Character guide

Jesus Christ

major

Also known as Christ, Lord Christ, Lord Jesus, Jesus, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Master

Jesus stands at the center of these sermons as teacher and Lord, the one whose words about hidden things coming to light and about a righteousness that grows rather than arrives complete set the terms for everything else. He is not a distant authority but a presence whose demands expose the gap between what his disciples profess and what they are, and whose patience with slow growth makes that gap bearable. MacDonald returns to him constantly because every other figure here—Job, Paul, the Father himself—is understood through the light he throws.

God the Father

major

Also known as the Father, Father, the infinite Father, Abba

MacDonald's God is not a distant sovereign to be appeased with correct words but a parent so close that the very category of fatherhood becomes a stepping stone toward something larger. The tension he explores is whether we trust this God's character or merely his promises—whether we come as children or as courtiers hedging our bets. This distinction shapes the book's whole argument about prayer, hope, and what it means to ask boldly, since a Father who gives only what we can safely receive is still giving everything.

Job

supporting

Job sits at the center of MacDonald's meditation on suffering as a man surrounded by pious friends who need his suffering to mean he deserved it—pharisees in the making, loyal to a theory of God rather than to God himself. His refusal to confess a hypocrisy he knows he does not have is not arrogance but honesty, and his angry demands for justice are, MacDonald argues, more pleasing to God than the friends' flattery. When God finally appears, Job does not get an explanation; he gets a presence, and that turns out to be enough to silence him—and to vindicate him.

St. Paul

supporting

Also known as Paul, the apostle Paul

Paul appears here less as a doctrinal authority than as a witness to something MacDonald wants his readers to see: that the inheritance of the saints is not a place or a possession but light itself, God himself, the source in whom all loveliness has its being. The tension MacDonald draws out is between a faith that clings to promises as guarantees and a faith that rests in the character of the one who made them. Paul's language about living and moving and having our being in God becomes the thread that ties the book's scattered sermons into a single vision.

Lazarus

minor

Man raised from the dead by Jesus, symbolizing resurrection and divine power.

Moses

minor

Lawgiver of Israel, referenced as a precursor to Christ and the law.

John Boanerges

minor

Also known as John

Apostle and son of thunder, known for his close relationship with Jesus.

Satan

minor

Adversary figure who tempts Jesus and represents evil in the narrative.

Judas

minor

Disciple who betrays Jesus, discussed in context of betrayal and forgiveness.

Abraham

minor

Patriarch of Israel, used as an example of faith and covenant.

Peter

minor

Also known as St. Peter

Chief apostle, often cited for his impulsive faith and denial of Christ.

David

minor

Also known as king David

King of Israel and psalmist, referenced as a type of Christ.

Pilate

minor

Roman governor who presided over Jesus' trial and crucifixion.

Mary

minor

Mother of Jesus, mentioned in context of his birth and early life.

Martha

minor

Sister of Lazarus, known for her practical service and concern.

St. John

minor

Apostle and evangelist, author of the Gospel and epistles.

St. Luke

minor

Also known as Luke

Evangelist and physician, author of the Gospel and Acts.

Prometheus

minor

Titan from Greek myth, used as a symbol of suffering and rebellion.

The Youth

minor

Generic young person used in illustrative parables and moral examples.

The Pharisees

minor

Jewish religious leaders often contrasted with Jesus' teachings.

Ananias

minor

Disciple who restored Paul's sight, mentioned in conversion narrative.

Mammon

minor

Personification of wealth and greed, contrasted with spiritual riches.

The Holy Ghost

minor

Third person of the Trinity, associated with inspiration and sanctification.

The Living One

minor

Also known as the Living, the Living One

Title for God emphasizing eternal existence and life-giving power.

The Child

minor

Also known as Child

Symbolic figure representing humility and the kingdom of heaven.

The Brother Christ

minor

Also known as Brother

Title for Jesus emphasizing his fraternal relationship with believers.

The Jews

minor

Collective term for the Jewish people in biblical narrative contexts.

Dante

minor

Italian poet referenced for his vision of the divine and the afterlife.

St. Matthew

minor

Also known as Matthew, Matt

Apostle and tax collector, author of the first Gospel.

St. Mark

minor

Also known as Mark

Evangelist and companion of Peter, author of the second Gospel.

Alexander John Scott

minor

Also known as John, Scott

Scottish preacher and theologian, likely the author's source or influence.

The Sadducees

minor

Jewish sect denying resurrection, used as theological opponents.

Jacob

minor

Patriarch of Israel, known for his wrestling with God and visions.

Virgil

minor

Roman poet, referenced as Dante's guide through the afterlife.

Death

minor

Personified force discussed in context of resurrection and eternal life.

Justice

minor

Personified divine attribute, explored in relation to mercy and law.

Grimm

minor

Likely a reference to the Brothers Grimm, used as a literary allusion.