Meaning: The quote you provided is from Simon Greenleaf, a 19th-century American jurist and professor of law at Harvard University. Greenleaf was a legal scholar known for his work on the rules of evidence and is often considered one of the greatest legal minds in American history.

In this quote, Greenleaf is addressing the question of whether the accounts of the Four Evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) in the New Testament can be considered credible and supported by satisfactory evidence. He introduces the concept of the burden of proof, which is a fundamental principle in legal and philosophical reasoning. The burden of proof refers to the obligation to provide evidence to support a claim or assertion.

Greenleaf's use of the burden of proof in the context of the Four Evangelists' accounts implies that the credibility of the witnesses and the evidence supporting their claims should be carefully considered before accepting the truth of their accounts. In legal proceedings, the burden of proof typically rests on the party making a claim or accusation. Greenleaf's application of this principle to the evaluation of the Gospel accounts suggests that the burden of establishing the credibility of the witnesses falls on those who assert the truth of the accounts.

To understand the significance of this quote, it is important to consider the historical and religious context in which Greenleaf was writing. In the 19th century, the question of the historical reliability of the Gospels was a topic of scholarly and theological debate. Greenleaf's approach to this question as a legal scholar brought a unique perspective to the discussion, as he applied principles of legal evidence and testimony to the evaluation of the Gospel accounts.

Greenleaf's work, particularly his book "An Examination of the Testimony of the Four Evangelists by the Rules of Evidence Administered in Courts of Justice," sought to analyze the Gospels using the same rigorous standards applied to legal testimony and evidence. In this context, Greenleaf's quote can be seen as an invitation to critically examine the evidence and credibility of the Gospel writers, much like one would do in a legal investigation.

Greenleaf's emphasis on "competent and satisfactory evidence" indicates his insistence on the quality and reliability of the evidence supporting the Gospel accounts. This aligns with the standards of legal evidence, which require that testimony and supporting materials meet certain criteria to be considered credible and admissible in a court of law.

Furthermore, Greenleaf's background as a jurist and his expertise in evaluating witness testimony lends weight to his assessment of the Gospel accounts. By framing the question of credibility in terms of the burden of proof, he encourages a careful and thorough examination of the evidence and the reliability of the witnesses, mirroring the analytical approach taken in legal proceedings.

In conclusion, Simon Greenleaf's quote reflects his approach to examining the credibility of the Gospel accounts through the lens of legal evidence and testimony. By invoking the concept of the burden of proof and emphasizing the need for competent and satisfactory evidence, Greenleaf encourages a critical and rigorous evaluation of the witnesses and their accounts. His perspective as a legal scholar brings a unique dimension to the discussion of the historical reliability of the Gospels, highlighting the importance of applying rigorous standards of evidence and testimony to the examination of religious texts.