The Last Temptation of Christ
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| Author | Nikos Kazantzakis |
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| Original title | O Teleutaios Peirasmos |
| Translator | Peter A. Bien (US) |
| Country | Greece |
| Language | Greek |
| Genre(s) | Religion |
| Publisher | Simon and Schuster (USA) & Bruno Cassirer (UK) |
| Released | 1960 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 506 p. (first edition, hardback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-684-85256-X |
The Last Temptation of Christ (or The Last Temptation; Greek: Ο Τελευταίος Πειρασμός, O Teleftaíos Peirasmós) is a novel written by Nikos Kazantzakis, first published in 1951. It follows the life of Jesus Christ from his perspective. The novel has been the subject of a great deal of controversy due to its subject matter, and appears regularly on lists of banned books.
The central thesis of the book is that Jesus, while free from sin, was still subject to every form of temptation that humans face, including fear, doubt, depression, reluctance, and lust. By facing and conquering all of man's weaknesses, Kazantzakis argues in the novel's preface, Christ became the perfect model for our lives; he sacrificed not only on the cross, but throughout his life. He struggled to do God's will, without ever giving in to the temptations of the flesh.
[edit] Film
In 1988, an equally controversial film adaptation by Martin Scorsese was released. It stars Willem Dafoe as Jesus.
