Customer Reviews

The Scribe: Silas (Sons of Encouragement Series #5)

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When I was a child, I became an avid reader when I picked up my first secular novel, and I was particularly facinated by historical novels because of my love for history. When I became a Christian, I was in such love with my Savior Jesus Christ that I couldn't get enough of Christian literature. I put aside novels for years. I never thought that there were good Christian novels available, except for romances and the like which only seemed to arouse in me sinful passions and desires. I ran across Francine Rivers somewhat inadvertently. It had been so long since I read a novel that I decided to try once more. "The Scribe" was the second of her books that I read within a couple-week period. I was shocked by the expertise of skill of her writing. She intrigued every facet of my interests, from a good story, to a historical drama, to a Biblical edification. Though much of the story of Silas's personal life in this book is fictional, the concept behind the fiction is so real-to-life for any Christian, that I was greatly helped in the Christian walk. This book is particularly a story of encouragement. Its center is God and the glorious strength that He gives to pick up His despondant servants. The book exalts Jesus Christ and magnifies the unchanging faithfulness and goodness of the Lord. I highly recommend it!

Silas has been the Scribe to Paul and Peter, but now warns the latter he and his wife must flee the city as the former has been arrested and the soldiers seek out his associate apostles. Like his peers, he struggles with why, but still bravely goes about risking his life to continue his work of writing down on parchment the words that one day will form a major religion. However, today his chore is to save the parchments.

The fifth Sons of Encouragement tale (see Aaron The Priest, Caleb The Warrior, Jonathan The Prince, Amos The Prophet) focuses on the scribe whose work kept alive the words of Paul and Peter long after they died. The key to this fine tale of a biblical sidekick is that the audience obtains a deep look at early days of Christianity and an insightful glimpse at Paul and to a lesser degree Peter, especially how each reflect on Jesus. Readers will appreciate this biblical biographical fiction that brings to life a person who sacrifices much behind the scenes so that the Kingdom of God on earth can open its tent to everyone. This is a great finish to a powerful series.

Harriet Klausner

I have read all Francine Rivers novellas. She is truly has a godly gift and blessed for conveying important stories of the Bible many readers may not be familar with. Although the story of Silas the scribe was difficult for me to get emersed into. Once, I did get into the story I was wowed with all the Silas as well as the other displines endured after the resurrection of Jesus. The story impresses upon the reader that Silas and Paul are not only men of Christ spreading the word but are the first missionaries. The story happened in biblical times but one can not help but think of todays missionaries and wonder what persecution they must endure. I would reccommend this book but be patience with the story. You may need to read of the sorrow and sadness to get to the joy and happiness.

In the last novella of the Sons of Encouragement series (the follow-up to her Lineage of Grace series), bestselling author Francine Rivers imagines the little-known life of Silas, one of the first Christians and the beloved traveling companion of the Apostle Paul.

Pulling from the biblical books of Acts, First Peter and Matthew, used as an outline for her novella, Rivers presents Silas as a rich and educated man who gives up everything for the early Church.

The novella opens with Peter and Silas --- his secretary --- fleeing Rome. Peter turns back at the last minute, leaving Silas to go on alone unwillingly. Tradition tells us that Peter is then crucified, upside down (having deemed himself unfit to die in the same way as Christ), and Rivers narrates the events through the grieving Silas's recollections. We also learn that Paul, Silas's travel companion for thousands of miles, has been beheaded. The apostles are scattered; many are dead.

Silas, as seen through Rivers's words, is a man broken by the loss of the giants of the Christian faith, burdened with the responsibility of safeguarding their letters, penned in scrolls, that someday would be the cornerstone of the New Testament text. He longs to join Peter in death: "To have an end of trials, an end to fear, an end to the attack of doubt when he least expected it." Silas is presented as a man tired, defeated and fighting an internal battle with discouragement and grief. Grudgingly obedient and desperately weary, he is determined to finish his task. And he comes to find that his task is to write of what he has seen and experienced while living in a small room in Puteoli. "Those I loved most dearly are not lost, only beyond my sight. I cannot give up! I cannot fail! I must go on!"

With time to rest and remember, Silas begins writing again. He talks of how he was at first put off by the company Jesus kept: lepers, women, the poor --- commoners. However, Silas had many questions about the Jewish Law and hoped that Jesus might be able to answer them. He also longed to see a miracle. Rivers recaps the biblical text about various events in Christ's life that Silas might have been witness to, including the call for Jesus to become king; Jesus defending the woman caught in adultery; Jesus teaching from a boat where the unruly crowd might better hear him; and Jesus explaining why it is right to "Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God." Rivers imagines Silas to be the rich young ruler who Jesus commands to give up his money and cannot. She also imagines him as one of the two men who walks with Jesus to Emmaus after His resurrection.

Several pages are taken up with recapping key events in the life of Christ through the eyes of Silas's recollections, followed by events from the book of Acts involving Saul's conversion to Paul, Silas's defense of the young John Mark, and the life of the early Church. Indeed, an over-reliance on scriptural retelling and less reliance on imagination of Silas's life makes the writing a little too familiar to those who have studied the scriptural text. Although there are some good imaginative stories, such as Paul and Silas falling into the hands of robbers, those who have read some of the great novels of the early Church, such as THE SILVER CHALICE or LION OF GOD, will wish for more embellishment and less adherence to straight scripture retelling. (Some scenes, such as Timothy's heroic decision to be circumcised as a young teen, which lend themselves to more exploration, are barely glossed over.) Those who want to revisit biblical events without too much embroidering of the details will find this book more satisfactory.

Readers will appreciate the Bible study section at the end of the book, which allows for greater exploration of the scriptural basis for the story and its application to Christians today.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

This book was another great work by Francine Rivers. The descriptions take you to a different time and place. Dialogues feel so real! Anybody who is looking for a biblical lesson, this book would be the right pick.
The only thing that might bother the reader is that the author has added her strong feelings about not keeping celibacy and tried to support her view about it using the letter from an apostle Paul.
But the story was touching. I was moved by the descriptions and teachings of Christ. The man Silas who was an instrument of God to record the teachings of the apostles was really well represented. The author is a talented story teller! I wish for the story to move a bit faster, but otherwise the story was well worth reading and inspiring.

I have often seen Francine Rivers' books but never really bothered with them until now. In "The Scribe", (the 5th volume of the series, and the only one I have read), Rivers takes on the story of Silas, the scribe to Paul and Peter. These background figures, despite their importance behind the scenes, are often overlooked by people. It was with a great deal of interest that this book came to me and promised a good, solid look at one of these very background, "support players" so-called.

Rivers is very clear right from the start that this is a work of fiction, (as if she needs to state it), and what her sources are. Relying on the Biblical record, which is pretty slim on Silas, she has supplied the details and filling, sometimes adding characters and so on. All the while, she has attempted to remain faithful to the meaning of the Biblical text. Christians will notice a great deal of Pauline or Jesus' teachings being tossed about by the characters.

The story follows Silas' life in his later years, taking up the thread at the arrest of Peter, whose execution prompts a deeply emotional, spiritually shattering soul-searching in Silas. This is only deepened with the demands of other Christians who desperately want new teachings and new information about Jesus Christ. As Silas had met Jesus once or twice, these Christians see in him a direct source of inspiration and teaching from the Master. Silas, unfortunately, doesn't see things quite that way. This is a story of one man's struggle with faith in the face of the death of his friends, the fear of losing others and wondering whether his own faith is all that it should be.

Rivers writes with a fairly easy flow and the narrative really pumps along quite fast. The language is easily understood and, being a novel, the story has a real poignancy to it. While touching on some very deep issues, the book keeps the plot light and loose on its feet. One does not need to focus a whole lot, if one does not wish to. However, for the deeper, more thinking, readers, there is plenty to think about too. At the end is a study guide for just such people, (though I confess to not being one of them).

For a nice read, and one that will not take you months, "The Scribe" is a great little book, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.

What a wonderful, inspirational story. Francine Rivers took the Biblical text and made it come alive for me. Silas' struggles and triumphs are honestly portrayed with such feeling that you become part of his story of faith.

Great writer. Brings the characters to life. Wonderful story of ordinary people doing extraordinary things with God's help. It shows that you don't have to be the wealthiest, most popular, or most intelligent for you to be used in an amazing way...even to the point of changing history!

The Scribe follows the journeys of Silas, the scribe who traveled with Paul and Peter. Along the way, it gives amazing insight into the lives and faith of early church believers and brings the New Testament to life.

This book is incredibly relevant to our lives today and made such an impact on me. So inspiring! I was in tears by page seven. It's easily one my favorites in this series (along with The Prophet) and from Francine Rivers in general. I didn't want the story to end, and I'm sure I will read it again. It made me eager to read the New Testament from beginning to end, and to live for Christ no matter the cost- a true mark of a great Christian book!

The Scribe is the last of the books in the Sons of Encouragement series. It is by far the best of them all! Francine Rivers does an amazing job of bringing the journey of Silas alive & making him a rounded character. A must read for any Francine Rivers fan!