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Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (World's Best Reading)

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In 1880, a retired Union General by the name of Lew Wallace completed his first historical novel while serving as governor in the Territory of New Mexico. He wrote it in response to questions raised by a famous agnostic sharing a train ride from Chicago to Indianapolis. At the time, Wallace wasn't as knowledgeable of the facts surrounding the life of Christ as he had thought. After doing extensive research, he was inspired to write what has become the definitive religious epic. Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ helped Wallace sort out his own beliefs about God and Christ, and inspired others to do the same. Today, it stands as the most widely read novel of the 19th Century, and one of the most popular works of all time. It has never been out of print in its 130 year history, and has been made into several plays and four films.

Ben-Hur reflects the life and journey of Lew Wallace. At the Battle of Shiloah, through an accident, he and his men arrived too late to help, making the Union losses significantly higher than they would have been. As a result, Wallace was disgraced. Judah Ben-Hur, through the accident of a loose roof tile, loses his home and property, his family is sent to prison, and he is sent to the galleys. Through a miracle of courage and circumstances, Wallace worked his way back, became a successful statesman and author, and is today remembered in the Hall of Statues in Washington, DC. Through a similar miracle, Ben-Hur works his way back to save his family and get revenge over those who caused their calamity. Ben-Hur is a story of courage and revenge, but it is also a story of redemption and salvation. I believe Wallace saw his life the same. Ben-Hur crosses paths with Christ more than once, so that, in the end, his hate and destructiveness are swallowed up in Christ's love and forgiveness. I believe Wallace saw the same miracle in his life.

Ben-Hur did not take off immediately; but, after several years of word-of-mouth, everyone was reading it, especially pastors and their congregations. In 1900, two producers, Klaw and Erlanger, bought the rights to bring Ben-Hur to the New York stage. It was an amazing production that boasted five teams of horses and chariots on stage at once for the great chariot race. They used treadmills for the teams, with moving scenery. There was also a great sea battle that was considered spectacular. The success of the play inspired showmen in the fledgling industry of motion pictures to take note.

The first film version of Ben-Hur was a 15-minute pirated version in 1907. This lead to a law suit by Wallace that set the precedent for future book-to-movie copyright cases. Eventually, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer bought the rights, and produced the first legitimate adaptation in 1925, directed by Fred Niblo and starring Ramon Novarro. In 1959, William Wyler directed a second MGM production of the book, this time starring Charlton Heston. It won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture and Director.

I found the novel by Lew Wallace to be more charming and less "big" than the 1959 film. Even the characters were more life-size. I pictured a Robert Taylor in the role of Ben-Hur rather than Charlton Heston. The only actor from the film that seemed to fit the novel was Finlay Currie as Balthasar, the wise man from Egypt. He was perfect. The entire first of eight books, into which Ben-Hur is divided, is occupied by the three wise men, of which only Balthasar is carried through to the rest of the book, and plays a significant role. In addition to playing Balthasar, Currie also narrates the film.

There is far more focus on Christ in the novel, the 1900 stage play (in which he is played by a beam of light) and the 1925 film than in the 1959 version. The book wrestles with the question of whether He will be an earthly King or a Savior of souls. Ben-Hur, who is a Sadducee, hopes he will be an earthly King, and actually trains three legions of Galileeans in preparation to help Him overthrow the occupying Romans. But Balthasar is convinced Christ will be a Savior of souls, and tries to convince Ben-Hur of the same. It is not until the miraculous events of the last of the eight books that he accepts that fact, and accepts Christ as his Savior.

To date, Ben-Hur is still the greatest Christian novel ever written, as well as one of the all-time great classics. Men still struggle with the question of whether Christ is an earthly King or a Savior of souls. To find out, we must all take similar journeys to Ben-Hur and Balthasar, and be hindered along the way by various Messalas. Not many of us will be like Balthasar and "get" it so quickly. Most of us will be more like Ben-Hur: accept what life throws at us with defiance, deal with it as best we can, struggle, realize we can't do it on our own, accept God's salvation, transcend our troubles through faith, and be transformed into someone new, someone Christ-like. Ben-Hur isn't just about Lew Wallace's journey from failure to freedom; like Pilgrim's Progress, it reflects the common journey all Christians must take.

Waitsel Smith

In 1880 Union General Lew Wallace was stationed at a Western outpost when he began writing Ben Hur to dispel the boredom of his job. General Wallace who fought in some of the major campaigns of the Civil War was also questioning the meaning of his faith when the novel was written.

There are few who do not know the basic premise of this novel and fewer still who have not seen the monumental MGM film based on it. This story chronicles the life of Judah Ben Hur and his desire for revenge against the Roman Messala and all of Rome for the wrongs done him and his family.

In plot the story is simple enough. Ben Hur has been wrongly convicted of an attempt to kill the Roman Governor of Judea and sentenced to death on the Roman galleys. His fortune has been stolen and his family locked away in a dungeon. Ben Hur survives the galleys and defeats his enemy in the now famous chariot race at the Circus at Antioch.

If this were the end of Wallace's story we would have been left with a decent story of revenge and nothing more. However, Wallace incorporates into his story (bookends it really) with the story of the Passion of Jesus.

Wallace uses the coming of Jesus to examine the issues of his own faith. To analyze the dual nature of Jesus as King and Redeemer. To Ben Hur and the fiercely nationalist Jews of his time the world was waiting for a King to come to overthrow the power of Rome. Ben Hur sees this king as an element of his revenge against Rome and uses his restored fortune to build an army in support of the king.

By the end of the novel Ben Hur realizes that the King was not to come to overthrow Rome but to be a Redeemer of souls. That the kingdom to be created was not to be one of this world.

Wallace's narrative takes some time to get used to. It is sluggish and detail oriented. Literally everything is described. If you are looking for a fast read this book is not for you. If you are looking for a novel in the grand scale which also works as a powerful religous meditation give this one a try. The book was a great best seller when it was written and it can still be powerful 120 years later.

Reader Beware: The Wordworth edition of Ben Hur is actually abridged, though the cover says it is not. It is a repreint of an edition they did not know is abridged. Unless you want an abridged copy of a book that isn't all that challenging, buy a different version! Ben-Hur is a great book, o9therwise

This novel written by Lew Wallace in the 1870's, and published in 1880 is nothing short of a timeless classic. It's timeless because it has been a big seller ever since it was published 124 years ago. Because the story is rich in character, people from all walks of religion and life can appreciate this story set in a time of global religious turmoil. Ben-Hur is the story of a Jew's life-long quarrel with his counterpart and nemesis Messala, amid the Roman occupation of ancient Palestine and among the rise of the Christian Religion.

Brief Synopsis: As childhood friends-become-enemies, Judah and Messala always had a burning desire to over achieve each other. As tensions grew with the end of childhood and the beginning of adulthood, the two parted ways only to meet one day under a very peculiar and dark circumstance. As a Roman Prince strode through the streets on his horse, followed by his royal guards and gang, Judah, on his home's rooftop, came flying out to see what all the hype was about. Upon his looking down at the Prince from the rooftop, Judah could scarce get close enough to the magical prince. As though kicked over by the foot of fate, a parcel of the rooftop was sent tumbling down toward the horseman sending his beast to run amuck. Then Roman Guard, Messala, in his final attempt to spite Judah Ben-Hur, quickly pointed his finger in the direction of the innocent Judah casting a glow of malice over him. Ben-Hur became nothing, and his life was reset anew, forever to surrender his soul to his captors. Now a slave, Judah, of the house of Hur, must redeem his life, and that of his family's name. He must rise above slavery and into poverty where he must begin his life anew. Quick is the rise of a true hero, one who knows defeat but cherishes freedom. Read Ben-Hur to find out how Judah's life long quest of redemption leads to salvation and conversion to Christianity and how the restoration of his name and life comes on the day Christ Himself is crucified.

Ben-Hur is the story of freedom, and how quickly it can be torn away from us. This story teaches you that you must forever and always be mindful of, and merit, your good fortune. To those interested in the history of Christ and the religious standoffs of the times, I would strongly suggest reading this novel.

I decided to read only well-written and important works during this Millenial Year (2000). I picked up the 'Focus on the Family' publication of Ben Hur as I was exiting our library. I did not know I had just picked up the novel of my life. This book is suplative in every way-wonderful plot, incredible characterizations, historically accurate, and even life changing. General Lew Wallace wrote this incredible work in 1880, and I don't believe this novel could be written by today's writers. There are some of the most perfectly written sentences I have ever read, every line comparable to fine wine that must be sipped slowly for best effect rather than gulped like present-day works. It took me a full month of pleasure to finish this fine work. It can be enjoyed by Christian and non-Christian alike, and will cause those who believe to believe even stronger, while those unfamiliar or doubtful of the Good News of Christ will be quickened spiritually. This book is gigantic in scope and life changing in effect. By the way, I've never seen the movie, but I'm going to check it tonight

Although subtitled "A Tale of the Christ," fewer than 100 of the 558 pages actually portray Jesus. Instead, this is a far-ranging story of Ben-Hur, whose life seems to combine terrible bad fortune--galley slave by way of a broken roof tile, leprosy for loved ones--and incredible (in its former meaning of "unbelievable") good fortune--inheriting loyal servants (and one beautiful one!), impressing a powerful Roman with his own beauty, seeing Jesus heal many people. It's an entertaining story, only feel free to allow yourself to skim the extensive descriptions if you wish. It's not illegal! After all, in what other book will you read words like "superexcellent" and "ikh"? Be patient, acknowledge that when Wallace wrote the book, life moved at a slower pace and people weren't in a rush to finish everything. Allow the story to weave its web and you'll be caught.

In one of the most unique parlays in human history, Lew Wallace was not only a significant Union General during the Civil War, he also wrote one of the best selling novels in all of literature. After the war, posted to a deadly dull Western fort, Wallace began writing to fill the empty hours. Prompted by a casual discussion about the life and times of Jesus, he set this great story of revenge against the backdrop of Christ's mission.

Judah Ben-Hur is a Jew of Jerusalem. Arriving at manhood, he has become estranged from his childhood friend Messala, a Roman noble. The two exchange bitter words and when Ben-Hur later accidentally dislodges a roof tile which strikes a Roman official, Messala has him sent to the galleys and his mother and sister, Tirzah, sent to a leprosy infested prison cell. As he is being led to the ship on which he will be enslaved, Ben-Hur is offered a drink of water by an unforgettable stranger. Onboard ship, Ben-Hur befriends the Roman admiral Arrius and, after saving his life, is made his heir and a citizen of Rome.

Several years later, wealthy and well educated, Ben-Hur returns to Judea to look for his mother and sister and wreak his revenge on Messala. Vengeance comes when he vanquishes Messala in a chariot race, but his family, freed from their squalid cell and suffering from leprosy, hide from him. Meanwhile, Christ has come to Jerusalem preaching to increasing crowds and Ben-Hur, recognizing the kindly stranger who once helped him, becomes a leader of a group of armed guards bent on protecting him. His devotion becomes all the more complete after Christ heals Tirzah and his mother. But when the time comes, Ben-Hur heeds Christ's wishes and does not intervene. He does manage to return the long ago favor and give Christ a drink and remains to bear witness to the crucifixion. The story concludes with the increasingly wealthy Ben-Hur using his riches to fund the catacombs of Rome from which Christianity would emerge to conquer the Empire.

It is no mystery why this is one of the most beloved of all American novels. The savage revenge theme, worthy of The Count of Monte Cristo, intertwines with the story of Christ to produce a story that is thrilling, uplifting and timeless.

GRADE: A+

General Lew Wallace deserves his own movie, so interesting was his life, and so great was his achievement with this mammoth novel. What is so magnificent to me here is that Ben Hur is about Jews as well as Christians. It's a story of Christ that unites us, rather than divides us. The hero is a Jew, and the novel is a story of a great Jewish family; and yet it is truly a story of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His entrance into history. How many other great Christian novels can interest our Jewish brothers and sisters the way this one can? Too much of our later Christian writing and films is marred by needless anti-Semitism. Not this monumental book! And don't believe that it is dated or unreadable. It is worth the plunge, worth the patience, worth the experience of surrendering to Wallace and his immense gift as a storyteller and a poet. There is so much in this story I can't begin to describe it. ---- The great motion picture versions of the book are vital and transforming today as they were when they were created. --- I hope the novel inspires Christian writers by its absence of bias against the Jewish people, the people who are Our Lord's people. I recommend you buy the new paperback version, of course, but also treat yourself to some of the old venerable hard covers still available; and if you cannot read the book word for word, then move to those parts which draw you in and move on from them. There are times when the writing can put you in a trance with its beauty and its pace. Again, Lew Wallace deserves his own filmed biography. He was a remarkable man. He made history with this book, putting it into the hands of millions of Americans who never read novels at all, and drawing people to Christ with his rich and unforgettable story. He gave Jews and Christians alike a classic that is now an American legend.

A previous reviewer praised the book, but said it was for students and scholars. I disagree with this assessment. I am neither a student, nor a scholar. I have long enjoyed the movie Ben-Hur, so I decided to pick up the book, since I have always found novels to be far better than the movies that they inspire. I was slightly worried after reading some reviews that made it sound like a dull history book. After reading Ben-Hur, I was very pleasantly surprised. It does contain historical information, and is rich with detail, but it is also action packed. I found myself not wanting to put it down until I was finished.

This is a book to be read and enjoyed by everyone. Whether you are an English major, or a business grad (like me), this book is for you.

I read this book in three days. I couldn't put it down. I can honestly say that Ben-Hur, without a doubt, is my favorite book.

It's about a Jew named Judah Ben-Hur living in Israel during the time of Christ. He accidentally "kills" a Roman governor. Judah was on the roof of his house and the Roman guy was below him on his horse in the street. One of the tiles on the roof of Judah's house comes loose and it scares the horse, who rears, sending the Roman flying off it.

Judah is accused as an assassin and is sent to work as a galley slave for life. On his way there, Joseph the carpenter and Jesus come into Jerusalem. Joseph is talking with Roman soldier when Jesus sees Judah, who is in agony (it's sweltering hot), and gives him water.

You'll just have to read the rest for yourself. It's definitely worth it! But I will tell you that later in the story is a really cool chariot race scene between Judah and his enemy, Messala. It's so awesome! I know you'll enjoy Ben-Hur.