For Christ's Sake

by Tom Harpur

This radical book reveals the real, historical Jesus – and reminds us what he actually said.

Who was Jesus Christ? Was he God in human form? Was he the divine Son of God, conceived by a virgin, who came down to earth to found the one true religion? This is what the Church has been preaching since the Middle Ages, but the Church’s portrait is a far cry from the Jesus Christ described in the New Testament.

For Christ’s Sake is Tom Harpur’s classic study of what the Bible actually tells us about Jesus. Controversial and radical, in that it goes to the roots of what is known , Harpur’s book strips away the mythology about Jesus to reveal a man whose message is still fresh and relevant today.

Genres: Religion

126 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1993

About the author

Tom Harpur, columnist for the Toronto Star, Rhodes scholar, former Anglican priest, and professor of Greek and the New Testament, is an internationally renowned writer on religious and ethical issues. He is the author of ten bestselling books, including For Christ’s Sake and The Pagan Christ. He has hosted numerous radio and television programs, including Life After Death, a ten-part series based on his bestselling book of the same name.

Reviews

[Luke Merrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tom Harpur’s explanation of modern christianity (pre 2000's) has some weight to it when he points out that it is burdened with tradition and weighed down by cumbersome religious practices. The problem is that it is rather baseless and he fails to offer a legitimate alternative. I found this book to be more of a biblically critical complaint with some rather radical alternative interpretations of biblical texts. Harpur, at least at the date this book was published, has some valuable knowledge of christianities historical influences - but that is precisely the danger. For example, he rightly picks up on the title “Son of God” in that it does not necessarily invoke a divine claim but completely misses the “Son of Man” and its relation to the Danielic prophecies. He’ll go on to question the deification of Jesus and propose an overt hellenistic influence on the Christ story. There are some good points throughout, but I feel the book’s content was more opinion based and could have done with some more research.

[Andy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Tom Harpur's For Christ's Sake is a well-written but profoundly misguided attempt to 'recover' the historical Jesus by rejecting the supernatural claims of the New Testament. He denies Christ's full deity—portraying him as merely an inspired human teacher rather than God incarnate—dismisses the virgin birth as legendary myth, and reinterprets all miracles (including the resurrection) as symbolic or non-literal inventions rather than historical realities. These positions directly contradict core biblical truths and the faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). While Harpur raises some fair questions about church traditions, his conclusions rely on speculative reinterpretations that undermine Scripture's authority and strip away the gospel's power. From an orthodox Christian viewpoint, none of this could possibly be guided by the Spirit of God, who inspired the very texts Harpur demythologizes. If you haven't read his book yet, I strongly advise using your time to read something much more worthwhile. For me, in the end, it was unconvincing and, ultimately, spiritually corrosive—zero stars if possible.

[Ricky · Rating 3 out of 5]

For Christ’s Sake is Tom Harpur's study of what the Bible actually tells us about Jesus. This book looks at the words and actions from what Jesus said and did, with the mythology taken away, and approaches the meanings in a way that felt more real and honest. Some people may find this radical, but for me it felt closer to the Jesus I wondered about in my minds eye – It’s a great challenging book that should be read if you are interested in this area, because it may expand the possibilities and reflections for you in a different and more honest way.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best of Tom Harpur's many excellent books. He was a pioneer among the clergy in daring to explain to the lay folk the true story how myths and stories evolved into the Christian faith. He was a former Anglican minister and it must have taken great courage to take the journey he began with this book.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian theology examined with a fresh look at the evidence.