What They Said: Poetic Responses from Those Who Met Jesus

By Ken Gibble

The four Gospels contain many stories about encounters Jesus had with family members, people who became his followers, those whom he healed, religious leaders, and Roman officials. Only occasionally do the Gospel writings give us a glimpse of the feelings those encounters produced in the men and women he met. The poems in this book are creative attempts to imagine what those who heard and saw him might have experienced. This poetry will encourage readers to ask themselves how they would have responded if they had encountered Jesus.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Release date: Jul 21, 2023
• ISBN: 9781666780253

Ken Gibble

Ken Gibble, a retired pastor, served congregations in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia for more than four decades. He has contributed essays, fiction, and poetry to more than 150 different periodicals. He is the author of ten books, including Once Upon a Wonder and A Poetry of the Soul.

Book preview

WHAT THEY SAID

Poetic Responses from Those Who Met Jesus

Ken Gibble

What They Said

Poetic Responses from Those Who Met Jesus

Copyright ©

2023

Ken Gibble. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers,

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Resource Publications

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paperback isbn: 978-1-6667-8023-9

hardcover isbn: 978-1-6667-8024-6

ebook isbn: 978-1-6667-8025-3

06/09/23

Scripture quotations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition. Copyright ©

2021

National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Table of Contents

TITLE PAGE

I—WHEN IT BEGAN

JOSEPH REPLIES

CENSUS TAKER IN BETHLEHEM

THE INNKEEPER

LATE ARRIVALS IN BETHLEHEM

ANGELS THEY HAVE (POSSIBLY) HEARD ON HIGH

SKEPTIC SHEPHERD

JOSEPH’S MAGNIFICAT

THE WISE MEN COME TO BETHLEHEM

A WISE MAN’S STORY

MARY’S CHRISTMAS

MARY REMEMBERS WHAT SIMEON SAID

II—THE DISCIPLES REMEMBER

THEY FOLLOWED

ZEBEDEE’S RANT

A LISTENER REPORTS WHAT ANDREW SAID

KID STUFF

THE DISCIPLES DISCUSS THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

BARTHOLEMEW REMEMBERS

JAMES AND JOHN — THE PLAN

PETER’S REGRET

PHILIP, PERPLEXED

PETER REMEMBERS

III—HEALINGS

BETHSAIDA

WHAT THE CLEANSED LEPER SAID

WHAT THE PARALYTIC SAID

THE PARALYTIC’S FRIEND

THE WOMAN WHO TOUCHED HIM

A FATHER’S STORY

THE LEPER WHO RETURNED

WHAT THE CENTURION TOLD HIS FRIENDS

THE CENTURION REPORTS TO HIS COMMANDING OFFICER

THE GERASENE

IV—PARABLES

THE SAMARITAN’S CONFESSION

OWNER OF THE INN

CONVERSATION AT THE INN

JOB INTERVIEW

THE PIG FARMER LOOKS FOR A NEW WORKER

FAMILY REFLECTIONS

A SHEPHERD RECEIVES A PERFORMANCE REVIEW

V—ENCOUNTERS

THE WOULD-BE DISCIPLE

WHAT HAPPENED IN THE SYNAGOGUE

HER SIDE OF THE STORY

ZACCHAEUS

THE SYRO-PHOENICIAN WOMAN

A PHARISEE REMEMBERS

THE WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY

MARTHA’S REGRET

MARY’S QUESTION

THE WOMAN WHO ANOINTED JESUS’ FEET

EXCERPT FROM THE DIARY OF THE RICH YOUNG MAN

VI—THE PASSION

BYSTANDER

A VISITOR TO JERUSALEM TELLS WHAT HE SAW

WHAT THE MONEY CHANGER SAID

THOMAS REMEMBERS THE LAST SUPPER

SIMON’S SWORD

PILATE CONSIDERS

PILATE’S QUESTION

JUDAS COPS A PLEA

CROSS-BEARER

WHAT JOHN CAME TO UNDERSTAND

VII—RESURRECTION

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA

NICODEMUS—REQUIESAT

THE WOMEN RETURN FROM THE TOMB

MARY SEES A GARDENER AT THE TOMB

RETRO SPECTIVE

I—WHEN IT BEGAN

JOSEPH REPLIES

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be pregnant from the Holy Spirit.

—Matthew 1:18

Let me see if I’ve got this straight.

You can’t tell me who the father is.

Your words . . . I can’t tell you.

You didn’t say

I don’t know

or I’d rather not say

or "I won’t say."

All right, then, you can’t tell me.

That’s hard enough to take,

you’ve got to admit.

But when you say

with, God help me, a straight face,

I’m still a virgin,

perhaps I may be excused

for choking on my oatmeal.

CENSUS TAKER IN BETHLEHEM

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered.

—Luke 2:1

So yesterday, this poor soul comes in, late,

says he’s come all the way from Nazareth

with a woman so pregnant she can

hardly walk. Your wife? I say.

He hems and haws, finally admits

they aren’t married but soon will be,