by Rex Rouis
I really enjoyed this book on the Gospel miracles of Jesus. My copy is thoroughly marked and underlined. The book compares the character, status, and demeanor of the miracle petitioners against the customs of that period, thereby showing what, if anything, makes the people who received from the Lord stand out. It shows how, despite their eccentricities, Jesus mercifully and graciously responded to them. It shows their faith in action and how Jesus responded to that faith – with little regard for extenuating circumstances, both personal and public.
This is a very readable scholarly book. It is a very analytical textural study that is still approachable for us ordinary folk. Ms. Cotter sees through the tendency of most Biblical academics to dilute passion from the text and replace it with weaker wordings that tend to be more religious. Her portrayals breathe life into the text. Demons do not ‘cry out’. They ‘scream’ when exorcised; a military Centurion says ‘Sir’ instead of ‘Master’ when addressing our Lord, and Jesus Himself shows genuine verbal emotion when He is angry. All of this creates a very refreshing and clear picture of the Gospel miracle encounters. Bravo!