Elijah in the New Testament

I've heard it said that one reason people in Haifa can coexist in relative peace is because Moses never came here, Jesus never came here, and Mohammed never came here. However, Elijah – an important figure in Judaism, Christianity and Islam – did spend quite a bit of time in these hills. And if you travel around the area enough you will find various memorials, holy sites, and tributes to this great prophet. A discussion at an inter-faith event at one of these sights this spring prompted me to think about this question: who was Elijah to the writers of the New Testament? How is he portrayed by these early followers of Yeshua? Who did they understand him to be, and how did they understand his role and relevance to their lives?

As time passes, heroes of the past tend to be idealized or particular aspects of them are remembered more than others. In later Jewish tradition, Elijah is seen as the prophet who heralds the Messiah’s coming, makes surprise visits to people, works miracles, makes amends for an unjust sufferer, or even acts almost like an intermediate commentator between the sages and the divine. He also makes an appearance in the Qur’an in a recounting of his showdown with the priests of Ba’al.

There are 10 distinct mentions of Elijah in the New Testament. Of these, 7 are in a narrative context and 3 are in a context I would call homiletic. Here are the references. Below, I include some of my observations and interpretations of the individual passages to give some context for my conclusions.

    Narrative

1. The annunciation of John the Baptizer’s birth (Luke 1:2-25)
2. During John the Baptizer’s ministry (John 1:21-27)
3. Account of John the Baptizer in prison (Matthew 11:2-9 cf. Luke 7:18-30)
4. Rumors about Yeshua's identity (Mark 6:14-15, Luke 9:7-8)
5. Peter’s confession of Yeshua as the Messiah (Matthew 16:13-16, Mark 8:27-29, Luke 9:18-20)
6. The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13, Mark 9:2-13, Luke 9:28-36)
7. Yeshua’s crucifixion (Matthew 27:45-50, Mark 15:33-37)
   
   
   Homiletic
   
8. Yeshua rejected in Nazareth (Luke 4:23-27)
9. Paul writing about the remnant of Israel (Romans 11:1-6)
10. James writing about the power of prayer (James 5:13-18)

These passages paint an interesting picture of who Elijah was understood to be at the time of Yeshua and the first apostles. In the narrative passages, Elijah is portrayed as the archetypal prophet who when placed alongside Yeshua magnifies his glory. These stories highlight several roles of Elijah including the herald of Messiah, the restorer of all things, and the unexpected visitor. Although there is the expectation that Elijah is yet to herald Messiah’s coming in glory, his role heralding Yeshua’s first coming is accomplished through John the Baptizer. It is almost as if in John the Baptizer, Elijah is here as a visitor in disguise. These stories also deal with the people’s expectations of Elijah, mainly that he vindicates the unjustly accused, works miracles, and brings purity (through immersion).

The homiletic passages each draw on a particular aspect of a story of Elijah to support a point. When Yeshua was teaching in the Nazareth synagogue, he focuses on Elijah’s mission and audience in comparison with his own. In the epistles, the writers emphasize the common nature of Elijah making him relatable to their readers. Overall, though, these passages focus more on God’s work in the situations than on Elijah himself. In general, Elijah is portrayed as the archetypal prophet who despite his legendary status is similar and relatable to the reader.

For the most part, the narrative passages deal with Elijah as described in the prophets, while the homiletic passages deal with truths from the stories of Elijah’s life. So how did the New Testament believers see Elijah? He is portrayed as a visitor with a message of restoration and the coming of the Messiah. He is also a reminder that we serve the same God that makes him a great prophet. Therefore, Elijah’s greatness primarily serves to magnify the greatness of the Lord Yeshua.

Rabbi Eliezer, Jewish Believers in Yeshua and Martyrdom

During the spring semester I took a class on "Rabbinic Foundational Stories and Modern Jewish Identities." Our final assignment was to write a paper analyzing a foundational story from Rabbinic literature along a with a modern response to that story. Here is a short version or abstract of my paper. If you want more details, you can read the entire thing here.

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The relationship between Judaism and Christianity in late antiquity has been a subject of increased research in recent years. Many scholars have rejected simplistic explanations of the “parting of the ways” between a particular offshoot from a continuous parent vine in favor of a more nuanced concurrent development of religions based on common roots. The story of the arrest of Rabbi Eliezer b. Hyrcanus on suspicion of heresy (B. Avodah Zarah 16b-17a, Tosefta Chullin 2:24, Midrash Kohelet Rabbah 1:8:4) reveals the complex and multifaceted interaction between early Jewish and Christian communities. The context of this story identifies the heresy in question as Jewish believers in Yeshua. It shows the connection between even great sages such as Rabbi Eliezer and Jewish followers of Yeshua as well as giving a stern warning to those who may be tempted to seek Torah understanding from outside the safety of rabbinic orthodoxy.

When Rabbi Eliezer is arrested, he is tried by a Roman judge. The peculiar trial concludes quickly and abruptly without any actual defense by R. Eliezer. He is able to get the charges dismissed through a clever play on words rather than by cursing Yeshua or denying his affinity with or sympathy to the minim (heretics). Although the legal matter of R. Eliezer’s arrest is settled, the issue still must be addressed in his own conscience and in the community, and the story turns to a discussion of halakhah and interaction with a disciple of Yeshua.

This story suggests several facets in the relationship between Rabbinic Judaism and Jewish Christians. There seems to be enough contact between these communities to make it worth raising the issue in the literature. The discussion itself displays fairly standard halakhic procedure on the part of Yeshua and his disciple, which suggests that the conflict between communities is still an inherently Jewish and internal issue. The conclusion of the matter, however, is that a wise Jew will avoid the Jewish believers in Yeshua and their halakhah or face serious spiritual and moral danger. Conformance to standard rabbinic halakhah as opposed to that of the minim is crucial to maintaining Jewish identity.

Daniel Boyarin responds to this text in his article “Martyrdom and the Making of Early Christianity and Judaism” by emphasizing these ideas in support of his thesis that ideologies of martyrdom developed and ultimately distinguished the Jewish and Christian religions due to the close connection between these communities in the first several centuries. The story serves as a launching point for establishing this connection in the context of a potential martyrdom scenario. He treats the story as foundational both in the development of the philosophy of martyrdom and the blurred lines between Christianity and Judaism in the era of the second to fourth centuries. 

Boyarin discusses the development of Judaism and Christianity in this period. He notes that “without the power of the Orthodox Church and the Rabbis to declare people heretics and outside the system – ‘neither Jews nor Christians,’ in Jerome’s words in his famous letter to Augustine – it remains impossible to declare phenomenologically who is a Jew and who is a Christian.” In his discussion, Boyarin argues that the story speaks to the close relations between the nascent Jewish and Christian communities that in turn reflects how conceptions of martyrdom spread among these communities. The details reflect a closeness between early Jews and Christians that the story itself is trying to subvert. Although we cannot necessarily say anything about the actual historical affiliations of R. Eliezer, he affirms that in this period, it was entirely possible to be both a Pharisee and a follower of Yeshua. Therefore the story opens a window into the complex relationship between followers of the Rabbis and followers of Yeshua in which they are “both recognizing and denying at one and the same time that Christians are us.”

Boyarin’s scholarship and application of stories such as these extends to other expressions of Jewish identity. His work is cited extensively by leaders and members of the modern Messianic Jewish movement as affirmation of the Jewish identity of Jewish believers in Yeshua, even though many elements of his theology and views regarding Israel are probably at odds with mainstream Messianic views. However, scholarly recognition that belief in Yeshua is (or at least was at one point) a valid expression of Jewish identity is very promising for the present Messianic community’s struggle for acceptance from both Rabbinic Jews and Gentile Christians – a struggle that, as Boyarin notes, is very ancient.

Boyarin, Daniel. "Martyrdom and the Making of Christianity and Judaism." Journal of Early Christian Studies 6.4 (1998): 577-627. Print.

Masada

While reading about Masada in Hebrew class, I started reflecting on that story. It’s a story of bravery and heroism. How 1,000 Jews (including women and children) in the mountain fortress held against an army of 10,000 Romans until the bitter end. And even then, they would not accept defeat – choosing death by their own hands rather than life as slaves to the Romans. That would have been a fate worse than death for them. The story of Masada has been glorified. It’s a powerful, inspirational story. It instills national pride. It motivates soldiers in the IDF to be willing to die for their country. But it also begs the moral question of suicide. Is there really a situation (even in war) where hope is lost to the extent that an individual or a whole community should take their life? There are several instances of suicide in the Bible (some, like King Saul, are in the context of war); however none of these are portrayed positively. I also think about the battles of ancient Israel which had worse odds than the siege at Masada. Gideon defeated the entire Midianite army with 300 men. Not that you should always expect a miraculous victory, but God is able to turn the worst defeat into victory. I pray I will never have to be in that situation, but I hope that I would trust in God to be my shield and my salvation. I found Psalm 27 to be very insightful in light of Masada. Here is the Psalm with emphasis added for phrases I found especially resonant with the story of Masada.

27 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
    whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
    of whom shall I be afraid?

² When evildoers assail me
    to eat up my flesh,
my adversaries and foes,
    it is they who stumble and fall.

³ Though an army encamp against me,
    my heart shall not fear;
though war arise against me,
    yet I will be confident.

⁴ One thing have I asked of the Lord,
    that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
    all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord
    and to inquire in his temple.

⁵ For he will hide me in his shelter
    in the day of trouble;^*
he will conceal me under the cover of his tent;
    he will lift me high upon a rock.

⁶ And now my head shall be lifted up
    above my enemies all around me,
and I will offer in his tent
    sacrifices with shouts of joy;
I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

⁷ Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud;
    be gracious to me and answer me!
⁸ You have said, “Seek my face.”
My heart says to you,
    “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”
⁹     Hide not your face from me.
Turn not your servant away in anger,
    O you who have been my help.
Cast me not off; forsake me not,
    O God of my salvation!
¹⁰ For my father and my mother have forsaken me,
    but the Lord will take me in.

¹¹ Teach me your way, O Lord,
    and lead me on a level path
    because of my enemies.
¹² Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
    for false witnesses have risen against me,
    and they breathe out violence.

¹³ I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
    in the land of the living!
¹⁴ Wait for the Lord;
    be strong, and let your heart take courage;^**
    wait for the Lord!

^*There were 2 women and 5 children who escaped to tell the story by hiding in pipes

^**חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ (chazak veya’ametz libekha)

Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien Quotes

I recently finished reading The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien. It was a very interesting compilation of letters Tolkien wrote to his publishers, children, fans and friends between 1914 and 1973. They really paint a picture of Tolkien’s thoughts and personality. As a longtime fan and admirer of Tolkien, I enjoyed the book a lot. It made me want to take up letter writing although it seems a lost art these days. Some of the things he said really stood out to me so I made special note of them. Here are some quotes I marked:

[On choosing to use “dwarves” rather than “dwarfs” in The Hobbit]

“The real ‘historical’ plural of dwarf (like teeth of tooth) is dwarrows anyway: rather a nice word, but a bit too archaic. Still, I rather wish I had used the word dwarrow.” (#17, 1937)

[In response to a potential German publisher of The Hobbit inquiring in 1938 whether he was of Aryan race.]

“I regret that I am not clear as to what you intend by arisch. I am not of Aryan extraction: that is Indo-iranian; as far as I am aware none of my ancestors spoke Hindustani, Persian, Gypsy, or any related dialects. But if I am to understand that you are enquiring whether I am of Jewish origin, I can only reply that I regret that I appear to have no ancestors of that gifted people.” (#30, 1938)

“Though in times of peace we get, perhaps (and naturally and for the purpose rightly), too engrossed in thinking of everything as a preparation or training or making one fit – for what? At any minute it is what we are and are doing, not what we plan to be and do that counts.” (#40, 1940)

“There is a place called ‘heaven’ where the good here unfinished is completed; and where the stories unwritten, and the hopes unfulfilled, are continued.” (#45,1941)

“You have to understand the good in things, to detect the real evil.” (#45, 1941)

“…that ruddy ignoramus Adolf Hitler…” (#45,1941)

“But who knows? We are in God’s hands. Our lot has fallen on evil days: but that cannot be by mere ill chance. Take care of yourself in all due ways (aequam serva mentem, comprime linguam [keep a calm mind and restrain the tongue])” (#61, 1944)

“Good sermons require some art, some virtue, some knowledge. Real sermons require some special grace which does not transcend art but arrives at it by instinct or ‘inspiration’; indeed the Holy Spirit seems sometimes to speak through a human mouth providing art, virtue and insight he himself does not possess: but the occasions are rare.” (#63, 1944)

“The utter stupid waste of war, not only material but moral and spiritual, is so staggering to those who have to endure it. And always was (despite the poets), and always will be (despite the propagandists) – not of course that it has not is and will be necessary to face it in an evil world.” (#64, 1944)

“[Priscilla Tolkien has] just read Out of the S. Planet and Perelandra; and with good taste preferred the latter. But she finds it hard to realize that Ransom is not meant to be a portrait of me (though as a philologist I may have some part in him, and recognize some of my opinions and ideas Lewisified in him).” (#77, 1944)

“Do ‘ramble on’. Letters need not be only about exterior events (though all details are welcome). What you are thinking is just as important: Christmas, bee-noises, and all the rest.” (#83, 1944)

“It is the aeroplane of war that is the real villain… My sentiments are more or less those that Frodo would have had if he discovered some Hobbits learning to ride Nazgûl birds, ‘for the liberation of the Shire’.” (#100, 1945)

[On the atomic bomb]

“The utter folly of these lunatic physicists to consent to do such work for war-purposes: calmly plotting the destruction of the world!” (#102, 1945)

“Reward on earth is more dangerous for men than punishment!” (#130, 1950)

“The Lord of the Rings is a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like ‘religion’, to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism.” (#142, 1953)

“…an imaginary mythical Age (mythical, not allegorical: my mind does not work allegorically).” (#144, 1954)

“As a story, I think it is good that there should be a lot of things unexplained (especially if an explanation actually exists);” (#144, 1954)

“Great harm can be done, of course, by this potent mode of ‘myth’ – especially wilfully. The right to ‘freedom’ of the subcreator is no guarantee among fallen men that it will not be used as wickedly as is Free Will.” (#153, 1954)

“But it is difficult to stop once roused on such an absorbing topic to oneself as oneself.” (#163, 1955)

“I do think of the ‘Dwarves’ like Jews; at once native and alien in their habitations, speaking the languages of the country, but with an accent due to their own private tongue….” (#176, 1955)

“I have now got a pestilent doctorate thesis to explore, when I would rather be doing something less useful….” (#176, 1955)

“For if there is anything in a journey of any length, for me it is this: a deliverance from the plantlike state of helpless passive sufferer, an exercise however small of will, and mobility – and of curiosity, without which a rational mind becomes stultified.” (#183, 1956)

“As ‘research students’ always discover, however long they are allowed, and careful their work and their notes, there is always a rush at the end, when the last date suddenly approaches on which their thesis must be presented.” (#187, 1956)

“I wish well-meaning folk who think they know could be restrained!” (#236, 1961)

[On working on the entry for "hobbit" in the Oxford English Dictionary]

“Oh what a tangled web they weave who try a new word to conceive!” (#319, 1971)

“[The name Tolkien] is not Jewish in origin though I should consider it an honour if it were.” (#324, 1971)

Bedikat Chametz

Every year before Passover begins, observant families will do a massive spring cleaning in which they remove every speck of leaven (chametz) from their house. This comes from the commandment that during the week long Feast of Unleavened Bread, you are supposed to eat only matzah and not have any chametz in your house. On the practical level, this is remembering that the children of Israel had to leave Egypt in haste and ate matzah since they did not have time to let their bread rise. On a spiritual level, though, going through this process every year is a powerful object lesson. In the Bible, leaven is often used as a symbol of the sin and imperfection in our lives. Rabbi (Apostle) Paul, commenting on leaven and Passover in relation to personal holiness, said to the Corinthians, “Don’t you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast – as you really are. For Messiah, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread made without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.” (1 Cor 5:6-8)

With this in mind, the process of bedikat chamtetz (removing leaven) is very humbling. Every time I thought I had found all the crumbs and leaven in my kitchen, there was always another crack or corner with some more. With some things (like my toaster) it seemed the only solution would be to get rid of it entirely. It’s a fitting picture of the sin in my own life. Whenever I think that I’ve finally removed the various sins that work their way through and permeate my life, I realize there’s still more to be found as I dig deeper. Really, there’s no way to get rid of all the chametz in my life no matter how deep I scrub or how long I spend at it. It’s only by receiving a completely new life that I can actually be spotless. But that’s what Yeshua did for me. Paul points out that we should “be a new batch without yeast – as you really are” to remind us that we have actually been made new and completely cleansed because “Messiah, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” This is great news to begin the holiday of Passover.

Chag Sameach! Happy Passover!

Les Misérables Quotes

In December, I finally finished reading Les Misérables. I’ve been a longtime fan of the musical and had been in the process for quite some time of reading the complete unabridged version in the original French. While some parts were slow (Victor Hugo can be quite verbose), overall it was excellent. As much as I love the play, there were some elements that only the book could really capture. For instance, the ending plot thread with Valjean’s confession and departure was incredible and very emotional in the book making the play/movie seem rushed. Maybe it’s because that was the most recent part I read, but that was one of the most powerful parts of the book to me. It shows a darker side of Marius as he tries to push Valjean away and distrusts him because of his past. Meanwhile, Jean Valjean lets this happen because of his own remaining guilt. It’s such an amazing story of redemption and love and is very hopeful despite the title. Another thing I loved was the fact that a lot of the lines in the original French play were quotes from the book that I recognized as I was reading. In the recent movie, which was also excellent, the changes from the play followed the book which made for an incredible combination of being faithful to both the play and the novel.

Here are some quotes that I liked from the book (that I can remember). If you notice a mistake in my translations, let me know and I'll fix it.

« Le rire, c’est le soleil; il chasse l’hiver du visage humain. »

Laugher is the sun; it chases winter from the human face.

« Nourrir le peuple est un bon but, le massacrer est un mauvais moyen. »

To feed the people is a good goal; to massacre them is a bad method.

« Citoyens, il n’y aura dans l’avenir ni ténèbres, ni coups de foudre, ni ignorance féroce, ni talon sanglant. Comme il n’y aura plus de Satan, il n’y aura plus de Michel. Dans l’avenir personne ne tuera personne, la terre rayonnera, le genre humain aimera. Il viendra, citoyens, ce jour où tout sera concorde, harmonie, lumière, joie et vie, il viendra. Et c’est pour qu’il vienne que nous allons mourir. »  – Enjolras

Citizens, in the future there will be neither shadows, nor thunderbolts, nor ferocious ignorance, nor bloody heels. Since there will no longer be Satan, there will no longer be Michael. In the future no one will kill anyone, the earth will shine, the human race will love. It will come, citizens, this day where all will be agreement, harmony, light, joy and life, it will come. And it is in order that it will come that we will die.

« Jean Valjean ne put s’empêcher de contempler cette vaste ombre claire qu’il avait au-dessus de lui; pensif, il prenait dans le majestueux silence du ciel éternel un bain d’extase et de prière. »

Jean Valjean could not help but contemplate this vast clear shadow that he had above him; pensive, he took a bath of ecstasy and of prayer in the majestic silence of the eternal heavens.

« Une chose l’avait étonné. c’était que Jean Valjean lui eût fait grâce, et une chose l’avait pétrifié, c’était que, lui Javert, il eût fait grâce à Jean Valjean.

Où en était-il? Il se cherchait et il ne se trouvait plus. »

One thing had astonished him, that Jean Valjean had given him grace, and one thing had had petrified him, that he, Javert, he had given grace to Jean Valjean. Where was he? He was searching for himself and he could no longer find himself.

« Un malfaiteur bienfaisant, un forçat compatissant, doux, secourable, clément, rendant le bien pour le mal, rendant le pardon pour la haine, préférant la pitié à la vengeance, aimant mieux se perdre que de perdre son ennemi, sauvant celui qui l’a frappé, agenouillé sur le haut de la vertu, plus voisin de l’ange que de l’homme! Javert était contraint de s’avouer que ce monstre existait. »

A benevolent criminal, a compassionate convict, soft, helpful, merciful, repaying good for evil, giving forgiveness for hate, choosing mercy over vengeance, preferring to lose himself rather than to lose his enemy, saving the one who had hit him, kneeling on the height of virtue, closer to angels than to man! Javert was forced to admit that such a monster existed.

« Il avait certainement toujours eu l’intention de remettre Jean Valjean à la loi, dont Jean Valjean était le captive, et dont lui, Javert, était l’esclave. »

He had certainly always had the intention of turning Jean Valjean over to the Law, to which Jean Valjean was a captive, and to which he, Javert, was a slave.

« L’amour, c’est la bêtise des hommes et l’esprit de Dieu. »

Love is the folly of men and the spirit of God.

« Le bonheur sec ressemble au pain sec. On mange, mais on ne dîne pas. »

Dry happiness resembles dry bread. You eat but you don’t have a meal.

« Il leur semblait que les chagrins, les insomnies, les larmes, les angoisses, les épouvantes, les désespoirs, devenus caresses et rayons, rendait plus charmante encore l’heur charmante qui approchait ; et que les tristesses était autant de servantes qui faisaient la toilette de la joie. »

It seemed to them that the grief, the insomnia, the tears, the agonies, the terrors, the despair, having become caresses and sunbeams, made the lovely moment that was coming even more lovely; and that the sorrows were as much servants that groomed joy.

« la meilleure manière d’adorer Dieu, c’est d’aimer sa femme. »

The best way to love God is to love your wife.

« Il y  avait de la joie partout sur moi, le fond de mon âme restait noir. Ce n’est pas assez d’être heureux, il faut être content. »

There was joy all over me; the depths of my soul remained dark. It’s not enough to be happy, you must be glad.

« Dieu a ses instruments. Il se sert de l’outil qu’il veut. »

God has His instruments. He uses them for the purposes that He wants.

« Ici une courte digression est nécessaire. »

Here a short digression is necessary. (Summary of the entire book)

« Ce n’est rien de mourir ; c’est affreux de ne pas vivre. »

It’s nothing to die; it’s frightening not to live.

« Voulez-vous un prêtre ? – J’en ai un, répondit Jean Valjean. »

“Do you want a priest?” “I have one,” responded Jean Valjean.

« Ce sont les partages de Dieu. Il est là-haut, il nous voit tous, et il sait ce qu’il fait au milieu de ses grandes étoiles. »

This is the position of God. He is up above, he sees us all, and he knows what he is doing in the midst of his great stars.

A Time to Betray

I just finished reading A Time to Betray by Reza Khalili. I have to say I was blown away. I never thought I’d read an autobiography that was so thrilling, suspenseful and emotional that I couldn’t put it down. The book reads like a fiction spy novel, but is Reza’s actual memoirs about growing up in Iran and living through the Iranian revolution.

The book describes Reza’s childhood in Iran under the Shah and follows his relationship with his two closest friends, Naser and Kezem. While Reza is in the US for college, the Iranian people under the leadership of Ayatollah Khomeini oust the Shah and begin an Islamic revolution that promises freedom and prosperity. Reza returns home after getting his computer engineering degree and joins the Revolutionary Guards with Kazem who is a devout Shi’a Muslim. However after seeing things like the American Embassy hostage crisis, friends arrested tortured and executed by the regime, and the beginning of a war with Iraq, Reza becomes disillusioned with the Revolution and decides to go to America to tell the CIA what he knows in hopes that America can help save his country. He ends up working for the CIA as a spy in the Revolutionary Guards. The book takes a deep look into his emotional struggle as he leads a double life, fights guilt over betraying his family, friends and country, and tries to be there for his wife and young son while being pulled in every other direction by the Guards and the CIA.

Several things jumped out at me about the book. It describes history that I knew very little about. I had only a vague knowledge about the revolution or the Iran-Iraq war in the ‘80s. It was fascinating to learn about these events from a personal perspective as well. It was also heart gripping to watch Reza’s struggle to keep his disloyalty a secret from his family even when that meant they hated him for supporting the revolution. It gave me a graphic association to Evin Prison where American-Iranian pastor Saeed Abedini was recently jailed for his Christian faith. It reinforced a growing love for Iran and Persian culture. Another element that began to show up in the end was his growing disillusionment with how the US deals with Iran. He cites how after all these years, the situation in Iran is still the same and the US keeps trying to accomplish appeasement strategies that have failed in the past. It was a very interesting commentary.

I would definitely recommend this book if you have an interest in the Middle East and Iran in history or current events, or if you’re just looking for an exciting (nonfiction) read.