The Children of the Apostles

Rating:
Summary: A fascinating book
Review: The author cites the New Testament as evidence that most of the apostles were married, and concludes that it is logical to assume that they had children. In the first chapters, the families . . . including spouses and children of the Twelve. . . are introduced. The cure of Simon Peter's mother-in-law and the reaction of Peter's wife to the prospect of her husband leaving her and their son are typical stories of interest. Matthew, the tax collector, is portrayed as having married a divorced woman with grown children. She eventually leaves him after his call, but her children develop relationships with other apostles' children. Judas from Karioth (Iscariot) has a son, Pollio, who eventually winds up in the Roman army. He is the soldier, who later in the book, thrusts the spear into the side of Christ. Bartholomew, one of the Twelve, and his wife are childless. The wife begs Jesus for a child. He promises that the couple will have a child in a week. How this is accomplished creates interest, because intervening chapters keep the reader wondering. It is hard to separate the stories the author weaves in with the gospel stories, particularly that of John, and the book has several surprises that keep the reader curious to the end. The author has done his research well mixing gospel stories with fictional events. A fascinating book.