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Your Verdict on The Empty Tomb of Jesus
Originally published in 1988, this is a clear and brilliant examination of the evidence for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Val Grieve was a lawyer and so the evidence is presented with care and due regard for proper procedure. The text has been updated where necessary, making this is a fine book to give to anyone asking questions about the core doctrine of the Christian faith.
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First published January 1, 1970
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
March 20, 2021
This short book reminded me quite a bit of Lee Strobel’s “The Case for Christ.” Grieve walks through the evidence for the resurrection as it would be presented in a court room and then calls the reader to give their verdict. This type of book is meant specifically for the non-believer and I believe it could be used for a great study opportunity as he only briefly mentions major ideas. I was not a huge of fan of the opening chapter or two, because of his story telling. However, the main content is well written and easy to follow.
April 21, 2019
This book is written by a lawyer who sets out all the evidence surrounding the resurrection of Jesus Christ, inviting the reader to look at the facts and then come to their own decision about what happened.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. It’s a quick read, it’s well written, and it encourages you to look at facts instead of just ~believing things you can’t see~.
I highly recommend this book to everyone. It’s a quick read, it’s well written, and it encourages you to look at facts instead of just ~believing things you can’t see~.
April 1, 2022
Excellent, only 70 pages, great for new believers as well as non-believers. A terrific book to give away-challenge those you give it to. Ask them to give you their honest opinion because you as a believer don’t want to be fooled & you wonder what a fresh set of eyes will tell you concerning the topic
April 15, 2024
A lawyer gives compelling evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Highly recommended.
July 29, 2024
Brilliant clear short book
August 1, 2020
Short and sweet with a lot of things I use in my own life of why I believe in Christianity.
Good to glean from and use for convincing self and others of Christianity.
Good to glean from and use for convincing self and others of Christianity.
April 2, 2025
The most important day in history
September 6, 2024
AN ENGLISH LAWYER WRITES A "POPULAR" ACCOUNT OF THE RESURRECTION EVIDENCE
Val Grieve is a lawyer; he wrote in the first chapter of this 1988 book, "Ever since I became a Christian I have carefully examined the evidence for the resurrection, the physical return from the dead of Jesus Christ. My purpose in writing this book is to present this evidence to you. I claim that logic must point in the direction of his resurrection on an actual day and date in our history when, if you had been there, you could have touched the living Jesus and heard him speak.
"There is another reason why I have written this book. For far too long the Christian faith has been under attack. Of course, it does not really need a lawyer to defend it... But, despite this, I feel it is high time someone spoke up for the Christian faith. I maintain that not only does it stand up to examination, but it is the most relevant thing in the world today." (Pg. 17-18)
He observes, "In those days the Jewish people venerated the burial places of prophets and martyrs. However, it is highly significant that there is no evidence whatsoever for the tomb of Jesus being honoured in this way. The only explanation is that it was empty and there was no body to venerate. If this were not the case, all that the Romans and Jews had to do to refute Christianity was to produce the dead body of Jesus. They were clearly not able to do this. So, the point at issue was not whether the tomb was empty but how it became empty." (Pg. 44)
He rejects the argument the "the disciples stole the body," pointing out, "If this is what really happened, why were the early disciples not charged with stealing the body of Jesus? According to Roman law the body of a condemned criminal belonged to the state. This was why Joseph [of Arimathea] had to ask the permission of Pilate to bury the body of Jesus. To steal a body was a serious offence and it is certainly strange that both the Roman and Jewish authorities did nothing to substantiate this charge against the disciples." (Pg. 46-47)
Of Jesus' post-resurrection appearance to Peter, he says, "It is generally agreed that Mark obtained most of the information in his Gospel from Peter. Therefore, it is significant that Mark mentions this appearance, as Peter probably told him about it firsthand. Luke also mentions it in his Gospel (Mt 16:7; Luke 24:34). But both the Gospels are completely silent as to details. This was a private appearance to reassure Peter, who had just denied his Lord. The Gospels do not give a detailed account of it. Rather than making one up, which would have been natural, they simply mention it." (Pg. 64-65)
Of the appearance on the road to Emmaus, he observes, "Again, we find these two disciples failed initially to recognise Jesus. This may seem strange, especially as they had walked and talked with him for nearly two hours. The explanation must be that they were bewildered, perplexed and anxious to get home after their visit to Jerusalem. All their hopes were ended. Jesus was dead and any thought of his resurrection was beyond their comprehension." (Pg. 66)
Not the most detailed apologetic for the resurrection, this brief book may nevertheless be of interest to Christians studying the subject.
Val Grieve is a lawyer; he wrote in the first chapter of this 1988 book, "Ever since I became a Christian I have carefully examined the evidence for the resurrection, the physical return from the dead of Jesus Christ. My purpose in writing this book is to present this evidence to you. I claim that logic must point in the direction of his resurrection on an actual day and date in our history when, if you had been there, you could have touched the living Jesus and heard him speak.
"There is another reason why I have written this book. For far too long the Christian faith has been under attack. Of course, it does not really need a lawyer to defend it... But, despite this, I feel it is high time someone spoke up for the Christian faith. I maintain that not only does it stand up to examination, but it is the most relevant thing in the world today." (Pg. 17-18)
He observes, "In those days the Jewish people venerated the burial places of prophets and martyrs. However, it is highly significant that there is no evidence whatsoever for the tomb of Jesus being honoured in this way. The only explanation is that it was empty and there was no body to venerate. If this were not the case, all that the Romans and Jews had to do to refute Christianity was to produce the dead body of Jesus. They were clearly not able to do this. So, the point at issue was not whether the tomb was empty but how it became empty." (Pg. 44)
He rejects the argument the "the disciples stole the body," pointing out, "If this is what really happened, why were the early disciples not charged with stealing the body of Jesus? According to Roman law the body of a condemned criminal belonged to the state. This was why Joseph [of Arimathea] had to ask the permission of Pilate to bury the body of Jesus. To steal a body was a serious offence and it is certainly strange that both the Roman and Jewish authorities did nothing to substantiate this charge against the disciples." (Pg. 46-47)
Of Jesus' post-resurrection appearance to Peter, he says, "It is generally agreed that Mark obtained most of the information in his Gospel from Peter. Therefore, it is significant that Mark mentions this appearance, as Peter probably told him about it firsthand. Luke also mentions it in his Gospel (Mt 16:7; Luke 24:34). But both the Gospels are completely silent as to details. This was a private appearance to reassure Peter, who had just denied his Lord. The Gospels do not give a detailed account of it. Rather than making one up, which would have been natural, they simply mention it." (Pg. 64-65)
Of the appearance on the road to Emmaus, he observes, "Again, we find these two disciples failed initially to recognise Jesus. This may seem strange, especially as they had walked and talked with him for nearly two hours. The explanation must be that they were bewildered, perplexed and anxious to get home after their visit to Jerusalem. All their hopes were ended. Jesus was dead and any thought of his resurrection was beyond their comprehension." (Pg. 66)
Not the most detailed apologetic for the resurrection, this brief book may nevertheless be of interest to Christians studying the subject.
April 5, 2022
A bit too short to give the overwhelming mountain of evidence that supports the resurrection, but it is fantastically compact to give people something to think about. I think that is enough to be useful to start a conversation with those who haven't considered or are volitionally opposed to the resurrection of Christ. For further depth on all topics presented herein, see Cold Case Christianity by Jay Warner Wallace.
Some quotes and context:
Throughout Acts, "every sermon was an Easter sermon"
"Christ not only lived and died but on the third day he rose again from the dead. Without the resurrection there is no gospel... Christianity is the only religion in the world based on the resurrection from the dead of its founder."
Pliny the Younger comments on the early church in a letter written in AD112 noting how they met on Sunday before dawn for worship and Sunday night for communion: "They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a God, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to do any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up: after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food--but food of an ordinary and innocent kind."
The evidence for the resurrection in the Gospel accounts "is the very kind of evidence which this modern age demands. That which can be seen with the human eye, heard by the human ear and touched by the human hand."
The residents of Jerusalem knew the facts about Christ's death, and within weeks there are 5000 new believers. "Something phenomenal must have happened for such an impact to be made. Without the resurrection, Christianity would never have gotten off the ground."
"Romans cremated their dead, but Christians believed in the resurrection of the body," which led to 600 miles of catacombs in Rome. (Also just a fascinating belief of the early church that Christians have lost some point along the way.)
"Real Christianity is not ancient history but current events. Jesus is still alive today, changing people's lives"
Some quotes and context:
Throughout Acts, "every sermon was an Easter sermon"
"Christ not only lived and died but on the third day he rose again from the dead. Without the resurrection there is no gospel... Christianity is the only religion in the world based on the resurrection from the dead of its founder."
Pliny the Younger comments on the early church in a letter written in AD112 noting how they met on Sunday before dawn for worship and Sunday night for communion: "They were in the habit of meeting on a certain fixed day before it was light, when they sang in alternate verses a hymn to Christ, as to a God, and bound themselves by a solemn oath, not to do any wicked deeds, but never to commit any fraud, theft, or adultery, never to falsify their word, nor deny a trust when they should be called upon to deliver it up: after which it was their custom to separate, and then reassemble to partake of food--but food of an ordinary and innocent kind."
The evidence for the resurrection in the Gospel accounts "is the very kind of evidence which this modern age demands. That which can be seen with the human eye, heard by the human ear and touched by the human hand."
The residents of Jerusalem knew the facts about Christ's death, and within weeks there are 5000 new believers. "Something phenomenal must have happened for such an impact to be made. Without the resurrection, Christianity would never have gotten off the ground."
"Romans cremated their dead, but Christians believed in the resurrection of the body," which led to 600 miles of catacombs in Rome. (Also just a fascinating belief of the early church that Christians have lost some point along the way.)
"Real Christianity is not ancient history but current events. Jesus is still alive today, changing people's lives"
June 4, 2020
This is an 80 page, 11 chapter (short chapters) presentation of the evidence for why Christ historically did rise physically from the dead. It’s a great apologetic read.
All the evidence was clear and well organized, but the biggest strength of the book is the beginning in the end. At the beginning, he as a lawyer explains what it means to assess evidence and declare a verdict. He essentially gives some help in what it means to prove or disprove something in court. Then he gives all the evidence upon evidence in the body of the book. Then at the end he encourages you to make an honest verdict. To not be biased (although that’s hard), but to give a proper verdict and then to live accordingly.
Overall, it’s a great evangelistic book. And if you are a Christian, it will further solidify your belief that it’s all true—around 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ really did rise from the dead.
All the evidence was clear and well organized, but the biggest strength of the book is the beginning in the end. At the beginning, he as a lawyer explains what it means to assess evidence and declare a verdict. He essentially gives some help in what it means to prove or disprove something in court. Then he gives all the evidence upon evidence in the body of the book. Then at the end he encourages you to make an honest verdict. To not be biased (although that’s hard), but to give a proper verdict and then to live accordingly.
Overall, it’s a great evangelistic book. And if you are a Christian, it will further solidify your belief that it’s all true—around 2,000 years ago Jesus Christ really did rise from the dead.
August 9, 2025
Your Verdict on the Empty Tomb is another of those books which tells the reader the importance of believing the Truth of the Resurrection and accepting the God's gift of salvation. Important for sure, but there wasn't anything that really stood out to me as new information or a unique way of delivery. It's a relatively short read at around 75 pages. The information is delivered as it would be in a courtroom and the reader is the juror. The case FOR resurrection is the only side presented, but I'm sure there are plenty of atheists' books out there that would happily provide the other side.
One thing that I disliked was that probably half of the quotable comments were anonymous. They weren't even necessarily important, but it felt like just a way to make a point without providing actual quotes. "The leading partner of a major law firm once said..."
One thing that I disliked was that probably half of the quotable comments were anonymous. They weren't even necessarily important, but it felt like just a way to make a point without providing actual quotes. "The leading partner of a major law firm once said..."
August 22, 2020
This little book is a great resource on defending the resurrection. For many years author Val Grieve was a lawyer, so he structures his book as if the reader is a member of the jury and the case before him is whether or not the resurrection really happened. Short, clear, thorough, and compelling, this book is a powerful tool to bolster your own faith in the resurrection. Even better, share the book with your skeptical friends as you strive to win them for Jesus.
March 26, 2017
In the same way that information is presented in a court of law, the writers presents her case on whether Jesus rose from the dead or not.
She reviews historical facts, looks over direct evidence, scrutinizes the witness evidence and circumstantial evidences.
A great book that's presented in a clear and concise way, and it's perfect for the skeptic and atheist to read.
She reviews historical facts, looks over direct evidence, scrutinizes the witness evidence and circumstantial evidences.
A great book that's presented in a clear and concise way, and it's perfect for the skeptic and atheist to read.
April 4, 2023
Concise, clear, and compelling. Does a good job of presenting the evidence for the resurrection. I think more space should have been dedicated to justifying the use of, and substantiating the accuracy of the biblical accounts, but even apart from those pieces of evidence, Grieve makes a strong case for the resurrection of Christ.
October 2, 2024
A great little book. It presents the case for the resurrection of Christ from the perspective of a lawyer. He is logical and cite solid sources. You learn about what counts as evidence from a British standpoint. All the evidence is there but people must engage the will. If you don’t want to change then all the proof in the world won’t suffice. Hand this to your skeptical friend.
June 29, 2017
This is a very good book to read if you are sceptical about the Christian faith. The premise of the book is that you are the jury listening to a case for and against the evidence for Jesus' resurrection. However, the writer puts the case for, in great detail but there is little or no case against on which to make a judgement. I would like to see the writer trying to refute the many arguments posed by non-believers against Christianity. Another weakness is, as in many books like this, that the evidence used is mostly if not all taken from New Testament references. Is a Christian based book admissible evidence for a lawyer to use to draw his conclusions? I would hope to have seen more independent evidence. In conclusion though I would recommend this book as a quick and easy read with some enlightening conclusions for anyone seeking to find out more about what it means to be a Christian.
March 10, 2022
A quick and relatively easy read that asks the reader to come to their own verdict regarding the resurrection of Christ. Concise. Logical. Some great quotes.
This book would be a good read for the seasoned believer or the most hardened skeptic.
This book would be a good read for the seasoned believer or the most hardened skeptic.
August 27, 2022
Read the shorter booklet. Expected a non biased book but felt like to be totally unbiased the other side needed to be presented which it is not. To fully look at the facts requires a cross examination of this evidence provided which was not done in my opinion.
September 17, 2022
Read the shorter booklet version. There are some strong, valid arguments, but some counter arguments would have been nice, as I found myself coming up with these myself.
There were decent arguments but I feel like there still wasn't strong evidence, it's all still circumstantial.
There were decent arguments but I feel like there still wasn't strong evidence, it's all still circumstantial.
February 27, 2025
An excellent little book on the evidence for the resurrection, using the setting of a law court. A great little book that would be an excellent one to give to someone looking into the evidence for themselves. Would recommend.
March 18, 2025
A few passages do not pass for historians with knowledge of how/when each book of the Bible was written, but the book overall is clear and logical. It is helpful in thinking/rethinking the truthfulness of Jesus’ resurrection.
June 17, 2017
An excellent analysis on the empty tomb of Jesus Christ from the perspective of a legal case.
April 3, 2020
A concise look at the evidence for Jesus's resurrection and I love the call to give a Verdict one way or another
April 10, 2020
Could not put this down all day! Excellent Good Friday read. Perfect and simple explination of the resurrection!
March 9, 2022
Wish I’d encountered this a decade ago. One of the clearest and challenging presentations of the facts surrounding Jesus’ historic resurrection.
April 9, 2022
Excellent defense of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in under 80 pages. The author was a lawyer, and he makes a logical and compelling case that must be decided upon.
July 23, 2022
Excellent, simple, concise case for the legitmacy of beleiving in Christ's resurrection from the dead. I plan on handing this out for years to come.
Want to read
February 27, 2023Mark Dever says this is the best apologetic book to give to a skeptic
September 26, 2024
Excellent writing from an attorney’s perspective. Good for the new or searching.
August 16, 2021
One of the more unimpressive books I've read on the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. It wasn't terrible, but I also didn't really learn anything I hadn't heard before.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews