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Finding the Real Jesus: A Guide for Curious Christians and Skeptical Seekers
Who was Jesus--really?
For centuries, the Christian church has taught that Jesus is the divine Son of God, crucified for sinners and raised from the dead. In recent years, however, that picture of Jesus has come under widely publicized attack from sources ranging from critical scholars to Internet pundits to popular historians and others.
The new portraits of Jesus seem persuasive. You can't help but wonder . . .
Did Christianity merely copy its beliefs from earlier mythology?Did the church suppress alternate gospels?Did Jesus never die on the cross or rise from the dead for sinners?Is the New Testament hopelessly riddled with errors?New York Times bestselling author Lee Strobel helps you separate truth from media hype, sound scholarship from bias, and fact from speculation. Digging below the surface, this book provides credible, informed answers to today's most pressing questions about Jesus.
For centuries, the Christian church has taught that Jesus is the divine Son of God, crucified for sinners and raised from the dead. In recent years, however, that picture of Jesus has come under widely publicized attack from sources ranging from critical scholars to Internet pundits to popular historians and others.
The new portraits of Jesus seem persuasive. You can't help but wonder . . .
Did Christianity merely copy its beliefs from earlier mythology?Did the church suppress alternate gospels?Did Jesus never die on the cross or rise from the dead for sinners?Is the New Testament hopelessly riddled with errors?New York Times bestselling author Lee Strobel helps you separate truth from media hype, sound scholarship from bias, and fact from speculation. Digging below the surface, this book provides credible, informed answers to today's most pressing questions about Jesus.
113 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2008
157 people are currently reading
303 people want to read
About the author
Lee Strobel
225 books1,800 followersLee Patrick Strobel is an American Christian author and a former investigative journalist. He has written several books, including four that received ECPA Christian Book Awards (1994, 1999, 2001, 2005)[2] and a series which addresses challenges to the veracity of Christianity. He also hosted a television program called Faith Under Fire on PAX TV and runs a video apologetics web site.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 7, 2017
I liked it. A little too basic for me at this point, but a good debunking of many current theories. Jesus was the real deal, folks.
September 18, 2023
Muy práctico y entendible.
Ideal para comenzar con el tema de cómo defender nuestra fe.
Ideal para comenzar con el tema de cómo defender nuestra fe.
February 8, 2025
Another Uplifting Read
Lee Strobel is one of the most intelligent and coherent Christian communicators out there. His YouTube videos and his many books are thoughtful and respectful. He continues to speak with a vast array of people about spiritual matters; from hardcore atheists to ordained ministers and everyone in between. He doesn’t shy away from presenting points of view that may contradict his own; he always strives to present his readers and listeners with as many different aspects of a given argument as possible. That shows me a person who is confident and assured in their own religious beliefs, a person willing to break bread with even those hostile to his messaging.
This book is essentially a
‘greatest hits’ of interviews and factoids about the truth of Jesus. Drawn from his other, longer works, and filled with facts and stats and logical that is irrefutable, this book provides the foundation for anyone who may have fallen into the traps set by an unceasingly atheistic social media world of Jesus-denying or distorting memes and falsehoods paraded around as if they were real revelations about Jesus. This is a valuable book to have on hand to reference as a personal guide that contains all a Christian would need to defend their belief system and the creator of their faith from the lies and fabrications about him. It exposes ‘experts’ like Bart Erhmann for the selective arguments they make. This book is ‘just the facts’, and it’s written in Strobel’s usual warm and pleasant style. A great little read.
Lee Strobel is one of the most intelligent and coherent Christian communicators out there. His YouTube videos and his many books are thoughtful and respectful. He continues to speak with a vast array of people about spiritual matters; from hardcore atheists to ordained ministers and everyone in between. He doesn’t shy away from presenting points of view that may contradict his own; he always strives to present his readers and listeners with as many different aspects of a given argument as possible. That shows me a person who is confident and assured in their own religious beliefs, a person willing to break bread with even those hostile to his messaging.
This book is essentially a
‘greatest hits’ of interviews and factoids about the truth of Jesus. Drawn from his other, longer works, and filled with facts and stats and logical that is irrefutable, this book provides the foundation for anyone who may have fallen into the traps set by an unceasingly atheistic social media world of Jesus-denying or distorting memes and falsehoods paraded around as if they were real revelations about Jesus. This is a valuable book to have on hand to reference as a personal guide that contains all a Christian would need to defend their belief system and the creator of their faith from the lies and fabrications about him. It exposes ‘experts’ like Bart Erhmann for the selective arguments they make. This book is ‘just the facts’, and it’s written in Strobel’s usual warm and pleasant style. A great little read.
August 6, 2018
Wow! I can't even begin to describe this book, except to say, another great Lee Strobel read.
Strobel begins with all of the arguments against a real Jesus, and slowly begins to build his case until when you reach the end, he has completely won you over! I can't imagine this man not being one of the great soul-winners of our lifetime! His arguments are always factual. He leads you away from the many self-proclaimed "prophets and bishops" of our time who know so very little about the real Jesus. He shows you where those who argue away the real Jesus or his death and resurrection, have been led astray. And in this book, he even argues against many Christian colleges, universities and seminaries that are no longer teaching the scriptural Jesus and are sugar coating the scriptures to provide us with a 21st century Jesus who is forgiving without repentance.
I have found in Strobel a champion of the real Jesus. If you know Strobel's past, you will know that he was once a self-proclaimed atheist, and a journalist. So using his journalistic tools, he attempted to disprove Jesus was real. But what he managed to do, was to prove to himself that He is very real, and is much alive today!
This is an awesome book. Excellent for debate and group studies and private study. I highly recommend it.
Strobel begins with all of the arguments against a real Jesus, and slowly begins to build his case until when you reach the end, he has completely won you over! I can't imagine this man not being one of the great soul-winners of our lifetime! His arguments are always factual. He leads you away from the many self-proclaimed "prophets and bishops" of our time who know so very little about the real Jesus. He shows you where those who argue away the real Jesus or his death and resurrection, have been led astray. And in this book, he even argues against many Christian colleges, universities and seminaries that are no longer teaching the scriptural Jesus and are sugar coating the scriptures to provide us with a 21st century Jesus who is forgiving without repentance.
I have found in Strobel a champion of the real Jesus. If you know Strobel's past, you will know that he was once a self-proclaimed atheist, and a journalist. So using his journalistic tools, he attempted to disprove Jesus was real. But what he managed to do, was to prove to himself that He is very real, and is much alive today!
This is an awesome book. Excellent for debate and group studies and private study. I highly recommend it.
September 2, 2019
A bit disappointed, the name of the book got my attention when they were handing them out at my church. But after reading it I believe the title could have been different. This book is based on this historical Gnostic's believe , to be honest I went into the book believing I would hear about Jesus not the beliefs of these other people. Maybe later in the book it talks about Jesus , but if your looking for "FINDING THE REAL JESUS "dont waste your time. Book is more a history lesson than what the title is.
July 28, 2023
Quick read, I think I would've had a better experience if I had a more basic knowledge of the Bible before reading this. I got handed this book by my grandmother as she thought it would be valuable to me as I had many questions about the religion and the facts that surrounded it and the referencing of timeline.
I wouldn't suggest reading it if you aren't already looking to get into the religion and have some prior knowledge. A book it refers to inside is rather something I would like to read also, but I can't quite remember the name of it. Sorry folks.
I wouldn't suggest reading it if you aren't already looking to get into the religion and have some prior knowledge. A book it refers to inside is rather something I would like to read also, but I can't quite remember the name of it. Sorry folks.
October 29, 2023
Honestly, I was surprised at how disappointed I was by this book. I read a Case for Christ years ago and I don’t remember it well, but this book is trite, vague and filled with every type of logical fallacy known to man. It’s arrogant and dismissive of historical experts in the field. I guess I just expected better from an ex-journalist. I’m not even talking about the arguments of faith. Even the historical Jesus questions weren’t addressed factually. So disappointing.
March 21, 2018
Great Book
I love how Lee Strobel interviews experts. They are from both sides of the aisle but both show evidence for the real Jesus. I would read all of Lee Strobel books.
I love how Lee Strobel interviews experts. They are from both sides of the aisle but both show evidence for the real Jesus. I would read all of Lee Strobel books.
April 19, 2018
Eye opening. A good place to begin.
November 10, 2018
More evidence
Precise answers to the questions and a lot of good information. Wished it was longer, I'll have to read more of his books.
Precise answers to the questions and a lot of good information. Wished it was longer, I'll have to read more of his books.
February 26, 2019
Refreshing
It is truly great to find an author that uses modern techniques to refute negative claims against Christ, and Gods plan of redemption.
It is truly great to find an author that uses modern techniques to refute negative claims against Christ, and Gods plan of redemption.
February 7, 2020
Strobel goes to the top Jesus experts to address false claims about Jesus. The book is largely direct quotes from the experts when Strobel interviewed them. A short book but an important read.
February 12, 2020
Excellent and compelling
Both an excellent and compelling read. The truth at its very best. The facts are undeniable. The real Jesus has been found.
Both an excellent and compelling read. The truth at its very best. The facts are undeniable. The real Jesus has been found.
March 22, 2020
Good summary. Makes me want to read more!
May 16, 2020
The best way to test and prove our faith in Christianity.
January 25, 2022
A nice and easy apologetic book refuting false ideas and false facts about Jesus and His resurrection.
April 6, 2025
Factual and well laid out
Enjoyed reading the book! Heard some of it before but always good to hear a new perspective.
Its not a long book so can be read in an afternoon.
Enjoyed reading the book! Heard some of it before but always good to hear a new perspective.
Its not a long book so can be read in an afternoon.
June 23, 2018
An incredibly relevant and much needed book during these end times when the gospel in under attack from many directions.
August 25, 2014
100 packed pages, handbook, so it is very easy to read, to reference, and to retain. Also pg 98-99 gives a solid summary of each of Strobel's 5 key points. What I loved about the book was the extensive, scholar research, referencing supporters and critics who come to the same historical and ancient literature conclusions, generally well refuting the "pseudo-scholarship" we see coming out today claiming new found information about Jesus. Every challenge was addressed well.
Due to the very small size and attempt to provide basic information quickly, 4 of the 5 points were very well supported, I can hear claims still from followers of Islam going around the support in Ch 4 The Uncrucified Jesus. But in that, as in any scholarly discussion about Jesus, this book is just a door opener, an opportunity to think about severe questions, whereas reaching Muslims and any non-follower of Jesus, it requires love - John 10:37-38 = doing the works of the Father that can lead to belief... love people to earn the right to explain to them the logic behind the Bible.
Due to the very small size and attempt to provide basic information quickly, 4 of the 5 points were very well supported, I can hear claims still from followers of Islam going around the support in Ch 4 The Uncrucified Jesus. But in that, as in any scholarly discussion about Jesus, this book is just a door opener, an opportunity to think about severe questions, whereas reaching Muslims and any non-follower of Jesus, it requires love - John 10:37-38 = doing the works of the Father that can lead to belief... love people to earn the right to explain to them the logic behind the Bible.
October 22, 2012
This is a short 100 page book that is very much like Strobel's famous The Case for Christ. Strobel poses five questions that skeptics raise and then gets top theologians to provide us with answers. Strobel is a former attorney and you can tell the way he writes since it reads like a brief. I always enjoy his books. If you have questions about Jesus give it a look.
March 22, 2015
Quick read and a re-hash of previously published work. For me this was a great introductory tool for use with my junior and senior high school Sunday school students. Easy to follow and great conversation starters. If you're looking for something more comprehensive/deeper, go with Strobe's other works. But for the price and use I got out of it, it worked well.
March 13, 2012
This is a good small book not different from his earlier in-depth book 'The case for the Real Jesus'. Even then it is a good book to read and really helps anyone interested in knowing the Facts regarding the Bible and the Historical Jesus.
July 25, 2014
Short and sweet, but lots of good information. An enjoyable read like his other books - he's a journalist so he's good at taking something that could come off scholarly and boring and making it interesting to read.
July 28, 2011
Short and fact-packed! Great for those who aren't big readers and would otherwise be intimidated by a thicker book. Around 100 pages. It's all there, people. Just read the wee book!
May 28, 2016
Explains clearly why the modern thinking is wrong including details on the Gnostics, so called errors in the bible and the idea that He failed in His mission
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews