By J. Steed "Tome Gnome"
This review is from: Killing Christ: Contesting Trendy Critics Regarding The Death and Resurrection of Jesus (Kindle Edition)
This is a review of Mike Robinson's book entitled, "Killing Christ: Contesting Trendy Critics Regarding The Death and Resurrection of Jesus" Mr. Robinson's whole premise in this book is the importance of getting down to 'The Main Thing' regarding the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Too often, writers give damning slight praise to the facts and the ascribed meaning of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, but praise disproportionately His so-called philosophy or example. This is akin to gushing over the dishware on a Food Channel presentation while ignoring the expert dishes prepared by equally expert Chefs. CS Lewis said it best, perhaps, "A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic--on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg--or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us." [Mere Christianity by CS Lewis].
All disciplines must of necessity use philosophy at some level, and they must at some point exercise or acknowledge ethics, but neither makes them a Philosopher nor an Ethicist. Why would skeptics, reviewers and deniers exercise such effort to bypass the obvious import of Jesus' words and actions in order to make Him symbolic or a mere example? How would such critics feel if when checking out with their purchases at a Market, they were told what wonderful symbols of Capitalism they were, and then instructed them to return their purchases to their respective shelves so that 'real people' might engage in the real commerce that they so ably exemplified? Presuppositions and agendas are at play.
Even the most hostile critics of Christianity admit the historicity of Jesus Christ, and must contend with the large historical footprint that He personally has made and that those who have had their lives unalterably changed by his Life, Teaching, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Promised Return. Critics would place their readers in middle of a sort of Chernobyl without the benefit of a Radioactive sensing Geiger Counter, assuring them that their reality is such-and-so, all the while their condition deteriorates until it is too late to recover. Such is the unkindest cut of all. Jesus was nothing if not deliberate; His Apostles and the New Testament Writers have absorbed this same characteristic. Jesus was no accidental savior. His resurrection was no beneficial after thought. The New Testament in telling the truth discloses all the facts, not just the ones that helped make their case. As an example, no one wanting to make their case for a new religion in the Middle East of the time would have women as the first witnesses of Christ's resurrection. Their testimonies weren't often even accepted in courts. The New Testament doesn't play at this modern invention of pretended neutrality; it has the Truth and powerfully presents it to those who can't live without it.
We will perhaps have to often endure Pop treatments of this weightiest of all historical and spiritual matters, just as we are regularly bombarded with advertisements, elections and verbose, self-made experts on every subject under the sun, but the Truth is ever out there, and Mike Robinson lets it stand unvarnished for the interested Reader. The Court and what the Verdict will be in this matter will inevitably be in the heart of the people who open themselves up to these matters in the privacy of their homes or in the bustle of the marketplace. In the final analysis, although the evidence is ample and satisfying in this case, "only those who have ears, will hear."
For those readers with a sincere heart who wish to know this most important of subjects, this is an outstanding place to come and analyse the issues. For those who wish material for messages and sermons, this is the resource you are looking for. For those looking for an outstanding addition to their library or a gift to a special someone, you have found it. And I'm sure the author would be most pleased if his work found its way to that person to whom it served as the gateway for the happiest of eternities.
read Mr. Steed's review and purchase Killing Christ HERE
