I am a big believer in focusing apologetics on the person of Jesus and not getting distracted by nonessentials. The challenge is to have good resources in getting the truth of Jesus across to people. There are plenty of great resources for apologists, presenting scholarly information that can be used in confronting skeptics. But what about for the seeker or the new believer? Much of the literature is too simple to be useful or too complex to be understood.
I am teaching a course on the New Testament for Emmanuel Bible College and it was suggested that I use N.T. Wright’s The Original Jesus. Although I am a big fan of N.T. Wright, I was not sure about this book. It was too glossy and full of pictures, it looked more like a magazine than a book. But having read the book, I loved it. It is very colourful and is beautifully illustrated with religious artwork and pictures from Israel. The presentation is solidly evangelical and based in current historical Jesus scholarship.
Once I finished the book, I concluded that this is the best resource I have come across for presenting the person of Jesus to seekers and new Christians. If you are a trained apologist or Bible scholar, you will learn nothing new. But it is extremely valuable for helping others. It could be effectively used in discipleship classes and small group studies. I would suggest picking up a number of copies (it is quite affordable) and hand them out to people who are interested in Jesus but are still asking questions. You can purchase this book here.
