The apostle John wrote in his Gospel, “And I suppose that if all the other things Jesus did were written down, the whole world could not contain the books” (21:25). Did Jesus speak to a man while carrying his cross to Calvary? I don’t know. Many legends suggest that he did.
This book is not inspired Scripture. Though it contains a great deal of truth, I’d like you to see it as a parable, a fictional tale with an outer layer of story and layers of deeper meaning underneath. All fiction rests upon an implicit conspiracy between writer and reader—the writer tells the story, and the reader, for a few hours at least, pretends it really happened.
I’m aware that asking you to believe in a two-thousand-year-old man is a little unusual, but thank you for allowing me the privilege. This fiction is based upon fact. As much as possible, when citing historical characters, events, structures, and information about the evolution of the legend of the Wandering Jew, I have taken pains not to contradict the historical record.
I’m not seriously suggesting that God might allow a man to live for two thousand years, but, like Vittorio Pace, I learned a long time ago that it’s never wise to tell God what he can and can’t do. So I am leaving the story in your hands in the hope that it will dwell in your heart for some time to come.
Thank you for journeying with me.
Angela Elwell Hunt
Angie@angelaelwellhunt.com