Meet the unlikely people who witnessed history’s greatest event. At Easter, the Son of God took on the world’s sin and defeated the devil, death, and grave. How is it, then, that history’s most glorious moment is surrounded by fearful fishermen, despised tax collectors, marginalized women, feeble politicians, and traitorous friends? In The Characters of Easter , you’ll become acquainted with the unlikely collection of ordinary people who witnessed the miracle of Christ’s death and resurrection. Enter their stories and ultimately draw closer to Christ Himself as you encounter His Passion through their experiences. Take a journey back to first-century Palestine and walk in the shoes of legendary people like Simon Peter, Judas, Pilate, John, Mary Magdalene and others. This book provides a fresh approach to the Lenten season and can be used as a devotional or study for both individuals and groups. Once you’ve learned about the characters of Easter, meet those who witnessed the birth of Christ in the companion title The Characters of Christmas .
Daniel Darling is an author, pastor and Christian leader. He currently serves as the Director of The Land Center for Cultural Engagement at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Assistant Professor of Faith and Culture at Texas Baptist College.
Prior to his leadership of the Land Center, Darling served as the Senior Vice President for Communications of the National Religious Broadcasters. He also has served the Southern Baptist Convention as the Vice President of Communications at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He has also pastored churches in Illinois and Tennessee.
Easter characters come alive. We read about and celebrate Easter each yet but we seem to miss out on finding ourselves in each character of the story. It is real, not some made up story. I love how Dan Darling narrowed in on each character with great research and creative narrative. What I expected was to read a history book. What I got out of it was finding myself in each character of the story, which was humbling but it made the book that much more powerful. We are all Barabbas, Pilate, Mary(s), Herod, the soldiers, the Pharisees, etc. I loved this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Moody Publishers for the free digital copy for my review.
"Easter centers us in our pain, a fresh reminder that the ugliness of a fallen world-- where sin's tentacles reach into every part of life, bringing death and despair to every corner of the world-- has an expiration date."
This has been the perfect read for me during this Lenten season. Diving into a variety of characters in the Biblical Easter story gave me new insight and new reverence for Christ's sacrifice on the cross and God's plan for salvation for all of us. I appreciated how it didn't just highlight the A-list Easter stars, but the B and C list characters too. This book has deepened my understanding of more facets of the Easter story and given me more appreciation for how God has woven the story of salvation into existence.
Brings all the characters to life and is enjoyable to read! Glad I was reading it on my kindle because I had to define words so often it got a little exhausting, the reason for 4 stars. Overall very interesting.
Daniel Darling follows up his popular "The Characters of Christmas" book with a similar book about the characters of Easter. The book is easy to read and engaging, but don’t mistake that for this being a simple book that you will not learn from. Darling offers much information about the history of the period and the background of the characters that you might not have previously been aware of. Like the previous book, I read and discussed this one with a group of men I’ve been meeting with to read and discuss books for many years now. Also like the previous book, this book includes study questions at the end of each chapter, along with suggested hymns and songs related to the chapter that are helpful whether you are reading the book individually or with a group. The author tells us that Jesus took upon Himself your sins so you could enjoy intimacy with your Father, and that Easter means those who are in Christ will be made alive, spiritually and physically. By looking at unlikely disciples, unprepared civil authorities, and unscrupulous religious leaders in this book, we can learn more about the setting in which Jesus lived and died, and we will gain a great love for God’s long and sure plan of salvation and rescue. Below, I’ve provided two takeaways from each of the chapters of the book: The Failure: Peter • Peter may have abandoned Jesus in Jesus’ hour of need, but Jesus would not abandon Peter in his hour of need. • Christ is still seeking out fishers of men, the kind of leaders who walk with a limp. Here we see God’s unmatched, one-way love. We fail Him, but He doesn’t fail us. We forget Him, but He doesn’t forget us. We pursue other loves, but He is faithful. The Beloved: John • Today we like to be near Jesus, to take notes as He teaches and marvel at His miracles, but we’d rather He leave us with our nets and our safe way of life. We like a Jesus who forms Himself around our comforts. But following Him is costly. • I think it was in the Upper Room where John began to shed his worldly ambitions. A Son of Thunder may have entered that rented space, but a new Apostle emerged. The Betrayer: Judas • And this, I’m afraid, is the situation for many who celebrate Easter this and every year. A familiarity with the language, dressing up for the occasion, even brought to tears by Jesus’ death and resurrection. But never able to call Jesus “Lord.” • This Easter, it’s helpful for us to remember that we are like Judas in that we too have betrayed Jesus, time and time again. We’ve sold Him out for lesser idols. But we don’t have to suffer Judas’s fate. If we confess our sins, He’s faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). The Rogue: Barabbas • If we cringe at this guilty man going free, we have to cringe at ourselves, who were just as guilty before God. The Bible tells us that every single member of the human race is Barabbas. • Jesus died the death Barabbas should have died, paid the penalty for sin we should have paid but could not bear, and in exchange offers us freedom—freedom from sin and reconciliation with the Creator who made us. The Powerless: Pilate • Deep in Pilate’s heart and in every heart is a longing to understand the meaning of life, to know and be known by the One who declares Himself the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). • This Easter, as you contemplate the tragic and mysterious life of Pilate, ask yourself these questions: Will you humble yourself before the King of kings? Will you look up at this bloodied Galilean and see your Savior? Will you look in on this empty tomb and understand that God is renewing and restoring all things? The Doubter: Thomas • “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) This is the meaning of Easter. There is not a path or a principle. There is only a Person. Jesus is the way. Jesus is the truth. Jesus is the life. He didn’t merely point to the truth. • Jesus is beckoning doubters to come and see, to look at the facts of His resurrection and His proof of His deity, but more importantly to answer His summons to hope and joy and forgiveness and grace. The Religious: The Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees • The scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees all opposed Jesus, but for different reasons. • In a sense, we all put Jesus on the cross, because each of us, across every ethnic group and social class, stands condemned before a holy God. Nobody has clean hands at Easter. The Witnesses: The Women at the Tomb • Jesus takes the desperate, the afflicted, the enslaved, and transforms them into witnesses of His glory. • So even though today, by modern standards of scholarship, the witness of these many women in seeing Jesus dying on the cross, buried, and then risen is a hard-to-refute piece of evidence for the reliability of the gospels and the historicity of the resurrection, the fact that women’s testimony was not received in the first century is also another piece of evidence. The Secret Disciples: Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea • We can’t imagine the wrestling in their souls as they straddled their identity as proud Pharisees and the tug of the Spirit on their heart as they investigated the claims of Jesus. • The inclusion of Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea in the Easter story shows us how God works in mysterious ways to accomplish His purposes in the world and the gospel’s power to work in the most surprising places. The Executioners: Who Were the Romans? • The gospel, Jesus is telling the people of Israel, is not just for Israel, but for the whole world. What’s more, we will be surprised who we see around the table in the kingdom of God. • God finds faith where we least expect it. Those who seem so far from God—those we have been trained to hate and despise—may have more faith than those of us who think we are close to God.
The Characters of Easter is the latest book by pastor and author, Daniel Darling. This is a really neat book that explores the background of the Easter story and opens readers' eyes wider to the cultural and historical contexts of the gospels. I really enjoyed reading about the various individuals and groups that were present during the trial, crucifixion, and resurrection of Jesus. Upon reading The Characters of Easter I found myself learning details of the Easter story that had previously skipped my notice. I had never observed the many paradoxes between Jesus and Barabbas. I didn't know that while many can relate to Thomas and his doubts, he is mentioned so little in the Bible.
I love that a chapter is dedicated to the women who adored Jesus and that Darling uses that chapter to remind believers that women are valuable to the Lord and necessary allies in fulfilling The Great Commission. It was fascinating to learn that their inclusion in the Easter story is especially demonstrative of their worth to God because, in the time in which the gospels were written, a woman's testimony wasn't considered to be valid evidence in court.
Most fascinating, naturally is to see Jesus juxtaposed to sinners of all sorts and to see how His death and resurrection made a way for image-bearers of all tribes, tongues, and nations to be reconciled to God through Him. It was so encouraging to be reminded that, "Easter is the sign that a new world is coming, that one day God will take rotted dust particles, ravaged by disease and decay, and will reconstitute them into real, physical bodies fit for eternity. This cycle of pain and sadness, viruses and death has an expiration date," (pg. 13).
The Characters of Easter is a really neat, eye-opening resource that helps readers gain a greater understanding of the role that various characters played in the story of Redemption. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to reading Darling's companion book, The Characters of Christmas.
I received The Characters of Easter compliments of Moody Publishers in exchange for my honest review.
This is one of the best Christian books about Easter I’ve read. It’s always good to reread the parts of the Bible that feature the death and resurrection of Jesus around this time. However this book will offer an additional means of study.
It will allow you to read and think about the other people who were there in a new light. Judas wasn’t just a betrayer. Thomas wasn’t just a doubter. Pilate wasn’t exactly who you thought.
I plan to reread this book every Easter if I can. If not, than maybe every other. I think it really helps you understand what happened and why it had to happen that way.
After the introduction, each chapter features on a specific person or people. In order: Peter, John, Judas, Barabbas, Pilate, Thomas, Pharisees/Scribes/Sadducees, Women at the Tomb, Nicodemus/Joseph of Arimathea and the Executioners/Romans.
Highly Recommended.
I received a copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review.
Love this book! Most people know the story of Easter, but not often do people look into the people who were involved in the story. This book/study will allow you to gain more knowledge of the apostles who traveled with and proclaimed the name of Jesus. This is definitely a book to use as study as it is full of great background and historic information. The study will draw you in to gain a greater understanding of the story and context of who the disciples were individually and the main characters in this story. This will be a must have for anyone wanting to take a deeper dive into the gospels and the good news of Jesus. When used as a supplement with the scriptures will produce greater knowledge, understanding, and growth as a christian. I am grateful and appreciate the opportunity to review this book early and look forward to putting this book on my shelf when it comes out to put notes in.
The essence of this book is the essence of our faith: Because Jesus of Nazareth has risen from the grave, so too will we rise one day, body and soul. Death has been defeated and God is, in Jesus, renewing and restoring the world. We can have peace with God. This Easter, let's rise up and celebrate.
Do you find that the familiar Easter story has become a routine rather than a revelation? This book from Daniel Darling can help you see anew the many facets of this momentous event. There are chapters about the disciples like Peter, John, Thomas, and even Judas. The women in the story are given the recognition given to them by the gospel writers from the first -- a countercultural move that shows how "the empty tomb is Eve come full circle." Also included are the religious leaders, the political leaders, and even the Roman soldiers. I took my time reading this a chapter or two at a time and am thankful for the new insights gained. Also included are thoughtful and probing discussion questions perfect for a Bible study group. What a blessing that we can join together and celebrate the reality that Christ is risen. He is risen indeed!
The author Daniel Darling cast a spotlight on each of the biblical characters surrounding Jesus Christ leading up the his death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb. Daniel has eloquently used words to bring you into the narrative that engages your emotions and thoughts to evaluate deeply what might he/she be thinking and feeling, a very immersive read, giving his readers a greater appreciation of Christ and the meaning behind Easter.
Casting a spotlight of a variety of persons and their experiences and struggles with their interactions with Jesus help us to relate with the person Jesus Christ from wherever we currently are in order to understand the glory and power of God that we can draw nearer to Christ. This is a great book to read before the next Easter as we remember Christ.
5/5 stars.
This review was based on a complimentary pre-release copy.
The Characters of Easter is a good book to read to gain insights into the most extraordinary story ever told with a fresh perspective. The author is Daniel Darling who is a bestselling author, speaker, and pastor. You’ll become acquainted with the unlikely collection of ordinary people who witnessed the miracle of Christ’s death. There are ten chapters, each about one or more characters. The characters are the beloved (John), the failure (Peter), the betrayer (Judas), the rogue (Barabbas), the powerless (Pilate), the doubter (Thomas), the religious (the Pharisees, Scribes and Sadducees), the witnesses (the women at the tomb), the secret disciples (Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea), and the executioners (the Romans).
Great book for adding more historical context and perspectives on Jesus' death and resurrection, just in time for Easter! It helped me visualize better what it felt like to be there, and also helped me be more sympathetic to some of the characters who can seem a little one-dimensional when you're just reading through the same Scripture passages you always read this time of year. I always appreciate books that help me slow down and truly consider what it would have been like to actually live during Jesus' time and witness these events.
So many nuggets in every chapter! Highly recommend for someone who doesn’t have a lot of historical background knowledge and wants to do a deep dive into each character of Easter!
“The Son of God could have commanded legions of angels and had these hardened men of war [Roman soldiers] flat on their backs. He could have marshaled the power of God and resisted His arrest. But He yielded to the way of the cross so these men who mocked Him might have salvation.” -Daniel Darling The Characters of Easter
3.75 stars As Christian Non Fiction books go, this was a good read. This book covers information on Thomas, John, Peter, Pilate and quite a few others. To be honest, I am not much of a non fiction reader, but as it is Easter, I found this book and thought it would be a good book to read, at this time. I am glad I read it, there was quite a few things that spoke to me, and I have highlighted quite a few things, but I must admit to skipping some pages too. I own this on my kindle I may re-read it again at some point.
Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. Thank you for this book helping me understand and see Jesus’ disciples and all the Biblical characters in different perspectives. Can’t imagine these people ever lived on earth and it’s so heart wrenching reading about what they went through, yet also heart warming to know among the Pharisees and Sanhedrin, there are people like Joseph and Nicodemus. This book also explains very clearly about the Roman Empires and its History during those times. It helps with my Bible reading better.
I think we're all familiar with the major characters of the Easter story. This book explores the characters in depth. Then we see the lesser players in the story. The result is an excellent and very informative look at the Easter story through the eyes of the people who were there. I highly recommend this book!
Because I enjoyed The Characters of Christmas so much, I knew I would enjoy an Easter-themed book. It does not disappoint. Even though I’m familiar with the Easter story, I’m learning many new insights from this wonderful book. A perfect read for the Lenten season.
I received a preview copy of The Characters of Easter from Netgalley.
Each section did a fabulous job of giving you the time period context of what was happening through the lens of Jesus time and not what we think of Christianity today which helped me understand even more in depth the people that surrounded, followed and were against him. More detail of the Roman empire and Israel.
Excellent way to prepare for Easter. Absolutely loved the historical context and the way that the information each of the gospels gives us was pieced together to form a whole picture of each character and what they felt, said, and did leading up to Easter. Would have enjoyed even more content, more characters, and more depth of historical significance.
Written in an engaging style, this is a valuable resource for the backgrounds of those who are part of the Easter story: Peter, John, Judas, Barabbas, Pilate Thomas, the religious leaders, the women at the tomb, secret disciples, and the Roman government. It includes questions at the end of each chapter, plus notes at the end.
Dan Darling spends each chapter casting a spotlight on each of the biblical characters surrounding Jesus Christ, leading up the his death on the cross and resurrection from the tomb. A good, immersive read, giving readers a greater appreciation of Christ and the meaning behind Easter.
This is another good book in “The Characters” series. If one wants to know about the people around the crucifixion of Jesus, I recommend this book. It can be used as individual or group study. Well written.
Great resource of looking at the characters of Easter. Some characters we always look at during the Easter story and others we might have not even thought about.
Read this book for Bible Study. Interesting look at all the people involved in Jesus’ ministry and crucifixion. We all liked this book and it led to good discussions.
It was pretty interesting with reading about the different characters. I did like how they had the songs suggested at the end of the chapter. I would recommend it as a lent/devo read before Easter.