I've recently completed reading Lee Strobel's book: The Case For Christ. It is a great book. Today, Lee Strobel is a famous Christian evangelist and apologist but 30 years ago he was an atheist and a journalist covering criminal law cases in Chicago. He was completely anti-christian. What changed? His wife came to Christ and Strobel noticed her complete change in character and improvement to her own happiness and how she related to him and their children. He decided to apply his professional expertise to research the evidence for what Christians believe about Jesus and prove that it was all wrong. That it could not possible be true. He studied, interviewed scholars and historians, checked out all the evidence using all the 20th century knowledge and resources at his disposal for two years. In the end, he realized that he could not hold on to his atheism because the evidence would not support it. He then discussed how coming to Christ change him. He became a better man. A better husband. A better father.
Strobel wrote The Case For Christ to show the people the journey he took. He interviewed Phychologists, Archeologists, Theologians, Historians, Physiologists, Textual Critics, and scholars who could share any kind of insight as to any information on Jesus. He posed to them the same kinds of questions that unbelievers would ask and showed that there are great resonable answers. I'm glad I read the book because it helped clear up a few things for me. I have read that 1st Corinthians 15:3-11 could be dated 3-5 years from the resurrection but I had never heard anyone explain how until I read the argument on page 35. Let's look at the passage before I give the argument:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.The passage clearly describes the gospel of the early church in a creedal statement.For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.We see that they believed that Jesus died for our sins, that He was bured, and then that He resurrected. In addition that people who were still alive at the time Paul wrote this letter saw the resurrected Christ. Dr. Craig Bloomberg dates the creed to with a couple of years of the crucifixion using the following argument. Many scholars agree that Jesus was crucified in 30 AD, placing Paul's conversion at 32 AD. This leads us to date Paul personally meeting the other apostles at about 35 AD. Sometime between 32 and 35 AD, Paul learned this creed. He didn't make it up. This what the church taught. This what the church teaches today (um should teach today.)
It's an excellent book and I think everyone should read it. If you already know Jesus, it will better help you give other people reasonable answers to their questions. If don't know Jesus, it will help you learn more about him. You have to do something with Him. You can't ignore Jesus or outright discount His claims. The evidence forces each one of us to decide was Jesus a liar? Was Jesus a lunatic? Or is Jesus Lord - worthy of your honor and worship? The evidence is conclusive: He's Lord. Go check it out for yourself. The Case for Christ is a great starting point!
Here is a video companion to the book:
