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Lineage of Grace #5
Unafraid: Mary
Mary is one of the most revered women in history, but she was an ordinary woman striving to please God in the same way that women still do today. Readers are sure to gain a new appreciation of the familiar story through Francine's signature style. A study on the biblical text is included for personal or group study.
211 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2001
373 people are currently reading
4764 people want to read
About the author
Francine Rivers
59 books21k followersNew York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers continues to win both industry acclaim and reader loyalty around the globe. Her numerous bestsellers include Redeeming Love, A Voice in the Wind, and Bridge to Haven, and her work has been translated into more than thirty different languages. She is a member of Romance Writers of America's coveted Hall of Fame as well as a recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award from American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW).
www.francinerivers.com
www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers
Twitter: @FrancineRivers
www.francinerivers.com
www.facebook.com/FrancineRivers
Twitter: @FrancineRivers
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 421 reviews
August 26, 2009
I didn't like this book as much as the previous 4. She lost me at the beginning when she had 2 mary's in the same family... I mean really, 2 sisters both named Mary. The whole book was far too protestant for me.
I would have only given it one star except it did do something good for me... i'm now more convinced that Mary did not have any other children after Jesus. My faith teaches that Mary was ever Virgin which I accepted in faith, but now my head is in full agreement with my heart. I thought the way Anne Rice depicted the Holy Family in her Christ the Lord books rang more true. How could a mother help but compare her earthly children to a divine one... I do not believe God would put Mary in such a situation where that sin would be a constant threat.
I didn't care for the depiction of Mary in general either.
I would have only given it one star except it did do something good for me... i'm now more convinced that Mary did not have any other children after Jesus. My faith teaches that Mary was ever Virgin which I accepted in faith, but now my head is in full agreement with my heart. I thought the way Anne Rice depicted the Holy Family in her Christ the Lord books rang more true. How could a mother help but compare her earthly children to a divine one... I do not believe God would put Mary in such a situation where that sin would be a constant threat.
I didn't care for the depiction of Mary in general either.
November 26, 2012
I really liked this book. I love reading fictional books that fill in what real people of the Bible's lives may have been like. I had never read one on Mary or Jesus as a child, and their family life. I thought the Author did an excellent job. She made Mary the mother of Jesus in this book very real, not perfect. I can't even begin to imagine what it must have been like for Mary in the good times and the bad watching Jesus grow up and all the things that happened to Him. The difference she could see in Jesus and her other children. What kind of man Joseph must have been (i loved the parts about Joseph). Very thought provoking book!
September 11, 2014
I loved this book. We don't always think of bible characters as having the same feelings we have. This book was written about Mary the mother of Jesus it is very close to scripture but shows the human side of Mary's life. In it you can rejoice when Mary rejoiced, weep when Mary weeped and hurt when Mary hurt.
There were many things talked about in this book that opened my eyes to things I have often read about but never completely understood.
Read this short book about the life of Mary and you too will be enlightened!
Mary is one of the most revered women in history, but she was an ordinary woman striving to please God in the same way that women still do today. Readers are sure to gain a new appreciation of the familiar story through Francine's signature style. A study on the biblical text is included for personal or group study.
There were many things talked about in this book that opened my eyes to things I have often read about but never completely understood.
Read this short book about the life of Mary and you too will be enlightened!
Mary is one of the most revered women in history, but she was an ordinary woman striving to please God in the same way that women still do today. Readers are sure to gain a new appreciation of the familiar story through Francine's signature style. A study on the biblical text is included for personal or group study.
February 7, 2024
This book caught me off guard. In all honesty, I thought I had a general idea of how this book would go. I was mistaken. In the way only Francine Rivers can do, she took me deep into the heart of the story of Mary, and into the depths of what she must have experienced as the mother of Jesus. Not just the traditional telling of the conception, but the challenges and heartaches that must have followed. I found my mama heart grieving for her and thinking about all of the pain she went through not only at the crucifixion, but in all of the other moments I've never thought about before. It's incredibly heavy but also incredibly powerful. I so highly recommend this one.
February 9, 2020
5 stars. I absolutely loved this book. Heartbreaking, grounded on Biblical truth, and an impact on my own spiritual life. Review to come
December 22, 2014
I have never read such a tender account of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mrs. Rivers did an excellent job of portraying emotions, doubts, and questions into Mary as she raised the child Jesus, then she raised the bar and added more doubts, questions, and fears as she watched Jesus go through His ministry years and die on the cross. The relationships between Jesus's siblings felt realistic and the struggle within Jesus as He grew older added such depth to the story. Of course, this is just Mrs. Rivers imagination, but it certainly brings a freshness to both the Christmas and Easter stories. Well worth reading.
February 25, 2022
3.5 stars, maybe?
Unafraid tells the story of Mary (the mother of Jesus, not one of the other Marys that I always get mixed up with). It is the firth and last book of the Lineage of Grace series, which tells the story of the five women included in Jesus' lineage.
Surprisingly, I didn't like Mary in this book as much as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong, I still really liked her character, but I just couldn't really connect with her. She was very impatient throughout the book, and I got frustrated with her sometimes. But I guess it just shows that she was human, too. Sometimes without even realizing it, we expect Mary to have been perfect, when really she was just a normal girl who had struggles and sinned just like us, but God used her to carry out His plan for salvation. That's what makes God's love and grace all the more awe-inspiring.
My favorite character other than Jesus was probably Joseph. I honestly liked him even more than Mary. I feel like Joseph's character is overlooked so much, and I've always wished there was more of him in the Bible. He was just so humble and pure and faithful throughout the story, and he had so much integrity. I just loved his character; it was so deep. He understood things from a more spiritual perspective, and it was clear that he wanted to give God his best.
This story opened my eyes to a lot of things I hadn't given much thought to. Both Mary and Joseph had to go through so much. When we read the story in the Bible, it's so short with not much detail that we sometimes glaze over their life and the hardships they must have faced. But it was really hard for them. What condemnation they must have faced from everyone! I've always known it was hard for them, but I guess it just really clicked for me with this story.
It was just so amazing reading Jesus growing up. I've always wanted to read more of when Jesus was a kid. I've always wished there was more written in the Bible about Jesus as a kid. Can you imagine watching Him grow up? It must have been so beautiful. I would've loved to watch Him! I know a lot of this was sort of made up, since the Bible doesn't have so much about His childhood, but it was just so touching reading about Him as a kid. The author did take a good deal of aesthetic license, but it was still an enjoyable read. It awed me, once again, how Jesus always had His heart and mind set on pleasing God. It made me realize just how selfish I am and how I am too often set on doing things for myself.
I do wish, however, that Rivers spent a little more time on Jesus after He resurrected. The ending felt very rushed, and you didn't get much of Him at the end of the book and mostly got Mary's different struggles instead. Then again, the story IS about her, so I guess that's justifiable. Other than that, this book was great and worth rereading. I don't know which I liked best in this series, but this one is pretty up on the list. But I might be a little biased because I love just Jesus and He's in this one, so it's my favorite. 😄
Unafraid tells the story of Mary (the mother of Jesus, not one of the other Marys that I always get mixed up with). It is the firth and last book of the Lineage of Grace series, which tells the story of the five women included in Jesus' lineage.
Surprisingly, I didn't like Mary in this book as much as I thought I would. Don't get me wrong, I still really liked her character, but I just couldn't really connect with her. She was very impatient throughout the book, and I got frustrated with her sometimes. But I guess it just shows that she was human, too. Sometimes without even realizing it, we expect Mary to have been perfect, when really she was just a normal girl who had struggles and sinned just like us, but God used her to carry out His plan for salvation. That's what makes God's love and grace all the more awe-inspiring.
My favorite character other than Jesus was probably Joseph. I honestly liked him even more than Mary. I feel like Joseph's character is overlooked so much, and I've always wished there was more of him in the Bible. He was just so humble and pure and faithful throughout the story, and he had so much integrity. I just loved his character; it was so deep. He understood things from a more spiritual perspective, and it was clear that he wanted to give God his best.
This story opened my eyes to a lot of things I hadn't given much thought to. Both Mary and Joseph had to go through so much. When we read the story in the Bible, it's so short with not much detail that we sometimes glaze over their life and the hardships they must have faced. But it was really hard for them. What condemnation they must have faced from everyone! I've always known it was hard for them, but I guess it just really clicked for me with this story.
It was just so amazing reading Jesus growing up. I've always wanted to read more of when Jesus was a kid. I've always wished there was more written in the Bible about Jesus as a kid. Can you imagine watching Him grow up? It must have been so beautiful. I would've loved to watch Him! I know a lot of this was sort of made up, since the Bible doesn't have so much about His childhood, but it was just so touching reading about Him as a kid. The author did take a good deal of aesthetic license, but it was still an enjoyable read. It awed me, once again, how Jesus always had His heart and mind set on pleasing God. It made me realize just how selfish I am and how I am too often set on doing things for myself.
I do wish, however, that Rivers spent a little more time on Jesus after He resurrected. The ending felt very rushed, and you didn't get much of Him at the end of the book and mostly got Mary's different struggles instead. Then again, the story IS about her, so I guess that's justifiable. Other than that, this book was great and worth rereading. I don't know which I liked best in this series, but this one is pretty up on the list. But I might be a little biased because I love just Jesus and He's in this one, so it's my favorite. 😄
December 22, 2009
"Unafraid" was an enjoyable, thought-provoking historical novella about Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. It sticks to the facts given in Scripture and then fills in the information not given in the Bible accounts with the author's ideas about what Mary and Joseph were like and so on. Readers might not agree with how she chose to 'fill in' the story or the personalities she gave Mary, Joseph, etc., but it's one possibility.
The pacing was good, and the characters were complex and interesting. It's obvious that Francine Rivers did a lot of historical research in order to get the historical details right, and the details brought the events alive in my imagination.
However, some of the minor historical details (which may not have been known or been easy to discover when she wrote this) weren't correct, like she has Mary unable to study the Torah with the boys when, in the first century, she actually would have been allowed. She also used a non-standard (which may confuse some readers) but well-researched view (apparently based on "The Star of Bethlehem" by Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D.) of when Jesus was born and how old he was in relation to the coming of the wise men, their going to Egypt, etc.
There were also a couple continuity errors in some minor, non-critical details, like Mary sleeping on straw one moment and on hay in the next.
At the end of the book, the author included a nice six-part Bible study on the life of Mary. The story obviously had strong Christian content, but I wouldn't call it preachy except for a statement obviously aimed at Catholics at the very end. Actually, there were several things about how Mary was portrayed that were Bible-based but which Catholics might not approved of.
There was no bad language and no explicit sex. Overall, I'd recommend this novella as well-written, clean reading.
The pacing was good, and the characters were complex and interesting. It's obvious that Francine Rivers did a lot of historical research in order to get the historical details right, and the details brought the events alive in my imagination.
However, some of the minor historical details (which may not have been known or been easy to discover when she wrote this) weren't correct, like she has Mary unable to study the Torah with the boys when, in the first century, she actually would have been allowed. She also used a non-standard (which may confuse some readers) but well-researched view (apparently based on "The Star of Bethlehem" by Ernest L. Martin, Ph.D.) of when Jesus was born and how old he was in relation to the coming of the wise men, their going to Egypt, etc.
There were also a couple continuity errors in some minor, non-critical details, like Mary sleeping on straw one moment and on hay in the next.
At the end of the book, the author included a nice six-part Bible study on the life of Mary. The story obviously had strong Christian content, but I wouldn't call it preachy except for a statement obviously aimed at Catholics at the very end. Actually, there were several things about how Mary was portrayed that were Bible-based but which Catholics might not approved of.
There was no bad language and no explicit sex. Overall, I'd recommend this novella as well-written, clean reading.
September 28, 2011
A good friend of mine lent me the whole series in one book. I really loved the series, it brought up so many ideas and filled in the history, culture and attitudes for the time. I really want to go back and re-read the old testament and study the lives of these women. I absolutely hated this last book. It could have been so much more. I just can't believe that the mother of Christ would not understand the purpose of her son's life until after he is crucified. Really? I couldn't stand the the verbalization of Satan within this book when she did not do that in the other books. I didn't expect Mary to be perfect and all knowing but really your the mother of Christ and you don't understand that he is not there to save you from the romans but from your sin. Frustrating. I recommend the other books but skip this one.
December 7, 2019
Droši vien katoļi par šo grāmatu ir pilnīgā sašutumā, jo tā uzsver, ka Marija bija vienkārši sieviete. Interesanti, ka viszināmākajam stāstam autore pielika klāt velna tēlu - nu kāpēc gan lai arī viņu vius dzīvi tas nekārdinātu... Īsti nesapratu, kāpēc autore izvēlējās vietām mainīt kārtību visiem zināmiem notikumiem, bet nu tas lai paliek viņas pārziņā.
Taču kopumā tiešām brīnišķīga grāmatu sērija ar Bībeles stāstiem pieaugušajiem. Gribētos, kaut arī man tuvajiem, angļu valodu nezinošajiem būtu iesēja to iepazīt, bet ticu, ka mūsu tirgus ir par mazu, lai tas notiktu.
Taču kopumā tiešām brīnišķīga grāmatu sērija ar Bībeles stāstiem pieaugušajiem. Gribētos, kaut arī man tuvajiem, angļu valodu nezinošajiem būtu iesēja to iepazīt, bet ticu, ka mūsu tirgus ir par mazu, lai tas notiktu.
December 13, 2019
I was severely disappointed by this book. When you meet a book from a Virgin Mary perspective, you obviously expect an amazing, breathtaking tale about the one chosen to bear God's Son. But no-- this story, as with the other Lineage of Grace books, felt bland and portrayed Mary as an ambitious mother who wanted her son to take over the world so she would be famous. She was constantly comparing her other children to Jesus and making them out to be awful just because they weren't perfect. The representation of Jesus wasn't great either.
November 10, 2021
4.5 stars
I loved this story. Yes, it's one author's version of what could have been Mary's perspective during Jesus' life, death on the cross, and resurrection, and it had its flaws, but the message was amazing and so, so impactful. Mary was portrayed as being a real human with real thoughts and real feelings and real struggles to which any one of us can relate; being the mother of a Savior did not make her perfect. Of course, I knew that already, but this story really brought her to life and made me think. I felt encouraged and convicted in my faith through reading Unafraid, and I would 100% recommend it for readers ages 16 and up (for more mature content).
I loved this story. Yes, it's one author's version of what could have been Mary's perspective during Jesus' life, death on the cross, and resurrection, and it had its flaws, but the message was amazing and so, so impactful. Mary was portrayed as being a real human with real thoughts and real feelings and real struggles to which any one of us can relate; being the mother of a Savior did not make her perfect. Of course, I knew that already, but this story really brought her to life and made me think. I felt encouraged and convicted in my faith through reading Unafraid, and I would 100% recommend it for readers ages 16 and up (for more mature content).
November 28, 2024
This is a really good retelling of Mary's story in the bible and not only does it tackles Mary's own story but the story of Jesus Christ himself. This book tackles such stories of the life of Jesus Christ and put sit in a way that could be easily understood and i do think that if you want to know the story of Jesus Christ from how he was born and how he died this book is really one that i would really recommend. Almost everyone knows the story of Jesus but almost none of em have the time and effort to actually read the entire story in the bible so instead they could just read this book to be able to comprehend the story further and be able to know more information about it. :))
May 4, 2019
Like other reviewers, I enjoyed the other books in the series, but I felt the writing style in this book was much different. I also did not like how Mary was portrayed (all the other women in the series seemed so strong and faithful whereas Mary was portrayed as constantly questioning, doubting, more tied to the worldly, etc.). For a book titled "Unafraid" she spent a fair amount of the novel being afraid instead of trusting in God.
The addition of Mary's supposed other children surprised me. In fact, I looked into it more and found quite a bit of controversy surrounding the "children" as etymologically speaking, there was no word at the time for cousins or step-siblings. As many Christians believe that Mary was & remained a virgin, this story conflicts drastically with their beliefs and made it more difficult for me to read.
The addition of Mary's supposed other children surprised me. In fact, I looked into it more and found quite a bit of controversy surrounding the "children" as etymologically speaking, there was no word at the time for cousins or step-siblings. As many Christians believe that Mary was & remained a virgin, this story conflicts drastically with their beliefs and made it more difficult for me to read.
November 8, 2022
It was fun to read this one this time of year. It starts off obvi with Jesus birth.
January 12, 2020
I loved reading Mary's perspective - drives fun conversations with my husband about fictional vs. non-fictional aspects of the bible.
September 17, 2020
Honestly, I love Francine Rivers’ writing with all my heart.
She is so on FIRE for Christ and you can see that buried in her words.
This series is an interesting one that I would recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the Bible and those stories about women. She puts her own twist on her versions on this story, but she doesn’t take out any truth to the story. What I mean by that is even though we don’t know it happened the way she wrote it, doesn’t mean it didn’t actually happen the way she wrote it. She didn’t take anything out of the Bible.
So this whole series is about women in the Bible that are in the line of Christ.
WOMEN.
That’s important because the Bible doesn’t talk about girls too often because back then all us women were good for is babies and sex.
*a very dramatic eye roll in inserted right here in this review*
Mary: the most important women in the Bible some would argue.
I don’t think God really puts people on a scale, but I do believe he loved her as a mother because she was his mother when he was made human to come and die for us.
But she conceived him while she was a VIRGIN.
Aka: people thought she had sex out of wedlock and saw her as horrible.
Even Joseph thought she did, her fiancé! It wasn’t until an angel came to him in a dream to hold his horses and marry her anyway because Jesus was going to need him.
Doesn’t mean they didn’t get stupid looks or that anything was any easier on them.
I mean, why isn’t there any room in the inn for THE PARENTS OF JESUS COME ON PEOPLE WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?
This is a very good retelling of the story of why we even have Christmas to begin with.
Francine, you are a queen.
She is so on FIRE for Christ and you can see that buried in her words.
This series is an interesting one that I would recommend to anyone who wants to learn more about the Bible and those stories about women. She puts her own twist on her versions on this story, but she doesn’t take out any truth to the story. What I mean by that is even though we don’t know it happened the way she wrote it, doesn’t mean it didn’t actually happen the way she wrote it. She didn’t take anything out of the Bible.
So this whole series is about women in the Bible that are in the line of Christ.
WOMEN.
That’s important because the Bible doesn’t talk about girls too often because back then all us women were good for is babies and sex.
*a very dramatic eye roll in inserted right here in this review*
Mary: the most important women in the Bible some would argue.
I don’t think God really puts people on a scale, but I do believe he loved her as a mother because she was his mother when he was made human to come and die for us.
But she conceived him while she was a VIRGIN.
Aka: people thought she had sex out of wedlock and saw her as horrible.
Even Joseph thought she did, her fiancé! It wasn’t until an angel came to him in a dream to hold his horses and marry her anyway because Jesus was going to need him.
Doesn’t mean they didn’t get stupid looks or that anything was any easier on them.
I mean, why isn’t there any room in the inn for THE PARENTS OF JESUS COME ON PEOPLE WHAT IS THAT ABOUT?
This is a very good retelling of the story of why we even have Christmas to begin with.
Francine, you are a queen.
June 2, 2011
Francine Rivers does not disappoint in UNAFRAID.
This book is written from Mary's perspective and tells the story of her life. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be Jesus' mother! To know that your son was the long awaited Messiah, to be mocked, not believed, to be called delusional.....to wait and wait and wonder WHEN will it be Jesus' time? When? When will He redeem us? To know from the time that He was born what His fate would be. To raise other children who were humanly sinful right along side The Anointed One! Mary's struggles, sufferings, faithfullness, obedience, love, perseverance, humbleness, hope....this book made Mary come alive to me, her story was written on my heart.
Reading this book makes one think about Mary in an altogether new way.
Highly recommended.
This book is written from Mary's perspective and tells the story of her life. I can't imagine what it must have been like to be Jesus' mother! To know that your son was the long awaited Messiah, to be mocked, not believed, to be called delusional.....to wait and wait and wonder WHEN will it be Jesus' time? When? When will He redeem us? To know from the time that He was born what His fate would be. To raise other children who were humanly sinful right along side The Anointed One! Mary's struggles, sufferings, faithfullness, obedience, love, perseverance, humbleness, hope....this book made Mary come alive to me, her story was written on my heart.
Reading this book makes one think about Mary in an altogether new way.
Highly recommended.
July 26, 2011
The capstone to the Lineage of Grace series is the cornerstone to all of Scripture: Jesus. Rivers does a fine job of walking through the days of Jesus' life on earth through his mother's eyes, not as a revered saint, but as human as you or I. Mary's extraordinary story brings with it extraordinary challenges, from enduring wagging tongues and doubts from her own family to her own misunderstandings of when and how Jesus would carry out His mission of saving the world. I really enjoyed the moments when she realized , after having more children, that Jesus' ease of upbringing and his perfect behavior was in no way accredited to her skills as a parent. Many moments of reading Unafraid called to mind another decent retelling on the big screen: The Nativity. I think both are largely faithful to the Biblical account and quite enjoyable. Well done, Francine Rivers.
October 31, 2021
I feel guilty about my low rating of this book because it's about the mother of Jesus, but it's not the Biblical account....it's this author's take on the story.
I feel like I have a love hate relationship with Francine Rivers and her books. I either can't put them down or wish the misery would end. 🤷♀️ Sometimes her books are just so predictable, and the stories she takes from the Bible....her embellishments are just not great.
I HATED the way she portrayed Mary, and I felt some of it was unfair when compared to the Bible.
I feel like I have a love hate relationship with Francine Rivers and her books. I either can't put them down or wish the misery would end. 🤷♀️ Sometimes her books are just so predictable, and the stories she takes from the Bible....her embellishments are just not great.
I HATED the way she portrayed Mary, and I felt some of it was unfair when compared to the Bible.
September 10, 2009
I really wanted to like this book more. I almost feel guilty giving it such a low rating. Although, 2 stars means it was ok, and that is just what it was for me. It was not as good as the other 4 books for me. I did not like the way that Mary was portrayed. I know that it is historical fiction, but this was definitely not how I imagine Mary. I really liked the book Two from Galilee, and I liked the way that Mary was described in that book better.
January 10, 2013
Read this one at Christmas time which was especially meaningful.
December 26, 2022
The final book of the Lineage of Grace series is Unafraid: Mary. As the Scripture doesn’t give too much information on Mary (and Joseph) there are lots of decisions for Ms. Rivers to make in this Biblical historical fiction approach to Mary, Jesus’ mother.
We know the amazing events surrounding Jesus’ birth, but what about the 30 years he lived with His parents before beginning His public ministry? Certainly, His sinless perfection must have set Him apart from other children. How does a mother manage in a village when your firstborn son actually *IS* perfect? Or when the angels of God have announced to you, your husband, shepherds and wise men that your son IS the Messiah? Did Jesus perform miracles among his family or community prior to his public ministry? What and how did Joseph and Mary teach Jesus? We assume He needed care as a baby, as a child, but did He need instruction? How much did Jesus tell his earthly parents of his relationship with His heavenly Father? As Joseph isn’t mentioned after Jesus’ 12 year old audience in the Temple, when and how did Joseph die?
How did news travel? When did each event revealed to us become revealed to Mary? For example, in Unafraid, Mary & Joseph do not find out about the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem until they return to Nazareth after their Egyptian sojourn. Also, we know that after Jesus was baptized by John he was driven into the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days, after which he was tempted by Satan. Did Mary know this? In Unafraid, Rivers chooses to have Jesus disappear during that time with no one in his family either knowing or understanding what He as doing or where He was located.
At the beginning of His ministry, after Jesus has selected His disciples and performed his first miracle at the Cana wedding, he heads to Jerusalem for Passover. The apostle John tells us in his gospel:
John 2
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name as they observed His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind.
The challenge of writing into this reality was carefully undertaken and executed. Rivers’ delves into Jesus’ relationship with his siblings, imagining how that would have worked out given then they were neither of his followers at the end of his life, nor present at his crucifixion. Passages about Jesus’ earthly family are not often contemplated, and therefore, rather unknown compared to those that deal with Mary’s presence at Jesus’ birth (with Joseph) and death (where Joseph is absent and presumed to have pre-deceased Jesus). You can read more about Mary and Joseph’s children born after Jesus at the following link. I’ve copied in the Gospel passages that give glimpses of Jesus’ earthly family at the end of this review. See also upcoming comments on James, the Lord’s brother, for additional New Testament passages referencing Jesus’ brothers that formed the scaffolding for Rivers’ historical fiction.
Did Mary have other children after Jesus?
https://www.gotquestions.org/did-Mary...
Reading on Good Friday, I was struck by the revelation that Mary may have not known Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane late Thursday night. I woke up preparing my heart for Good Friday remembrances and services, but as in Unafraid, Mary probably had no idea that Jesus was going to be crucified that day as she got dressed. Thoughtful insights like these help me to look at the familiar story with different eyes. It is impossible that it all happened exactly as Rivers has written, placing this work clearly in the realm of Biblical (setting) historical fiction. However, reading through the facts from Mary’s perspective and seeing the choices the author made illuminates the dynamics at work in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
I found the early chapters of Unafraid difficult. They seemed minimally written in context of the supernatural events described, somewhat repetitive and wooden. Maybe, as I read during Holy Week, this was more a reflection of my focus on the end of Jesus’ life. Or, it could be the early chapters were less speculative than those coming later. Once the chronology progressed, I appreciated the tensions Rivers developed in both Mary’s 33 year experience as Jesus’ earthly mother and Jesus’ incarnation in a human family. In the middle of Jesus’ life, I do feel Rivers’ characterization of Him became too distant, cool, inconsiderate to his mother to be sinless. But at the same time, it is clear from the Gospels that: 1) Mary and the family were not with Him, 2) The disciples as well as His family of origin did not understand what He was doing. We also know from the Gospel of John (Chapter 2 above) that Jesus entrusted Himself to no one, which would have made His mysterious separateness apparent to those closest to Him.
I also found Jesus’ commission of Mary to John’s care (while He was being crucified, John 19:25-27) awkwardly written. Rivers implies that Mary did not know John. Mary’s comfort with John seems necessary for Jesus to make such a pronouncement. I agree the passage makes it obvious Jesus’ brothers were not there at the crucifixion, were not believers, and would have been unable to care for her as well as Jesus’ closest friend, the believing apostle John, who was to outlive the other disciples. For more on this important scene in both Mary and Jesus’ life, see…
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Ma...
Finally, I would have liked a little more from Rivers on Mary’s life as a member of the early church. And what her likely path was with the Apostle John. Also, how her relationship would change with her son James after he became a believer. James, the LORD’s brother (Galatians 1:19), is mentioned in the early church, after James the apostle had been martyred (Acts 12:2). The other brothers are also mentioned as a group in Acts 1:14. James the son of Joseph, Jesus’ half brother, became a leader in the early church. You can read more about him here:
https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Jam...
I thoroughly enjoyed this Biblical historical fiction account of Mary’s life in Unafraid. Francine Rivers’ thinking and writing challenged me to go to the Scripture and see what we know and what we can imagine of Mary, Joseph and Jesus’ family life. Reading it during Holy Week was especially powerful, though it would fit anytime between Christmas feast and Lenten preparation.
Biblical Passages that talk about Mary and Joseph’s family, Jesus’ siblings…
Matthew 12:46 records a time when Jesus’ mother and brothers came to speak with Him. Mother and brothers, used as a phrase, implies a familial relationship. Scripture gives us no reason to think these were not the biological children of Mary.
Matthew 13
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 land coming to mhis hometown nhe taught them in their synagogue, so that othey were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 pIs not this qthe carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not rhis brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And sthey took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, t“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, ubecause of their unbelief.
Mark 3
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” … 31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers[c] are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 6:3 records people becoming angry with Jesus when He taught in His hometown. They rejected Him as a prophet and responded, “‘Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him.” This passage indicates that Mary had at least seven children, including Jesus. There were at least thirty years between the time of Jesus’ birth and this encounter, which allows plenty of time for other children to have joined the family as Jesus’ siblings.
John 2:12 gives us another hint as we answer the question of whether Mary had other children: “After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples.” The fact that the words brothers and disciples are both used means that John was not referring to “spiritual” brothers but to familial relationships. The “brothers” and the “disciples” were different groups.
John 7
3 So his brothers2 said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him.
There’s more! I've read Francine Rivers Lineage of Grace series and will follow it up with the Sons of Encouragement. If you want to follow along, the first Lineage of Grace novella was:
Unveiled: Tamar, Rivers, 2000
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The first Sons of Encouragement novella is:
The Priest: Aaron, Rivers, 2004
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
We know the amazing events surrounding Jesus’ birth, but what about the 30 years he lived with His parents before beginning His public ministry? Certainly, His sinless perfection must have set Him apart from other children. How does a mother manage in a village when your firstborn son actually *IS* perfect? Or when the angels of God have announced to you, your husband, shepherds and wise men that your son IS the Messiah? Did Jesus perform miracles among his family or community prior to his public ministry? What and how did Joseph and Mary teach Jesus? We assume He needed care as a baby, as a child, but did He need instruction? How much did Jesus tell his earthly parents of his relationship with His heavenly Father? As Joseph isn’t mentioned after Jesus’ 12 year old audience in the Temple, when and how did Joseph die?
How did news travel? When did each event revealed to us become revealed to Mary? For example, in Unafraid, Mary & Joseph do not find out about the slaughter of the innocents in Bethlehem until they return to Nazareth after their Egyptian sojourn. Also, we know that after Jesus was baptized by John he was driven into the wilderness to fast and pray for forty days, after which he was tempted by Satan. Did Mary know this? In Unafraid, Rivers chooses to have Jesus disappear during that time with no one in his family either knowing or understanding what He as doing or where He was located.
At the beginning of His ministry, after Jesus has selected His disciples and performed his first miracle at the Cana wedding, he heads to Jerusalem for Passover. The apostle John tells us in his gospel:
John 2
23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name as they observed His signs which He was doing. 24 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, because He knew all people, 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about mankind, for He Himself knew what was in mankind.
The challenge of writing into this reality was carefully undertaken and executed. Rivers’ delves into Jesus’ relationship with his siblings, imagining how that would have worked out given then they were neither of his followers at the end of his life, nor present at his crucifixion. Passages about Jesus’ earthly family are not often contemplated, and therefore, rather unknown compared to those that deal with Mary’s presence at Jesus’ birth (with Joseph) and death (where Joseph is absent and presumed to have pre-deceased Jesus). You can read more about Mary and Joseph’s children born after Jesus at the following link. I’ve copied in the Gospel passages that give glimpses of Jesus’ earthly family at the end of this review. See also upcoming comments on James, the Lord’s brother, for additional New Testament passages referencing Jesus’ brothers that formed the scaffolding for Rivers’ historical fiction.
Did Mary have other children after Jesus?
https://www.gotquestions.org/did-Mary...
Reading on Good Friday, I was struck by the revelation that Mary may have not known Jesus was arrested in Gethsemane late Thursday night. I woke up preparing my heart for Good Friday remembrances and services, but as in Unafraid, Mary probably had no idea that Jesus was going to be crucified that day as she got dressed. Thoughtful insights like these help me to look at the familiar story with different eyes. It is impossible that it all happened exactly as Rivers has written, placing this work clearly in the realm of Biblical (setting) historical fiction. However, reading through the facts from Mary’s perspective and seeing the choices the author made illuminates the dynamics at work in Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
I found the early chapters of Unafraid difficult. They seemed minimally written in context of the supernatural events described, somewhat repetitive and wooden. Maybe, as I read during Holy Week, this was more a reflection of my focus on the end of Jesus’ life. Or, it could be the early chapters were less speculative than those coming later. Once the chronology progressed, I appreciated the tensions Rivers developed in both Mary’s 33 year experience as Jesus’ earthly mother and Jesus’ incarnation in a human family. In the middle of Jesus’ life, I do feel Rivers’ characterization of Him became too distant, cool, inconsiderate to his mother to be sinless. But at the same time, it is clear from the Gospels that: 1) Mary and the family were not with Him, 2) The disciples as well as His family of origin did not understand what He was doing. We also know from the Gospel of John (Chapter 2 above) that Jesus entrusted Himself to no one, which would have made His mysterious separateness apparent to those closest to Him.
I also found Jesus’ commission of Mary to John’s care (while He was being crucified, John 19:25-27) awkwardly written. Rivers implies that Mary did not know John. Mary’s comfort with John seems necessary for Jesus to make such a pronouncement. I agree the passage makes it obvious Jesus’ brothers were not there at the crucifixion, were not believers, and would have been unable to care for her as well as Jesus’ closest friend, the believing apostle John, who was to outlive the other disciples. For more on this important scene in both Mary and Jesus’ life, see…
https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-Ma...
Finally, I would have liked a little more from Rivers on Mary’s life as a member of the early church. And what her likely path was with the Apostle John. Also, how her relationship would change with her son James after he became a believer. James, the LORD’s brother (Galatians 1:19), is mentioned in the early church, after James the apostle had been martyred (Acts 12:2). The other brothers are also mentioned as a group in Acts 1:14. James the son of Joseph, Jesus’ half brother, became a leader in the early church. You can read more about him here:
https://www.gotquestions.org/life-Jam...
I thoroughly enjoyed this Biblical historical fiction account of Mary’s life in Unafraid. Francine Rivers’ thinking and writing challenged me to go to the Scripture and see what we know and what we can imagine of Mary, Joseph and Jesus’ family life. Reading it during Holy Week was especially powerful, though it would fit anytime between Christmas feast and Lenten preparation.
Biblical Passages that talk about Mary and Joseph’s family, Jesus’ siblings…
Matthew 12:46 records a time when Jesus’ mother and brothers came to speak with Him. Mother and brothers, used as a phrase, implies a familial relationship. Scripture gives us no reason to think these were not the biological children of Mary.
Matthew 13
53 And when Jesus had finished these parables, he went away from there, 54 land coming to mhis hometown nhe taught them in their synagogue, so that othey were astonished, and said, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these mighty works? 55 pIs not this qthe carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not rhis brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? 56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And sthey took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, t“A prophet is not without honor except in his hometown and in his own household.” 58 And he did not do many mighty works there, ubecause of their unbelief.
Mark 3
20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” … 31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers[c] are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.”
Mark 6:3 records people becoming angry with Jesus when He taught in His hometown. They rejected Him as a prophet and responded, “‘Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at him.” This passage indicates that Mary had at least seven children, including Jesus. There were at least thirty years between the time of Jesus’ birth and this encounter, which allows plenty of time for other children to have joined the family as Jesus’ siblings.
John 2:12 gives us another hint as we answer the question of whether Mary had other children: “After this he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples.” The fact that the words brothers and disciples are both used means that John was not referring to “spiritual” brothers but to familial relationships. The “brothers” and the “disciples” were different groups.
John 7
3 So his brothers2 said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea, that your disciples also may see the works you are doing. 4 For no one works in secret if he seeks to be known openly. If you do these things, show yourself to the world.” 5 For not even his brothers believed in him.
There’s more! I've read Francine Rivers Lineage of Grace series and will follow it up with the Sons of Encouragement. If you want to follow along, the first Lineage of Grace novella was:
Unveiled: Tamar, Rivers, 2000
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
The first Sons of Encouragement novella is:
The Priest: Aaron, Rivers, 2004
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 12, 2021
This is a hard review to write, as I really looked forward to reading this book, especially with Christmas just a short time away. The story fell rather flat for me, however. I don’t know if it was because many of the major events in Jesus’s ministry and life were not seen through a close-up lens (the feeding of the multitudes, the cleansing of the temple, Judas’s betrayal, etc), because they were relayed from Mary’s perspective. I also struggled a bit with her character as written, though if nothing else the story clearly shows why the people of Israel were waiting for a CONQUERING messiah to set them free from Roman rule.
I went into this book, expecting it to be about Mary and Joseph, and lead up to the birth of Jesus, where I expected it to end. Instead, it covers the time span prior to Jesus’s birth, through his death and resurrection. That was a lot to fit into a novella. I know the book was supposed to be about Mary but much of it felt muddled to me. Three stars is still a solid read, but as a reader, the story kept me at a distance rather than immersing me in what took place.
I went into this book, expecting it to be about Mary and Joseph, and lead up to the birth of Jesus, where I expected it to end. Instead, it covers the time span prior to Jesus’s birth, through his death and resurrection. That was a lot to fit into a novella. I know the book was supposed to be about Mary but much of it felt muddled to me. Three stars is still a solid read, but as a reader, the story kept me at a distance rather than immersing me in what took place.
December 5, 2024
The novella format is tricky, but I definitely don't think covering 33 years in a super short novel is easy to accomplish. And it wasn't done very well here. There are things I appreciated about the characterization of Mary (it's also coming from a very Protestant viewpoint, lol), but overall it just felt rushed and I was bored. Also, I don't like the Jesus-centric extra-Biblical things that were added. Same reason I keep keeping The Chosen at an arms length I guess. It's not inherently wrong, it just feels dangerous.
Also Mary kept vacillating wildly between "seems like she understands everything" and "is literally clueless, wut?" and that was annoying.
Also Mary kept vacillating wildly between "seems like she understands everything" and "is literally clueless, wut?" and that was annoying.
April 8, 2025
It is easy to read the Gospels and think about the life of Jesus. I think that I’m so familiar with the stories that I don’t quite grasp the reality of Jesus’ humanity and what that was like for the people who lived with him. This book, although historical fiction, opened my eyes to the reality of what it could have been like to be alive when Jesus was on the earth. People weren’t as accepting of him as I assume they would be (hence them crucifying Jesus). I finished this book with a new sense of awe and gratitude for Jesus, the precious gift from God to us.
May 25, 2021
This is more of a review for all five Lineage of Grace books. Overall, I really enjoyed them! I LOVED reading all these Bible stories with more (albeit fictional) detail woven into the actual Biblical text. While I obviously took her fiction with a grain of salt, it really helped me visualize these women as REAL women. Francine Rivers is not the most talented author I’ve read works for, but she’s still very good, and the things she writes are so helpful to me in my faith walk.
January 4, 2025
I loved the rest of the series. This one was a little boring, BUT the crucifixion was heart wrenching and so well written. A great reminder and walk-through of the brutal death that Jesus went through.
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe!
Jesus paid it all, all to him I owe!
February 20, 2025
gotta be so real, just didnt love like the rest and that made me sad. still emotional reading the perspective of a mother watching the death of her son
Mary, the mother of the promised Messiah,
Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
Mary, the mother of the promised Messiah,
Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.
April 12, 2025
As someone raised in the church, this was such a refreshing look at Mary’s life. I know it’s historical fiction, but it was so tender and relatable as a mom. I can’t imagine what she went through raising the Messiah, but I loved this story and it felt like perfect timing going into Easter.
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