The Testimony of the Evangelists: The Gospels Examined by the Rules of Evidence

This book is, of course, a masterpiece by one of the most respected jurists of all time. He makes his case for the evidence and the testimonies Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Peter, and Paul with great care and objectivity. This book, along with EVIDENCE THAT DEMANDS A VERDICT, should be read by every skeptic and every honest inquirer. And just what is at stake? ... the redemption of the human soul, ... and the veracity of Christianity and the culmination of 4000 + years of Jewish revelation regarding GOD's redemptive work on the part of humanity fallen deep into darkness and death. - and THAT is EXACTLY what is at stake. One quick note: remember and never forget that the men who testified regarding the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus *were devout Jews* who abhorred the very idea of bearing false testimony, *knowing* that such a thing is a direct violation of GOD's commandment. - it is almost unthinkable that they would conspire together to deliberately bear false testimony. And they *clearly* and unmistakably declared THAT THEY SAW JESUS ALIVE after His death and resurrection. btw: there is another excellent book called, "MANY INFALLIBLE PROOFS." I recommend that one also. blessings to those *who honestly* seek after Truthe, ... for they shall find Him. Pastor Len Hummel, Clearlight Ministries, Intl.

This is an excellent book for all types of people, Christians and non-Christian alike. It is especially good for those who believe they are the intellectual type. I work in the legal field, and so I found this book to be a clincher for even the most hard hearted skeptics. If they would just set their bias aside and truly absorb what this author is saying, there won't be any doubt that the evidence of the Evangelist is reliable. This is a book I challenge my friends and coworkers to read because we deal with evidence people submit daily, seeking a benefit through this government agency. We are legally bound to recognize all applicants are "prima facie" eligible until proven otherwise through testimony and evidence. And so, we are trained to recognize what makes good evidence and what makes bad evidence. The Gospels are good evidence, unimpeachable.I have actually gone back and purchased additional copies of this book so that I can give them out to people who need to hear it from a legal scholar with impeccable credentials. It's a very easy book to read. It can be digested in a matter of two or three hours, and its inexpensive as well, costing less than ten bucks.Simon Greenleaf lays everything out so well, it is truly easy to follow his logic. If you are a skeptic about the Bible, doubting its authenticity, this book will explain to you why you should accept the Gospel accounts as fact, because their testimony is clear. Jesus is God incarnate as the Gospels attest. If you read this book, then this knowledge about Jesus is now in your head, and I pray that God the Holy Spirit will place it in your heart.

The fact that the resurrection stories are claimed to contradict each other may seem so to someone who does not take the time to actually look at the evidence. One needs to not only look at the Biblical text and find that they are simply subtly different, as one would find in any group relaying a similar story. We also have to look at the culture of the time and other historical works - that are purely works of historians. Authors such as Josephus and a few other historians from the time period and the surronding regions. When one fully looks at the evidence, Biblical, historical, archaeological, scientific, and philosophical this book is greatly upheld.

Greenleaf is well known throught jurist history as providing instruction on rules of evidence. Now that we have court tv and have witnessed some amazing trials, we understand more how what is allowed in as evidence is critical to a trial.Here in this work this jurist expert analyzes the Gospels as being admissable. Think about it for a moment. In any given historical situation, if four different individuals were asked some time after the event common to all of their attendance to write an accurate report, the same result would happen as we find in the gospels. Stress on different events with highlights of differing focus on common happenings by multiple witnesses would occur.Alledged contradictions thus fall aside given that each of us admits that this is just the way it commonly happens. We would be much more suspect if each of four witness accounts matched up exactly word for word. Collusion would be charged! Here though God gives four different slants through four Evangelists who do this very thing: they give different emphases and differing slants on the same event. Bonus attachment is Dupin's "Trial of Jesus Before Caiaphas and Pilate." Interested parties might also check out Paul Maier's "Pontius Pilate" and "Flames of Rome."

What of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of Mr. Greenleaf? According to all accounts, his thinking was irrevocably changed as a result of a detailed examination of the Holy Scriptures. His testimony of faith is a challenge to all thinking persons to make an honest and diligent search for the truth. Our propensity for deceit came about as a result of the Fall, and it is due to that fallability that Man willingly rejects God. A leap in the dark is not what is needed, but rather a desire to know the truth.