Dr. Simon Greenleaf was a Harvard Law professor. He wanted to debunk Christianity. He thought, “Everything these people believe rests on their claim that Jesus rose from the dead, but that wouldn’t even hold up in court!” So he started writing about it. And then he became a Christian!
Why? He eventually concluded, what’s going to put someone away in court? An eyewitness. What if you have bunch of eyewitnesses? Jail! What if all the witnesses are willing to DIE for what they saw. Case. Closed.
That’s what we have: the rising of Jesus from the dead. People weren’t just dying for a belief system, they were dying for something way more than that. They died for something they saw: a RISEN Christ. Saint Peter was crucified. He said, “I’m not worthy to die like my Lord; crucify me upside down.” Saint Bartholemew was skinned alive. It makes no sense to do that for a lie. The resurrection of Jesus, God conquering death, is the best news in history. And the best part about it is: it’s real.
