This course summary is a collection of notes from a variety of sources and highlights taken straight from the book. Most of them are direct quotes. Some are paraphrases organized by chapter.
With the rigor of a seasoned investigative journalist, Lee Strobel’s New York Times bestselling apologetic builds a progressive argument for the reliability and trustworthiness of the New Testament gospels. Through a dozen interviews with world-renowned experts, Strobel tests the accuracy of the gospel narrative and addresses popular critics that challenge the claim that Jesus was the son of God. Regardless of where you are on your faith journey, Christians and nonbelievers alike will enjoy this entertaining quest for the truth about history’s most compelling figure.
Key Takeaways
- The biographies of Jesus are based on eyewitness accounts. Not enough time elapsed between Jesus’ death and the earliest manuscripts for legends to develop.
- The manuscript evidence for the New Testament is overwhelming when juxtaposed against other revered writings of antiquity. There are ~24,000 manuscripts, some dating back to the second century.
- The Jesus story is rooted in historical truth. Archaeology’s repeated affirmation of the New Testament’s accuracy provides important corroboration for its reliability.
- The Jesus in the New Testament fulfills every prophesy made centuries earlier in the Old Testament. This is statistically impossible to happen by chance.
- Jesus’ death and resurrection is logically supported by affirmative and circumstantial evidence. No other explanation other than what’s presented in the New Testament can adequately explain the massive cultural shift and rapid growth of the Christian church.