthew grew angry. He turned toward the invisible wings at his right and growled softly, so that the sleeping disciples would not hear him: "It's not true. I don't want to write, and I won't!"

"Mocking laughter was heard in the air, and a voice: "How can you understand what truth is, you handful of dust? Truth has seven levels. On the highest is enthroned the truth of God, which bears not the slightest resemblance to the truth of men. It is the truth, Matthew Evangelist, that I entone in your ear..."

"The sweat gushed from Matthew's forehead. "I won't write! I won't write!" he cried, but his hand was running over the page, writing." (pp. 348-50)

Kazantzakis is not afraid of tackling Biblical criticism head on. It is obvious that he is familiar with it and, for those who have tackled the subject and the challenge to one's faith, this is a pivotal moment in the book. I remember reading it for the first time and nearly jumping with excitement when I had encountered this. Here is a book of devotion, of conviction, and yet here, in plain detail is a counter to the claims of those who dismiss the veracity of the Gospel accounts, an alternative, even "third" view, to consider.

A little further on in the book, Jesus asks to see what Matthew has written about him. The following dialogue takes place:

"Matthew," said Jesus, "bring your notebook here. What do you write?"

Matthew got up and handed Jesus his writings. He was very happy.

"Rabbi," he said, "here I recount your life and works, for men of the future."

Jesus knelt under a lamp and began to read....Jesus skimmed through the notebook and then, unable to control himself any longer, stood up straight and indignantly threw Matthew's Gospel down on the ground.

"What is this?" he screamed. "Lies! Lies! Lies! The Messiah doesn't need miracles. he is the miracle - no other is necessary!"

No wonder the book (and the film) caused such an uproar.

I haven't read the book in a while and am enjoying revisiting it. It really helped alleviate many of the struggles I had after first encountering Biblical criticism as I realized I was not alone in the struggles. I began to realize just how much religious faith differs from the faith men put in the reductionist worldview of our scientific age.

Fundamental reading for those who seek to foster growth in their conviction of the Christian faith. It may seem like a paradox but I have found that works such as these can be more advantageous than works that simply confirm what is already known or believed.