Joseph bar Sabbas, called 'Justus,' sat back. He didn't know if he should be stunned, or pleased. He was one of two disciples selected to replace Judas Iscariot. But when the lots were cast, the lot fell to his friend, Matthias, not him. Hurt and disappointment crushed him. But it didn't destroy him. He had been with Jesus from his baptism, through his death, burial and resurrection. He had been loved by his Savior, and had returned that love.
Bit Justus would not be denied his dream. He had been close to Jesus, held many private conversations with him, and had laughed at his wry humor. He had slept around the same campfires, visited the same homes and eaten at the same tables. Hurt and disappointment aside, now it was time to chart a new path. He would reveal everything he knew about his Lord from the viewpoint of a priviledged witness.
So Justus began to write. What was it like to be near Jesus in everyday situations, or to see him in action in his greatest moments? Did Jesus have a childhood best friend? Did Jesus have a dog? How did he relate to these waterfront toughs, he called apostles? What did he feel when the crowd cried out for his death? Justus logged all of this in a series of scrolls and began a journey to house his literary treasure in the great library in Alexandria, Egypt. Perhaps, someday, they wouild be seen and read.