Apologetic History and Exegesis.

This article reviews *Facing Up to Jesus in the Gospels and Paul*, a 2023 collection of fifteen essays by Jesuit theologian Gerald O'Collins that address New Testament passages and theological questions with a conservative perspective. The essays focus on specific biblical words and texts, including discussions on the resurrection, where O'Collins critiques naturalistic explanations but does not fully engage with alternative scholarly views or the coexistence of multiple interpretations. While the work offers clear and accessible reflections valuable for combining exegesis with theology, it exhibits selective engagement with recent scholarship and some unresolved interpretive challenges. The collection invites readers to consider its insights within ongoing debates about historical and theological understandings of Jesus in Christian tradition.