JESUS CHRIST: GOD-MAN - Vital Christianity

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Testimony of People through the Ages
In considering Christian experience through the ages, while this is difficult to assess since
it is so subjective, it is clear that Christians have experienced Jesus in such a way that they
refuse to speak of Him in any way other than that of a living Savior and Lord. Those who claim
to have encountered Him in a personal way have found that He is not merely a great Teacher or
unique historical figure, but a present and living reality.
Character of Witnesses
As to the character of the witness neither the Scriptures nor any honorable opponent has
ever assailed them on ethical grounds. The quality of the witnesses is unimpeachable. Even a
skeptic like Strauss admitted that the apostles firmly believed that Jesus had arisen. And there is
no reason to believe they could have had any ulterior motive for proclaiming so stupendous a
fact, and that they proclaimed Christ's resurrection at the risk of their lives.
Simon Greenleaf, former Professor of Law, Harvard University, testified to the veracity
of the New Testament witnesses:
"All that Christianity asks of men . . . is, that they would be consistent with them-
selves; that they would treat its evidences as they treat the evidence of other
things; and that they would try and judge its actors and witnesses, as they deal
with their fellow men, when testifying to human affairs and actions, in human
tribunals. Let the witnesses be compared with themselves, with each other, and
with surrounding facts and circumstances; and let their testimony be sifted, as
if it were given in a court of justice, on the side of the adverse party, the witness
being subjected to rigorous cross-examination. The result, it is confidently
believed, will be an undoubting conviction of their integrity, ability, and truth."29
Empty Tomb
There is first, the empty tomb. The Scriptures tell us that the tomb was empty. If this
were not true, someone would have shown that the disciples were deceivers--that the tomb was
not empty.
William Craig, in his book The Son Rises, has shown that archeological discoveries have
verified the accuracy of the description of Jesus' burial and tomb and the plausibility of its
location. Tombs just like the ones that are described in the gospels have been discovered by
archeologists in the very place in Jerusalem where Jesus is said to have been buried.30