The Evidence Is In

I was with a young lady when she died. I saw the car accident, and did my best to comfort her until the paramedics arrived, after prying open her car door with what for an instant was superhuman strength.  Since, I was there from the accident until her death, I was a likely credible witness. Her family's lawyer called me, and asked one question: "Were there any cars between yours and the accident which would block the view?" I answered, "no". However, several other eye-witnesses agreed that I was in the second car from the accident. The preponderance of the testimonies refuted my own. I was never called to court because I didn't see things as they actually happened. When more than one person attests to the same thing, the evidence becomes reliable.

I was focused on the accident, not the entire scene. Therefore, my testimony would have been false. Because all the others agreed on this one issue, they were more reliable than me! What's more, these reliable witnesses were called to court. I was not. 

Now, let us apply this to the resurrection of Jesus. If only Paul had seen Jesus, and others had not, then the court of public opinion would have thrown out his testimony as unreliable and maybe a lie! However, let's look at the evidence:

1 Corinthians 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

The allegation is that Christ died for the sins of mankind according to scriptures. First off, is the allegation true? Let's check. 

Old testament prophecy:  "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." (Isaiah 53:7).

What happened: "But Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed." (Mark 15:5 ).

Old testament prophecy:  "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent." (Psalm 22:1-2).

What happened:   "About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, 'Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?' - which means, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?'" (Matthew 27:46).  

 I could continue on, but you get the idea. Prophecy was fulfilled. Isaiah called the shot on the first occasion and King David on the second one. Why did they both see Jesus's death? Because God revealed it to them before it happened!  There are many more prophecies in the Bible as well as in sacred literature, all written centuries before Jesus's death. In fact, the Word told Adam and Eve of His death in the beginning, according to the writer of Adam and Eve and Their Conflict with Satan.

Prophecy in itself validates Jesus's death. He could have planned his own death to be truthful, but to pull the strings of his accusers and killers would have been impossible! I can hear Jesus now, if he had been false, saying: You must torture me, and I will remain silent. I will die, and you must kill me. It's silly to think that these "actors" in this story would have complied. The last thing the Jews, or the Romans, desired to do was to  legitimize this Man who claimed kingship! Therefore, the claim that Jesus died on the cross is very plausible if he truly died on the cross!

Paul then, gave the sequence of events about Jesus's resurrection:

1. He died.
2. Was buried.
3. Arose from the grave (as prophesied; "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption."; Psalm 16:10)
4. And it would be on "the third day":  ^"From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day." (Matthew 16:21). Jesus foretold of his own death and resurrection down to it's timing!
5. After his resurrection Cephas saw him.
6. Then the twelve apostles. (Cephas saw him a second time).
7. The five-hundred brethren saw him all at the same time.
8. And lastly, Paul, his nemesis and persecutor saw him!

Let's look at Paul firstly: Why would the man who instigated the death of Jesus's followers profess the death and resurrection of Jesus? Paul changed natures because he saw the Man who died after the resurrection. Paul had been astounded, and became a zealot for the one he intended to crucify himself! This is tantamount to an accomplice coming forth and acknowledging the genuine death of the victim but testifying that the victim was seen alive after having been buried. Paul was a reliable witness, and he demonstrated his adherence to the story by enduring persecution numerous times, and eventually dying for the Name of Jesus himself!

Many saw Jesus die. The two Mary's saw the empty tomb of Jesus after witnessing his death. Cephas surely saw Jesus since he was one of the twelve. Of course, Judas was dead, and had not seen Jesus's resurrection, but he had been replaced by then. However, many did see him, all of whom were not acknowledged by Paul. Luke, was a physician. He wrote this:

Acts 1:3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God...

Luke believed the proof to be "infallible". This doctor knew that Jesus died, and knew that he lived afterwards. I'm sure he had seen enough dead people that he knew the difference between dead and alive! The testimony of this eyewitness is admissible and reliable! The Jews deny Jesus's resurrection because they have a bias against truth. Because the Jews had been deceived by Satan so often over the years, they became blind to their own prophecy when it really came to pass!

All the apostles held to their stories. Even the most brutal of interrogations failed to have them recant. All the apostles of Jesus died because they would not recant, save John who history says was boiled in oil, and lived to write the Book of Revelation. Ask yourself this question, jurors: did all these eyewitnesses lie? If you believe they did, then why did they lie? 

Ask another question, jurors: If Jesus lied that he was to be king, why did he not behave like a king, and why was he willing to die rather than be king?

There is much written evidence that indeed Jesus was and Is King. The four gospels, written by at least four different eye-witnesses, three of whom died for their story, left depositions that the truth to be given to history. That truth and those depositions are the Books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Paul himself was the leader of the "Jewish KGB": Paul was headed to Damascus to  "arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem" (Acts 9:20-21). Paul, having legal authority from the Sanhedrin (the Jewish government - administrators of the Law), went against his authorities because he finally "saw the light". Being a Jew, it took a miracle: Paul finally saw the light after he was blinded to deception!

Do not doubt! Even the Roman Governors wrote of Jesus. They knew that Jesus was a real man, and that he died. It took 300 years before Constantine saw the truth in the Cross. While the Jews are still blind to truth, most of the whole world has believed! Why do you not?