Gospel

Trevor Dennis is a great believer in the power of story, and I always find his re-tellings of the stories told by, or about, Jesus a helpful way of discovering new insights. His explorations into those stories have the same effect – and so, unsurprisingly, I have much enjoyed The Gospel Beyond The Gospels (SPCK, 2017), which I have just finished reading.

He picks stories like the anointing of Jesus by a woman, possibly Mary Magdalene, who used some expensive perfume and the man, often nicknamed Legion, who lived among the graves in Gentile territory. He uses these to indicate how God’s love is different.

Similarly, he explores at length the story that we normally refer to as that of the prodigal son. The question story raises for Jesus’ original listeners, and for us, is, in Dennis’s words: “Would they (will we) join the dance of the Kingdom of God?”

The book reminds us that the Gospel takes us to places that we don’t expect – nor, in all honesty, want – to go. But that is what God is calling us to do.

Trevor Dennis reminds us: “Mary of Magdala, in John’s compelling story of her encounter with the risen Jesus, struggles to recognise him and no wonder!” When Jesus speaks our name, do we recognise who it is that is speaking to us?