In ‘The Case for Christ,’ Lee Strobel set out to disprove Christianity—only to confront a series of questions that challenged his skepticism.
When journalist Lee Strobel set out to investigate Christianity, he wasn’t searching for faith.
In fact, the award-winning reporter for the Chicago Tribune hoped to do the opposite: prove it wrong.
Strobel, a self-described atheist at the time, began interviewing historians, theologians, and medical experts in an effort to dismantle the central claim of Christianity—the resurrection of Jesus.
What he discovered instead changed the direction of his life.
His investigation became the bestselling book and film The Case for Christ, both of which explore the historical questions Strobel examined as he searched for answers.
These are five of the most important questions Strobel explored during that investigation.
1. Why was the tomb empty?
The discovery of an empty tomb is the key to the entire Gospel.
One of the first issues Strobel explored involved the empty tomb—because without the resurrection of Jesus, there is no hope, no salvation, and faith is in vain.
According to the New Testament, Jesus was buried in a sealed tomb that was discovered empty three days later. In fact, Jewish authorities at the time accused the disciples of stealing Jesus’ body while the guards were sleeping (Matthew 28:11-15). They didn’t deny the tomb was empty, they just tried to come up with another reason—besides the resurrection—to account for it.
Strobel examined that claim closely, asking whether it was plausible that the disciples—many of whom later faced persecution for their beliefs—would risk their lives to perpetuate something they knew was false.
But scholars agree that the idea that anyone could steal the body is highly unlikely. Escaping the notice of the guards would be exceedingly difficult, especially since the heavy stone that guarded the entrance to the tomb would be so hard to move.
2. Did Jesus actually die on the cross?
The question of whether Jesus truly died is central to validity of the resurrection.
Another issue Strobel explored was whether Jesus truly died during the crucifixion—a crucial question if the resurrection claim were to be evaluated seriously.
Historians across a wide range of perspectives agree that Jesus of Nazareth was executed by crucifixion under Roman authority. The event is recorded not only in the New Testament but also referenced in several non-Christian historical sources.
Roman crucifixion was designed to be a slow and public form of execution, leaving little room for survival. Medical experts Strobel consulted explained that the physical trauma associated with crucifixion made recovery virtually impossible.
For Strobel, establishing the historical reality of Jesus’ death was a foundational step in evaluating what might have happened next.
3. Were There Credible Eyewitnesses?
Early Christian writings describe numerous people who saw Jesus after his death.
As Strobel continued his investigation, he also explored the accounts of people who claimed to have seen Jesus alive after his crucifixion.
The New Testament includes multiple reports of post-resurrection appearances, including a passage in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians describing more than 500 people witnessing the risen Christ at once.
These claims appear across several early Christian texts written within decades of the events they describe. For Strobel, the question became whether these testimonies could reasonably be explained as legend, mass hallucination, deception, or something else entirely.
4. Can the Bible Be Trusted as a Historical Document?
Historians and archaeologists have spent centuries examining whether the Bible aligns with the historical record.
Another question Strobel explored during his investigation was whether the Bible itself could be trusted as a reliable historical source.
Over the years, historians and archaeologists have uncovered numerous discoveries that correspond with people, places, and events described in the biblical text. Ancient inscriptions and artifacts have confirmed the existence of figures once thought to be purely biblical, including rulers such as Pontius Pilate and King David.
Archaeological discoveries have also provided insight into the cultural and political world described in the Bible—from the remains of ancient cities mentioned in Scripture to manuscripts that show how carefully biblical texts were preserved over time.
For Strobel, the growing body of historical and archaeological evidence raised an important question: if the biblical accounts consistently intersect with known history, could the larger story they tell also be worth taking seriously?
5. Why Has Christianity Endured for So Long?
The lasting impact of the Gospel is itself part of the story.
Beyond the historical questions, Strobel also considered a broader one: why the Gospel story has continued to resonate for thousands of years.
From the earliest days of the Christian movement, followers of Jesus were willing to endure persecution and even death rather than renounce their beliefs. Over time, that movement spread far beyond its origins in the ancient world, eventually reaching millions of people across cultures and generations.
Today, stories of personal transformation remain one of the most frequently cited reasons people explore the Christian faith—something Strobel himself experienced firsthand.
After nearly two years of research and interviews with scholars, historians, and experts from a wide range of disciplines, the skeptical journalist who once set out to disprove Christianity reached an unexpected conclusion: he believed the evidence pointed toward the truth of the resurrection.
His journey is now shared through both the bestselling book and the film adaptation of “The Case for Christ,” which continues to invite viewers to wrestle with the same questions Strobel once asked.
For many, the story’s power lies not just in the answers it explores, but in the investigation itself—a reminder that faith and inquiry don’t always stand in opposition.
Sometimes, they lead to the same place.
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