Supporting Evidence #7: Transformed Disciples
The
Transformed Lives of the Disciples This
is
very suggestive evidence. The disciples fled when Jesus was arrested,
and famously, Peter
denied knowing Jesus three times. A few weeks later they were preaching
boldly that Jesus had risen from the dead. If the disciples’
leader had been horribly killed in front of them, where did they find
the
courage to preach so aggressively? There was no reward for them to do
so – they
were poor and persecuted, and eventually all but one were martyred for
their
faith. Acts 5:25-33: Then someone
came and said, “Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts
teaching the people.” At that, the captain went with his officers and brought
the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would
stone them. Having
brought the apostles, they made them appear before the Sanhedrin to be
questioned by the high priest. “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this
name,” he said. “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are
determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.” Peter and
the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men! The God of our
fathers raised Jesus from the dead – whom you had killed by hanging him on a
tree. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might
give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. We are witnesses of these
great, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” When they
heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. (NIV) |
