Why Were You Searching For Me?
by The Rev. Dr. Edwin Nettleton
It is tempting to move many of the questions into the past saying, "Well, that was then, this is now." But Christians believe that Jesus is not someone who lived only long ago. We believe that he lives now. We believe that Jesus is of the present tense. Therefore, the questions he asks (not asked) are not just of historical interest with possible modern applications. They are as immediate as the questions of the traffic cop, "How fast were you going?" or a friend's, "What were you thinking?" or a parent's, "Where are you going?"
- Published
- 2005
- ISBN
- 1-932738-26-6
- Pages
- 288
- Publisher
- Western Reflections Publishing Co.
- Listed at
- $11.95
Publication details from Open Library. The price shown is the last one on record and is historic, not a current offer.
- Direct from us info@westernreflectionspublishing.com or (336) 565-6915. We pack and post from Lake City.
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About this book
Why Were You Searching For Me? is a book of devotional reflection built on the questions Jesus asks in the Gospels. Its full title adds that there are 133 others. The publisher's blurb counts 134 questions in all, and explains that it took the author some time to decide on the number, since many similar questions appear in more than one Gospel.
The Rev. Dr. Ed Nettleton presents the questions in the order they appear in the Bible, to keep the flow Jesus used, and adds extensive cross-referencing so readers can make their own decision about the count. His thesis, in the catalogue description, is that Jesus is of the present tense: the questions he asks are as immediate as a traffic cop's, a friend's or a parent's. Western Reflections published it in 2005.
What is inside
134 questions
The book gathers the questions Jesus asks in the Gospels, counting 134 of them.
Bible order
Questions follow the order in which they appear in the Bible.
Cross-references
Extensive cross-referencing helps readers weigh similar questions in different Gospels.
A present-tense Jesus
The thesis is that Jesus still lives and asks each question of every reader now.
Who it is for
The publisher describes the book as suitable for daily meditation, theological study, or simply as a thought provoking read. It is written for Christian readers who believe, as the author does, that Jesus lives now.
About the author
A listing for the book describes the Rev. Dr. Ed Nettleton as an Episcopal priest who directed Pilgrims' Rest Retreat Center in Lake City, Colorado, and serves as chief of the volunteer fire department there. It also calls him an active pilot and outdoorsman and a Benedictine Oblate, and says this was his first book. His author page has the little more we can verify.
Ways to use this book
Building a morning reading habit
The publisher calls the book suitable for daily meditation. If you want to try that, read one Gospel passage each morning in two translations, copy out any question you find in it, and keep that question in mind through the day before you compare notes with the book.
Starting a small discussion group
Choose one Gospel and ask each member to bring a single question they noticed in that week's chapter. Use an online Bible to compare wording, and contact a local parish about meeting space if your own home is too small.
Go deeper
This book is built on questions asked in the Gospels, so the most direct tools are ways to read those passages side by side. A retail listing describes the author as an Episcopal priest and Benedictine Oblate, which makes church and Benedictine sites natural next stops.
Bible Gateway
According to its home page, a searchable online Bible in over 150 versions, handy for reading one Gospel passage in several translations.
The Episcopal Church in Colorado
The website of the Colorado Episcopal diocese, for readers who want to find a congregation and see how it describes its worship and service.
OSB.org
A site for the Benedictine Order whose menu includes Daily Reading and Oblates sections, for readers curious about that tradition.
Good to know
How many questions does the book cover?
How are the questions arranged?
When was it published?
Where can I get a copy?
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