Learn More about Jesus and What His Life Means
Some people view Jesus as a great historical figure, an insightful teacher, or a guru who taught and exemplified the importance of loving others. They’re intrigued by him and want to learn more. They are Christ curious.
Other people go all in for Jesus. They follow him with zeal. They revere him as their savior and esteem him as their friend.
But making such a grand commitment it’s too big a stretch for the Christ curious. They’re intrigued by Jesus and want to learn more. Maybe they’ll take a cautious step toward him, or maybe they won’t. First they want information. What should they do to learn more about Jesus?
Ask Others
One way the Christ curious person can learn more about Jesus is to ask people who know him—or at least know about him. Once you’ve identified the person to talk to, simply ask, “What can you tell me about Jesus?” or “What does it mean to follow Jesus?”
Most every person, however, has their own ideas about Jesus. And they may not align with others. In fact, ask ten people about Jesus, and you’re get ten answers.
This may be an intellectually stimulating exercise, but it might not yield much clarity about Jesus.
Go to Church
If you are Christ curious, you could also try going to church. This is where you can learn more about Jesus—at least in theory. Although many churches focus on Jesus in their services, others have wandered so far away from him as the source of their beliefs that they rarely mention him.
For this reason, you may need to visit many churches before you find one that clicks with your mission to learn more about Jesus.
Read Jesus’s Biographies
If you are Christ curious, you could also read books about Jesus, but why not go to the original source? The Bible contains four biographies of Jesus. Each one is named after its author: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
These biographies of Jesus are also called gospels. They cover his life: what he did and what he said. John was a disciple of Jesus and an eyewitness to what he did.
Matthew and Mark may have been eyewitnesses, too, although not as close as John. Luke was not an eyewitness, but he did thoroughly research everything before writing his biography about Jesus.
Recommended Gospels for the Christ Curious
Which one should you read first? Though I suggest every Christ curious person read all four of the biographies of Jesus, here are some ideas to get you started.
John; The book of John is unique among the four biographies of Jesus. It is beloved by many. As we’ve mentioned, John was both a disciple and an eyewitness to what he wrote about.
John, however, was likely the last to write his biography of Jesus, so there’s a time lag between when the events occurred and when he recorded them for us to read. John’s writing is lyrical, at times poetic.
If you want to reach slowly and marinate in the text as you contemplate multiple levels of meaning, John’s biography of Jesus is the place to start.
Luke: In contrast, the book of Luke is an easy read and contains some delightful details not covered in the other biographies of Jesus. It’s my go-to gospel.
Mark: The book of Mark is the shortest of the four biographies of Jesus. For the Christ curious person who wants a quick read to cover the essential facts, Mark is the book for you.
Matthew: This isn’t to discount the book of Matthew, which many people know best, perhaps because it appears first in the New Testament of the Bible. But it may not be the place to start.
Move Forward
If you’re Christ curious—and even if you’re not—don’t rely on secondhand information. Go to the original sources and read the four biographies of Jesus in the Bible.
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
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