The Fishing Expedition

The premise of The Jesus Inquest: A Case for and Against the Resurrection of the Christ by Charles Foster is that two debaters/lawyers are providing arguments against and for proving Jesus is the Christ. The person presenting the non-Christian view is called X, and the person presenting the Christian view is called Y. X starts each topic and subtopic out and then Y subsequently responds with his own view point. Both sides present evidence to prove their case.

Generally, I like a good argument, but the majority of the points X & Y used were flimsy at best. Too much of the so called evidence was used in the context of the cultural preferences at the time. In many of the cases both parties used cultural norms to prove their point, and the norms quoted were from the same culture during the same time period. In other words their points contradicted each other even though they were talking about the same culture at the same time in history. This seems unlikely. X & Y did not fully prove their points beyond a shadow of a doubt. I am neither convinced nor unconvinced by what I read in the Jesus Inquest-the proof just was not definitive enough.

What is of particular interest to me is that the topic of Jesus being the Christ is still as hotly debated as it has been since the time of His crucifixion and subsequent resurrection. During the Easter season, people can be more curious about Jesus and His life. If you are seeking more information I humbly suggest you read the biblical accounts of Jesus’ life. Reading the Gospels offer the best chance for understanding Jesus the Messiah.