Historical Jesus

I have always had an experiential understanding of God. I can attest to God’s power and love in my life, felt deep within my soul. But to explain this to a non-believer in terms both of us could grasp? That seemed very daunting until I started reading, “Evidence That Demands a Verdict” by Josh McDowell. Let’s face it, I’m not a theologian. The material was hard to wrap myself around at first, but after much prayer, a practical reason for needing concrete information to defend our Christian faith began to unfold.

Check out the following quote by Clark Pinnock: “Apologetics strives at laying the evidence for the Christian gospel before men in an intelligent fashion, so that they can make a meaningful commitment under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. The heart cannot delight in what the mind rejects as false.”

A fundamental point in the first chapter of McDowell’s book was clarifying Jesus as a historical figure. Unlike differing forms of mythology, Jesus was real flesh and blood and was not a mythological character. Eyewitnesses were compelled to write about his miracles and his resurrection from the dead in a true-to-life historical document we call the New Testament. Jesus had such a huge impact that many of his followers even laid down their lives defending his teachings.

McDowell defends this idea well. “A basic definition of history for me is a knowledge of the past based on testimony. Some immediately say, ‘I don’t agree.’ Then I ask, ‘Do you believe Lincoln lived and was President of the Unites States? ‘Yes,’ is usually their reply. However, no one I’ve met has personally seen and observed Lincoln. The only way one knows is by testimony.”

John Montgomery writes: “I am profoundly convinced that the historic revelation of God as Jesus of Nazareth must be the cornerstone of any faith that is really Christian. Any historical question about the real Jesus who lived in Palestine nineteen centuries ago is therefore fundamentally important.”

Next week, we’ll be exploring why historically and experientially the Bible isn’t just another book.