Published: May 06, 2010
Words: 97027 (approximate)
Language: English

Ebook short description

In Book Two of The Seeds of Christianity Series experience life in the early Church through this well-researched and historically accurate novel as the first Christians struggle to live out the teachings of Yeshua in an often hostile environment. Sit beside the twelve apostles as they partition the world. Encounter Saul of Tarsus, the scourge of the early Church, and Stephen, the first to die for

Extended description

Disciple, opens in Jerusalem at the famous school of Hillel where Rabbi Gamaliel is teaching. Among the students are Saul of Tarsus, Barnabus and Stephen. When Stephen raises the possibility that the recently crucified Y’shua might have been the long-awaited Mashiach, Saul attacks him calling him a blasphemer.
Stephen eventually talks to his friend John Mark who introduces him to John bar Zebedee. John, Yeshua’s beloved disciple, tells Stephen of finding the empty tomb and of Yeshua’s later appearances to them in the upper room of John Mark’s home.
Meanwhile, Rivkah, who returned devastated by the crucifixion, falls into deep depression. She continues to mourn until she encounters a joyous Miryam in Jerusalem who tells her of the resurrection.
Rivkah and Shemu’el along with many of their neighbors convert to The Way following an apostolic visit to their settlement. This creates problems for them when Temple authorities refuse to purchase lambs from any of Yeshua’s followe... (Read more) Disciple, opens in Jerusalem at the famous school of Hillel where Rabbi Gamaliel is teaching. Among the students are Saul of Tarsus, Barnabus and Stephen. When Stephen raises the possibility that the recently crucified Y’shua might have been the long-awaited Mashiach, Saul attacks him calling him a blasphemer.
Stephen eventually talks to his friend John Mark who introduces him to John bar Zebedee. John, Yeshua’s beloved disciple, tells Stephen of finding the empty tomb and of Yeshua’s later appearances to them in the upper room of John Mark’s home.
Meanwhile, Rivkah, who returned devastated by the crucifixion, falls into deep depression. She continues to mourn until she encounters a joyous Miryam in Jerusalem who tells her of the resurrection.
Rivkah and Shemu’el along with many of their neighbors convert to The Way following an apostolic visit to their settlement. This creates problems for them when Temple authorities refuse to purchase lambs from any of Yeshua’s followers. They move to Jerusalem where Shemu’el tries and fails to find work as a physician. He turns to carving, but as a member of The Way no one will hire him.
Peter invites them to accompany him to Antioch where he intends to establish a church. In Capernaum they encounter Matthew who is compiling the first list of Yeshua’s sayings. He’s anxious to meet with Rivkah and record her experiences. Eventually reaching Antioch, they begin the work of church building. Rivkah is ordained a deaconess. And Shemu’el, is made a presbyter.
Rivkah encounters Pavlos the Giant while making her rounds distributing food to the poor and needy. Dirty and ragged, Pavlos is autistic and a mute. Abandoned as a child, he lives under bushes along the riverbank and forages the dump for food. She takes him to a medicus for treatment and discovers Atticus, the former fellow slave and friend of her husband. The two men have an emotional reunion. Atticus, now an influential Centurion, and his family are converted and he plays an active role in the fledgling church.
Responding to Rivkah’s care, Pavlos moves into an outbuilding behind the home that serves as their meeting place and accompanies Rivkah on her daily rounds. One day he leaves her and returns carrying an abandoned infant. Rivkah rescues the child and finds a couple in their congregation to adopt her. Now called Christians, church members patrol the riverbanks and cemeteries rescuing other babies left to die from exposure.
His work complete in Antioch, the Lord calls Peter to Rome. Before he goes, they must choose a new bishop. Though Shemu’el neither seeks, nor wants, the office, his peers elect him. He reluctantly accepts and Peter ordains him. The book ends with the believers tearfully bidding farewell to Peter. He leaves knowing his flock is in the good hands.
(Less)

Tags

christianity, gospels, apostles, paul, peter, antioch jerusalem, martyrs, samaria

Available ebook reading formats

Single purchase gains access to all formats. How to download ebooks to e-reading devices and apps.

Format	Full Book	Sample First 30%
Online Reading (HTML, good for sampling in web browser)	Buy	View sample
Online Reading (JavaScript, experimental, buggy)	Buy	View sample
Kindle (.mobi for Kindle devices and Kindle apps)	Buy	Download sample
Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, and most e-reading apps including Stanza, Aldiko, Adobe Digital Editions, others)	Buy	Download sample
PDF (good for reading on PC, or for home printing)	Buy	No sample available
RTF (readable on most word processors)	Buy	No sample available
LRF (Use only for older model Sony Readers that don't support .epub)	Buy	Download sample
Palm Doc (PDB) (for Palm reading devices)	Buy	Download sample
Plain Text (download) (flexible, but lacks much formatting)	Buy	No sample available
Plain Text (view) (viewable as web page)	Buy	No sample available

Videos

Disciple Trailer
Book Two of the Seeds of Christianity Series. The seed finds fertile soil. Rivkah and her family convert to The Way of Yeshua. Persecution forces them out of Jerusalem and they travel to Antioch with Simon Peter. Meet Pavlos the mute giant whose actions speak louder than words. And Eleana, a young woman ravished by a soldier who must decide whether or not to keep the baby that msut be his.

Reviews

Log-in to write a Review   Log-in to add a Video Review

Review by: Sheila Deeth on April 29, 2011 :
Disciple is the second book in E.G. Lewis’s Seeds of Christianity series. Book one, Witness, introduced readers to Shemu’el and Rivkah, Bethlehem shepherds, parted by war and slavery, then re-united by love. In the background, Christ is born in a manger, grows up, and dies on Calvary. The author’s ability to bring historical periods to life is as powerful in book two as in book one. His characters become part of a Judaic sect who believe in Yeshua HaMashiach—Jesus the Messiah. Moving to Jerusalem, they interact with famous people from the Bible—Peter, Stephen, Saul, Gamaliel…—all called by their contemporary names, all beautifully researched. The feelings of ordinary people, struggling to survive under Roman rule and religious persecution, are as contemporarily relevant as they are historically real. The cities and countryside are beautifully described. And the different civilizations are filled with human depth and authenticity.
Author Ed Lewis has a wonderful skill with his writing, hiding deep and serious research under simple, honest story-telling. There’s no feel of being overwhelmed with teaching in this novel—neither religious nor historical. There’s no defensive “This is how it must have been.” But there’s a powerful sense of “This is how it could have been.” Famous events take place off-stage, and family events revolve round love and hope. Even the prayers are simple—no super-hero God answering each gloriously uttered prayer, but serious concern for real people, cries for help, desperation, and assistance recognized only after the event, as in real life.
The story travels from Bethlehem to Antioch, where followers meet in a carved-out-cave (there’s a wonderful picture on the author’s website!), till better accommodation is offered them. Wonderful new characters join those remembered from book one. New storylines grow out of old experience. And the whole comes to a delightful close, even while leaving the reader longing for more.
While the author works on book three, Apostle, readers are invited to read historical notes at the end of the book. To research so deeply and tread so lightly with his fiction is a wonderful talent, and Disciple is another wonderful book, for Christians to share how it might have been, and for the curious to follow a fascinating journey.

Disclosure: I received an ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
(reviewed long after purchase)

Reason for report:
— Select a reason — Book is or contains spam Book infringes copyright Same content is published elsewhere with different author (for ex., by private-label rights) Duplicate Incomplete work (such as sample or serial) Should be marked adults-only Category is inappropriate Poorly formatted Nudity or other inappropriate content on cover Nudity or other inappropriate visual content in book Inappropriate erotica content Cover image is improper Content is inappropriate Other violation of Terms of Service Other reason not shown above.

Additional details: