Rev. Felipe Gomez S.J.

The Hidden Years,
A novel about Jesus

by Neil Boyd
Twenty‑Third Publications Mystic, CT,251 pgs. $3.95 paper

What about a novel for a change? During vacation time, we need recreation, but a useful one. So why don't we read a story about Jesus, both entertaining and informative? The. book I present here offers precisely that! 

THE HIDDEN YEARS describes Jesus as an individual rich in humanity, without malice or sin, endowed with a heart capable of deep, faithful, gentle affection. The author seems to have in mind the old stories of the "Apocryphal Gospels", which depicted Jesus as a "God walking on earth", irradiating divinity and making miracles all around: no, Jesus was not that way, but a truly human man, simple in his way of life, like any other citizen of Nazareth. Boyd pays special attention to Jesus' awareness of himself and how He grew in His consciousness of both His person and His mission. The last three years in Nazareth are described very vividly, following the widespread opinions of modem scholars about Jesus and His human existence.

As a man, Jesus is really human and humane, capable of a great variety of moods. As a Jew, He lived the typical family life of His people and culture. It is interesting to pay attention to the traditions, customs, family relationships, etc.  all this helps us to better understand the way Jesus lived and reacted to the challenges of His time. He observed the Law of Moses, but had always a higher law in Himself, namely love. This put Jesus at odds with His own people, even in Nazareth: the novel supposes that the conflicts we read in the canonical Gospels had actually started even before, during Jesus' hidden life. Many of the stories and parables of the Gospels are "acted out" before: so, for example, Jesus is described as the victim of the parable of the Good Samaritan: Jesus meets Mary Magdalene before and had contacts with the fishermen Peter, Andrew, James, and John, and even with Judas. In these encounters Jesus sees God's plan about Him unfolding progressively.

In this novel, of course, there are many fictional personages, but true to biblical traits, such as Ezra, the Nazerethan old rabbi, who is described very kindly. The Blessed Mother is portrayed as a loving, compassionate, realistic, faith‑filled woman. Other historical characters are also  creatively presented: the readers have many delightful surprises.

The book is literarily beautiful. Since not all can go to the Holy Land in pilgrimage - can we afford it? this book is an inexpensive (not cheap) substitute: the reader "sees" the land as Jesus saw it, the towns and people and culture of His time. The novel is credible and should appeal to all Christians, especially the youth. This Jesus is the Savior we need today, divine, of course, yet very approachable and enriching even our most human dimensions.