2 reviews for A Time to See – Book 2

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   James Wilkins – 2nd March 2021

   The Christadelphian review (from February 2010)

   A sequel
   THE Gospels are a source of great interest to all Bible students. Since our earliest days as a community Christadelphian authors have written about the Gospel records.

   Brother Robert Roberts penned Nazareth Revisited, an overview of the life of Christ, in the nineteenth century; this was followed in the twentieth century by an exposition of John by Brother John Carter and two expositions of Mark, one by Brother L. G. Sargent and one by Brother A. D. Norris. Brother Carter also wrote separately on the parables of Christ, as did Brother Roberts. Individuals from the Gospels have been the subject of separate books: Peter is the subject of a book by Brother A. D. Norris, while a recent book by Brother Mark Allfree looks at John the Baptist. All of these expositional works are highly valued by Bible students. Brother Melva Purkis’ book, A Life of Jesus, while devotional in style, was also based on sound Biblical scholarship and has likewise been greatly appreciated by the brotherhood. Of course these books have been complemented by countless magazine articles as well which have sought to make aspects of the Gospels more accessible to Bible readers.

   A Time to Hear
   In 2006 The Christadelphian published a book based on the Gospel records which was somewhat different from those which had been published previously. Written by Sister Sue Knight in the style of a novel, A Time to Hear was set in the Holy Land in the days of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Its central character was a Galilean boy named Dan, the son of a widowed shepherd. Those who read this work will recall that it helps to flesh out the Gospel record by imparting some of the colour and texture of daily life for ordinary Israelites living at that extraordinary time.

   Anyone who visits Christian bookshops will know that Christian fiction is a very popular literary genre, but sadly relatively few works of fiction have been written by Christadelphians, which is unfortunate for those in the brotherhood who like this style of writing. It was pleasing, therefore, to see the publication of A Time to Hear in 2006. It is even more pleasing to note that a sequel to this book has recently been published. As implied by its title, A Time to See, takes up the story from the earlier work and brings it to a dramatic climax – if not exactly an end.

   A Time to See
   A Time to See returns us to first century Galilee and renews our acquaintance with characters we grew to love in the first book. The shepherd boy Dan, now on the verge of manhood, continues to grow physically and spiritually. Dan’s stepmother Anna and Aunt Etta are still faithfully nurturing him, supported by men from the village; each of these women experiences some pleasing developments in the course of the story. A feature of the book is the way it describes the highly regarded and ennobling ministry of women in daily life in general and in particular in support of the Lord Jesus Christ as they complement the work of the men.

   Most of the key characters we met in the first book reappear in A Time to See. The enigmatic Loukanos plays a curious part in the story, as does the aristocratic Mari in Jerusalem; others also appear in highly unexpected ways. These ordinary Jewish people who had previously been excited by the ministry of John the Baptist are now fascinated by the ministry of Jesus. They feel and are swept up in the drama of what unfolds around them as Jesus sets his feet steadfastly on the path to Jerusalem.

   The author captures the sense of wonder and bewilderment that faithful Jews must have experienced as they sought to comprehend what was happening in these tumultuous times. As in the earlier work, her appreciation of Jewish customs and culture at this time is reflected in the richly detailed tableau of daily life she presents. Those who read the book for pleasure and relaxation as a work of fiction will enjoy the effort taken to imbue the book with verisimilitude. Bible students will also find much in this book to interest them as the author brings to life so much that we might otherwise gloss over in our reading of the Gospel records.

   Throughout A Time to See Sister Knight weaves in cameos from and allusions to the Gospels. Readers more comfortable with expositional or academic works might be tempted to dismiss some of these as contrived, but all fiction by its nature is contrived. In this case it is very artfully contrived and the incidents described provoke readers to ponder the meaning of many passages of scripture. The description of so many of the characters we know from the Gospel records enriches our understanding of them. Many readers will be especially intrigued by the observations about Judas Iscariot and Mary Magdalene.

   At 576 pages, A Time to See is about the same length as A Time to Hear. Both are highly readable and would be enjoyed by a wide range of readers. Both of the books would make ideal gifts for readers of all ages and would be ideal prizes for older Sunday School scholars. The closing lines of A Time to See strongly hint that the two existing volumes will become a trilogy; it is to be hoped that we shall not have to wait three years for the next instalment to appear.

   GEOFF HENSTOCK

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   Susan Knight – 15th July 2022

   Review by Alex Szollo
   A TIME TO SEE: a richly rewarding follow-up from the most compelling newfound voice in Christian historical fiction
   Previously I reviewed a recently discovered Biblical novel called A TIME TO HEAR, set during the time of not one, but the two greatest prophets in the history of mankind, John the Baptist, here called Johannes, and Jesus Christ, here known as Jeshua.

   The idea that a sequel should surpass the original is something that has been well set into the minds of people for years now. With that in mind, I can certainly affirm this about A TIME TO SEE, the second volume in the compelling trilogy by SJ Knight.
   If I were to sum the series up so far, I would say it shines new light on old stories, and really, really succeeds in acquainting the readers to characters who are far from perfect, though touched by perfection.

   I loved seeing Dan grow even more thirsty for knowledge. I loved Loukanos, whose mind was ever questioning. I loved Anna, so dedicated to her creed. And most of all, I loved Mordecai, the blind beggar and Sobek, the “twisted” woman, whom I recognized, through lumps in my throat as suffering from something that sounds a lot like Cerebral Palsy. Why did I love these characters so much? Because it was a breath of fresh air for me, as a person with his own physically visible marks from the Creator, to read a piece of fiction in which disabled people were not strictly depicted as defined by their disability alone, and just waiting for Christ to come heal them. Mordecai’s knowledge and wise interpretation of scripture is a source of inspiration for all those around him, blindness and all. Oh, and you should see how selfless he is (read…this…book!)

   I LOVED the manner in which the Resurrection of Christ, the most glorious miracle in the history of the world was depicted. Never have I seen such an awesome reaffirmation of life as in this book, and it came in the form of a completely unexpected, yet completely faithful twist. It was amazing to see the power of the Resurrected Son of God work in such an awesome way. And if the first book demonstrated how an ending can be a beginning, this one proves that Ms. Knight is truly a masterful wordsmith when it comes to this. 1000 stars would not do justice to this masterpiece! I wholeheartedly thank Ms. Knight for the blessing she bestowed upon me with this book. The views herein are entirely my own, and I am thrilled to say so. Onward to the next, massive tome!