Book Review: His Last Words

I told someone recently that I am grateful for the whole Bible, but I could spend a long time eating only at the table of John 13 to 17, what is sometimes referred to as the upper room discourse. In these five chapters, we are granted an intimate glimpse of Jesus and his disciples just prior to his crucifixion. I find myself asking of this section, "what did Jesus believe it was important enough to tell his disciples? Who was Jesus in those final hours?" Thankfully, the story moves slowly enough that we can envision some of those details.

In light of my fascination with these five chapters, I was glad to see a book that focused upon them. Kim Erickson's His Last Words: What Jesus Taught and Prayed in His Final Hours (Moody, 2017). Erickson prepared the book as a seven-week study rather than typical prose. This approach allows the reader to enter the story with Jesus and the disciples. She invites her readers to consider the story that is being told and to continually ask, "what does this tell me about God?" After we think about what the story says, she provides brief narratives granting insight into the story and into her own life, enriching the experience.

I am grateful for this book. Any author who helps her readers to gain a greater appreciation and an accurate understanding of the upper room is a gift in my book.

I received a free copy of this book from Moody Publishers in exchange for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The thoughts presented here are my own.