After all, "Their founder was a crucified criminal ... Why? The resurrection of Jesus," he said. With Jesus' resurrection, there was physical proof that what He said was true.
And especially once you come to Jerusalem, and we have Jesus confronting the priests of Jerusalem and the cleansing of the Temple scene, it's hard to figure out exactly what all of this means.
His death on the cross would pay the penalty for the sin of the world. His burial and resurrection prove this sacrifice was ...