Rice Broocks - Man, Myth, Messiah: Answering History’s Greatest Question

PRAISE FOR MAN, MYTH, MESSTAH

In a passionate and yet gentle and balanced way, this thoughtful book addresses many questions with which people today struggle and can help believers share their faith more effectively. It injects a healthy dose of common sense into popular debates too often dominated by intemperate rhetoric and historically irresponsible claims. This book makes the Christian faith more intelligible, offering a valuable defense for Gods truth.

DR. CRAIG S. KEENER PROFESSOR OF NEW TESTAMENT, ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY; AND AUTHOR, NIV BIBLE BACKGROUND COMMENTARY

Dr. Rice Broocks has written a comprehensive but highly accessible book defending the key tenets of the Christian faith. Based on cutting-edge scholarship in documentary history and New Testament studies, he marshals persuasive arguments for the reliability of the New Testament documents, for the historicity of the resurrection, and for the divinity and Messianic credentials of Jesus of Nazareth. Broockss concern for, and long experience speaking to, college-aged students comes through on every page in this conversational but rigorous work of practical apologetics. I highly recommended it.

DR. STEPHEN C. MEYER AUTHOR, SIGNATURE IN THE CELL; AND PRESENTER, TRUEU APOLOGETIC SERIES

In Man, Myth, Messiah Rice Broocks takes a massive amount of historical research on Jesus and makes it accessible, interesting, and relevant for today. This book will both strengthen the belief of Christians and challenge the unbelief of skeptics. As Broocks demonstrates, Jesus has had more influence on history than any living person. Isnt it worth wrestling with the question Jesus said matters most: Who do you say I am? Man, Myth, Messiah will take you on a journey to explore the historical evidence for the resurrection and the powerful implications that has for your life.

SEAN MCDOWELL, PHD BIOLA UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR, INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED SPEAKER, AND BESTSELLING AUTHOR, THE FATE OF THE APOSTLES

I highly recommend this volume to you as a way to answer tough questions, ground the proclamation of the gospel message, and be prepared to share these truths with others, all from one text. Dr. Broocks is a capable guide to bring us safely to our destination. There is no greater message in life than that the gospel proclamation is true, that it answers our deepest needs and questions, along with the incredible benefit of eternal life to all who believe.

GARY R. HABERMAS, PHD DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR AND CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY, LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Rice Broocks has done it again. In Gods Not Dead he traced the evidence for Gods existence with the heart of a pastor. In Man, Myth, Messiah Rice turns his attention to the person of Jesus as he examines the most important question of history. Few people understand the connection between evidence and evangelism as well as Rice Broocks, and this book, once again, reveals his heart as an evangelist and teacher. Man, Myth, Messiah is more than an apologetics book. It provides the evidence and challenges you to share the case with others.

J. WARNER WALLACE COLD CASE DETECTIVE AND AUTHOR, GODS CRIME SCENE AND COLD-CASE CHRISTIANITY

2016 Rice Broocks

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Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scriptures marked ESV are taken from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked NASB are taken from New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scriptures marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked KJV is taken from the King James Version. Public domain.

ISBN 978-0-7180-0593-1 (eBook)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015951788

ISBN 978-0-8499-4856-5

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To the Undecided

CONTENTS

by Gary R. Habermas, PhD

Epilogue: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt

FROM POPULAR CULTURE TO NEW TESTAMENT CIRCLES in particular, the topic of the historical Jesus is arguably the most prominent subject at the present time. It has been that way for at least two or three decades as well. Since at least the 1980s, scholars have been engaged in what has been dubbed as the Third Quest for the Historical Jesus, beginning with the initial German movement back in the nineteenth century.

Into this contemporary milieu steps Dr. Rice Broocks, having penned his volume, Man, Myth, Messiah: Answering Historys Greatest Question. It acquaints readers with a popular overview of some key questions and issues from the current interest in linking Jesus Christ to history. Yet this text doesnt spare or shy away from sharing some of the scholarly ideas and key quotations that frame the present discussions.

In order to achieve this sort of task, Dr. Broocks endeavors to start with basic principles, moving up to more involved issues. In the process, many of the chief questions, topics, and state-of-the-art approaches are introduced and addressed.

All of this combines to make this volume a valuable guide to contemporary studies. It is also a manual of additional data that can assist with addressing the big questions that consistently gather around this subject.

As the author of this work, Dr. Broocks brings a unique combination of traits to this project. He is a pastor of a thriving multi-ethnic congregation in the Nashville Tennessee area, with a worldwide ministry beyond that, reaching out primarily to university students; with many other books, as well as a research doctorate from Fuller Seminary, to his credit. But having said that, Rice has an insatiable drive to help build Gods kingdom. Evangelism is his heartbeat. Unlike many in his profession, he realizes that such can only be built on a foundation of knowledge. Thus, there is no substitute for established truth that exudes into purposeful action. A dearth in either area can be disastrous for Christian ministry. Thats why this is the second time that one of his books has been the basis for a full-length movie!

For reasons such as these, Dr. Broocks builds a Christian foundation from which we can then launch out into action in the world. That is obvious when, in the first three chapters, he introduces the topics of history, the Minimal Facts Method, and the reliability of Scripture. The next three chapters present some of the historical basis for Jesus crucifixion and resurrection, along with His uniqueness. The two subjects after that are devoted to Jesus deity and the reality of the supernatural world.

Only after laying this foundation does he move to the believers need to engage in both discipleship and evangelism. As mentioned, good foundations provide the launching grounds for moving into sound practical action. But then it was the same way in the New Testament too.