When most hear the name Ben Hur, images of Charlton Heston racing a chariot through ancient Roman streets immediately pop into their minds. Few know the film was based on an 1880 novel written by Lew Wallace, titled Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ.
Ben-Hur is a story of a fictional hero named Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish nobleman who was falsely accused and convicted of an attempted assassination of the Roman governor of Judaea and consequently enslaved by the Romans.
Throughout the story, Wallace explores the concept of Jesus’ role as a heavenly Savior, rather than an earthly king, and the spiritual ramifications of the distinction. The protagonist, Judah Ben-Hur, initially expects that God’s promised Messiah will be a military warlord to lead the Jews to free themselves from Roman rule and then dominate the world. Only after a series hardships and misadventures that culminate in witnessing the crucifixion, does he realize that this is not what Jesus was sent to do.
While the film is made for the spectacle of Hollywood, the novel takes time to meditate on faith, forgiveness, and overcoming adversity.