The Victor by Patricia St John
Philo, the son of a fisherman in first century Tyre, is traumatised by his sister’s sinister illness. When his father drowns, the family is thrown into poverty. Only little Ione provides a ray of sunshine.
Dramatical events
Rumours of a mysterious prophet with miraculous powers begin to circulate. But Philo’s bitterness against the harsh new master of his family’s boat moves him to take revenge. Fearing being found out, he flees to the Lake of Galilee, where his uncle lives, married to a Jewess, the daughter of a Pharisee. But here, too, Philo feels unwanted and unhappy.
Amazing stories concerning the travelling prophet Jesus circulate. Philo meets a man he delivered of evil spirits, who is now joyful and hard-working, although his neighbours ostracise him. Some call him an imposter, some say his power comes from the devil. Others flock to hear him and rejoice over his miracles.
Things come to a head when the healer is executed. But when Philo joins his uncle and cousin on a trip to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost, a tangible excitement pervades the community. No one dares to speak openly about it, but rumour has it that the prophet is alive.
Philo’s guilt and hopelessness torment him and he struggles to understand what is happening around him. Is Jesus the long-awaited Messiah of the Jews? In which case he, a Gentile, has no hope. Or could he be what some people are saying: the Saviour of the World?
Appraisal
The Victor brings to life many familiar biblical incidents from the life of Jesus – healing blind and leprous people, feeding the five thousand, raising Jairus’s daughter, calming the storm. But his final days on Earth remain clouded in mystery.
Patricia St John paints a realistic and vivid picture of the living conditions of both the Syro-Phoenicians of Tyre and the Jewish people in Galilee. She brings out the anguish of their devastating ailments and struggles to survive, as well as the joy of having their lives touched and redressed by the prophet.