“Jesus doesn’t give an explanation for the pain and sorrow of the world. He comes where the pain is most acute and takes it upon himself. Jesus doesn’t explain why there is suffering, illness, and death in the world. He brings healing and hope. He doesn’t allow the problem of evil to be the subject of a seminar. He allows evil to do its worst to him. He exhausts it, drains its power, and emerges with new life. The resurrection says, more clearly than anything else can, ‘There is a God, and he is the creator of the world we know, and he is the father of Jesus, Israel’s Messiah.’ That is the first part of the good news about God.”

Read more on Scot McKnight’s blog, Jesus Creed: Deconstructing the Bully God