1. The Order of Events
Some of you may find it strange that Jesus does not go into the wilderness for temptation immediately after His baptism. I also wanted to write it that way, but due to the narrative principles of this novel, I have chosen to proceed in this manner.
As you know, when examining the contents of the four Gospels, it becomes clear that the stories do not always unfold in chronological order. Additionally, even when similar events are described, the details can vary slightly. Despite these differences, all these accounts are recognized as canonical because, regardless of the variations, the essence of Jesus' teachings and the stories remains the same.
For this reason, in this novel, which combines the narratives of the four Gospels, issues arise in arranging the events. Therefore, I have established certain principles for this process:
1) The story is presented as if the events in the four Gospels occurred in chronological order.
2) The contents of the four Gospels are integrated to develop the narrative, ensuring that it aligns as closely as possible with all biblical accounts.
3) When different versions of the same event are described, the narrative is structured to include all the details.
Due to these reasons, the event of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness has been postponed. This is because, according to the Gospel of John, after His baptism, Jesus meets Andrew, John, and Peter the next day, and then Philip and Nathanael (Bartholomew) the following day. In the Gospel of Mark, it is written that immediately after His baptism, Jesus was driven into the wilderness by the Spirit. The difference in meaning between "the next day" and "immediately" determined the order of events in this novel.
2. The Temptation in the Wilderness
The 40-day temptation that Jesus endured in the wilderness after receiving baptism by water (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13) is traditionally understood to have begun immediately after His baptism.
Therefore, the phrase “the next day” (τῇ ἐπαύριον) found in John 1:35 is generally and traditionally interpreted as the day after Jesus completed His temptation in the wilderness and returned to the Jordan River. In this case, the 40-day temptation follows Jesus’ baptism, and then the first encounter in the Gospel of John and the wedding at Cana take place.
However, in this novel, it is assumed that the biblical events proceed in chronological order: immediately after Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, “the next day” (John 1:35) He meets Peter, Andrew, and John for the first time; the following day (John 1:43) He meets Philip and Nathanael and together they travel to Cana in Galilee; and on the third day, the wedding at Cana occurs.
Since Jesus has not yet passed through the temptation in the wilderness, He is portrayed as saying,
“Woman, what have I to do with you? My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4).
Furthermore, Satan, who tempts Jesus in the wilderness, is aware that Jesus has already turned water into wine at Cana, and tempts Him with the words,
“Command these stones to become bread” (Matthew 4:3, Luke 4:3), implying, “You have already performed such a miracle; surely you can do this as well.”
This sequence differs from traditional interpretations, so please understand it as a setting unique to this novel.
