It must be remembered that the writers of these gospels were not learned men; they were not such men as would arrange a fraudulent scheme to deceive anybody.

There would be no occasion for them to do this.

The fact that they did not expect a resurrection and gave evidence of that by their conduct and their speech at and just after the Lord's death is strong circumstantial evidence that their testimony subsequently given is true.
Besides this, the testimony itself bears all the earmarks of truth.
[261]At the time Jesus died there was an earthquake.

The Roman centurion who stood by exclaimed "Truly this was the son of God!" "When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: he went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.

Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.