The Case for Christ

About the Author

Lee Strobel, an esteemed journalist and a graduate of Yale Law School, is the author of the compelling book, The Case for Christ. Before embarking on his journey to write this influential work, Strobel was a seasoned legal affairs editor for the Chicago Tribune. His background in law and investigative journalism equipped him with the critical thinking skills necessary to analyze and challenge the claims surrounding Christianity. Strobel’s journey into the world of faith did not begin with belief; rather, he was a staunch atheist, committed to the idea that religion, and Christianity in particular, was a construct rather than a reality.

The transition from skeptic to believer was not an overnight revelation but the result of meticulous investigation. Strobel’s approach to Christianity was not emotional or devotional, but analytical and evidence-based. He set out on a quest to disprove the fundamental claims of Christianity, particularly the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, through his rigorous investigative process, Strobel found himself confronted with evidence that he could not dismiss, ultimately leading him to embrace the very faith he sought to discredit. His conversion story is not just a personal journey but a testament to the power of evidence and reason in the realm of faith.

Main Idea

The Case for Christ is fundamentally an exploration of the evidence surrounding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Strobel embarks on this journey with a legalistic mindset, approaching the Christian narrative as if it were a court case. His mission is to scrutinize the claims of Christianity, subjecting them to the same rigorous analysis that any evidence would undergo in a legal context. The book is structured around Strobel’s interviews with leading scholars in various fields, including history, theology, medicine, and psychology. Through these interviews, Strobel systematically examines the reliability of the New Testament, the historical evidence for Jesus, and the claims of His divinity and resurrection.

The central theme of the book is the search for truth. Strobel does not shy away from tough questions or from addressing the skepticism that he himself once held. He confronts the doubts and questions that many have about the Christian faith, using his investigative skills to uncover answers that are both intellectually and spiritually satisfying. The result is a compelling case for the historical reliability of the Gospels and the reality of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Strobel’s journey is one of intellectual honesty, as he allows the evidence to guide him, even when it leads to conclusions that challenge his previous beliefs.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction: Reopening the Investigation of a Lifetime
2. Testing the Eyewitness Evidence: Do the Biographies of Jesus Stand Up to Scrutiny?
3. Analyzing the Documentary Evidence: Were Jesus' Biographies Reliably Preserved for Us?
4. Corroborating Evidence Outside the Bible: Is There Credible Evidence for Jesus Outside His Biographies?
5. The Scientific Evidence: Does Archaeology Confirm or Contradict Jesus' Biographies?
6. The Rebuttal Evidence: Is the Jesus of History the Same as the Jesus of Faith?
7. The Psychological Evidence: Was Jesus Crazy When He Claimed to Be the Son of God?
8. The Profile Evidence: Did Jesus Fulfill the Attributes of God?
9. The Fingerprint Evidence: Did Jesus—and Jesus Alone—Match the Identity of the Messiah?
10. The Medical Evidence: Was Jesus' Death a Sham and His Resurrection a Hoax?
11. The Evidence of the Missing Body: Was Jesus' Body Really Absent from His Tomb?
12. The Evidence of Appearances: Was Jesus Seen Alive after His Death on the Cross?
13. Conclusion: The Verdict of History—What Does the Evidence Establish—and What Does It Mean Today?

Introduction: Reopening the Investigation of a Lifetime

In the introduction, Strobel sets the stage for the investigation that is to follow. He describes his journey from atheism to faith, framing it as a legal investigation where he, as the prosecutor, aims to disprove the case for Christ. Strobel's background as a journalist plays a crucial role in his approach, as he meticulously outlines the methodologies he will use to assess the evidence. The introduction serves as a powerful motivator for the reader, encouraging them to follow along with an open mind and a critical eye.

Testing the Eyewitness Evidence: Do the Biographies of Jesus Stand Up to Scrutiny?

One of the first questions Strobel tackles is the reliability of the Gospels as eyewitness accounts. He interviews Craig Blomberg, a renowned New Testament scholar, to examine whether the biographies of Jesus can be trusted as accurate historical documents. Blomberg argues that the Gospels meet the criteria of reliable eyewitness testimony. He points out that the differences in the Gospel accounts actually strengthen their credibility, as they reflect the genuine perspectives of different witnesses rather than a contrived or harmonized story.

"The gospels bear all the markings of trustworthy eyewitness accounts: Their contradictions concern only small details; and even the gospel writers’ contemporary critics took much of Jesus’s story, including the working of miracles, for granted." – Lee Strobel

The discussion extends to the issue of oral tradition, as Blomberg explains how the early Christian communities were careful in preserving the teachings and accounts of Jesus. He highlights that the Gospels were written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses, further solidifying their credibility. This section emphasizes the importance of understanding the cultural and historical context in which the Gospels were written, demonstrating that the early Christians were deeply committed to preserving the truth about Jesus.

• The Gospels reflect the genuine perspectives of different witnesses.
• Oral tradition was carefully maintained to preserve accuracy.
• The Gospels were written within the lifetime of eyewitnesses.

Analyzing the Documentary Evidence: Were Jesus' Biographies Reliably Preserved for Us?

In this section, Strobel explores whether the New Testament texts have been accurately transmitted over the centuries. He interviews Bruce Metzger, a leading authority on the textual history of the New Testament, who provides compelling evidence that the texts we have today are remarkably close to the originals. Metzger explains that the sheer number of manuscript copies, combined with the relatively short time gap between the originals and the surviving copies, makes the New Testament one of the most reliable ancient documents in existence.