An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists, by the Rules of Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice
 With an Account of the Trial of Jesus

by Simon Greenleaf

"An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists, by the Rules of Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice" by Simon Greenleaf is a Christian apologetic work published in 1846. A Harvard Law School professor applies legal standards used in courtrooms to evaluate the Gospel accounts of Jesus's death and resurrection. Greenleaf treats the evangelists as witnesses in a trial, examining their credibility through tests of honesty, ability, consistency, and circumstantial evidence. He concludes that the Gospel writers qualify as reliable witnesses under the same rigorous cross-examination applied in human tribunals.