Did Jesus Exist? by Bart D. Ehrman – A Review by Bill Dahl

This, I believe, is one of the MOST IMPORTANT books the vast majority of purported Christians will never read. Why?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because most have a self-confessed understanding of Jesus wrapped up in a tidy little box that they can comfortably carry around – or discard when it becomes inconvenient.  Try this: The next time you’re in conversation with someone who claims to “know Jesus” – ask them to provide you with the historical evidence derived by reputable historical scholars – who are NOT Christian! Trust me – They’ll be flabbergasted. You might be too.

As author Jim Palmer has recently written in his new book: Being Jesus in Nashville:

Through religion people have absorbed a bunch of ideas and beliefs about themselves, God, others and life that govern their identity, relationships and way of being in the world. It’s as if we’re trapped inside a story that is rigged to never lead to the freedom, fulfillment and abundance that people want and Jesus promised.

Enter Bart D. Ehrman – Distinguished author, scholar and historian – the James A. Gray Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill.  Ehrman is a self-professed agnostic. In this book, he takes on what are commonly referred to as the “Mythicists” – those who claim (in a rather passionate and voluminous set of writings (and rantings) that the existence of Jesus was a myth.

Here’s a YouTube video about the book:

This book is a journey with Ehrman to:

1. Illuminate the historical evidence that unequivocally demonstrates that Jesus, did in fact, exist.

2. A refutation of the major mythicist arguments to the contrary of #1 above.

3. An insightful examination of the question, Who was Jesus?

Sure, Ehrman jumps off the bus at the resurrection and the central Christian belief that Jesus is God (as any self-professed agnostic would). Yet, the treatment that Ehrman provides for #’s 1,2 & 3 above are absolutely mesmerizing.  Of course, in terms of the question, “Who was Jesus? Ehrman’s conclusions differ tangibly from the Christian tribe.

I learned a tremendous amount about Jesus, the Gospels, first century Judea and the like —  I had never learned in church, Sunday school, Bible studies, lectures, literature or otherwise by reading this book.

Again, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. No matter what you think you might know about Jesus, the history of the Christian faith, The Gospels, the Bible, and who Jesus thought he was…Bart Ehrman provides the historians evidence that will distinctly fill in the holes your understanding was filled with. Finally, his treatment of the mythicist arguments is comprehensive and convincing.

Jesus Did Exist! – from the skilled historians perspective. Read this book – you need to appreciate what Bart D. Ehrman reveals in this profoundly important work. It’s an incredible feat!!!

 

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