Resources to Investigate the Reliability of the Gospels

In a recent Q and A question written to Dr. William Lane Craig at Reasonable Faith, a gentlemen wrote in questioning the reliability of the Gospels.  In his response, which you can read here, Dr. Craig included a list of books that would be useful for someone wanting to examine the historicity of the Gospels.  I thought it might be helpful to some to highlight that list here:

B = Beginner
I = Intermediate
A = Advanced


Blomberg, Craig. The Historical Reliability of the Gospels. Downers Grove, Ill.: Inter-Varsity Press, 2007. (B)

Carson, D. A., Moo, Douglas J., and Morris, Leon. An Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1992. (I)

Evans, Craig. Fabricating Jesus. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP, 2006. (I)

France, R. T. The Evidence for Jesus. London: Hodder & Stoughton, 1986. (B)

Green, Joel, et al., eds. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels. Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity, 1992. (A)

Gundry, Robert H. Mark: A Commentary on his Apology for the Cross. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1993. (A)

Guthrie, Donald. New Testament Introduction. Downers Grove: Inter Varsity, 1990. (I)

Hemer, Colin. The Book of Acts in the Setting of Hellenistic History. Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 1990. (A)

Johnson, Luke. The Real Jesus. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1996. (B)

Meier, John. A Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus. 4 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1991-. (A)

Wilkins, Michael and Moreland, J.P., eds. Jesus under Fire. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1995. (I)


I would also add J. Warner Wallace's book, Cold-Case Christianity. (B/I) You can find our review here.

Also, you may want to checkout our "Research Materials for the Old and New Testament" here.

Courage and Godspeed,

Chad