Brad Jersak, “A More Christlike Word” – Review by Cherith Fee Nordling

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Bradley Jersak, A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way (Whittaker House, 2021).
Review by Cherith Fee Nordling

For all of you who find the Bible heavy-lifting, either because you don’t know where to begin or because you’ve been given such a heavy interpretive, defensive load to bear on behalf of the good news about Jesus, rather than finding yourselves carried by Jesus, the incarnate Word himself, and his indescribably good gospel of love, from Genesis to Revelation, then this book is for you. It will invite you to move from simply reading verses through an unexamined lens to always listening for the revelation of Christ, by Christ, who reveals what is true concerning the relentless, renewing love of God, our Father, and thus what is true about us as his beloved ones.

Brad Jersak invites us to read all of Scripture so as to hear, see, and know Christ, our Living Good News, and to know ourselves through Christ. 

To walk the Emmaus Way is enter into a wonderful, costly exchange of sorts: To exchange fear—of not understanding everything, of not knowing what you will or won’t find, of proof-texting to defend God (or a fear of God himself, and thus defending your heart against Scripture’s challenges)—for fearlessness and joyful freedom in the company of our Lord and the full communion of saints throughout the ages.

Jersak has walked this Emmaus Way ahead of us, in the company of some of these saints, including the wise ancients of the early church and some current wise ones. Thus, he is a good, gracious and careful guide, who tells his own journey into a renewed love of Scripture that witnesses to the love of God for us in Christ Jesus, and invites us along with humility and humor, with open hand and heart, and with a deep awareness of the costliness of this exchange and the priceless gift given in Christ himself, the Good Way, who gives us both courage and capacity to hear, read, and see him, the Word made flesh, in both Testaments. Receive this book as a kind companion for the journey.

Dr. Cherith Nordling
Sessional Lecturer
Regent College, Vancouver 
Author of Knowing God by Name

A More Christlike Word: Reading Scripture the Emmaus Way