Fans pick 100 books like Paul

I am recommending this book because of its breadth and depth. At 960 pages long it covers a wide range of many different topics but part II is particularly helpful but it explores the history, literature, and ideas of the first century—both Jewish and Graeco-Roman—if you want an in-depth study to open up the New Testament world, this is what you need. It isn’t short but it is accessible and well worth reading for anyone who is serious about getting into the world of the New Testament. 

Keener is one of the few living scholars who has actually read cover-to-cover all of the most relevant Jewish and Greco-Roman background literature to the New Testament and can speak with authority about the way the Gospels are similar to and different from other ancient biographies and histories. He addresses virtually every skeptical question, is abreast of all the scholarly trends, including those that get little press because they actually support the reliability of the Gospels. But he is no fundamentalist, insisting that we evaluate the ancient books of Scriptures by the standards of writing of their day and not ours. A soft-spoken man, who has overcome personal tragedy more than once, Keener is a good friend and amazing Christian gentleman.

Written at a much more basic level than the first three books on my list, Roberts boils the issues down into easy-to-read, bite-size chunks that any thoughtful layperson can digest. After my own book on the historical reliability of the Gospels, it’s the next one I would hand to anyone ‘off the street’ and the first one I would give to someone ‘on the street’! Mark is an apologist with the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, who has remained a person of impeccable integrity during their recent rough waters. While many writers tackle Matthew, Mark and Luke together, because they are more similar than different, Roberts includes John, who is more different than similar. A great read.

The most practical book I’ve ever encountered for applying the Old Testament in the New Testament age and for dealing with culturally foreign parts of the New Testament as well. Outlines a process for extracting timeless principles from culture-specific passages and then finding equally concrete contemporary applications, even if we might not literally ‘greet one another with a holy kiss’! Jack was an editor with three major Christian publishers, a personal encouragement when I was writing my commentary on 1 Corinthians and his approach was the most influential resource I had when I was writing on application for my co-authored Introduction to Biblical Interpretation.

I always took it for granted that questioning the New Testament and the gospels was somehow sinful. However, as I grew into adulthood, I accepted that faith and a set of beliefs can be independent and a viable position from Catholic Church dogma.

This invariably led me to research Christianity and its roots. Once started, the discrepancies between what I was taught and reality brought home the realization that the Church fathers were only men after all, subject to the same failings, striving for power, corruption, and greed as all other men. Like opening Pandora’s Box, this book opened my eyes to many things. Was Jesus invented by the Flavian dynasty? I have my own views on that.

Finally, a book about the women of the New Testament! This is one of my favorite novels about Jesus and His disciples. It is beautifully written, and I had several laugh-out-loud moments. I especially loved how the vivid prose brings history to life. It never gets boring or dry.

The dialogue is interlaced with wit and historical facts. As a feminist, I applaud that the women in this novel are no feeble, fragile maidens—they’re in charge! They’re the ones who hide the risen Jesus from the Romans, and then they send the male disciples out across the world to preach the message of love and oneness with God.

I recommend this novel to open-minded readers (like myself) who are interested in non-traditional “what if” stories about Jesus. 

No other exegesis has been as formative for my reading of Mary as Gaventa’s.

Because I was privileged to sit in her classroom and hear her teach about some of these passages, I began to realize how exciting it is to pay attention to the story of Mary in the New Testament. Each time I read her clarity and insights, I am inspired. 

I am a long-time student of N. T. Weight and have read many of his books. I appreciate his scholarship and ability to communicate with “everyone.” I love Wright for his scholarly defense of Jesus' bodily resurrection. He leaves me in awe with his knowledge of Scripture and of the Roman world of the first century. He has influenced my Biblical worldview to the extent I can’t imagine writing a book apart from his influence. I admire his extensive knowledge of the historical context of the cities in which the seven churches are located. I love reading Wright for his contagious joy!  

Bauckham is a world-leading Biblical scholar who shows in this ground-breaking book how direct eye-witness testimony underlies what we read about Jesus in the gospels, which should therefore be treated with the utmost seriousness. Particularly significant for Bauckham is the witness of the early second-century writer Papias, who had known and interacted with persons very close to the gospel events in his youth and explains how and by whom the gospels were put together. Eyewitness testimony is fundamental to forming our beliefs and can make the seemingly incredible totally credible. Bauckham draws a startling comparison with the Holocaust. We are convinced it happened only because we have eyewitness reports. Likewise with the resurrection of Jesus.

As a former atheist, Lee Strobel is uniquely qualified to explore the question of theism. In his easy-to-follow style, the author presents compelling evidence that quashed his skepticism and led him to conclude that a Creator exists and that Jesus Christ is His manifestation to mankind.

This is a thorough and popular apologetic work. There is, however, one caveat: Strobel’s interpretation of Christ’s victory is far more narrow than other works on this list that, in my view, correctly acknowledge the ultimate reconciliation of all people to God through Jesus Christ. In short, while the Bible promises that Christ will ultimately and completely eradicate sin and death, Strobel’s works suggest endless conscious torment in hell awaits most of humanity.