5 Books About the Life of Jesus

1. Who is this Man? by John Ortberg

John Ortberg wrote a powerful testament to the impact that Jesus had on human history, the human condition, and our understanding of the obligations of one human being to another. John demonstrates that nothing in our existence has been quite the same since that fateful Sunday long ago. The real power of this book rests in the paradox of our faith—that to follow Jesus is not a pathway to an easy life but a call to do hard things if we are to live in the image of our Lord. 

2. The Genius of Jesus by Erwin McManus

Jesus of Nazareth is undeniably one of the most influential figures ever to have walked the face of the earth. Yet his life as a work of genius has yet to be excavated and explored. In The Genius of Jesus, Erwin Raphael McManus examines the person of Jesus not simply through the lens of his divinity but as a man who radically changed the possibility of what it means to be human.

3. Simply Jesus by N.T. Wright

We have grown used to the battles over Jesus—whether He was human or divine, whether He could do miracles or just inspire them, whether He even existed. Much of the church defends tradition, while critics take shots at the institution and its beliefs. But what if these debates have masked the real story of Jesus? Wright summarizes a lifetime of studying Jesus and the New Testament to present who Jesus was and is. In Simply Jesus, we are invited to hear one of our leading scholars introduce the story of the carpenter’s son from Nazareth as if we were hearing it for the first time.

4. Jesus: The God Who Knows Your Name by Max Lucado

For thirty-three years, Jesus felt everything you have ever felt: weakness, weariness, sadness, rejection. His feet got tired, and His head ached. He was tempted, and His strength was tested. And you know why? Because in becoming human, Jesus made it possible for us to see God. His tears, God’s tears. His voice, God’s voice. Want to know what matters to God? Find out what matters to Jesus. Want to know what in the world God is doing? Ponder the words and life of Jesus. In Max Lucado’s capstone book, he takes us further on the journey to know the life and character of the Savior.

5. The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel

Is there credible evidence that Jesus of Nazareth really is the Son of God? Former atheist and Chicago Tribune journalist Lee Strobel takes an investigative look at the evidence from the fields of science, philosophy, and history. In this revised and updated bestseller, The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel cross-examines a dozen experts with doctorates from schools such as Cambridge, Princeton, and Brandeis, asking hard-hitting questions–and building a captivating case for Christ's divinity.

For more Who Is This Man? Series resources, click here.