My Own Revolution

Lamb is one of the most intelligent and humorous books that I’ve ever been fortunate to read. Christopher Moore does an exceptional job filling in the missing pieces of Jesus’ childhood days. He has delicately weaved imagination with both historical and religious fact to portray his version of a small boy being raised with knowledge that he is the son of God.

Joshua (as Jesus is called in the book taken from the Hebrew “Yeshua” ) is shadowed by his foul mouthed best friend, Biff. Biff is basically along for the ride highly devoted and determined to help his friend find the answers he needs to become Messiah. He even comes to form a school boy crush on Joshua’s mother, Mary. Biff doesn’t care that the rest of the town thinks she is crazy. He is more than willing to step in and take her for his wife should her husband (Joseph) ever pass away. Joshua, makes it clear he is not very pleased with his friend’s desire, “”Don’t let anyone ever tell you that the Prince of Peace never struck anyone.”

Biff follows Joshua on his quest to learn how to become the Messiah, seeking out the three wise men who were in attendance at his birth. The unlikely pair travel through India and China. Joshua learns all that he can along the way while dealing with the pressures of becoming the Messiah. Biff picks up a few tricks, himself, such as martial arts and making explosives. He is also eager to help Joshua understand sin, as Joshua cannot partake of sin himself. Biff tells Joshua all he learns giving such advise as, “Sin is moist make a mental note.”

Throughout the story another friend that they both grew up with makes her appearance known. She is a sweet and crafty girl named Maggie who harbors a love for Joshua never to be realized as he must remain chaste. You will know her from the Bible as Mary Magdelene.

Joshua, along with Biff, Maggie, and the Three Wise Men continues to learn and grow eventually walking in his father’s footsteps as The Messiah. His travels result in the same unfortunate fate that we are all familiar with. Biff, loyal to the end, tries everything to protect Josh eventually killing Judas for his betrayal.

Moore has a clever way of explaining many things such as the origin of the Easter Bunny through Joshua’s affections for rabbits and declaration that: “Henceforth and from now on, I decree that whenever something bad happens to me, there shall be bunnies around.”

Some may misconstrue Moore’s efforts as blasphemous or a mockery. To me, his work is simply a hilarious and lighthearted offering of what life just might have been like for Jesus as a child. Though he takes Joshua’s studies seriously, this is not a book meant to change the world. Seek it out with an open mind and a willingness to be entertained.

An excerpt:

Talking about Kama Sutra
Biff: “Josh are you sure it doesn’t bother you talking about this stuff when you will never be allowed to do it?”
Josh: “No it’s interesting. It doesn’t bother you when I talk about heaven does it?”
Biff: “Should it?”
Josh: “Look! A Seagull!”