REVIEW: Lent for Everyone: Matthew, Year A by NT Wright

Title: Lent For Everyone: Matthew Year A 

Author: NT Wright

Series: Lent for Everyone

Published Date: September 2, 2013

Publisher: Westminster John Knox Press

ISBN: 9780664238933

Buy It Link: Amazon

Rating: 4 1/2 stars

Synopsis: Lent for Everyone: Matthew, Year A provides readers with an inspirational guide through the Lenten season, from Ash Wednesday through the week after Easter. Popular biblical scholar and author N. T. Wright provides his own Scripture translation, brief reflection, and a prayer for each day of the season, helping readers ponder how the text is relevant to their own lives. By the end of the book, readers will have been through the entirety of Matthew, along with Psalm readings for each Sunday. Suitable for both individual and group study and reflection, Wright's Lenten devotional will help make Matthew's gospel your own, thoughtfully and prayerfully, and your journey through Lent a period of discovery and growth.

Review: I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book goes through the entire Gospel of Matthew during the Lenten season. It breaks it down into daily bites, not too large to be cumbersome. And if you're even more stressed for time, like I usually am, the author breaks it further down into the exact portion of the daily reading that he wants you to focus on. This brings it down from a 5-10 minute reading to a 1-2 minute reading. This has made it so much easier for me, because I will admit, even though I have a daily Bible reading plan, I don't do it every day. I don't have time. I tend to catch myself up in groups of 3-4 days.

After the gospel reading is the author's commentary. This commentary relates to both modern day life to make it more understandable for us, and brings it into context of how the early Christians and Jews would comprehend it. This explanation of the early Christians and Jews really helped me to understand their culture more, instead of seeing them as ancient people who are far removed from our own reality.

Finally, after the author's commentary is a very short prayer, bringing everything to a beautiful and concise close.

I really enjoyed this book, and continue to use it throughout this season of Lent.