---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best apologetic, therefore, is what…"
description: "\"“The best apologetic, therefore, is what it always was: the old, weird, incomprehensible, great, gray-green, greasy Gospel story—just laying out in fro..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/robert-capon-84165_quote_the-best-apologetic-therefore-is-what-it_1657104.jpg"
---

#  The best apologetic, therefore, is what it always was: the…

![“The best apologetic, therefore, is what it always was: the old, weird, incomprehensible, great, gray-green, greasy Gospel story—just laying out in front of people the Jesus of Scripture who alone can knock the world’s socks off”.” quote by Robert Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/robert-capon-84165_quote_the-best-apologetic-therefore-is-what-it_1657104.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/robert-capon-84165_quote_the-best-apologetic-therefore-is-what-it_1657104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/708/robert-capon-84165_quote_the-best-apologetic-therefore-is-what-it_1657104.jpg)

> ““The best apologetic, therefore, is what it always was: the old, weird, incomprehensible, great, gray-green, greasy Gospel story—just laying out in front of people the Jesus of Scripture who alone can knock the world’s socks off”.””

[Robert Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-capon/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The Gospel’s strange, ancient story uniquely confronts and transforms the world.

**In simple terms:** The Gospel’s odd story changes the world.

Key Takeaway

Embrace the Gospel’s transformative message.

Themes

faith tradition transformation messenger

Mood

inspirational thought‑provoking

Type

theological persuasive

When to use this quote

- church preaching
- personal study
- cultural critique
- mission work

Key Concepts

theology narrative power

Questions to Reflect On

- How does the Gospel speak to modern issues?
- What makes its message compelling?

A Different Perspective

Ancient narratives may seem irrelevant today.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Apologetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic/) [Apologetic Old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic-old-716690/) [Best Apologetic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-apologetic-716688/) [Gospel Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel-story-716689/) [Greasy Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greasy-gospel-716691/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/)

## Related quotes

> [A philosophy may explain difficult things, but has no power to change them. The gospel, the story of Jesus' life, promises change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/a-philosophy-may-explain-difficult-things-but-has-no-power-to-change/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [The grinding power of the plain words of the Gospel story is like the power of mill-stones, and those who can read them simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilbert-k-chesterton/the-grinding-power-of-the-plain-words-of-the-gospel-story-is-like-the/)

[Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilbert-k-chesterton/)

> [Jesus himself, as the gospel story goes on to its dramatic conclusion, lives out the same message of the Sermon on the Mount: he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/jesus-himself-as-the-gospel-story-goes-on-to-its-dramatic-conclusion/)

[N. T. Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-wright-2/)

> [“The gospel is the story of God covering his naked enemies, bringing them to the wedding feast, and then marrying them rather than crushing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-t-welch/the-gospel-is-the-story-of-god-covering-his-naked-enemies-bringing/)

[Edward T. Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-t-welch/)

> [“Since—and this is why it changed how I read the Bible—God chose to communicate in language, since language is always shaped by context, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scot-mcknight/since-and-this-is-why-it-changed-how-i-read-the-bible-god-chose-to/)

[Scot McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scot-mcknight/)

> [Interestingly, it's as though the gospel story of Jesus is the archetypal heroic journey, the embodiment of the very adventure that all people in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-hirsch/interestingly-it-s-as-though-the-gospel-story-of-jesus-is-the/)

[Alan Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-hirsch/)

> [It's important to remember the Gospel is a story; not a set of bullet points.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/it-s-important-to-remember-the-gospel-is-a-story-not-a-set-of-bullet/)

[Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/)

> [When I started playing in bands, we had to be apologetic for what we did. We had to be apologetic because the mainstream was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-antonoff/when-i-started-playing-in-bands-we-had-to-be-apologetic-for-what-we/)

[Jack Antonoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-antonoff/)

> [... and yet he could also be very charming, in a bookish, infinitely apologetic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/and-yet-he-could-also-be-very-charming-in-a-bookish-infinitely/)

[Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/)

> [Writing is a vocation and, as in any other calling, a writer should develop his talents for the greater glory of God. Novels should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-paul-read/writing-is-a-vocation-and-as-in-any-other-calling-a-writer-should/)

[Piers Paul Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-paul-read/)

> [I'm a single-issue voter, to get straight to the point. I'm really only interested in the candidate who's toughest and least apologetic when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-m-a-single-issue-voter-to-get-straight-to-the-point-i-m-really-only/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [The purpose of apologetics is not just to win an argument or a discussion, but that people with whom we are in contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-purpose-of-apologetics-is-not-just-to-win-an-argument-or-a/)

[Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/)

> [We preach sermons, write books on apologetics, conduct city-wide evangelistic campaigns. For those alienated from the church, that approach no longer has the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/we-preach-sermons-write-books-on-apologetics-conduct-city-wide/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [In the New Testament alone there are Gospels, acts, epistles, and an apocalypse. Gospels contain literary forms like miracles, parables, pronouncements, proverbs, farewell discourses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-blomberg/in-the-new-testament-alone-there-are-gospels-acts-epistles-and-an/)

[Craig Blomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-blomberg/)

> [If writing with a goal - whether it be evangelistic, apologetic, or didactic - implies propaganda, then all recorded history is propaganda. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/if-writing-with-a-goal-whether-it-be-evangelistic-apologetic-or/)

[Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/)

## More by Robert Capon

> [“On second thought, though, maybe that was what being made in the Divine Image was all about. Eighty percent of all creatures are insects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-capon/on-second-thought-though-maybe-that-was-what-being-made-in-the-divine/)

[Robert Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-capon/)

> [“Heaven is populated entirely by forgiven sinners, not by spiritual and moral aces”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-capon/heaven-is-populated-entirely-by-forgiven-sinners-not-by-spiritual-and/)

[Robert Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-capon/)

[Explore all 3 Robert Capon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-capon/)

## More Apologetic quotes

> [If writing with a goal - whether it be evangelistic, apologetic, or didactic - implies propaganda, then all recorded history is propaganda. . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/if-writing-with-a-goal-whether-it-be-evangelistic-apologetic-or/)

[Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/)

> [In the New Testament alone there are Gospels, acts, epistles, and an apocalypse. Gospels contain literary forms like miracles, parables, pronouncements, proverbs, farewell discourses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-blomberg/in-the-new-testament-alone-there-are-gospels-acts-epistles-and-an/)

[Craig Blomberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-blomberg/)

> [We preach sermons, write books on apologetics, conduct city-wide evangelistic campaigns. For those alienated from the church, that approach no longer has the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/we-preach-sermons-write-books-on-apologetics-conduct-city-wide/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [The purpose of apologetics is not just to win an argument or a discussion, but that people with whom we are in contact may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-purpose-of-apologetics-is-not-just-to-win-an-argument-or-a/)

[Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/)

> [I'm a single-issue voter, to get straight to the point. I'm really only interested in the candidate who's toughest and least apologetic when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-m-a-single-issue-voter-to-get-straight-to-the-point-i-m-really-only/)

[Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/)

> [Writing is a vocation and, as in any other calling, a writer should develop his talents for the greater glory of God. Novels should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/piers-paul-read/writing-is-a-vocation-and-as-in-any-other-calling-a-writer-should/)

[Piers Paul Read](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/piers-paul-read/)

> [... and yet he could also be very charming, in a bookish, infinitely apologetic way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-mclain/and-yet-he-could-also-be-very-charming-in-a-bookish-infinitely/)

[Paula McLain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-mclain/)

> [When I started playing in bands, we had to be apologetic for what we did. We had to be apologetic because the mainstream was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-antonoff/when-i-started-playing-in-bands-we-had-to-be-apologetic-for-what-we/)

[Jack Antonoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-antonoff/)

> [“The snow lay thin and apologetic over the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cooper/the-snow-lay-thin-and-apologetic-over-the-world/)

[Susan Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cooper/)

> [In a post-modern culture we need an apologetic that is felt and seen because if post-moderns are not feeling it, they are not believing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/in-a-post-modern-culture-we-need-an-apologetic-that-is-felt-and-seen/)

[Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/)

> [I'm apologetic when I feel like I've made a mistake. And when I have done a disservice to myself or someone else. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-rice/i-m-apologetic-when-i-feel-like-i-ve-made-a-mistake-and-when-i-have/)

[Susan Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-rice/)

> [I know I'm an overachiever, and I'm not apologetic about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-know-i-m-an-overachiever-and-i-m-not-apologetic-about-it/)

[Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/)

> [Apologetics has an important place in the local church as we seek to influence our communities for Christ in an increasingly skeptical culture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-strobel/apologetics-has-an-important-place-in-the-local-church-as-we-seek-to/)

[Lee Strobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-strobel/)

> [If you don't feel apologetic for slavery, if you don't feel apologetic for colonialism, if you feel proud of it then say that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/if-you-don-t-feel-apologetic-for-slavery-if-you-don-t-feel-apologetic/)

[Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/)

> [Most apologetic books are really written for Christians, even the ones that purport to be written for non-believers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/most-apologetic-books-are-really-written-for-christians-even-the-ones/)

[Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/)

[Browse all 127 Apologetic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/apologetic/)

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