The interpretation of the evangelic plot in the story “The last temptation” by A. Kondratiev

The author of the article analyses the interpretation of the gospel episode of the Crucifixion of Christ in the story “The Last Temptation” by A. Kondratiev. The research asserts that the writer follows the variants of the New Testament story presented in the Gospel of Luke and John, and considers the initial events as Christian myths that can be recreated in Art. A. Kondratiev changes the perspective of the event and shows it through the eyes of the spirit of the Devil's army. The episode of the Passion of Christ is presented as a decisive battle between good and evil, that are embodied in the son of Man and the Chosen one (Satan). The outcome of the battle is related to the presence of the third force, a mysterious Arab criminal, whose attitude the result of the battle depends on. The writer interprets the legend of a sensible robber and a mad robber in his own way, turning these minor characters into protagonists. The story contains allusions to the apocryphal “Gospel of Nicodemus”, “The Arabic Gospel of the infancy of the Savior”, and direct quotations from Testament texts. A. Kondratiev adds the motive of a cosmic battle between Light and darkness to the New Testament story, he accentuates the image of the wise thief introducing a key intrigue of the narration, emphasizes the role of this character in the fight between good and evil. The mystery of the character (who is he? what purposes is he pursuing?) produces the innuendo effect, the sense of an unsolved mystery of the Gospel story.