I suspect that [Judas, My Brother] will disappoint [some] Yerby enthusiasts…. Some may be shocked by the obviously controversial theme…. Other enthusiasts may be disappointed by the diminution of sex and by the limited appeal to sadism…. (p. 80)

Judged according to literary criteria, Judas, My Brother is not exceptional, even for Yerby. The main plot is too familiar: it is the story of the loves and other adventures of Nathan bar Yehudah…. The minor plot is more unified than usual only because the gospels furnished Yerby with a tightly knit, well-constructed outline.

Nevertheless, although he may disappoint enthusiasts and literary purists, Yerby has developed his most significant theme—an interpretation of "the greatest story ever told." Troubled by the discrepancies and contradictions which are obvious to anyone who compares the four gospels, Yerby searched through other historical materials—especially the Antiquities of Josephus, visited the original locations, studied Aramaic and Hebrew, and familiarized himself with Hebrew ritual in order to present an accurate account.

He has not always succeeded. For example, in an unnecessary effort to explain each miracle, he occasionally has resorted to melodramatic contrivances more absurd than any propagandistic romancer could have devised. Furthermore, he sometimes annoys by thrusting his fictional characters into some of the more familiar incidents of the New Testament…. Occasionally, Yerby arbitrarily discounts familiar stories; for example, he ridicules the legendary flight into Egypt by advising credulous readers to ask Miriam (Mary) whether she knows anything about that country.

Nevertheless, serious consideration must be given to much of the material, which Yerby has documented with 28 pages of footnotes. For example, he has argued persuasively that Jesus was not born in Bethlehem because, at the supposed time of his birth, there was no census which would have compelled Joseph to go there. (pp. 80-1)

Probably the section deserving the most intensive study is Yerby's account of the last supper, the trial, and the crucifixion. If his explanation of the disappearance of the body from the tomb disappoints those who believe in miracles, it is at least valuable in pointing up what is clear in the gospels—the fact that for a significant period of time no one guards the tomb.

This sketchy summary may suggest that Frank Yerby has gleefully written sacrilege. To the contrary, Yerby actually seems to love Mary and Jesus—as human beings, not as gods. (p. 81)

Yerby does not condemn the human beings who suffered the sorrows that shaped the legend; instead, he attacks the Pauline myth, which, rooted in pagan tradition, has been used for almost 2,000 years to delude and destroy godly men. This book, then, climaxes the theme which he formed in The Saracen Blade (1952) and developed further in An Odor of Sanctity (1965). Although some of Yerby's interpretations may be questioned, his book should stimulate a reader to question the myth and to seek his own answers. Judas, My Brother should be read by everyone who professes to be a Christian. (pp. 81-2)