The Suffering Saviour

                                        THE SUFFERING SAVIOUR

Author F.W.KRUMMACHER

Publisher VARIOUS PUBLISHERS

ISBN 1-507-765-234

F.W.Krummacher lived in the early part of the nineteenth century.  He was born in Prussia and was regarded as one of the greatest Reformed preachers in the Germany of his time.  A number of his books were published during his life time, most of them were carefully and expansively written biographies.  Some regard these as among the best books on their respective Bible personalities ever written.  He took up the life of Elijah and wrote another on Elisha.  Later he felt encouraged to make available the series of fifty-one meditations on the last week of the Life of Jesus that make up this book.  It went into many printings and is still available new from a number of publishers and an electronic edition can be found for Kindle.  This account endeavours to unfold something of “The inexhaustible treasury of our Saviour’s sufferings.”  Even that phrase will possibly give the would-be reader a taste that this is a book for slow and meditative consideration, it is not a book for the hurrying.  The author spoke and wrote as a man of his time.  The language, in places is beautiful, some phrases are so rich that they deserve much consideration.  Reading a book of this nature takes us into the events of the passion week in a systematic way that will cause the readers heart to bow the knee to the Saviour.  Yet, it would appropriate to warn that the style is old, probably it would be wise to read this, a chapter at a time over a period such as what in the Christian calendar is called the forty days of Lent.  He divides the fifty-one chapters into three main sections, I think it was more for convenience that he did so, he calls them, “the outer court,” “the Holy Place” and the “Holy of Holies.”  Yes, with Krummacher’s help, we tread that pathway in fresh ways, there is explanation, exposition and revelation here.  We see the Saviour’s face and are caused to ponder aspects we had never thought of before so deeply.  He shows us how Christ fulfilled those things written of Him in the former writings of the Old Testament and leads us as far as the tomb and the expectation of what was to happen on the third day.  I wonder if it would not be a worthwhile exercise for all our hearts to maybe once every couple of years take a book like this one and gladly and patiently be brought back to the Christ of Calvary by going with its author through its pages.  Such books, in the hands of the Holy Spirit, will help us greatly.  

 

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