On the Bible's Back Roads

Where Old Stories And Our Stories Meet

Robert Green

• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Year: 2024
• eBook ISBN:
  9781398455917
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Christianity

The Bible contains many stories of what might be called 'bit players'; those who appear briefly, sometimes only for a few verses, and are not central to the narrative, but who still play a significant role. These old stories feature and were written by people with whom we share a common humanity and whose encounters with God have much to teach us. In their stories we see something of our own stories and, if we listen aright, we can hear the divine voice speaking through their strength and weaknesses, their triumphs and tragedies and their joys and sorrows. Their stories also throw light on the heart of the narrative, the story of Jesus, and demonstrate the rich inclusiveness of the Bible. They also offer us a fascinating reflection of who we are as Christian believers and the nature of the world in which we try to live out our faith. Their journeys, however marginal they may seem, make significant contributions to the story Scripture tells. This book can be used generally by individuals or groups but is also suitable for use as a series of Lenten reflections. As we listen to some of the lesser-known voices and stories we encounter in Scripture we will find that they are not there by accident and have the power to profoundly enrich our Christian understanding.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• About the Author
• Dedication
• Copyright Information ©
• Acknowledgement
• Introduction
• Cain: Genesis 4:1-17 ‘Am I my brother’s keeper’ (v 9) (Ash Wednesday)
• Lot: Genesis 19:1-29 ‘Flee for your lives’ (v 17)
• Hagar and Ishmael: Genesis 16:1-15; 21:9-21 ‘God heard the boy crying’ (21:17)
• Melchizedek: Genesis 14:18-20; Psalm 110:4; Hebrews 7:1-22 ‘You are a priest for ever’ (Psalm 110:4)
• Jochebed: Exodus 2:1-10; 6:20 ‘When she could hide him no longer’ (2:3)
• Bezalel and Oholiab: Exodus 31:1-11 ‘See I have chosen’ (v 2)
• Jethro: Exodus 18:1-27 ‘The work is too heavy for you’ (v 17)
• Balaam: Numbers 22:1-18; 24:1-13 ‘I could not…go beyond the command of the Lord’ (22:18)
• Rahab: Joshua 2:1-21; 6:22-25 ‘She tied the scarlet cord’ (2:21)
• Deborah: Judges 4:4-16; 5:1-9 ‘I, Deborah, arose’ (5:7)
• Jephthah and his daughter: Judges 11:29-40 ‘She was an only child’ (v 34)
• Ruth: Ruth 1:1-18 ‘Your people will be my people’ (v 16)
• Jonathan: 1 Samuel 18:1-4; 23:15-18; 2 Samuel 1:26 ‘You were very dear to me’ (1:26)
• Mephibosheth: 2 Samuel 9:1-13 ‘For I will surely show you only kindness’ (v 7)
• Bathsheba and Uriah: 2 Samuel 11:1-17; 12:1-13 ‘You are the man!’ (12:7)
• Omri: 1 Kings 16:15-28 ‘But Omri did evil’ (v 25)
• The Widow at Zarephath: 1 Kings 17:7-24 ‘The jar of flour will not be used up’ (v 14)
• Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah: Daniel 3:1-30 ‘Look, I see four men’ (v 25)
• Esther: Esther 5:1-8; 7:1-8:8 ‘If it pleases the king’ (5:4)
• Haggai: Haggai 1:1-11 ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin’ (v 9)
• Joseph: Matthew 1:18-25 ‘Joseph her husband was a righteous man’ (v 19)
• Simeon: Luke 2:25-35 ‘My eyes have seen your salvation’ (v 30)
• The Samaritan Woman: John 4:1-26 ‘I who speak to you am he’ (v 26)
• The Paralytic: Mark 2:1-12 ‘Take your mat and go home’ (v 11)
• The Woman Subject to Bleeding: Mark 5:24b-34 ‘Your faith has healed you’ (v 34)
• The One Who Is ‘For Us’: Mark 9:38-41 ‘He was not one of us’ (v 38)
• The Widow of Nain: Luke 7:11-17 ‘I say to you, get up’ (v 14)
• Mary and Martha: Luke 10:38-42 ‘Mary has chosen what is better’ (v 42)
• The Man Healed of Leprosy: Luke 17:11-19 ‘Were not all ten cleansed’ (v 17)
• Zacchaeus: Luke 19:1-10 ‘Today salvation has come to this house’ (v 9)
• The Woman Caught in Adultery: John 8:1-11 ‘Go now and leave your life of sin’ (v 11)
• The Centurion: Matthew 8:5-13 ‘Go! It will be done just as you believed it would’ (v 13)
• The Canaanite Woman: Matthew 15:21-28 ‘Woman, you have great faith!’ (v 28) (Passion Sunday)
• The Little Children: Mark 10:13-16 ‘The kingdom of God belongs to such as these’ (v 14)
• Stephen: Acts 6:1-15; 7:54-8: 1a ‘And Saul was there, giving approval’ (8:1a)
• Tabitha: Acts 9:36-43 ‘Tabitha, get up!’ (v 40)
• Ananias: Acts 9:1-19 ‘Brother Saul’ (v 17)
• Lydia: Acts 16:11-15; 40 ‘The Lord opened her heart’ (v 14)
• Bartimaeus: Mark 10:46-52 ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me’ (v 47)
• The Member of the Crowd: Matthew 21:1-11 ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’ (v 9) (Palm Sunday)
• The Widow at the Temple: Mark 12:41-44 ‘She, out of her poverty, put in everything’ (v 44)
• The Spies: Luke 20:20-26 ‘They were unable to trap him’ (v 26)
• The Woman with the Alabaster Jar: Matthew 26:6-13 ‘You will not always have me’ (v 11)
• The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved: John 13:1-30 ‘Lord, who is it?’ (v 25) (Maundy Thursday)
• The Repentant Criminal: Luke 23:32; 39-43 ‘Today you will be with me in paradise’ (v 43) (Good Friday)
• Joseph of Arimathea: Luke 23:50-56 ‘He asked for Jesus’ body’ (v 52)
• Cleopas and his Companion: Luke 24:13-35 ‘Were not our hearts burning within us’ (v 32) (Easter Day)