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The Day I Met Jesus: The Revealing Diaries of Five Women from the Gospels
Two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ met face-to-face with people just like you. Broken, imperfect, sometimes fearful and without hope. The Day I Met Jesus is a beautifully crafted narrative that chronicles the remarkable encounters of five women in the Gospels who were desperate to find wholeness, security, and purpose. Like all of us, these women struggled with the regrets of their pasts, the stresses of their presents, and the worries of their tomorrows.
Join Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth on a fascinating journey back in time as they retell the dramatic accounts of five women who met Jesus. Each narrative is told from each woman's unique perspective, yet tightly grounded in the Gospel accounts and faithful to first-century history. Elegantly written and profoundly stirring, this book blends creative narrative with uncommon insight, spiritual depth, and practical application.
If you are someone who seeks a renewal of hope, faith, and love, The Day I Met Jesus will make your Bible come to life and usher you into a fresh encounter with your Lord.
Join Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth on a fascinating journey back in time as they retell the dramatic accounts of five women who met Jesus. Each narrative is told from each woman's unique perspective, yet tightly grounded in the Gospel accounts and faithful to first-century history. Elegantly written and profoundly stirring, this book blends creative narrative with uncommon insight, spiritual depth, and practical application.
If you are someone who seeks a renewal of hope, faith, and love, The Day I Met Jesus will make your Bible come to life and usher you into a fresh encounter with your Lord.
200 pages, Paperback
First published February 24, 2015
485 people are currently reading
1163 people want to read
About the author
Frank Viola
65 books206 followersFrank is a bestselling author and in-demand conference speaker. You can find his books, podcasts, articles, messages, and courses at http://frankviola.org.
Viola doesn't interact on GoodReads. If you want to contact him, you can write him directly with a question or comment at frank@frankviola.com.
Viola doesn't interact on GoodReads. If you want to contact him, you can write him directly with a question or comment at frank@frankviola.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 161 reviews
August 17, 2021
MEN SHOULD READ THIS TOO
Every pariah has a backstory. Every sinner has hidden wounds. Every hero is driven by love.
In The Day I Met Jesus, authors Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth bring you into the minds of five New Testament women and invite you to see the world through their eyes. The book is poignant, moving, and masterfully executed. Its stated goal is to help see Jesus more clearly. But I think it accomplishes something else. Reading The Day I Met Jesus also gives you insight into the struggles of womanhood.
An example. When we Bible readers meet the woman caught in adultery in John chapter 8, she is already an adulteress at that point. That is her label, her identity. What Viola and DeMuth do, through the artifice of the woman's own first-person account, is to remind us that before she was an adulteress, the woman was a wife. Surely she once was desired and loved by her husband. What happened to bring her to the place where she could be shoved in front of a rabbi and pronounced guilty of a capital crime?
Or how about the prostitute who washed Jesus's feet with perfumed ointment? The pharisees call her a sinner, but she once was an innocent little girl.
To see such women for what they once were, and what they could become again, is to look at them through eyes that are more like Jesus's.
Drawing heavily from the historical milieu of first-century Palestine, The Day I Met Jesus reveals the tragic female figures behind these well-known stories. The woman caught in adultery? Her once-loving husband had grown to despise her merely because she was not an excellent housekeeper? The prostitute who kissed the Lord's feet? Most likely, she ended up on that path because she was a rape victim.
We also spend time with the Samaritan woman at the well, the woman who couldn't stop bleeding, and Mary the sister of Lazarus. The book is challenging and informative.
And just because it's a book about five women doesn't mean it's a book solely for women. First, the centerpiece of the book is Jesus. And we all need to be reminded about the qualities that made him so special, so fascinating, so radical, so redemptive. But second, I think it's terribly important for men like me to hear the gospel message of deliverance from the perspective of women.
As I often try to express, people with privilege cannot possibly understand the harms they inadvertently inflict on the less-privileged unless they sincerely listen. Reading these stories will remind men just how cruel we often are without even realizing it. First-century Judea (and most of the world today) is thoroughly a man's world. Even in America, we have a long way to go.
As Paul instructed Timothy, men in Christ are to treat all women as their sisters or mothers (I Timothy 5:1-2). Too often, men see women as objects to possess and exploit at worst or strangers impossible-to-understand at best. If you want to be a better man, this book can help you by impressing on your psyche just how vulnerable women still can be, how badly we men can hurt them, and how important the radical acceptance of Jesus can be in healing those wounds.
Buy this book for your mother, your sister, your significant other. But also read it yourself. I wholeheartedly endorse The Day I Met Jesus.
Every pariah has a backstory. Every sinner has hidden wounds. Every hero is driven by love.
In The Day I Met Jesus, authors Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth bring you into the minds of five New Testament women and invite you to see the world through their eyes. The book is poignant, moving, and masterfully executed. Its stated goal is to help see Jesus more clearly. But I think it accomplishes something else. Reading The Day I Met Jesus also gives you insight into the struggles of womanhood.
An example. When we Bible readers meet the woman caught in adultery in John chapter 8, she is already an adulteress at that point. That is her label, her identity. What Viola and DeMuth do, through the artifice of the woman's own first-person account, is to remind us that before she was an adulteress, the woman was a wife. Surely she once was desired and loved by her husband. What happened to bring her to the place where she could be shoved in front of a rabbi and pronounced guilty of a capital crime?
Or how about the prostitute who washed Jesus's feet with perfumed ointment? The pharisees call her a sinner, but she once was an innocent little girl.
To see such women for what they once were, and what they could become again, is to look at them through eyes that are more like Jesus's.
Drawing heavily from the historical milieu of first-century Palestine, The Day I Met Jesus reveals the tragic female figures behind these well-known stories. The woman caught in adultery? Her once-loving husband had grown to despise her merely because she was not an excellent housekeeper? The prostitute who kissed the Lord's feet? Most likely, she ended up on that path because she was a rape victim.
We also spend time with the Samaritan woman at the well, the woman who couldn't stop bleeding, and Mary the sister of Lazarus. The book is challenging and informative.
And just because it's a book about five women doesn't mean it's a book solely for women. First, the centerpiece of the book is Jesus. And we all need to be reminded about the qualities that made him so special, so fascinating, so radical, so redemptive. But second, I think it's terribly important for men like me to hear the gospel message of deliverance from the perspective of women.
As I often try to express, people with privilege cannot possibly understand the harms they inadvertently inflict on the less-privileged unless they sincerely listen. Reading these stories will remind men just how cruel we often are without even realizing it. First-century Judea (and most of the world today) is thoroughly a man's world. Even in America, we have a long way to go.
As Paul instructed Timothy, men in Christ are to treat all women as their sisters or mothers (I Timothy 5:1-2). Too often, men see women as objects to possess and exploit at worst or strangers impossible-to-understand at best. If you want to be a better man, this book can help you by impressing on your psyche just how vulnerable women still can be, how badly we men can hurt them, and how important the radical acceptance of Jesus can be in healing those wounds.
Buy this book for your mother, your sister, your significant other. But also read it yourself. I wholeheartedly endorse The Day I Met Jesus.
February 25, 2015
Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth explore the true stories of women touched by Christ in "The Day I Met Jesus." This biblical narrative paints vivid pictures of the real encounters with God in the flesh.
Each chapter begins with a diary of a woman met by Jesus in a remarkable way. Author Mary DeMuth shares the biblical character's innermost thoughts and struggles before the encounter, giving a glimpse of the pain, regret, and fear that each woman faced in her daily struggles. As each tale unfolds, one can't help but identify with the universal struggles of abandonment, betrayal, loss, and desperation. The day she meets Jesus changes everything for each woman, and the story of redemption becomes clear and joyous.
Author Frank Viola then takes the chapter further with historical and theological background to the story, making the tale real and relevant. What results is life-changing spiritual truth, not just for the woman in the story, but for the reader, as well.
FROM THE BOOK: "Anchored to the dusty earth, I knew this longed-for truth: I am loved. So very, utterly noticed. Picked. Wanted. Despite my story. Or maybe because of it? I am not sure. But one thing I am assured of is this: God saw fit to notice me, to make Himself known to me quietly at the place of my betrayal and shame... While evil had taken a lifetime to destroy me, this man took mere moments to re-story me."
This book makes an excellent personal Bible study or book club selection. The universal truths are easily applicable, and the stories will encourage readers to share their own personal, life-changing experiences with Christ. Each chapter includes study questions for group discussion.
The Day I Met Jesus: The Revealing Diaries of Five Women from the Gospels
Each chapter begins with a diary of a woman met by Jesus in a remarkable way. Author Mary DeMuth shares the biblical character's innermost thoughts and struggles before the encounter, giving a glimpse of the pain, regret, and fear that each woman faced in her daily struggles. As each tale unfolds, one can't help but identify with the universal struggles of abandonment, betrayal, loss, and desperation. The day she meets Jesus changes everything for each woman, and the story of redemption becomes clear and joyous.
Author Frank Viola then takes the chapter further with historical and theological background to the story, making the tale real and relevant. What results is life-changing spiritual truth, not just for the woman in the story, but for the reader, as well.
FROM THE BOOK: "Anchored to the dusty earth, I knew this longed-for truth: I am loved. So very, utterly noticed. Picked. Wanted. Despite my story. Or maybe because of it? I am not sure. But one thing I am assured of is this: God saw fit to notice me, to make Himself known to me quietly at the place of my betrayal and shame... While evil had taken a lifetime to destroy me, this man took mere moments to re-story me."
This book makes an excellent personal Bible study or book club selection. The universal truths are easily applicable, and the stories will encourage readers to share their own personal, life-changing experiences with Christ. Each chapter includes study questions for group discussion.
The Day I Met Jesus: The Revealing Diaries of Five Women from the Gospels
March 3, 2015
What would it have been like to physically meet Jesus face to face?
Looking into Jesus’ eyes, what would a shunned person experience?
Or a person rebuked for violating social norms?
And what if, as that shunned or rebuked person, you met Jesus face to face and He fully loved you and affirmed you, even defending you to your detractors?
In this book, hear from people who did encounter Jesus face to face. Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth have teamed up to write engaging, heart-pricking, thought-provoking Biblical narrative.
Many times while reading I was moved to tears, both joyful and poignant. The fleshed out stories are believable. The writing engages the reader. The scriptural truths both cut and mend souls. I highly recommend this book. Buy several; you’ll want to give some away.
Looking into Jesus’ eyes, what would a shunned person experience?
Or a person rebuked for violating social norms?
And what if, as that shunned or rebuked person, you met Jesus face to face and He fully loved you and affirmed you, even defending you to your detractors?
In this book, hear from people who did encounter Jesus face to face. Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth have teamed up to write engaging, heart-pricking, thought-provoking Biblical narrative.
Many times while reading I was moved to tears, both joyful and poignant. The fleshed out stories are believable. The writing engages the reader. The scriptural truths both cut and mend souls. I highly recommend this book. Buy several; you’ll want to give some away.
March 4, 2015
This book is amazing. Mary DeMuth's writing is real, raw, authentic, organic...you experience these women's stories like never before. Mary's writing is extraordinary, you feel like you're the woman in the story. And then Frank Viola helps you to dig even deeper into the story. Very thought-provoking and inspiring. You will never think of the stories the same way again. This book is a blessing. Buy one for yourself, one for your best friend, one for your mother. This book is a gift to be cherished and shared.
March 2, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. Each woman's story was touching and relatable to typical Christian feelings. The theme of each was the unconditional and overflowing grace and love of Jesus Christ who transformed these women's lives.
Really encouraging read!
Really encouraging read!
February 26, 2015
Wanna meet Jesus? Wanna hear a familiar story told differently? Want a little more flesh on the bone? Wanna find a God “so blessedly alive you can touch Him?”
Whether you’ve yet to meet Him or you’ve had your faith in Him for a long time, this book will reach you and introduce you (even again) to the friend of sinners, the Savior of your soul.
“Some stories cry their way to the streets”, as it says in sentence one, story one. And these stories of five very real, remarkably relatable women from the dusty streets of the Bible certainly do. The woman caught in adultery. The Samaritan woman. The bleeder. The prostitute. The woman Jesus loved. Their stories, told and translated, are not just five women’s stories. They’re not. As Frank and Mary so masterfully and persuasively put forth, they are the stories of us all.
Meet these women. Mary DeMuth has put flesh on their biblical-bones and clothes on their real and weary backs. And meet the man who met them where they were, in the dirt, in their daily chore, in their desperation, and changed everything for them.
Meet Jesus.
Their lives were never the same. Neither will yours.
On the heels of each transformative encounter, the sacred text is examined, and Frank Viola walks it out with you in his thoughtful and relatable exposition. New to the faith or long in the tooth of it, you will learn something.
If Frank and Mary have done their job well, the Gospels will rise up and walk around your living room. They certainly did in mine.
Five stars and two thumbs way, way up.
Whether you’ve yet to meet Him or you’ve had your faith in Him for a long time, this book will reach you and introduce you (even again) to the friend of sinners, the Savior of your soul.
“Some stories cry their way to the streets”, as it says in sentence one, story one. And these stories of five very real, remarkably relatable women from the dusty streets of the Bible certainly do. The woman caught in adultery. The Samaritan woman. The bleeder. The prostitute. The woman Jesus loved. Their stories, told and translated, are not just five women’s stories. They’re not. As Frank and Mary so masterfully and persuasively put forth, they are the stories of us all.
Meet these women. Mary DeMuth has put flesh on their biblical-bones and clothes on their real and weary backs. And meet the man who met them where they were, in the dirt, in their daily chore, in their desperation, and changed everything for them.
Meet Jesus.
Their lives were never the same. Neither will yours.
On the heels of each transformative encounter, the sacred text is examined, and Frank Viola walks it out with you in his thoughtful and relatable exposition. New to the faith or long in the tooth of it, you will learn something.
If Frank and Mary have done their job well, the Gospels will rise up and walk around your living room. They certainly did in mine.
Five stars and two thumbs way, way up.
March 4, 2015
This is such a powerful book. To say that these stories come to life in front of you doesn't do it justice. I literally felt like I was in each story. And a part of me could relate to something in each story. I'd highly recommend this as a personal read, as a group women's study, and as a study for a mixed group. You won't forget these women, you won't forget Jesus's responses, and you won't forget how you feel when all eyes are in your direction as you walk beside these women trying to work out their specific situations. Nothing is ever completely as it seems at first glance, including our lives and how we got where we are. All the more reason to not judge, but to listen, reach out, care, love.
March 5, 2015
Each of our lives tell a story. Our stories will live on long after we leave this earth. The Day I Met Jesus: The Revealing Diaries of Five Women from the Gospels by Mary DeMuth and Frank Viola, recounts the dramatic encounters Jesus had with five different women.
Five women – broken, imperfect, unwanted – whose lives changed forever the instant they met Jesus. Their stories are written poignantly and intimately in a diary sort of fashion. Mary paints a portrait of each of these women with such detail so as to transport the reader back to the very day of the meeting. She brings clarity and emotion to each story as she recounts what each woman experienced leading up to their encounter….
The Diary of a Woman Caught in Adultery. The woman set up, trapped with no way out. And we discover , “Grace ushers in forgiveness, but it also empowers us to walk in a new way.”
The Diary of a Prostitute Who Loved Much. She loved men, faking interest, in the hopes one would truly love her back. And we discover, “God had a bigger plan, that He could trump what others had done and renew it somehow.”
The Diary of a Desperate Samaritan Woman. She was beautiful but unable to bear children. Barren. Rejected and set free yet freedom would mean being homeless, empty and alone. And we discover, we are each sought out by our God. We are loved. We are noticed. He brings hope.
The Diary of a Woman with a Flow of Blood. An infirmity which could not be helped. Constant, nagging bleeding which caused pain and isolation. This woman was desperate beyond all measure. Can we even begin to comprehend living without being embraced. No affection. Ostracized. And we discover, our Lord will let us come and touch Him even when we are yet unclean. God’s Kingdom breaks past our muddled situations and brings restoration.
The Diary of the Woman Whom Jesus Loved. Mary, the sister of Lazarus. The woman who sat at the feet of Jesus taking in His words. And Jesus welcomed her, urging her to stay and listen. And we discover, being a servant is not about what we do. It is about our hearts being open and listening to Jesus, remaining teachable and close to Him. For it is then we find ourselves filled with hope in a troubled world.
Mary weaves each story rich with emotions and images. In reading these stories, we find our own stories in the midst of these women. As the narration goes on, the words of Jesus speak deeply into our hearts, touching places still needing freedom and healing. Mary DeMuth presents biblical narrative which paint vivid pictures of the real encounters with God in the flesh on the very soil of our earth.
Frank Viola further delves into each story by providing rich historical and theological background making the tale relevant to today. He applies life changing truths which will impact every reader, both women and men. This truly is not a book solely for women.
I am so grateful to have read this book for as I discovered I am no different than any of these five women …
For life has never been the same since The Day I Met Jesus.
Five women – broken, imperfect, unwanted – whose lives changed forever the instant they met Jesus. Their stories are written poignantly and intimately in a diary sort of fashion. Mary paints a portrait of each of these women with such detail so as to transport the reader back to the very day of the meeting. She brings clarity and emotion to each story as she recounts what each woman experienced leading up to their encounter….
The Diary of a Woman Caught in Adultery. The woman set up, trapped with no way out. And we discover , “Grace ushers in forgiveness, but it also empowers us to walk in a new way.”
The Diary of a Prostitute Who Loved Much. She loved men, faking interest, in the hopes one would truly love her back. And we discover, “God had a bigger plan, that He could trump what others had done and renew it somehow.”
The Diary of a Desperate Samaritan Woman. She was beautiful but unable to bear children. Barren. Rejected and set free yet freedom would mean being homeless, empty and alone. And we discover, we are each sought out by our God. We are loved. We are noticed. He brings hope.
The Diary of a Woman with a Flow of Blood. An infirmity which could not be helped. Constant, nagging bleeding which caused pain and isolation. This woman was desperate beyond all measure. Can we even begin to comprehend living without being embraced. No affection. Ostracized. And we discover, our Lord will let us come and touch Him even when we are yet unclean. God’s Kingdom breaks past our muddled situations and brings restoration.
The Diary of the Woman Whom Jesus Loved. Mary, the sister of Lazarus. The woman who sat at the feet of Jesus taking in His words. And Jesus welcomed her, urging her to stay and listen. And we discover, being a servant is not about what we do. It is about our hearts being open and listening to Jesus, remaining teachable and close to Him. For it is then we find ourselves filled with hope in a troubled world.
Mary weaves each story rich with emotions and images. In reading these stories, we find our own stories in the midst of these women. As the narration goes on, the words of Jesus speak deeply into our hearts, touching places still needing freedom and healing. Mary DeMuth presents biblical narrative which paint vivid pictures of the real encounters with God in the flesh on the very soil of our earth.
Frank Viola further delves into each story by providing rich historical and theological background making the tale relevant to today. He applies life changing truths which will impact every reader, both women and men. This truly is not a book solely for women.
I am so grateful to have read this book for as I discovered I am no different than any of these five women …
For life has never been the same since The Day I Met Jesus.
October 16, 2018
“After six failed relationships, Photine encountered her true husband. A man who would love her like no other man ever had. A man who would never use or abuse her, but who would cherish her with the purest of love in the universe.” Page 107
I really wanted to love this book and when I began coming across certain things that were pretty questionable, I still proceeded to give it the benefit of the doubt. However, that was completely shattered when I came across the sentences above. Frank Viola referred to the Samaritan woman from the scriptures as “Photine” and as he began attempting to relate the woman’s newfound redemption and freedom through Christ to that of the Church being the bride of Christ, he took it to a whole-other level. By basically saying this woman found a new husband IN Christ himself, is not biblically sound and is quite frankly, very very wrong. Jesus Christ is our savior, redeemer, healer, peacemaker, Lord and the only begotten Son of God; not our husband.
While I don’t believe this book was ill-willed, I do think things that were said we’re handled wrongly and perhaps, even carelessly. And would be even considered false doctrine, since it has not been corrected.
Mary DeMuth’s writing on the other hand, had a nice flow and was quite descriptive. Her style works great for fiction and she has a way of really bringing characters to life. Although this is one of my biggest gripes with this book; these women in these stories are not her own characters but were real women that lived and experienced the tangible, saving grace of God through encountering Jesus Christ, the awaited Messiah. It’s my first time reading a book of this kind and to fictionalization these stories in such a way that can cloud our vision when we further read the scriptures for themselves, is not a good thing. We should instead, read the scriptures as they are.
I really wanted to love this book and when I began coming across certain things that were pretty questionable, I still proceeded to give it the benefit of the doubt. However, that was completely shattered when I came across the sentences above. Frank Viola referred to the Samaritan woman from the scriptures as “Photine” and as he began attempting to relate the woman’s newfound redemption and freedom through Christ to that of the Church being the bride of Christ, he took it to a whole-other level. By basically saying this woman found a new husband IN Christ himself, is not biblically sound and is quite frankly, very very wrong. Jesus Christ is our savior, redeemer, healer, peacemaker, Lord and the only begotten Son of God; not our husband.
While I don’t believe this book was ill-willed, I do think things that were said we’re handled wrongly and perhaps, even carelessly. And would be even considered false doctrine, since it has not been corrected.
Mary DeMuth’s writing on the other hand, had a nice flow and was quite descriptive. Her style works great for fiction and she has a way of really bringing characters to life. Although this is one of my biggest gripes with this book; these women in these stories are not her own characters but were real women that lived and experienced the tangible, saving grace of God through encountering Jesus Christ, the awaited Messiah. It’s my first time reading a book of this kind and to fictionalization these stories in such a way that can cloud our vision when we further read the scriptures for themselves, is not a good thing. We should instead, read the scriptures as they are.
March 2, 2015
I didn’t expect this book to impact me the way it did. I didn’t expect the five fictionalized characters from the Bible to embed themselves in my heart.
I was a little nervous about giving these women backstories. Isn’t all we need to know about them written in Scripture? But what Frank and Mary have done in this book breathes life into the Scriptural account.
No longer am I rereading the same stories I’ve read countless times. On the pages of this book, I feel like I’m meeting a real person. I’ve rediscovered the power of their faith and the radical Christ I fell in love with years ago.
I met Mary of Bethany afresh and watched her wrestle with the need to be an ideal woman. I watched her throw away the need to please, enter a man’s world to sit at the feet of Jesus as his disciple. She loved Jesus more than she cared about what others thought of her.
The woman with the “issue of blood” comes alive on the pages of The Day I Met Jesus. We weep for her, ache with her and rejoice with her and see Jesus anew through her eyes.
I don’t have the space here to tell you how the women caught in adultery challenged the way I thought about my love for Jesus. I wish I could tell you how the woman at the well’s radical exuberance for the savior challenged the way I approach sharing my faith.
I won’t soon forget this book, and you won’t either. Read it.
I’ve been a student of the Bible, formally and informally, for years, and I learned more about first century customs from this one book than a pile of my theology books. The authors do a great job of explaining details that, we as modern readers, don’t understand. You won't regret reading this book.
I was a little nervous about giving these women backstories. Isn’t all we need to know about them written in Scripture? But what Frank and Mary have done in this book breathes life into the Scriptural account.
No longer am I rereading the same stories I’ve read countless times. On the pages of this book, I feel like I’m meeting a real person. I’ve rediscovered the power of their faith and the radical Christ I fell in love with years ago.
I met Mary of Bethany afresh and watched her wrestle with the need to be an ideal woman. I watched her throw away the need to please, enter a man’s world to sit at the feet of Jesus as his disciple. She loved Jesus more than she cared about what others thought of her.
The woman with the “issue of blood” comes alive on the pages of The Day I Met Jesus. We weep for her, ache with her and rejoice with her and see Jesus anew through her eyes.
I don’t have the space here to tell you how the women caught in adultery challenged the way I thought about my love for Jesus. I wish I could tell you how the woman at the well’s radical exuberance for the savior challenged the way I approach sharing my faith.
I won’t soon forget this book, and you won’t either. Read it.
I’ve been a student of the Bible, formally and informally, for years, and I learned more about first century customs from this one book than a pile of my theology books. The authors do a great job of explaining details that, we as modern readers, don’t understand. You won't regret reading this book.
March 5, 2015
4 1/2 stars....
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a compilation of five fictionalized accounts of women’s stories in the Bible who encountered Jesus: the Samaritan woman at the well, the adulteress who was about to be stoned, the prostitute who washed Jesus’ feet with perfume, the woman who bled for 12 years, and Mary, sister to Lazarus who chose to sit at his feet and listen as a disciple than to help her sister with the hospitality side.
Every single one gives a fictionalized back story, breathes life into these women whom we may not know much more than the verse or two that is given to them in the Bible. Every story is beautiful and well-written, but ultimately, the stories are not about them, they are about the amazing power and character of Jesus. It truly reinforces how revolutionary he was, how he took the broken, ostracized and shunned, and made them whole, contributing and loving members of society once more.
After the story of each, there is a historical and theological background written which helps bring 1st century society into a 21st century understanding. The one I am most struck by is the woman who bled for 12 years. As modern day women, we are not considered unclean every time our monthly visitor comes, we are not separated from our families or unable to work for fear that we will make everyone else around us unclean. It’s easy to forget that 1st century society was so vastly different from ours, and what Jesus did was jaw-dropping for his time.
This is an amazing book, well-written and a quick read.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a compilation of five fictionalized accounts of women’s stories in the Bible who encountered Jesus: the Samaritan woman at the well, the adulteress who was about to be stoned, the prostitute who washed Jesus’ feet with perfume, the woman who bled for 12 years, and Mary, sister to Lazarus who chose to sit at his feet and listen as a disciple than to help her sister with the hospitality side.
Every single one gives a fictionalized back story, breathes life into these women whom we may not know much more than the verse or two that is given to them in the Bible. Every story is beautiful and well-written, but ultimately, the stories are not about them, they are about the amazing power and character of Jesus. It truly reinforces how revolutionary he was, how he took the broken, ostracized and shunned, and made them whole, contributing and loving members of society once more.
After the story of each, there is a historical and theological background written which helps bring 1st century society into a 21st century understanding. The one I am most struck by is the woman who bled for 12 years. As modern day women, we are not considered unclean every time our monthly visitor comes, we are not separated from our families or unable to work for fear that we will make everyone else around us unclean. It’s easy to forget that 1st century society was so vastly different from ours, and what Jesus did was jaw-dropping for his time.
This is an amazing book, well-written and a quick read.
March 2, 2015
The Day I Met Jesus is a look back into the past with a forward view into the present. This book takes us "there" during the days and times of Jesus Christ when He walked, talked, and healed the despicable, desperate, down-in-out, untouchable and sinful. Mary DeMuth skillfully weaves the details found in five women's stories, women who lived in biblical times, who experienced first-hand the healing touch of the Master Teacher through his infinite love, offer of grace, amazing restoration and full transformation. We view each story by walking in the shoes of women with strikingly different stories. Each one pulls us into the storyline as we feel their emotion and understand their confusion and pain. Hope is found in the shape and form of Jesus Christ, Who, with His God-love, reaches them in the inner soul and connects through life-giving God-based union. In addition to their stories, Frank Viola provides the reader with further study and analysis to unlock the beauty found within these amazing encounters. Each woman's story is not for the purpose of entertaining, but, rather, is for the purpose of teaching us something we need to hear and that resonates with us in our world today. Culture may have changed, but the human heart has not. DeMuth and Viola take us to the point where one human connects with another human in a highly spiritual way. A book based on the gospel accounts.
March 2, 2015
This book is….wonderfully unique! Not only does it provide beautifully written narratives for five of the most endeared women of the Bible, but it also provides the “Sacred Text” and further elaborates on each woman’s story.
I found the narratives to be very enlightening as a reader. In each woman’s scenario when read in the Bible, they leave you wondering just how everything really played out. Thankfully, Frank Voila and Mary DeMuth did a wonderful job of providing us with this insight, as much of it is based up on cross-references in scripture and sound historical information.
In no other book will you learn as much about these women in one place as you will in The Day I Met Jesus: The Revealing Diaries of Five Women of the Gospels. The women highlighted are the woman caught in adultery, the prostitute, the Samaritan woman, the woman with an issue of blood and the woman with the alabaster box. You will learn things about these women you have never heard before, making this book’s sub-title completely appropriate.
I highly recommend this book for personal reading as well as for Bible studies and book clubs. The thought-provoking discussion questions in the back of the book make it a perfect selection for small group's in-depth studies.
I found the narratives to be very enlightening as a reader. In each woman’s scenario when read in the Bible, they leave you wondering just how everything really played out. Thankfully, Frank Voila and Mary DeMuth did a wonderful job of providing us with this insight, as much of it is based up on cross-references in scripture and sound historical information.
In no other book will you learn as much about these women in one place as you will in The Day I Met Jesus: The Revealing Diaries of Five Women of the Gospels. The women highlighted are the woman caught in adultery, the prostitute, the Samaritan woman, the woman with an issue of blood and the woman with the alabaster box. You will learn things about these women you have never heard before, making this book’s sub-title completely appropriate.
I highly recommend this book for personal reading as well as for Bible studies and book clubs. The thought-provoking discussion questions in the back of the book make it a perfect selection for small group's in-depth studies.
April 17, 2015
What a beautiful book! This is an in depth look at five different women that were affected by Jesus while He was here on Earth. We have the woman caught in adultery, the prostitute that covered Jesus’ feet with perfume, the Samaritan woman He met at the well, the woman that grabbed His cloak and Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus.
To start with, each story is told from the first person point of view, then the actual Scripture is produced. After that, there is some theological musings on what transpired. I found it very interesting. I’ve never really seen a book written in this style before. I enjoyed it immensely.
Most of these stories are a mere few verses in the vastness of the entire Bible. Easily overlooked or breezed over. I liked taking the time to think about it and what it really meant. It is obviously in the Bible for a reason and we shouldn’t overlook it. I highly recommend this. It is co-authored by Mary Demuth and Frank Viola. It’s well written and will appeal to many genres.
Thanks, Baker Books, for this great read! As always, this is my honest opinion. Here’s to many more!!
To start with, each story is told from the first person point of view, then the actual Scripture is produced. After that, there is some theological musings on what transpired. I found it very interesting. I’ve never really seen a book written in this style before. I enjoyed it immensely.
Most of these stories are a mere few verses in the vastness of the entire Bible. Easily overlooked or breezed over. I liked taking the time to think about it and what it really meant. It is obviously in the Bible for a reason and we shouldn’t overlook it. I highly recommend this. It is co-authored by Mary Demuth and Frank Viola. It’s well written and will appeal to many genres.
Thanks, Baker Books, for this great read! As always, this is my honest opinion. Here’s to many more!!
April 22, 2018
I saw this book as I was walking through a bookstore (right after I told myself that I was "going to look"...), and was captivated by the cover. I flipped the book open, read two random pages and absolutely loved them! So I bought it with the intention of reading a chapter a day, but I finished the whole thing in less than 24 hours.
The book is written in the form of Biblical Narrative, and therefore brings life to five stories from the life of Christ. What I appreciate the most about this book is that after every chapter, the authors give you the historical context for that particular story. At the time when I bought this book, I didn't realize how helpful this book was going to be to me, because I have to write an essay on the life of Christ and the women he encountered. This book will be a great source to cite due to the historical accuracy the authors provided.
As for the narratives themselves, I basically cried a lot. The injustices that these women had to live through were painful to read about, and when Jesus steps into the picture you can't help but fall even more in love with Christ.
The book is written in the form of Biblical Narrative, and therefore brings life to five stories from the life of Christ. What I appreciate the most about this book is that after every chapter, the authors give you the historical context for that particular story. At the time when I bought this book, I didn't realize how helpful this book was going to be to me, because I have to write an essay on the life of Christ and the women he encountered. This book will be a great source to cite due to the historical accuracy the authors provided.
As for the narratives themselves, I basically cried a lot. The injustices that these women had to live through were painful to read about, and when Jesus steps into the picture you can't help but fall even more in love with Christ.
March 1, 2015
As I began reading The Day I Met Jesus I felt as if I had stepped into the inner world of five real women from the New Testament whose lives had been radically changed by one encounter with Jesus. The woman at the well,
the woman with the issue of blood, the woman caught in
the act of adultery, the prostitute, and Mary the sister of Lazarus. Five women who had no voice in their culture. Five women who had little to lose and everything to gain. Five women who were desperate to meet Jesus. You see, they knew about Jesus. But that wasn’t enough. They knew they had to meet Him face to face. These women needed to be transformed and they understood Jesus was their only hope.
The Day I Met Jesus opened my eyes in a fresh way to Christ’s love for the broken and marginalized. This same Jesus who stepped down out of heaven and all its glory to don human flesh and pursue the outcasts of society desires to meet you face to face too. He longs to have deep conversations with you. To heal your wounds and set you free.
Five women. One God.
Isn’t it time you met Jesus face to face?
The Day I Met Jesus opened my eyes in a fresh way to Christ’s love for the broken and marginalized. This same Jesus who stepped down out of heaven and all its glory to don human flesh and pursue the outcasts of society desires to meet you face to face too. He longs to have deep conversations with you. To heal your wounds and set you free.
Five women. One God.
Isn’t it time you met Jesus face to face?
March 2, 2015
This book is a life changing compilation of stories from 5 women in the Bible. However, the stories are not what you think. When we read the account in the Scriptures, we get a small snapshot of the story. But what led that women to that point in time when she met Jesus and her life was drastically, surprisingly, changed? In this book, Mary DeMuth skillfully (and beautifully) crafted THAT story. Written with knowledge of the times then, and what we know now about women who end up in similar situations, the backstory is created in such a way that you will never read the stories the same again. Your compassion for these women will be activated and they will be come quite real to you. After each story is the actual Biblical account, the Scriptures that tell what we know is true, and then Frank Viola writes the rest of each chapter with the in-depth look of the passage so we get a better understanding of what the Scripture is telling us, and he brings out the practical applications for each of us. You will not regret adding this book to your library!
February 27, 2015
Combining insightful commentary with moving, eye-opening storytelling, Frank and Mary make a formidable writing team. Each vignette takes the reader inside the mind and world of a woman who met Jesus of Nazareth. In an almost lyrical fashion, Mary weaves together what we know of 1st century Israel to create a plausible backstory, filling in the biblical blanks of each woman's life and showing us how their lives were changed after their encounter with Jesus. Frank follows each "diary entry" with commentary on the biblical text, guiding readers to apply the truths from each story to their own lives. He does a great job, but Mary's storytelling is by far my favorite part. What might have motivated the prostitute who anointed Jesus' feet with expensive nard? Why did Mary of Bethany leave Martha in the kitchen to sit with the disciples? How did the Samaritan woman at the well end up an outcast? And how can my story be changed if I meet Jesus?
March 3, 2015
Can you imagine meeting Jesus face-to-face?
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to step back into biblical history and experience a real “come to Jesus” moment?
In their new book, The Day I Met Jesus, Mary DeMuth and Frank Viloa set the stage for us to observe the stories of five women in the Bible who experienced personal and powerful encounters with Jesus.
Each chapter offers a descriptive narrative and helpful, biblical insights, encouraging readers to seek a personal encounter with Jesus and to apply the spiritual truths revealed in this book to their own lives. Powerful book!
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to step back into biblical history and experience a real “come to Jesus” moment?
In their new book, The Day I Met Jesus, Mary DeMuth and Frank Viloa set the stage for us to observe the stories of five women in the Bible who experienced personal and powerful encounters with Jesus.
Each chapter offers a descriptive narrative and helpful, biblical insights, encouraging readers to seek a personal encounter with Jesus and to apply the spiritual truths revealed in this book to their own lives. Powerful book!
March 2, 2015
See Jesus in a whole new way! The Day I Met Jesus and not only refreshed many familiar stories from the Bible, but has opened my eyes to the way I see Him. Through reading this amazing book, my life has been challenged and my heart softened to those around me. This is a book everyone should read! It's an in depth study of women we thought we knew giving us more insight to who Jesus is and how He touched lives when he walked the earth. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and for that I am thankful!
Thank you Mary and Frank for opening my eyes and teaching more about who our Savior is. I feel like I just met Jesus again!
Thank you Mary and Frank for opening my eyes and teaching more about who our Savior is. I feel like I just met Jesus again!
February 25, 2015
As a woman and an artist, I loved having the scene painted of the first encounters with Jesus for women in different walks in life. I felt like I was there with them, experiencing their brokenness and the love Jesus showed them first hand. The way Frank Viola and Mary DeMuth wove out the stories and the truth backed up in scripture was truly remarkable. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to walk alongside these first centry sisters in a very REAL way
March 4, 2015
Mary and Frank weave 5 stories for 5 women who met Jesus face to face in a way that helps you truly experience what it must have been like! Jesus shows his unlimited compassion for these women in a way that they feel loved, forgiven, and whole. The authors then provide practical applications in how we, too, can experience this same encounter with Jesus and know his love, forgiveness and wholeness.
April 8, 2015
What a lovely book. The stories that we are all so familiar with come to life as we relive the experiences of these five women that had encounters with Jesus. Each story is touching, heart breaking, and filled with hope for those of us that can relate to these women even though they lived in biblical times. I couldn't put this book down as I tried to envision myself in the shoes of these incredibly brave women.
March 24, 2015
This is an easy read but full of life! It gives life to these 5 women of scripture, a back story to give us empathy for them. It shows how Christ reacted to each of them, encouraged them, and gave them grace to live their lives in. It is uplifting and encouraging to know Christ has and still reacts to us this way.
March 26, 2015
An inspiring look into 5 women that Jesus met along his journey shortly before his crucifixion. Beautifully written in a way that seems to put you right there with them. Expertly researched and very revealing as to the suffering Jesus endured for our sins. C.J.T.
November 28, 2015
interesting read. a little too speculative in places for my liking, and some of the detail had been Western Christianised which didn't resonate with the culture of Israel 2,000 years ago, but it also raised some interesting points.
February 25, 2020
4.5 stars for this book that looks at 5 women who encountered Jesus in person and were changed with 1 encounter. I enjoyed the layout of this book. The first chapter was introductory. Each of the next 5 chapters was about one of the women (the woman caught in the act of adultery, the prostitute who "loved much and was forgiven much", the Samaritan woman, the woman with the issue of blood, and Mary of Bethany). Each chapter included a fictional diary from the woman, followed by the passage of scripture that mentions each woman, and then some deeper digging - cultural context and modern application. I enjoyed seeing those instances "from the perspective" of each woman and learning more about the cultural context that made Jesus's responses so much more radical. The final chapter was a wrap-up. There were also discussion questions in the back if you read this in a group setting. This is one I'd recommend to those who enjoy digging deeper into the scripture, anyone who has felt overwhelmed by shame (each woman felt this and was set free by Christ) and anyone who needs deeper proof of how Jesus treated women with respect.
July 17, 2018
I enjoyed this book. It was encouraging and uplifting. Stayed true to the scriptures. Jesus was/is a champion of women.
January 22, 2022
A terrific book! Each of the stories and their portrayal of both the women’s situations and Jesus moved me to tears. Beautiful!
March 8, 2015
My favorite form of historical fiction is by far a retelling of stories from the Bible. Authors Liz Curtis Higgs, Francine Rivers, and Jill Eileen Smith have all made fictionalized retelling of scripture a fine art. The Day I Met Jesus places Frank Viola and Mary Demuth in equal standing with my long time favorites. I knew from the moment I saw the cover that this was a must read for me.
From The Back Cover
Join Frank Viola and Mary Demuth on a fascinating journey back in time as they retell the dramatic accounts of five women who met Jesus. Each narrative is told from each woman’s unique perspective, yet tightly grounded in the Gospel accounts and faithful to first century history. Elegantly written and profoundly stirring, this book blends creative narrative with uncommon insight, spiritual depth, and practical application.
I loved so many things about this book. To start, I so enjoyed how each story was told. Through the fictionalized retelling, I learned what the life of each woman might have been like prior to meeting Jesus. This made each woman from scripture feel like a person I might know instead of someone from long ago, distant and unrelatable. Further, I appreciated the actual scripture provided at the end of each diary entry. I was able to read for myself in one place the story the Bible tells. The insight into the story following the scripture allowed me to fill in details and reflect in a way I hadn’t before. Lastly, I was thrilled to find a study guide of sorts in the last pages. I am excited to use this book as a study with Bible Study group.
In case you are curious, the five women included are the woman caught in adultery, a prostitute, the Samaritan woman Jesus meets at the well, the woman with the issue of blood, and Mary, the woman whom Jesus loved. Each diary entry was fascinating, but I must say, I was most moved by the woman caught in adultery. It was my favorite of the five.
To learn more about the authors, check out their websites, frankviola.org, and marydemuth.com.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.
From The Back Cover
Join Frank Viola and Mary Demuth on a fascinating journey back in time as they retell the dramatic accounts of five women who met Jesus. Each narrative is told from each woman’s unique perspective, yet tightly grounded in the Gospel accounts and faithful to first century history. Elegantly written and profoundly stirring, this book blends creative narrative with uncommon insight, spiritual depth, and practical application.
I loved so many things about this book. To start, I so enjoyed how each story was told. Through the fictionalized retelling, I learned what the life of each woman might have been like prior to meeting Jesus. This made each woman from scripture feel like a person I might know instead of someone from long ago, distant and unrelatable. Further, I appreciated the actual scripture provided at the end of each diary entry. I was able to read for myself in one place the story the Bible tells. The insight into the story following the scripture allowed me to fill in details and reflect in a way I hadn’t before. Lastly, I was thrilled to find a study guide of sorts in the last pages. I am excited to use this book as a study with Bible Study group.
In case you are curious, the five women included are the woman caught in adultery, a prostitute, the Samaritan woman Jesus meets at the well, the woman with the issue of blood, and Mary, the woman whom Jesus loved. Each diary entry was fascinating, but I must say, I was most moved by the woman caught in adultery. It was my favorite of the five.
To learn more about the authors, check out their websites, frankviola.org, and marydemuth.com.
I was given a complimentary copy of this book by its publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I have not been compensated.
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