Book excerpt: Illuminated by the recently recovered Matthias Scroll, this novel provides the first-ever document-based account of Jesus life and death. When the disciples glorified Jesus crucifixion, Matthias swore their Gospels would not bury his friend beneath the cornerstone of their new religion. As Jesus companion for that last, fateful year (Acts I:21), he could not celebrate his death as a model of salvation. Instead, he would write a scroll telling what actually happened. Formatted as a suspenseful novel, The Matthias Scroll reveals hitherto unknown events leading to his arrest, crucifixion, and fully illuminating what happened during and after his interment. Exposed by fresh translations, recovered pearls of verifiable history are strung together, leading to a portrait of Jesus never before suspected. Against a background enlivened by sights and sounds of the Galilee, as well as Temple festivities in Jerusalem, the reader will meet many colorful New Testament characters, joining Jesus and the disciples in the epic drama. Shaped with a deep sense of the history, this controversial but fascinating work offers a vivid portrayal of Jesus as a respected teacher of his generation, at the moment when Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity were born.Dr. Michael Berenbaum