Ben-Hur

It took me a number of months to make my way through Ben-Hur by Lew Wallace, despite enjoying it quite a bit while I was reading it. I think the main obstacle was just that I was reading it on my Kindle and I just don't pick up e-books as much as I do physical copies. I am not sure I understand why, but it's generally the case.

Cover of Ben-Hur

This book wasn't as long as I expected it to be based on the sheer size of the film from 1959, which is quite long. Nearly four hours, I believe. I haven't watched it before but am looking forward to it now that I've read the book.

Ben-Hur follows the tale of a Jew named Judah that, due to a combination of an accident and deeply rooted prejudices, gets accused of attempting to kill a Roman official. He is sentenced to hard labor rowing a ship and his mother and sister are both tucked away in a prison cell. All of their property, which was substantial, was confiscated. Even before these events that spur Judah Ben-Hur's story arc, though, the novel starts with the three wise men who sought and found the birthplace of Jesus Christ. One of the three wise men, the Egyptian Balthasar, ends up playing a pretty substantial role later in the book. His daughter follows a more sinister path but is also a major character. The events of the novel take place over the course of thirty-six years, so they include Jesus' entire life, though his influence on Ben-Hur and on Ben-Hur's faith journey is a slow and steady one, which I would say the same of my faith journey.

One conversation Balthasar has with Ben-Hur was particularly striking to me and I told the story to several of my friends and family. The wise man noted that he had been told by an angel to seek the birthplace of he who would be the King of the Jews that would bring redemption to all people. Later, after they give gifts to Jesus and depart from Bethlehem, a messenger notifies Balthasar that all of the children in Bethlehem were killed under Herod's orders. Ben-Hur is devastated to hear this so soon after hearing that the Messiah had come. Balthasar makes a distinction between having been told that and not believing that news. He did not believe it because the angels, who would not lie, had told him to seek he who would redeem all people. Jesus, as a baby, had not done that. Indeed, Balthasar reasoned, he likely wouldn't do that until he was a man. Balthasar concluded that he must be keeping a low profile until that time as he had been born as a human through Mary. He further reasoned that his kingdom must not be a worldly one given these circumstances, but one for souls. Only then would there be redemption.

It strikes me because it must have been a really frightening and confusing time period to live through. They didn't know or have any way of determining if Jesus had survived. They had reason and they had faith. That is all. Ben-Hur, himself, vacillates between believing that Jesus is going to replace Caesar or that he would be a king of a kingdom not of this world, as Balthasar suggested.

Ben-Hur's first priority was revenge. His ship gets wrecked and he rescues a Roman official who ultimately adopts him and establishes Roman citizenship for Ben-Hur. The epic chariot race at the games pitted Ben-Hur against one of his greatest Roman adversaries, resulting in the enrichment of Ben-Hur and the humiliation and crippling of his foe. Ben-Hur resolves to use his abilities, resources, and influence to assist the Messiah. At the time, he felt he needed three legions of trained soldiers to protect Jesus and to advance His work.

There's a stunning scene later in the book where Ben-Hur's mother and sister, who get released from prison but had become infected with leprosy, approach Jesus Christ on Palm Sunday and beseech him as the Messiah to heal them. And they are made clean. It is moving to observe Ben-Hur and his family react to that incredible blessing.

Ben-Hur later witnesses Jesus' arrest and, in that moment, did not do anything. He was a skilled swordsman, was armed, and devoted to Jesus, but he froze. As the Roman soldiers are dragging him off, Ben-Hur approaches Jesus, after the disciples had all fled, and asks him quickly whether if he could prevent this death would Jesus want him to. Jesus looked at him but said nothing.

He had already said he was the resurrection and the life. He also referred to the cup being served him and his willingness to take it for God's glory.

Ben-Hur sleeps through the trial, torture, and final judgment of crucifixion for Jesus. Ben-Hur's legions had evaporated except for only two soldiers. That simplified any decision making that Ben-Hur had to do so he went to Golgotha without aims to rescue Jesus. Balthasar is there as well.

This was my first reading of Ben-Hur, and I only regret not having read it long ago. Outstanding and moving book. The author weaves Ben-Hur's story with his companions and family with that of Jesus and of Rome. It was a complicated time period and to say less than those events irrevocably changed the world forever would be a blatant lie. Back to Ben-Hur, though - highly recommended. Very well done.