Lent with the Beloved Disciple by Michael Marshall 

'A helpful book for the Lent season, enabling us to look afresh at the events which lie at the heart of our faith'

 

Lent with the Beloved Disciple
By Michael Marshall
Bloomsbury Continuum
ISBN 978-1-3994-0493-8
Reviewed by: Jeannie Kendall 

 
It is sometimes forgotten that it was only the ‘beloved disciple’ of John’s gospel, usually assumed to be John, one of the 12 and the author of the fourth gospel, who was the only eye witness present in all the events of those last days of Jesus’ life.

He was there throughout, from the fateful meal which Judas so tragically left, during the trials and crucifixion, through to the appearances of Jesus after the resurrection. Michael Marshall takes us on a six-week journey, with addition of a prologue and epilogue, through those events, taking them from the eye witness perspective of John’s gospel but also incorporating the accounts from the other gospels.

It is definitely a study rather than a devotional book, but is very accessible in language, and although looking of those events so long ago, the author is careful to apply them to our own journeys of faith.

The book is designed to be used for individual or group study, and it might have been helpful to have some questions for each week, or suggestions on how to use it in a group setting.

However, it is still a helpful book for the Lent season, enabling us to look afresh at the events which lie at the heart of our faith.

Jeannie Kendall is a retired Baptist minister, a current tutor on the Pastoral Supervision course at Spurgeon’s College, and the author of Finding Our Voice and Held in Your Bottle, and Heroes or Villains?