Essay on The Case for Christ

Words: 3027
Pages: 13

BOOK SUMMARY

The Case for Christ
Lee Strobel. Pub. Zondervan Publishing House

About the Author
Lee Strobel, Master of Studies in Law from Yale Law School. Award-winning journalist & investigative reporter for 13 yrs. at the Chicago Tribune. Pg. 303.
His life changes when his wife becomes a Christian. He fears he will lose the fun-loving companion and friend he has known for years, but instead he is surprised by subtle changes in her character. This not only intrigues him but prompts him to learn more about Jesus by using the same logical and factual approach he follows while working as an investigative crime reporter. He starts his learning quest as an unconvinced skeptic. His underlying question is, “Can a case for Christ

Jesus was a Jewish teacher
2. Many believed he performed healings and exorcisms
3. Some believed he was the Messiah
4. He was rejected by Jewish leaders
5. He was crucified under Pontius Pilate in the reign of Tiberius
6. His followers spread beyond Palestine to there were multitudes of them in Rome by A.D. 64
7. All types of people worshiped him as God.
Pg. 87.

The Scientific Evidence
Archaeology found an inscription from the time of Tiberius, from A.D. 14-37 which names Lysanias as tetrarch in Abila near Damascus—just as Luke had written. Pg. 97

John mentions the Pool of Bethesda and details the pool had five porticoes. When archaeologists excavated in this location 40 feet below the ground, they found the pool site and 5 porticoes (walk ways) exactly as John had described. A fragment copy of John 18 was found in Egypt that papyrologists have dated to about A.D. 125. Pg. 99

Part 2: Analyzing Jesus

The Identity Evidence of Gospel Writings
The cross: Pontius Pilate inscribed INRI, an acronym for "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews. Pg. 135

The Psychological Evidence
Gary Collins, Dr. in clinical psychology. “People suffering form psychosis display inappropriate emotions such as anxiety, depression or even anger. Jesus did not display any such emotions nor did he exhibit the misperceptions that plague people suffering from