Lamb fills in blanks about Jesus
by Laleña Broussard

A story following the traditional path of information provided in the New Testament, the Lamb additionally fills in the blanks about the life of Jesus as a child. The novel Lamb, The Gospel According to Biff, Christ’s Childhood Pal is written by Christopher Moore.

The book touches on some very serious aspects of Christianity including the sources for Jesus’ teachings, family, friends and his adventures being the Son of God.

Moore has written several other books like Practical Demonkeeping and The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove which I have read and find consistently funny, well written and witty. As an author Moore excels at grabbing the reader’s attention by exploring complicated and socially relevant subject matter such as religion, modern medicine, sex and immortality.

This book is not serious nor does it claim to be an accurate portrayal of biblical fact. It does however claim to be funny with every right to that claim.

At the end of Lamb Moore refers to the method of writing in this particular book. He writes, “Can you really teach Yoga to an elephant? Well no, you can’t, but we’re talking about Jesus here. Nobody knows what he could do.”

“The book you’ve just read is a story. I made it up. It is not designed to change anyone’s beliefs or worldview, unless after reading it you’ve decided to be kinder to your fellow humans, or you decide you really would like to try to teach yoga to an elephant, in which case, please get a video tape.”

Moore did do research for the book. He explains the sources but continually stresses that it’s all just “telling stories.”

Moore’s style is quick and fast paced. It draws you into the world he has created and allows you to enjoy the story without needing to stop and think, how could that be?

This book in particular requires that style of writing, because for many people this is sacred territory. While the bible may leave out most everything until Jesus was thirty, people are still offended by the idea that He might have done things all normal children do and some things that only the Son of God could do.

I did not find this book the least bit offensive even though I can see how some might. I did, however, enjoy the new perspectives given on the lighter side of a very dark and sad history.

The premise is this: In present time the angel Raziel is sent to earth to bring Levi, who was called Biff, back to life after two thousand years.

The task Biff is given is to stay in his hotel room at the Hyatt Regency and write his story of Jesus’ life from the point of view of someone who knew Him since the age of six.

The reason Biff is never mentioned by any of the other writings is that he is a bit crude. His story encompasses such a great spread of time, before any of the apostles, even before Jesus was called Jesus.

Biff is known throughout most of the book as Joshua. Biff’s story is that of a caring, but not too polite, friend who does everything he can to help a best friend out. Biff goes so far as to have sex so Joshua can know what the big deal is without ever doing it himself. What a great friend.

I know it doesn’t sound funny, but it is. People as a whole can be funny, and in Moore’s book Jesus and the people he encounters are no exception. Trust me. If you can’t, just read it and judge for yourself.

The following is an excerpt:

“You think you know how this story is going to end, but you don’t. Trust me, I was there. I know.

The first time I saw the man who would save the world he was sitting near the central well in Nazareth with a lizard tail hanging out of his mouth. Just the tail end and the hind legs were visible on the outside; the head and the forelegs were halfway down the hatch. He was six, like me, and his beard had not come in fully, so he didn’t look much like the pictures you’ve seen of him.”