CHAPTER VIII.

OUR LORD'S RESURRECTION. HIS SUBSEQUENT APPEARANCES, AND HIS ASCENSION.

TIME-Forty Days.

SECTION 1. Visit of the women to the sepulchre; their surprise at the vision. Peter and John hasten thither.-§ 2. Christ's first appearance to Mary Magdalene, his subsequent appearance to the disciples.§ 3. The chief priests give the soldiers money to say that the body was stolen from the sepulchre.-§ 4. Christ's resurrection declared by two angels to the women that came to the sepulchre.—§ 5. Christ appeareth to two disciples on their way to Emmaus.-§ 6. Appeareth to the disciples, in the absence of Thomas.--§ 7. The incredulity and confession of Thomas.-§ 8. Christ appeareth to the eleven in Galilee, meets them at the sea of Tiberias, and chargeth them to preach the Gospel and to baptize all nations.§ 9. He concludeth his charge to preach and to baptize.-§ 10. The ascension,

Section 1*. And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. + And behold there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. + And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they Mark xvi. 3 to 7.

Mark xvi. 2. + Matt. xxviii. 2 to 4.

186

The Resurrection announced.

A. D. THIRTY-THREE (THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AFTER THE
CRUCIFIXION).—
-A GARDEN NEAR TO MOUNT CALVARY.

But go

were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted; Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified : he is risen : he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. * And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. Then she (Mary Magdalene) runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie; and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

§ 2. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping; and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus

* Matt. xxviii. 8. + John xx. 2 to 9.

John xx. 10 to 17.

Jesus appeareth to Mary.

187

A. D. THIRTY-THREE (THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION).— .-A GARDEN NEAR TO MOUNT CALVARY.

said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

* And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.

§3t. Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

§ 4. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

* Matt. xxviii. 9 and 10. + Matt. xxviii. 11 to 15. Luke xxiv. 1 to 12.

188

Christ and the Disciples at Emmaus.

A. D. THIRTY-THREE (THE EVENING OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION).—BETWEEN JERUSALEM AND EMMAUS.

And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them, in shining garments: and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, and returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.

§ 5*. Behold, two of his disciples went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that while they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

But their eyes were holden, that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these, that ye have one to another, as ye walk and are sad? And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him; art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Naza

Luke xxiv. 13 to 35.

Christ arisen expoundeth the Scriptures.

189

A. D. THIRTY-THREE (THE EVENING OF THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK, AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION)..-BETWEEN JERUSALEM AND EMMAUS.

reth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word, before God and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said; but him they saw not. Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village whither they went; and he made as though he would have gone further: but they constrained him, saying, Abide with us; for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him, and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures? And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them, saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.