by Elizabeth Danna
Wipf & Stock,
Eugene, Oregon
2016
Paperback, 138 + x
pages
In June of 2016, a unique event was
announced for Shoreacres—a book launch. Having read Elizabeth Danna’s first
book Gethsemane to Golgotha, we were
pleased to participate in her most recent publication, The Stories of Jesus: A Study in the Parables. A good crowd showed
up for Beth’s presentation, and I was pleased to buy the book (and get her
signature in it).
Most of
us tend to look at Jesus’ parables as unconnected stories, and we’re not always
just sure of the point. Elizabeth has organized the parables in a way that
makes good sense, by grouping them into five categories: Parables about Choice, about What God Is Like, about What
the Kingdom is Like, about Kingdom
Living, and about the End Times. She
makes the point that, although some of the stories may be difficult, it is this
apparent “obscurity” that makes people listen on, maybe to the point of
understanding, when they might have peremptorily rejected clear and plain
speaking by Jesus.
Let’s
look at one example of Elizabeth’s “categorizing”. Her first category is about
choice. And her first parable is the Sower (or “better to call it the Parable
of the Soils”). The soils represent the different ways that people choose to receive
the word of God. Her second parable is the Two Builders, and again the choice
is presented—build on rock or build on sand.
When we examine
the author’s style, we find many refreshing turns of phrase: “sometimes we need
an extra touch from [the Holy Spirit]”; “forgive: it’s good for us”; “a
self-appointed Junior Holy Spirit to other people”; ‘the downside of
discipleship”; “God made the loan, and now he’s calling it in”; and “there’s
the pesky problem of free will.”
A review
is never really complete until it has looked at some of the technical details
of the book. It’s a treat for a grammar lover to read something written in
excellent, perhaps perfect grammar. And you may have wondered where the cover
painting of the good Samaritan came from…well, it is by an English painter, William
Henry Margetson, 1861-1940, who specialized in “portraits of beautiful women,
often with modern hairstyles and hats”, but “also created religious and
allegorical artworks.”
The
biggest recommendation we would have, for future editions, is to include a
Scripture index, and a Parable index. I wanted to look up the Prodigal Son but
couldn’t find him, either by name or by reference.
As to
how this book came to be written, we quote from a personal communication from
the author:
“I can
only say that God put it on my heart…In fact, before then, I had spent more
time studying the Gospel of John than Matthew, Mark, or Luke. …I organised the
parables thematically (i.e., grouping parables on the same subject together)
simply because that was the clearest and easiest way to organise the material.”
The Stories of Jesus is a seven-week Bible study—not too long,
not too short. One of the author’s categories is “What God Is Like”. She gives
us a hint of her own spirituality when she says, “As we grow spiritually and
submit to God’s lordship, our will becomes aligned with God’s, and what we ask
will be in accordance with his will.” Very early in the book she had already
said, “Obedience is a key way in which we demonstrate whether we’ve chosen for
Jesus or against him.” In the light of some recent books trying to force God to
do it “our way”, we laud her submission to the Lord.
As to
the over-all effect of the book, we were pleased to have our view of the
parables refreshed and revitalized. We highly recommend a thorough read if your
own appreciation of the Lord’s stories has become jaded or dimmed.
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