As a New Zealand resident Messianic Jew, Alastair Jacob Brown brings a unique perspective to Judeo-Christian literature. Also known as a folk rock musician, Alastair has produced a book of parables and poetry that explore Christian faith and spirituality.

As well as being a devotional work, the book also tells us something of Alastair’s own journey pursuing Jesus from the perspective of his Jewish roots (father Jewish, mother Christian). 

With a simple, conversational writing style, Alastair’s parables are contemplative reflections that ask us to explore our own faith and to find our own place in the stories.

Each parable is linked to scripture and Alastair, believing that sometimes questions are more illuminating than answers, provides us with questions and guidelines to get the most from each story. 

My favourite, “Perspective,” is the story of a picture painted in love and given to a friend to remind her of their friendship. The friend duly hangs it on the back of the toilet door. The artist is upset and insulted until the friend explains that she is so delighted with the painting she hung it somewhere where she could keep it to herself and enjoy it in a place of solitude. The scripture reference is John 7:24 – I’ll leave you to look it up!

The second half of the book is a series of poems that explore the nature of God and other Christian themes, once again from a Jewish perspective.

It’s a book that should be picked up and put down frequently – to be savoured in small doses and perhaps used as a starting point for some quiet time with Messiah Yeshua (Jesus the Christ).

By Alastair Jacob Brown
House of the King Publishing 
ISBN 978-0-473-19848-0 
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– Duncan Pardon