“When a good man suffers … perhaps it makes his roots reach deeper for the water?”
Jesus performs many miracles in the Bible and one of the biggest ones is raising Lazarus from the dead. We don’t know much more about Lazarus except he was a friend of Jesus (enough that Jesus wept at his grave) and had two sisters, Mary and Martha. In When Jesus Wept, the Thoenes explore who Lazarus might have been and how he might have interacted with Jesus.
As I was looking for books to read during Lent, I saw When Jesus Wept was for sale as an ebook. I bought it to read as one of the religious books I would read during Lent. A friend of mine really likes the Thoenes and sent me another one of their books. When Jesus Wept is the first book in a triology, The Jerusalem Chronicles.
In When Jesus Wept, Lazarus owns a vineyard and has just lost his wife and child during childbirth. He slowly learns about Jesus, but his sister Mary soon becomes one of his followers and through their interactions, Lazarus becomes his friend. The story brings Jerusalem to life and explains the religious and political climates during the time of Jesus. Readers familiar with the New Testament will hear many familiar names in the story. When Jesus Wept does cover Lazarus’ death and resurrection but ends before Jesus is arrested.
I enjoy reading historical fiction and When Jesus Wept was a good read in that genre. It reminded me that the characters in the Bible for Christians were real people and had so much more details to their lives than we know from the Bible stories. I plan to read the rest of the series soon and think it’s a really appropriate series to read in the time before Easter.
Do you enjoy historical fiction? Share your favorite in the comments!