THE UNIVEBCsITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY From the collection of Julius Doerner, Chicago Purchased, 1918. 232. 5 P20Vi\O The person charging this material is re- sponsible for its return on or before the Latest Date stamped below. Theft, mutilation, and underlining of books are reasons for disciplinary action and may result in dismissal from the University. University of Illinois Library Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2017 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Alternates https://archive.org/details/holyresurrection00payn_1 The Redeemer, **Vie have not followed Cunningly Devised Fables,‘ HOLY RESURRECTION. A CRITICAL EXPOSITION OF ALL THAT IS Told us in the New Testament Narratives Concerning the Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus. AND THE HOLY LETTERS: His Letters to the Seven Churches. BY HENRY MARTYN PAYNTER, , AUTHOR OF The Shadow on the Hearth, A Renovated Earth, Our Duty IN the Present Crisis, Brief History op the War in Missouri, The Holy Life, The Holy Supper, The Holy Sorrow, The Holy Death and The Holy Return. TENTH EDITION. CHICAGO ILL.: H. M. Paynter, Jr. Copyrighted by H. PAYNTER. All Rights Reserved. Gallop Bros., Printers, 115 S. Halsted St. -BOTOWS- Thomas Mathesoh, Esq., LIVE It FOOL, ENGLAND, The eminent Ghristian merchant and philanthropist, and the tireless and ^cient worker in the cause of J esus, m.0vu is As a token of high esteem, and as a remembrancer of both the many happy hours spent by his cheerful fireside, and of the kindness extended during an evangelistic tour in Great Britain. BY THE AUTHOB. THa HOLY HESURREOTION. 5 PREFACE. HE devout student sees harmonistic difficulties in the narratives of the Eesurrection, which fur- ther investigations may remove, but which may not be fully cleared up this side ofHeaven. TliGj lie not in the subject itself, but in the want of sufficient information upon it. But the great fact stands out as clear as the sun, and immovable in its everlasting repose; Jesus actually arose from the dead. The honest student who has learning sufficient to judge intelligently, and time sufficient to go through all that has been written adversely to the narratives, or to the great fact they give, sees that the difficulties do not dis- turb the integrity of the narratives, nor the reality of the fact which they relate. The heaviest assaults have been made upon John’s Gospel. But it remains irre- fragable, and its testimony is conclusive. The construction of a continuous narrative, that will be perfectly accurate, seems impossible. The one given in this work is the result of very careful study, and is, 1 hope, not far from correct. Its perusal may help to show more distinctly how the Conqueror of death con- quered the unbelief of His disciples, and brought out, and completed, their faith. It may also give us live- lier impressions of the infinite excellencies and fulness 6 THE HOLY RESURKECTIOK. which are in Jesus, and cannot but strengthen our faith in the glorious fact, ‘‘THE LOED IS EISEN INDEED.” It would be tedious to mention all the books which I have examined in my investigations, 1 have weighed carefully the arguments of hostile, as of well as friendly, scholarship. This I have done, not for the purpose of combating any one, but to see whether my faith in the Kesurrection was futile, or was based upon a solid fact. I have also, at every step, examined all critical works that would help to a clearer understanding of the original text, and I have aimed to let that text tell its own great story. For all the help which I have received from the great scholars who have gone over this field, I gi’atefully acknowledge my indebtedness. 1 give thanks to Almighty God for His blessing which has attended the previous publications of this series. To Him I commend this book. And if He be graciously pleased to use it, to Him be all the glory, for to Him it belongs. A generous public will permit me to express my grateful recognition of the favor with which it has so kindly received the books already out. Each one has met a hearty welcome, a ready sale, and many readers. And many an expression of thanks has the author re- ceived for the instruction and comfort which the perusal has afforded. May this one have a like success with the former ones, and be alike used in blessing. Chicago, April, 1884. H. M. Payntek. THE HOLY BESUKRECTION. 7 PRELIMIHARY STUDY. On What Day Did Jesus Arise? JFIE question, concerning the day upon which Jesus was crucified, and hence the day upon which He arose from the dead, has lately been revived. Some of those agitating it are acting in the interests of truth; others merely to create a sen- sation; and others, still, evidently with the design to throw discredit upon the sacred Narratives, and thus weaken the hold of the facts upon the mind. It has been, because of these agitations, very strongly urged upon me, by gentlemen of high character and position, to give the results of my own studies on this subject in an opening section of this work. The literature upon the subject is very voluminous, and a review of it I leave to other and abler pens. All I propose to do is to bring together, in one view, and as clearly as possi- ble, what it seems to me the sacred pages teach upon the various questions involved. The following facts may be accepted as unquestion- able: (a) that Jesus instituted His Supper on the same night in which He was betrayed; (b) that He was cru- 8 THE HOLT RESUEBBCTIOH. cified on the following day; (c) that the whole his- tory of the Slipper, and of His betrayal, trials, cruci- fixion, death and burial, all occurred within the 24 hours beginning with the evening of His institution of the Supper; and (d) that He arose the first day of the week. In the Narratives we find the phrases, “passover,” “feast” and “day of unleavened bread.” What? our first question is, is the import of these terms, as to the time of their observance? 1 — ^An examination of the terms in the O. T. show (a) that “to kill and eat the passover,” was to kill and eat the paschal lamb; (Ex. xii, 11; Hum. ix, 6; 2 Chron. XXX, 16); and (b) that the term, “passover,” was used to embrace the other sacrifices offered in connection with the festival, and also the whole festival itself, of unleavened bread. (Lev. xxiii, 6; Num. ix, 3; Deut. xvi, 1-3; 2 Chron. xxx, 1, 13; xxxv, 1-17. And further, (c) the terms, “passover” and “festival of unleavened bread,” are, in some, passages, expressly distinguished (as in Lev. xxiii, 5, 6; Num. xxviii, 16, 17, where the term, “passover,” is limited to the paschal supper), and in other places are used interchangeably. The precise meaning must be determined by the context. 2 — On the first day of the “seven days of unleavened bread,” all leaven was put away before 3 P. M. (Ex. xii, 15). This first day is defined in Deut. xvi, 4, as the day on which the lamb was sacrificed, that is, 14th Nisan. (Ex. xii, 6, 18-20.) This day included, thefesti. val continued eight days. (Jos. Ant..^ 2, 15, 1.) 3 — The paschal lamb was slain “between the two THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 9 evenings,” i. between 3 and 6 P. M., on the 14tli Nisan (Abib, in the Pentateuch): ^^Te shall kill it (the lamb) on the fourteenth day between the two evenings” (Ex. xii, 6) ; ^‘thou shall sacrifice the passover at even, at the going down of the sun.” (Deut. xvi, 6.) 4 — Immediately at sunset the paschal meal was eaten: ‘‘At even is the Lord’s passover.” (Lev. xxiii, 5. “Between the two evenings ye shall keep it in His appointed seasons.” (Hum. ix, 3; see also Ex. xii, 8-10.) 6 — “In the 14th of the first month, at even, is the Lord’s passover. And on the 16th of the same month is the festival of unleavened bread.! Seven days ye must eat unleavened bread. In the first day (i. e.y of the seven) ye shall have a holy convocation : ye shall do no servile work. And on the seventh day ye shall have a holy convocation: ye shall do no servile work.” (Lev. xxiii, 5-7; Num. xxviv, 16-25; see also Ex. xii, 15-17; xiii, 6; xxiii, 15; xxxiv, 18; Jos. Ant. 3, 10, 16.) The 15th Nisan is evidently the first day of the feast. 6 — The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset. “The evening and the morning was day one.” Gen. i; see also Lev. xxiii, 32.) As the passover had to be killed, and then eaten on the 14th Hisan, it must have been at the close of that day. For if eaten at the open- ing of it, the lamb must have been slain on the 13th, but the statute required it to be killed on the 14th day of the month. Clearly, the paschal meal was eaten at the close of the 14th and the opening of the 15th Nisan, with which the first day of the festival began. 7 — This day, which began ^t sunset pf the 14th, was X THE HOLY RESUEKECTION. the first day of Tieortee^ the festival (^^ e.^ annual fes- tive commemoration,) of unleavened bread. And this festival began at the very time of eating the paschal meal. (Ex. xii, 18.) From the even of the 14th until the 21st day it continued. 8 — The paschal was the introductory meal of the seven days’ festival. Josephus calls the 14th Nisan ‘^the first day of the festival of unleavened bread.” (B. I. 6. 3. 1.) And the whole festival was so called, because unleavened bread only could be used. The subjoined table (see next page) may help the reader to a clearer understanding of the subject. Let us now turn to the N. T. narratives. All state expressly that Jesus arose during the first day of the week; that is, some time after the sunset of the seventh day, the close of the Sabbath, and the following morn- ing, Two incidents are mentioned as occurring be- tween His burial and resurrection; (a) certain women, when the Sabbath had passed, i. e., after sunset of Sat- urday, or the seventh day, bought spices to anoint the body. (Mark xvi, 1); and (b) certain chief priests and Pharisees, either during or after the close of the Sab- bath, obtained from Pilate a guard to watch Jesus’ tomb. (Matt, xxvii, 62.) The time when they made the request is called, by Matthew, ^‘the morrow after teen parasTceueenP This word signifies preparation, (2 Macc. XV, 21, Sept^ Matthew (here) and John (xix, 31) use it without any adjunct, ‘‘the preparation.” And John (xix, 42) calls it “the preparation of,” i, ^., one belonging to, “tbe Jew§,” Luke (xxiii, 54) defines it by THE HOLY RESURRECTION. Kg'S? 55** 2 PsJco® ® f* Oj^ - fO tJsp o S c;tw^3 < PT* p ^ *ffSo-S SB.? o o.S-o' ® § B S ^ “ C1.S» 5; 3 5-s s ::s p-sis -1.® 2 s p:? • g § B* ® Oi^'ct) Og B d ^ B d o' Q CD OB B &? ® ‘'k.S^.BC^® l-^p*^® dg-o OOpM.'^J-'^jS' o 2,g^3 •• ^ OOBP-^ p-rf*. ® & .i'-'W c?sl d ® p s 5 »§ £D$ £§•§ Oq piCD B'H^d {D B p§ «lf g*z 5 o S oF a o o Oi P B»P P stp° B'-«i ® p'2.b ? »(W B ® or?p 53 o slt§ o 00 p £ era , (MS ^ o ' ^ Oi ^ ® ^ o ® S ® - ® p 1-5 o ® ^ B 53 cri: o P??. O B ©OiO fl> pj S OjS.«p*- >— 'S' P.. 03 <-», £ 1^*2 «^- P' 5 O' ® ® g ® I ll'i i *B o 2 P'S. »S P 2 ^ ® ® < a~ * Oj 2 ?r p p • 2 ►zL® ^ H ® S • ►< p M §. 5 ‘| “ E^p B *• p ® •^2 si to 2. ^ ^w O ?? toCi d 09 -• B-* Hp H d Cn ?>>A r :f: 1 a a> » p p “ B B p p ~ , a ® xi xii THE HOLY RESURRECTION. day, the day was ^^preparation day.” In all the six places where it is found, it is used of a particular day upon which preparation was made for some particular observ- ance. In John xix, 14, it is jparasheuee ton jpascha^ it was the preparation of the passover.” This appar- ently indicates that it was the day preceding the pass- over, i. e,^ 13th Nisan. And this impression is strength- ened by the phrase which refers to the same time, (John xviii, 28,) “ lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the passover.” To know the import of the first, we must try and find out what ideas John intends to convey by the second, phrase. The phrase. Kina jphagoosi to pascha^ that they might eat the passover^ if taken here in its restricted sense, must, like' the equivalent phrases in Matt, xxvij 17 ; Mark xiv, 12; Luke xxiii, 8, 16, be limited to the paschal meal. We have already seen that the term, ^^passover,” is used in the O. T. in a restricted sense, of the paschal meal, and in a wider one, of the whole festival, embrac- ing all the solemnities connected with the seven days. It is used in the Synoptists in the same way: in the restricted, in Matt, xxvi, 18, 19; Luke xxii, 8, 15; and in the wider, in Matt, xxvi, 2; Luke xxii, 1, 2, 41, comp. vs. 43. In which sense does John use it? When the Synoptists wrote their narratives, Jerusalem was still standing, and all the passover solemnities were being observed ; and hence, those writers spoke of both the whole festival and of its component parts. But when John wrote his Gospel, Jerusalem and its Temple were THE HOLY EESURRECTION. xili in ruins, and the passover could not be fully observed. To him all its significance, because fulfilled in Christ, had passed away. He, ‘^our Passover, had been slain for us and His Supper had taken the place of it, and had become the true paschal meal. The Jews, whose deadly hostility to Jesus and His people still continued, were to him simply ^^the Jews,” and their festivals, ‘‘festivals of the Jews.” He speaks of them by this general term, without — unless some special feature had some special reference to Jesus’ action, as in John vii, 37 — designa- ting the particulars. This fact is apparent in all his allusions to the festivals (v, 1; vii, 2, 8, 10, 11, 14), and to the passover — which term he always uses in its largest sense as embracing the whole festival, whether men- tioned, or not, by name, (ii, 13, 23; vi, 4; xi, 56; xii, 1; xiii, 1,) or simply called “the feast.” (iv, 45; xi, 56; xii, 12, 20; xiii, 29.) Such is his uniform custom. Would he, then, without any intimation of the fact, and without giving any reason for the same, depart here from this custom? And must not the phrase, en to pascha^ in xviii, 39, be used in its wider sense? “You have a custom,” said Pilate, “that I release one unto you at {en^ in, i. e.j during) the passover.” This could not have been spoken before the passover began. That began the 14th Nisan at even. But this was spoken during the following morning, and since during the passover? on the 16th Nisan. And does not this fact show that John, in his use of the phrase, “eat the passover,” (xviii, 28,) follows his uniform custom? The reason why the Jews would not enter into the Xiv THE HOLY BESURREOTIOK. hall was, ‘‘lest they should be defiled,” and so be unfitted, “to eat the passover.” But (a) the defilement which would hinder from the paschal meal, would equally hinder from the succeeding parts of the festival; and (b) the time of this action was proai^ very early in the morn- ing, and the paschal meal was not eaten until after sunset. If, therefore, this was the morning before the passover, they could be ceremonially cleansed before the meal. (Lightfoot, in loco,) But they could not be, if they had eaten it the evening before — for that would be a defilement of the festival then in continuance, and this would have kept them excluded from it during the remaining days of the festival. Do not these considerations make it clear that John, in the phrase, “eat the passover,” uses the term in the general sense of the whole festival? This leaves the question as to whether the paschal meal had been eaten, to be settled by other considerations, such as by (b) above, and by the import of the phrase, “preparation of the passover.” What, then, was “the preparation,” which belonged to the passover? Does it indicate the time when the preparations were made for the paschal meal? Then, since it is evident from John’s narrative that the term embraces the earliest hours of the day, and so must, from the Jewish reckoning of time, go back to the night before, and since the day preceding the passover was the 13th Nisan, it follows that that day (13th Nisan) was the day of Jesus’ death. But with what fact in the narrative can this suggestion be made to agree? Fur- THE HOLY KESURREOTION. XV ther, according to the authority of Bochart {Hieroz^ pg. 567), Reland, Tholuck {in loco\ Hengstenberg, {Dr, Schaff^) no where, in either the O. T. or Rabbini- cal writings, is there any mention of a preparation day before the passover, or before any of the Jewish festi- vals, save the Sabbath. The day of the passover was fixed by Divine appointment on the 14th Nisan. This fact was universally recognized. The observance of it by the pious J ews at the legal time would be a matter of conscience. If, then, John uses the phrase, ‘‘prep- aration of the passover,” to designate the time before it, he uses one nowhere else found. And if he applies it to the day itself, he confuses the minds of his read- ers, and displaces the Divinely given name for one of his own. But further, he, in vs. 31 of the same chapter, speak- ing of the same day, says, “ epei (conjunction of cause, or motive) because^ paraslceuee een^ it was the preparation^ and in order that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day was an high day), &c. Here, J ohn declares “the preparation” to be essentially connected with the Sabbath. He uses the same words precisely as those used by Mark in the verse where he gives the meaning oi paraslceuee (xv, 42), and he assigns it as a reason for a certain action of the Jews, as Mark does for a certain action of Joseph. The object in both cases had respect to the Sabbath. Naked corpses hanging on the cross during that day would be a defilement of its sanctity. They must hence be taken down before it began. Had XVI THE HOLY RESURRECTION. this been “the preparation day” of the passover, it, and not the Sabbath, would have been assigned as the motive for the action of those parties. But it was the Sabbath, and a high or double Sabbath, (because falling in the festival week, and being the second day of holy convocation, it and the Sabbath were coincident), and this gave additional emphasis to the request of the Jews. It is too large a demand upon one’s intelligence to ask him to believe that John contradicted himself within a few verses. And since the passover and the weekly Sabbath did not, that year, fall upon the same day, and since, in vs. 31, he conveys the same impres- sion of the day as that given in the Synoptists, we are bound in all candor to believe that he, in vs. 14, uses the phrase, ^^preparation of passover,” as conveying an idea perfectly consistent with what he says in vs. 31, and also in vs. 42, where manifestly (from the close connection of vs. 42 with xx, 1,) it continues to near the close of the sixth day of the week. And this can only be the paschal preparation day for the Sabbath — so the sixth day of the week — or that preparation for the Sabbath which fell in the paschal week. And it would be perfectly proper for him to designate that part of the feast yet remaining, by the whole, especially when his object was to show how completely, when they should have been engaged in their holy duties? they gave themselves up to the work of carrying out their wicked designs.* [♦This is the view of Olshausen, Lange, Norton, Tholuck, Wieseler, Andrews {Life of Our Lord).^ THE HOLY RESURKEOTION. XVii T^o mention is made in the O. T. of a ‘‘preparation day’’ for the Sabbath. But such a day is mentioned by Josephus, who says that it began at the ninth hour of the sixth day, and was sanctioned by Imperial authori- ty (^Ant, 16. 6. 2.), by the Kabbins, and by the Synop- tists (Matt, xxvii, 62; Luke xxii, 64; Mark xv, 42): ‘•that day was the preparation, and the Sabbath drew on,” because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath. Mark calls this “preparation day” prosaibaton — a term which he uses to explain to non- Jewish readers the meaning of the word, proseukee: proseukee^ preparation is equivalent to prosahbaton^ tlie fore sabbath^ or the day bet'ore the Sabbath. And surely, John uses the term in the same way. (xix, 14). The connection in which the phrase is found is re- markable: “It was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour.” This statement is made in con- nection with Pilate’s word, “Behold your King!” Why mention these two things together? They have no bear- ing upon the conduct of either Pilate or Jesus. They are not given, as is the former phrase — “prep, of pass.” vs. 31 — as a motive for the action of the Jews. It is a remark of John, calling attention to the close connec- tion between these two facts taken together, and the Jews’ rejection of Jesus’ Kingship: “Away with Him! Crucify Him! We have no King but Osesar.” There must then be very much more in the phrase, “prep, of pass.” than merely the getting ready for its celebration, provided there be any point in it as connected with the solemnity of the crisis. But say that it was the fore- XVJll THE HOLY KESURBECTION. Sabbath of the paschal week, then the passover solem- nities were going on. Then it was about the hour when the peace-offerings were being voluntarily pre- sented. In that hour, when the priests should have been presenting the morning sacrifices, and along with them the offerings voluntarily presented in token of deliverance from Egypt (Ex. xxiii, 15), they were en- gaged in the awful and self- destructive work of reject- ing their King, sent to them from heaven. These are all the places where the word is found. It seems certain that in them all it refers to the sixth day of the week, corresponding to our Friday. The*term is so rendered in the Syriac version, and is the name by which Friday is generally known in Asia. Going backward, we see that the series of events from the time of Jesus’ death to His betrayal, and from the betrayal to the institution of the Supper, is a closely connected one, and is confined within twenty- four hours. This brings us to the sixth day of the J ewish week, our Thursday. We have, in connection with the institu- tion of the Supper, the following facts; (a) Mark’s historic narrative, ^^After two days was the to pascha, the passover^ Tcai ta azuma^ and the unleavened loaves, (xiv, 1.) Matthew gives Jesus’ words spoken at the time, After two days is the passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified.” This anticipation was, at that very time passing into history. The Sanhedrim’s decision not to take Jesus en tee heortee^ during the festival^ was changed by Judas’ proffer to deliver Him then, if possible. On the morning of the THE flOLf KESTTRREOflON. Xli day when they met at this table, Jesus asked two of His disciples to ^^prepare the passover.” And when the hour — surely the legal one for its observance — was come, He sat down with the twelve, and said, ‘‘1 have de- sired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.” All the terms used point to, and only to, the passover and its accompanying festival. It is called “the pass- over and unleavened bread,” “the first day of unleav- ened bread when the passover must be killed,” “the feast of the passover” (Matt, xxvi, 2 ; Mark xiv, 1 ; Luke xxii, 7 ; John xiii, 1). The whole festival was called ‘‘the days of unleavened bread” (Acts xii, 3; xx, 6), and the first day of it when the passover must be killed can be only the close of the 14th, and the opening of the 16th Hisan. Now, could all these writers have had no more accurate knowledge of the passover than to have used these terms inaccurately? Was not Jesus thoroughly ac- quainted with every fact belonging to the passover, the leo;al time of its celebration included? Did He not ob- serve previous ones in the legal time and way? Would He deviate at this great crisis of His history? He had ever obeyed all the Divine requirements ; would He disregard any of them i^ow? There is not one single fact or proof furnished by any writer to show that He delayed the observance an hour. All is conjecture. And though some able scholars have supported the idea that He anticipated it, yet the objections to this are too weighty to allow it to be generally received by those whose only dependence for knowledge on the subject is the New Testament alone. It is brought forward to iX THE HOLY RESURREOTiOlC. remove the supposed discrepancy between John and the Synoptists; but even could it do this (which it cannot), it would do so at the expense of Jesus’ uniform conduct towards the Divine enactments, and of His own direct statements concerning this special feast. Within twenty-four hours of this sunset Jesus was in the tomb. He died at 3 P. M. of the day which began at the previous 6 P. M. (generally). The twen- ty-four hours beginning at 3 P. M. lith Nisan (the time of the beginning of the two evenings during which the lamb was slain), would not close until 3 P. M. 15th Nisan, at which hour He died — thus dying within the hours of the true legal passover day. This well agrees with Pilate’s word, spoken before 12 M. of that day, “1 release one unto you en to pascha^'^ in^ or during the passover^ i. e.^ while the passover festival was going on. And, further, the paschal meal and festival began really at the opening of the 15th Nisan, i, ^., at the close of sunset of the 14th. And as the preparations for both meal and festival were made during the 14th Nisan, it was called the first day of the festival. (Ex. xii, 15, 19, 20. Lightfoot, Temjp.^ Ser. xii, § 1; Peruchin^ i, 14; Andrews’ Life of Our Lord^ pg. 434.) This popular usage appears in the Synoptists. The phrase, ‘^prepare for Thee to eat the passover,” was spoken on ‘^the day when the passover must be killed,” and on ^^the first day of the festival of unleavened bread.” The conclusion to which all these facts bring the mind is that John and the Synoptists agree as to the THE HOLY RESURRECTION, xxi time, and that the Synoptists intend to tell us that Jesus observed, at this time, as always, the passover at the regular time and in the regular way. And this was the only course consistent with B.is uniform cus- tom, and with His avowed purpose to fulfill the law.* His death, hence, occurred on the 16th Nisan, but within the twenty-four hours, commencing 3 P, M. on the 14th, The paschal lamb was slain at the begin- ning, Jesus, the true Passover, during the continuance, and died at the close of, these twenty-four hours.** The following table (see next page) presents the sub- ject in one view. One question remains. How do these computations of time accord with the words of Jesus, in Matt, xii, 40: '‘The Son of Man shall be three days and three nights [*The remark in Ex. xii, 22, “No one go out of the house un- cil the morning,” referred only to the night of its first observance, for which a special reason was given. There is nothing in the O. T., nor in Jewish writings, to show that it was ever regarded as an essential feature of the feast. See Otho’s Lex. Art. Pascha.^ [**It may be added that the Jews had repeatedly attempted to seize Jesus on Sabbaths, or festival days. See Luke iv, 26-29; John vii, 30, 32 (see vs. 14), 37, 44, 45; x, 22, 39.] On the supposition that this was the 14th Nisan, the disciples’ conjectures as to the reason for Judas’ sudden departure are easily explained. (John xiii,28.) Preparation of food was allowed on the 15th Nisan (Ex. xii, 16), and the purchase of it as well, un- der certain restrictions. (Tholuck, in loco; Wiesler, Ghron.^ 3, 44, 366; Luthardt, in loco^ ii, 286. Mishna.) Had this been the evening of the 13th Nisan, no necessity to go out to buy provisions, for he had the whole day before him, and, for the same reason, he was not likely to seek the poor at that hour of the night. But in the paschal night, when the great Temple gates were opened at mid- night, to begin early preparations for the offerings of Chagigah which were not voluntary, but due, it was quite natural to suppose that Judas was going to make such preparation. And equally to suppose that he was going to give something to the poor, gathered tj^round the Temple to seek help from the charitable. (Side rshiem ) XXll THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 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S 3 © ^ '9 ® o © 9 .■ ^0.9 1 © s? © ’5©« THE HOLY KESURRECTION, xxiii in irfie heart of the earth?” The present discussion is not concerned with the meaning of the phrase, “heart of the earth:” which more probably means the grave — as analogous to J onali’s living sepulchre, which he calls “the belly of Hades,” J on.ii, 2, Heh.^ than Hades : but with the time. What are we to understand by “the three days and three nights?” Plainly, they must agree with Jesus’ own later words, elsewhere spoken, concerning the same fact. He says (John ii, 19), “in three days I will raise it {i. e., his body) up.” “After three days I will rise again,” (Mark viii, 31); “be raised the third day” (Matt, xvi, 31; Luke ix, 22); “the third day shall rise again” (Matt, xvii, 23; xx, 19; Maik x, 34). These words were spoken before His death, and in all His later utterances the word is, “the third day.” And that the impression left upon the mind was resurrec- tion, not after three full days, but in or after the third day, is evident from the remark of His enemies on the day after His death: “He said, after three days I will rise again;” and that of His friends on the day of His resurrection : “ It is now in the third day since these things were done” (Luke xxiv, 21, Grk). This, also, is the interpretation of His words given by the angel to the women at the tomb, “the third day rise again,” and by Himself to His disciples, “rise from the dead the third day” (Luke xxiv, 7, 46). And both Peter and Paul declared that “He arose the third day.” (Actsx, 20; 1 Cor. XV, 4.) There can be no doubt, after the exam- ation of all these passages, that Jesus intended to arise, and arose in, or during, the third day; and that He XXIV THE HOLY RESURRECTION. Himself regarded His resurrection on that morning as being on the third day; and that the angel speaking on that morning recalled, as then fulfilled, His own words, “after three days rise again.’^ Friday, the day of His death, w^as one day. From 6 F. M. of that day to 6 P. M. of Saturday was two days, and from 6 P. M. Saturday to 6 P. M. of the first day of the week was three days. And this computation was in exact accord with the Jewish mode of reckoning: “a day and night together make up a nuchtheemeron^ a night-day^ and any part of such period is counted as the whole.” (Jerusalem Talmud. See also Gen. xl, 13, 20; 1 Sam. XXX, 12, 18; 2 Chron. x, 5, 12; Hos. vi, 2.) THE HOLY HESUEBEOTION, 25 PROLOGUE. HE story of Jesus’ resurrection is one of exquis- ite pathos and beauty, and of the highest impor- tance. The fact was God’s open declaration of J esus’ Divine Sonship, and His seal of approba- tion upon all that He had suffered, done and said. It is for man a most elevating fact and a Divine assurance that he can safely commit all his interests into Jesus’ hands. It is a study worthy of our most careful and prayerful thought. And if this be given we will find, in the rich fruitage which it brings, an ample payment for the time and labor bestowed. Section I. Facts Occurring on the Morning of Jesus' Resurrection. Matt, xxviii, 1-15; Mark xvi, 1-11; Luke xxiv, 1-12; John xx, 1-18. And the women also which came with Him from Galilee .... beheld the sepulchre, and how the body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the Sabbath day, Jewish^ accord- ing to the commandment. And when the Jewish Sabbath, i, ^., Saturday e^)en~ ing^ April A. D. 30, after 6 P. was past, Alary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and 26 THS HOLr KESUBBE0T1017. Salome, bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And in the end of the {Jewish) Sabbath, very early in the morning, while it was yet dark, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week — i. e.j LorJs Day^ April 9th^ A, D. 30 — came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, and Joanna, and certain other women with them, to see the sepulchre, bringing the spices with them. And they said among themselves, who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 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 rai- ment white as snow. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and become as dead men. And they, the women^ came to the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they found, when they looked, — they saw — that the stone was rolled away, for it was very great. Then she, Mary Magdalene^ when she seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre, 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. And they, the other women^ entered into the sepul- chre, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed there- about, behold, two men in shining garments, were sud- denly present. {Greek.) One ^ them^ a young man, they saw sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment. And they were affrighted, and bowed down their faces to the earth. And the one angel, or THE HOLY KESURRECTION. 27 hoth^ answered and said unto them. Be not afirighted: fear not ye, for I know that ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where they laid Him — where the Lord lay. Remember how He spake unto you when He was yet in Galilee, (Matt, xvi, 21; xvii, 23; Mark viii, 31; ix, 31; Luke ix, 22; John ii, 22,) 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 go your way quickly, and tell His disciples, and Peter, that He is risen from the dead, and behold, He goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you: lo, I have told you. And they went out quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy ; and they fied from the sepulchre, for they trembled, and were amazed, and did run to bring His disciples word, neither said they anything to any man; for they were afraid. Now when they were going, behold some of the watch came into the city, and showed 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. Meanwhile^ because of what Mary Magdalene had saidj Peter, therefore arose, and went forth, and that other disciple, and ran — came — to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun 28 TOE HOLY RESURRECTION. Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And lie stoop- ing down, and looking in, saw the linen clo'hes lying, yet went he not in. Then coineth Simon Peter follow- ing him, and stooping down he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves. And he went into the sjj ulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the iiapk.n that was about His head, not lying with the linea cle-t’-es, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepul- chre, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home — Peter departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. Jesus’ First Appearance. But Mary, who had followed the two from the city remained^ and stood without 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, be- cause they have taken away my Lord, and 1 know not where they have laid Him. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jes\is. 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, liabboni, which is to say. Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not: for 1 am not yet a cended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them. HOLY HESURRfiCtlON. 29 I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. Thus it was that when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. Jesus’ Second Appearance. And as they, the other women^ went to tell His dis- ciples, 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. And they 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 be- lieved them not. And she — Mary Magdalene — went — came — and told the disciples — them that had been with Him, as they mourned and wept, that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things unto her. And they, when they had heard that He was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. All the writers state that Jesus died on the ‘‘day of preparation.’^ That, as we have already seen, was the day before the Sabbath, answering to our Friday. And the great majority of able critics* have reached the conclusion, after the most thorough investiga- tions, critical, historical and astronomical, that this day was April 7th, A. D. 30. Jesus was buried [* Winer, Wieseler, Capri, Godet, Pressense, &c.] 30 THE HOLY HESHKHEOTION. opsios genomenees^ late in the evening. The Hebre\V8, like the Greeks, had “two evenings.” (Ex. xii, 6.) The first one, called by the Greeks, delia prooia^ the little evening^ began at the 9th hour, i. e. 3 P. M., and the second one delia opsia^ real sunset^ began, at this sea- son, about 6 P. M. (Jos. B. J, 6, 9, 3.) Opsia^ opsia hora was also the name of the first of the four watches into which the night was divided, and extended from the close of the second evening to 9 P. M. And a comparison of all the other places where it is found: (Matt, viii, 16; xiv, 15, 23; xvi, 2; xx, 8; xxvi, 20; Mark i, 32; iv, 35; vi, 47; xi, 11; xiv, 17 ; John vi, 16; XX, 19,) in all of which, (except Mark xi, 11, and John XX, 19, which have ousees^ and John vi, 16, which has egenetOj) it has genomenees: with these in Matt, xxvii, 57, and Mark xv, 42, which latter has hedee^ now already,^ shows that the“second evening” was rapidly approaching when Joseph began his labor of love. With the close of this day the Sabbath, which con- tinued from sunset to sunset (Lev. xxiii, 32), began. During its sacred hours the disciples rested according to the commandment. And diagenomenou ton sahha- touj the Sabbath having passed^ being completely end- ed — this is the force of the second aorist — (the verb is used in the N. T, only of time), i. ^., after sunset of our Saturday evening — Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of J ames, and Salome eegorasan (first aorist), bought — not “had bought” E. V. — sweet spices. Some of the women had returned from the sepulchre early enough on Friday evening to prepare spices and oint- Tim HOLY RLSUHRECTlOiT. 31 ments before the Sabbath began: but, perhaps, be- cause lingering too long at the tomb, or too much ab- sorbed in grief,tlierehad not made their piircliases before the Sabbath began. This they now did, and were ready to go with the other women early in tlie morning to anoint the body of Jesus. These women certainly did not anticipate any resurrection. This morning is called, by all the writers, mia toon sahhatoon^ one of the week. The word sahbatoon^ after numerals, marked the days of the week, which, in the Talmuds, are written: the first, second, &c., day in the Sabbath i, e.^ (week). (Lightfoot, Hot, Ilei.^ Matt, xxviii, 1.) And Luke’s dis ton sabhatou (xviii, 12), shows the same use of the word. But this is the first time that the phrase, mia sabbatoon^ is found in the N. T. And its use by all the evangelists here, and also its use in Acts xx, 7, and 1 Cor. xvi, 2, indicates that it was invested with a new and peculiar sigiiifi- cancy. This seems to be specially marked in Maik’s change of phraseology, from mias sabbatoon^ (in vs. 2,) where he follows the Jewish custom, to protee sabbatou, the first Sabbath of all, (in vs. 9) — a new Sabbath day, plainly indicating that this is the first day of a renewed week, a new beginning of time. And, hence- forth, the phrase, mia sabbatoon^ is used in the N, T. to designate that day, which is called, In Bev. i, 7, ‘‘the Lord’s Bay.” This day must not be confounded with the Sabbath. The Scriptures furnish not the slightest ground to wan ant the idea that that day has been abrogated, or 32 ME HOLY RESUBRECTION. its observance changed from the seventh to the first day of the week. It remains firm in the place in which God originally put it. And when Jesus comes again — so prophecy proclaims — it will again be observed as originally designed. That day belongs to the old, the “first day’’ to the new, creation, and new order of things. This day is the first of that creation, because it is the day of Jesus’ resurrection — the beginning of ascension, and of the descent of The Spirit also, and formation of the Christian Church. The memory of God’s rest-day must ever be to the devout believer most precious, and the sacredness of one-seventh portion of time be ever regarded by him. And it is from no disregard of that day that he regards this. But this day is associated with his redemption. It is embalmed in his sweetest and tenderest associations and memories. He, as did the apostles and early church, lovingly and sacredly observes it holy unto the Lord. The point of time when the women started upon their errand of love is variously described. Matthew says (xxviii, 1), ojpse de sabbatoon tee epiphooshousee eis mian sabbatoon. Opse is an adverb of time. It has, in classical writings, two significations; (a) “late:” opse heelikias^ late in life; opse tees heemeras^ late in the day — and this is the meaning in Mark xi, 19, 20; xiii, 35; (b) with the genitive after, opse toutoon^ after them^ opse musterioon^ after the mysteries- (Wetstein, in loco.) It is connected with the genitive, sabbatoon^ in this place, and according to classical usage, signifies “after” — not in the end of (E. V.) but— THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 33 <‘after the Sabbath.” The Sabbath, which ended with the sunset of our Saturday, had fully closed. The opse de sab. of Matt., if it stood alone, might indicate the period between sunset and, say the close of business hours on Saturday. That would be equivalent to Mark’s ‘^the Sabbath being past” (xvi, 1). But it is modified by tee epiphooslcousee^ the day coming on. The verb signifies to grow light upon, to dawn upon. It is used in classical Greek to express the coming on of day. Luke uses this word, applied to the natural day, to express the civil day of the Jews, which began at sunset, (xxiii, 54.) Matthew here uses it in its proper sense. The Sabbath had so long passed that the day was beginning to break eis^ towards^ mian toon sdbba- toon^ one of the sabbath.^ the first of the week. Mark says, lian prooi tees mias sabbatoon. Prooi is an adverb of time. It is the name given to the third watch of the night* (Jos. Ant. v, 6, 5; Mark xiii, 35); and also to that one of the three divisions of the dawn, which in- cludes the time while it was yet dark, but when one could distinguish blue from white. The lian^ very^ very early shows that it was yet dark, though about day-breaking. This agrees with Matthew’s word, and also with Luke’s batheos orthrou^ deep twilight. The two words, taken together, signify the time at, and immediately after, daybreak, while one still needs a [*The first was o'pna^ from twilight to 9 P. M. ; the second, mesonuhton^ midnight^ from 9 to 12 M. ; the third, alelctorphonia, cock-crowing^ from 12 to 3; and the fourth, prooi^ from 3 till daylight.! 34: THE HOLY RESURKECTION. light: and this is in harmony also with John’s prooiy sJcotias eti ouseeSy early y it being yet darh. In that latitude, at that season of the year, the first faint streaks of light appear across the eastern sky be- fore 4 A. M. It was, therefore, as early as this hour, on this morning, when certain women, who, as the city gates were not opened until after daylight, probably spent the night outside of the city, started towards the garden of Joseph. The object of their visit — to see the sepulchre, (Matt.), and to embalm the body of Jesus, (Mark, Luke) — and the peculiarly solemn cir- cumstances under which they had become acquainted with the owner of it, on the previous Friday evening, forbade all idea of their being intruders in entering upon those private grounds. One of these women was Mary of Magdala, called Magdalene. She was one whom Jesus had ^‘healed of evil spirits and infirmities.” And the emphasis upon the fact — ‘‘out of her Jesus had cast seven demons — shows, not impurity of life, but a demonical possession of extraordinary malignity. The mental and spiritual disease, the divided consciousness, the fearful frenzy and wretchedness of despair to which it had subjected her, made hers a case of peculiar sorrow. Her grati- tude, when relieved, knew no bounds. She followed Jesus with unswerving loyalty and attachment, fully used time, influence, nroney (of which she seems to have had plenty), in His cause, accompanied Him on His last journey to Jerusalem, stood, with other women, by Him during all the hours of His agony on the cross, l^HE HOLY REStJHRECtlON. ^5 followed His Body to the tomb, and now, at this early hour, is on her way thither. Though John mentions her only, he does not exclude others. For in vs. 2 he indi- cates, in her use of the words, ‘^we know, &c.,” that she was not alone. And the Synoptists give us the names of her companions. One was Mary, the wife of Cleopasj mother of James the Less and Joses, and aunt of Jesus. Because, perhaps, their husbands were dead, she and her sister had lived together. For, as early as in the second year of Jesus’ ministry they were regarded as one family. (Matt, xii, 47 ; xiii, 56.) This, with the glimpses of her at the cross, burial, and here on this morning, are the only sights of her that are given. Salome, wife of Zebedee, and mother of James and John, who had also witnessed the crucifixion, and Joanna, wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, whom we find among the ladies which ministered unto the Lord, (Luke viii, 3,) were also in this company. With these were certain others,* whose names are not given. These all were on their way, theora% to view with attention^ the sepulchre. And that they might complete the work of anointing, done so hurriedly on the Friday be- fore, they carried with them the costly spices which they had bought and prepared. Though ignorant of the seal and guard, they knew that a great stone was at the door of the tomb. And being unattended by men, they were asking themselves the question. Who shall roll us away the stone? When [*The words, “certain with them,” are genuine in Luke, vs. 10, but not in vs. 7.] 36 THK HOLT EESUEEEOTION. they started, everything at the sepulchre was as it had been since the guard had been first placed there. Noth- ing had occurred to disturb it or the Eoman sentries, as they paced their rounds before it, or sat around its entrance, engaged in talk or pastimes. It was very early in the morning (Mark), just as day was beginning to dawn (Matt.), and while the darkness had not yet been chased away* (John), when the women started. As they went on, and the day was beginning to break, suddenly there was a flashing light, and seismos megas^ a great shaking of the ground — seen and felt (so think we from Matt.’s behold, and from the angels empha- sized ye^ — by the women. They knew not the cause: an angel descending from heaven: nor the effects. When Jesus died gee esaiththai^ the earth shook. But here, gee is not mentioned. The shaking was great, but conflned to the tomb, and ground imme- diately around it. It was caused — as the gar in Matt, vs. 2, shows— by an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, and shaking and dislodging the stone from the mouth of the tomb, into which it was closely fltted. He ermenon^ lifted it away from the sepulchre (John) — thus bursting Pilate’s band, and seal which none dare touch under penalty of death. Then apokek- alesthai^ he rolled it hack from the door, outside, (Matt.) and sat upon it in triumph. This action was [^John’s “when it was yet dark” must refer to the time of the women’s starting. For, he immediately adds, Uepsei^ she seeth the stone, &c. This refers to the time when Majry was near the tomb, and this required clear daylight. And this is exactly accord- ant with Mark’s “they came to the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.”] The angei at ttie^o6r of the sepulchre. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 37 God’s answer to the question, ^^Who shall roll away the stone for us?” It was His call to all to look, and enter into the already empty tomb. It was the voice of judgment upon Jesus’ foes, the assurance of His resurrection and exaltation, and of the gift of all power to Him on earth. And along with this voice was the proclamation of Jesus’ victory over death, given by the saints, whose graves had been opened at His death, now going forth from them, and appearing, the first fruits of His resurrection, to many in the Holy City. (Matt, xxvii, 51-53.) The angel’s — not morphee^ form^ but idia — appear- ance^ was like lightning, and his clothing was white as snow. The guard were paralyzed with fear. They did not, could not, at once, flee, for they had become as dead men. The shaking ceased. The light-flash was not re- peated. The morning stillness resumes its wonted sway, disturbed only by the morning chorus warbled, full-throated, by the birds. The sun had just sent out his first blush over the skies, a herald of his coming. The world was at that hour when all the softer shades of color strive to convince one how much lovelier they are than the azure of full day. Every bough and blade of grass was glittering with dew. It looked, while the life and stir of this new day began, as if the whole earth had just been made fresh that morning. And so, in the sublimer sense, it had. As the full golden lustre streamed over the edge, and was lighting up mountain and plain, the women, whom the earth* 38 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. quake’s noise may have stopped, moved on. As the sun came rolling up in majesty, one central spot of ruby fire, they, yet at a distance from the sepulchre, but near enough to see it on the gently-sloping opposite height, anablepasthai^ looked up^ and theorousin^ saw with amazement that the. closely-fitting stone (John) had been taken away from the horizontal door. This was to Mary Magdalene a dreadful shock. With- out going on, or waiting to examine further, she turned around, left the company, and ran back as rapidly as she could to the city. Let us, while she is returning, accompany the other women to the sepulchre. They saw the stone, but not the angel sitting upon it. The terrified soldiers did not molest, perhaps not even notice, them. They eiselthousai^ entered into the sepulchre, but found not the Body of the Lord Jesus. It was gone. In the midst of the great perplexity and alarm, caused by this discovery, they were startled by the sight of the angel, w"ho looked like a young man. He was clothed in a long white garment, and was sitting on the right side of the sepulchre from the entrance. Presently two men, epesteesan^ were suddenly present"^ — so the verb [*Luke mentions two angels ; Matthew and Mark only one. This canon applies: “He who speaks of two, includes also the one; he who mentions only one, does not deny the two.” Mark says he was sitting; Luke speaks of them as standing. But the Greek word, in its appropriate and established usage, is to he suddenly present. (Compare Luke ii, 9 ; Acts xii, 7.) In Matthew, the an- gel, while still apparently outside, addressed the women. In Mark and Luke the conversation takes place inside the sepulchre ; and Matt, xxviii, 8, implies coming out. In Scripture, angels appearing in the form of men are often spoken of as they appear. See Gen. xviii, 16, &c. THE ANGEL. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 39 here, as in Luke ii, 38, signifies. Both had shining garments. And as the women were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, one, or both of them, said to them: ^^Fear not ye. I know that ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified.” This, the name nailed, in derision, on His cross, and the one that was then in their consciousness, was the first name given Jesus after His resurrection, by an angel, and is, hence, the name by which He was then known in heaven. You seek Him here, in His death and disgrace. But ‘^why seek ye zoonta^ the living^'* in the profoundest sense, the Life (John i, 4), Him whom the angels called Lord — ^‘why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here. He 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 ” (Matt, xvi, 21; xvii, 23; Mark viii, 31; ix, 31; Luke ix, 22; John ii, 22.) To these words of Jesus, the angels add their own: ^^Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell His disciples, 8,nd Peter” — these He, in His word to Mary, called my brethren — ‘^that He is risen from the dead. And behold, proageiy^ He goeth before you like an invisible Shepherd before a visible fiock, into Galilee, and there will He gather together that fiock, the nucleus of His church, which was scattered by the smiting of the [*The verbs, expressive of motion from place to place, are never used of Jesus after His resurrection. See Stier’s exhaustive criticism, Word% of the I^ord Jems^ viii, pgs. 99, 100, EdiQburgh edd THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 40 Shepherd (John x, 4.) This did He say to you while on His way to Gethsemane (Matt, xxvi, 31, 32; Mark xiv, 27, 28.) All this have I now told you. Do you believe these mighty words of life, of peace, of joy?^’ In that message the women were included, for they were not to be mere messengers. And that grand and solemn re-union in Galilee was not intended to exclude special appearances in Judaea; for there Jesus showed Himself often to the disciples. But it is not improba- ble, but that, if they had believed this message and acted upon it, Jesus would not have showed Himself at all in Jerusalem — at least, not until after the great meeting in Galilee. This startling apparition and these words made upon the women a very profound impression. They departed quickly out of the sepulchre,* and fled from it, trem- bling, and filled with the complex sensations of amaze- ment, joy and fear. It seems that, soon as they started, they separated into two groups. Of the group, mentioned by Mark, it is said, tromoSy a trembling of body, Tcai elcstasis, an ecstacy^ eiche^ held them. They were too terrified to say anything to anyone by the way. One, or more of them, seems to have gone to that company of disciples, two of which went that same day to Emmaus. Salome, whose name is not mentioned among those who told the disciples, went, perhaps, to her own home, to tell the [*B. L. and Cod. Sin. in Matt. vs. 8, read apelthousai (which is adopted by Tischendorf and Alford), instead of exelthomai^ of Text. Recpt., which Lachman retains. Mark, whose reading here is undisputed, has exelthousei.^ THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 41 mother of our Lord. To this group Jesus did not appear — so it seems — ^but to the other group, the one mentioned by Matthew, and of which it is said, they departed phohee^ with fear^ fcai oharas megales^ and with great joy^ and did run to tell the news, and give the aiigePs message to the disciples.” By the time, or soon after the time, when the women had left the sepulchre, the guards had so far recov- ered from the terror which had seized them, that they could, and did, abandon their post. For a short time the sepulchre was entirely deserted. Presently two men came up, one far in advance of the other. These were disciples. How came they there? To answer this question, we must return to Mary Magdalene, whom we last saw running in breathless haste towards the city. When she had reached it, she went first, to Simon Peter, who may have been staying at the house of a friend, and then pros^ to John, who dwelt in his own house (John xix, 27). The repetition of the pros shows that she went successively to each of the two* To each one she told in breathless haste, her imagina- tive fears: ^‘They,” i, ^., the enemies, ^‘have taken away,” i. ^., violently, <^the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we,” i. e.^ the women, ^‘know not where they have laid Him.”* [*Luke (xxiv, 9-12) seems to blend into one narrative the statements of the women to the disciples, and that of Mary Mag- dalene to Peter and John. According to him the statements of the other women, as well as those of Mary M., seemed to all “as idle tales,” and not worthy of credit. And this was the motive prompt- ing Peter to go to the sepulchre, a^ brought out in the “them” of 42 THE HOLY KESUKRECTION. This was astounding news to the two men. Peter, told first, started first. But John soon caught up with him, and the two were running homou^ together!^ They erchonto^ were coming with the feeling of inex- pressible expectation — for this is the idea expressed in this imperfect tense of duration. The speed was in- creased with every step. They were soon running with all their might. John, more nimble-footed, outran Peter, and was first at the sepulchre. Bending forward hleepei^ he sees the linen clothes, in which the Body had been wrapped, lying down. Friends would not have left, nor enemies so carefully arranged, them. Fear least the Body had been stolen, gives place to profound amazement and awe. And while he gazes, held back by his contemplative nature from going in, Peter reached the spot. He, too, bending forward^* hleepei^ sees the linen clothes. This did not satisfy his more practical nature. He felt impelled to go in, and investigate more closely. How true these touches the 12th verse. Luke says that the two Marys, J oanna and the others told these things to the apostles. But he does not say when, nor that they all told them at the same time. And there is no difficulty in believing that the o^er apostles, when they heard the story, and Peter, when he heard it, did not believe it, and that the motives prompting Peter to go were incredulity, and the pur- pose either to verify or overthrow the statement, concerning the empty tomb and risen Jesus.] [* Homou signifies, “in company” ^John xxi, 2), but not always so (John iv, 36). It may here signify either in company, or, at the same time.] [**Luke xxiv, 12, is omitted in Cantab., and some Latin and Syriac versions, and is rejected by Tischendorf. But it is in Sin. Vat. Alex., and, except the above, in the entire body of Mss., and in most copies of ancient translations ; and is retained by Alford, Jjange^ M«yer, apd ipgst critics.] JOHN look: NO IN10 THE SEPULCHRE. •H/ JOHN LOOK:Nfi IMO THE SEPULCHRE THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 43 to their respective characters! Theoorei^ he sees, then gives attentive and prolonged examination of, and reflec- tion upon, the facts. He saw that the stone was rolled away, allowing free access to the tomb; that the grave was empty; that the linen grave clothes had not been carried away, nor left in any confusion, but laid away in an orderly manner; and that the napkin that had been about Jesus’ head was not lying with the linen clothes, but was lying, carefully folded together, in a place by itself. All this he saw. But he saw not what it signi- fled; ‘^and departed, wondering in himself at that which had come to pass.” After Peter had come out of, but before he departed from, the tomb, John, emboldened by his example, went into it. His minute and vivid description of the interior, re-called and recorded many years after- wards,shows how profound was theimpression made upon his mind. Peter, evidently, had told him of the ab- sence of the Body, and of the orderly arrangement of the grave clothes. But he had not fully credited him, un- til he had himself gone in. Then he saw and believed. These facts were signs of resurrection, trophies of power over death, indications that its Conqueror had done a glorious work, had cut the gates of brass and bars of iron asunder, had come out into light, and had left these clothes behind Him as a symbol that He had entered into a state where they were no longer needed. He had left them, and the form of sinful flesh, behind. The rolled away stone was evidence of the annihilation of the counsel, and frustration of the league of this 44 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. world. The orderly arrangement of the grave clothes was convincing proof that the Body had not been re- moved by either friends or foes. This holy order indi- cated a deliberation, a composure, and a ruling of the highest, clearest, calmest presence of mind which for- bade that idea. And the calm spirit that reigned there should, and doubtless did, calm their perplexed and agitated minds. But because eedeisan^ {eidoo\ they discerned — comprehended — not, as yet, the Scriptures, that He must rise again from the dead (John xx, 9), they understood not the significance of the facts. The rolled-away stone, the empty tomb, the neatly folded clothes, were no proofs of resurrection to them. John saw, and ejpisteesen^ believed — in the lower, but not in the profound and lofty sense in which he commonly uses that word. He believed that the Body was gone. The emphasis on anasteenai show that this is the power of the word “believe” here. He did not believe in the fact of Jesus’ resurrection, for he discerned not, that Scripture had said, “He must rise from the dead.” But he did believe — and this is contrasted with what he did not believe — that the Body was gone, and had not been taken away by violence, so not by human hands. He had not looked for resurrection, but for the re- appearing of Jesus as the Glorified One. And now he believed that by some Divine and glorious rapture He had been suddenly taken to heaven. And among others, was not the correction of this notion, one reason why Jesus, almost immediately after, said to Mary: “I have not yet ascended, but say to My brethren, I ascend?” THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 45 Jesus* First Appearance-to Mary Magdalene. After Peter and John had left for their homes, Mary — who had followed after them from the city — still lingered at the tomb. The sun was up when she left for the city, about a mile distant. The time occupied in going to the homes of Peter and J ohn, in the coming out, and in the examination they made, could scarcely have been less than two hours. We should judge that it must have been 9 o’clock, or after, when we find Mary eisteekei^ standing in front of the tomb, as if riveted to the spot. The blooming of the fiowers, the caroling of the birds, the air and sun of that Easter morning were nothing to’ her. The blinding tears are coursing down her cheeks. Again and again, she bends forward and looks into the tomb. Angels had appeared and announced Jesus’ birth. JSTow, for the second time, they appear and announce His resurrection. One had rolled away the stone, and sat upon it; and he had been seen by the soldiers. Two had appeared to the women in the sepulchre, and had announced the fact of Jesus’ resurrection. Two are now seen by Mary, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the Body of Jesus had lain. They ask her a question, but give her no reply. She theorei^ gazes at them. But such was her mental condition, that the sight makes little impression upon her. What to her w^as all their splendor! She only sought, desired, thought of her cru- cified Lord. His Body was gone, and the feeling of utter goneness was in her heart. 46 THE HOLY REStBEEOTiON. To her, in her great agitation, looking in and ou t of the sepulchre, whose emptiness was re-echoed in her heart, the angels addressed the question, Woman, why weep- est thou?” To this she replied, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him.” Having said this, estraphee^ she turned rounds as if struck by a sudden change in the appear- ance of the angels, and Jesus stood before her. She beholds a Man, but knows not who it is. Because He was in hetera morphee^ another form? Ho. Because the change in Him was so great that she did not recognize Him, as we, after a long separation from a friend, do not, when we meet, fully recognize him at first? No. But because resurrection was far from her thoughts; and because she sought the dead, not the living, Jesus. “Woman,” said He, “why weepest thou? Trhom seekest thou?” This was Jesus’ first resurrection word, and it was addressed to one earnestly seeking Him. Still she recognized Him not. “This,” she sup- posed, “is Joseph’s gardener.” She addressed Him as such: “Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away” — as if every one would, without the mention of His name, know who was the object of which her heart was full. She had been tested by the angels, and by the Lord Himself. The time had come for her to be initiated into the mystery. And Jesus, by that most personal thing in human manifestation, the sound of the voice, and by calling her by name, gave her the strongest proof of His personal identity, and by tone. NOLI ME TANGERE tHl5 HOLY RESURRECTION. 47 manner and word, expressed all that He was to her, and all that she was to Him. She had sought the dead Body. But, ^^Mary!” scattered all clouds and tears. That voice and word revealed all in unison with all in her heart. It was the only note to which she could respond. She saw the living Jesus before her. His glorified life had, indeed, begun. And her whole soul went out in her answer, “Rabboni, Master 1’’ Then something in her motions drew from Jesus a seeming repulse, and one very chilling to her ardent affection: mee mou haptou^^ touch me not. Was her ardent affection too human, and too far below true spirituality. It may be so. Or was she to be taught that, henceforth, she must not know Christ after the fiesh, but only as in His new relation to her, as supremely the Son of God? Or, His different actions may be explained by the different light in which He is presented in Matthew and in John. In Matthew, where He is the Divine Man, Christ, in the midst of earthly glory and royalty in Israel, we have no ascension, only a meeting with the disciples in Galilee. There, resurrection is the end of the triumphant journey. But in John, where He is the Divine Son in the midst of the heavenly family, we have no place of meeting men- tioned. His word is, “I ascend.” Glory and ascen- sion are the end. He is going to the Father, and res- urrection is the way to Him. This might explain why mou haptou^ Me touch not. Critical authorities perfectly establish the correctness of this reading. And most earnest labors have been put forth to discover the reason for Jesus’ word.] 48 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. He forbade Mary, but permitted the other women, to touch Him, were it not for His word to Thomas, which we have in John. But why not accept the reason which J esus Himself gives: ‘^Ihave not yet ascended; but go tell My breth- ren, ‘‘I ascend.” I now ascend. And why not at once admit, since soon after He allowed the other women to touch Him, that in the very brief interval He had ascended to His Father, and had returned? This was a transition time. His was the Body of resur- rection — and so spiritual — but not yet of glory. It, in certain respects, was in harmony with the present order of things. But resurrection was the first fruits of new spiritual human life, of glorified humanity, and entrance into the heavenly state. So it was the beginning of ascension, which was the entrance into the heavenly sphere. The verb used to describe the appearances during this transition state — itself a mystery of which we have no experimental data — are (a) ajpantaoo^ to ‘‘meet suddenly^^ in the way (Matt, xxviii, 9) ; (b) paristeemi^ “was presenf^ (E. Y., showed Himself) (Acts i, 3); (c) phranoo (Mark xvi, 9), and phaneroo (Mark xvi, 12, 14; John xxi, 1, 14), “appeaTed\^^ and (d) oraoo^ optomai (Matt, xxviii, 7 ; Mark xvi, 7 ; Luke xxiv, 34). This last verb is used to express ‘^the theophanies,” and ^‘the appearances of angels,” and of Moses and Elias on the Mount. It is also the word which Jesus used in the message which He sent, through the women, to the disciples. In Acts ix, 17; xxvi, 16 — in the account fHE HOLY RESURRECTION. 49 of Paul’s conversion — it, in the one place used by, and of, Himself, expresses Jesus’ appearances from heaven. And does not His use of it there, and here on this the morning of His resurrection, and after He says to Mary, ascend,” justify us in saying that He actually did, between His appearance to Mary, and to the women, ascend invisibly, as afterwards He ascended visibly, to heaven? And further, does not the use of this verb, by Luke (Acts i, 3, ix, xxvi), to describe His appearances during the forty days, and also those to Paul, distinctly intimate that every time He appeared to the disciples during the forty days, He, on each occa- sion, left the invisible world? And is not this implied in the other verbs used, and also in the phrases, leai idontes^ they having seen, before the proselthoon, He came (Matt, xxviii, 17, 18), and theoorai estota, they see Him standing, before the eelthen. He came (John XX, 14, 19, *26)? The exegesis forces on me the convic- tion that Jesus, immediately after He spake to Mary, ascended, and appeared before the Throne; and then returned, and appeared to the women on the way. And this is in accord with His word, ^‘Ye shall see Me, be- cause I go to My Father” (John xvi, 16), which teaches that they would not obtain a sight of Him, after His death, until He had firs^i ascended to heaven. The life He then had points beyond this world to a higher sphere. The ascending, involved in His resurrection, began with it, and on that day. He was, to use His own expression,‘^ascending,” And His, ^‘while I was yet with you^^ (Lk. vs. 44), shows that He lived on earth no 50 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. longer. He was no more with them. He belonged to a higher sphere of existence, and at times, only, mani- fested Himself here below. And, for some reason, not made known to us, none could touch Him before He had first ascended to the Father; after that they could. Though Mary was not allowed to touch Him, she was entrusted with His first resurrection messao-e: ‘‘Go o to My brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father, and your Father, and to My Lord, and your Lord.’^ By the other women Jesus sent the message, “Go tell My brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see Me;” and this tells of resurrection, and of a subsequent meeting on earth. But the mes- sage through Mary speaks not of resurrection, though this is necessarily implied, but of ascension; and this tells of a future meeting with His disciples in Heaven. Jesus’ Second Appearance-to Certain Women. While Mary — to whom Jesus, when He was risen early the first day of the week, appeared first* — was on her way to the city, Jesus, who had ascended and had returned, appeared to that group of women, which, in the way of righteous obedience, was hastening into the city to deliver the message which they, with the others, [*The last twelve verses of Mark are wanting in the Sin. Vat. Alex. Meyer and Tischondorf reject, Alford brackets, and Tre- gellcs, Laclimann and Lange retain, them. Nothing new has been added on either side by the late writers on the question. The reader can see the reasons for and against their retention, in Lange and Alford, in loco,^ THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 51 had received.^ His first word was ChaiTete^ All hail! They instantly knew Him, held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him. His ‘‘be not afraid” quieted their minds. Then He sent a message, by them, to His brethren, that He would meet them in Galilee. The Flight of the Guard-The Results from it. While these women were-going to the city, the guard were going also. Soon as they had recovered from the consternation caused by the earthquake and the ap- pearance of the angel, they fied precipitately from the tomb. Some may have started before the others. Or, if together, they seem to have been separated in their fiight. Some of them went, perhaps, to the barracks. Others, after reaching the city, went directly to the chief priests, by whom they liad been stationed at the tomb, and told them of the earthquake, angel, stone being rolled away, empty sepulchre, women — of all the things that had occurred. The intelligence astounded, appalled, the priests. The soldiers could not report the fact of resurrection. But this would instantly fiash across the minds of the priests. They had told Pilate that Jesus had said, be- fore His death, that He would rise again. The sol- diers’ report would at once suggest to them the truth of His saying, now passed into reality. Hence the consternation must have been very great, the fact por- [*The words, “As they 'went to tell the disciples word,” Matt., vs. 9, are wanting in Sin. and Vat., and are rejected by all critics. The rejection does not, however, alfect the sense of the passage.] 52 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. tentous, the inquiry, ^^what to do,” very pressing and perplexing. The facts reported by the guard could not be invalidated nor denied. Nor dared they allow the facts to be reported to Pilate, for he would at once order an official investigation — a thing that must, at all cost, be prevented. Priests and elders at once as- sembled. The whole matter was fully canvassed — sumboulion laioontes — and the following conclusion reached as the only way, since they must deny the fact of resurrection, out of their difficulty: Admit that the Body was gone, but affirm that it had been stolen by His disciples, while the guard were sleeping. This story, to be plausible, must come from the soldiers. The sleeping at the post, and the allowing such a theft, was a military crime, punishable by death. To save the soldiers from this fate, Pilate, if necessary, must be propitiated. To get the soldiers to tell the lie they must be bribed. This was the counsel agreed upon. The treacherous Judas, who voluntarily sold ^lirnself, accepted thirty pieces of silver. But the soldiers would not sell themselves at so cheap a rate. Only by large bribes, coupled with the assurance that if the thing came to Pilate’s ears, either officially or otherwise, ^^we will persuade him,” i. e.y give him large bribes, ^^and secure you,” could they be induced to tell the lie. This story bears all the marks of improbability upon its face. Were the soldiers awake? Then, unless phys- ically overpowered, they would not have dared to allow any man to disturb the tomb. Were they asleep? How knew they, then, that the disciples had stolen the Body THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 53 away? Could the disciples, in their then perplexed, be- wildered state of mind, have attempted a thing requir- ing such nerve, and such composure of mind? That were a psychological impossibility. And yet the scheme of the priests and elders was carried out suc- cessfully. The matter never came to Pilate’s ears, and was soon forgotten by the soldiers. But the story was commonly reported, perhaps believed, among the Jews. The whole transaction shows, on the part of the priests, an extraordinary degree of depravity; on the part of the soldiers, the powerlessness of prodigies to change the will, and keep people from doing wrong; and on the part of the Jews, the obtuseness of willing incredulity. First Information to the Company of the Faithful. Both Peter and John, when they returned to the city, went to their own home. Why they did this, and gave not at once the facts which they knew, does not appear. While they had been making their investiga- tions, however, that group of women, in which were Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, to which Jesus had not appeared, but which had been bidden by the angels to tell the disciples and Peter, that J esus had risen from the dead, had reached the city, and had gone at once to the Eleven. This designation of the •apostles does not necessarily imply that all were pres- ent. (Comp, Mark xvi, 14, with J ohn xx, 24.) Peter and John were not. To those of them present, and to those with them, they told what they had seen and heard. This fact occurred before the midday, (Luke 54 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. xxiv, 22, 23.) They told the same story also ‘^to all the rest,” i, to that company of disciples, of which the two Emmaus disciples, but no apostles, as it seems, constituted a part. To one company their words seemed hoosei leeros.^ as nonsense^ superstitious talk; to the other company as a matter of incredible aston- ishnient. (Luke xxiv, 11, 23.) Subsequently, but still before the midday, the other group of women, tliat to which Jesus had appeared, designated, so it seems, by the phrase, ^‘the other women that were with them,” (Luke xxiv, 10), went to the apostles, Peter and John being still absent, and told their story, and delivered Jesus’ message. Bat no credit was given to their words. Subsequently, Mary Magdalene went to the apostles with her message. Peter and John were present. They had told their story, which had filled all eyes with tears, and all hearts with grief. Mary found them weeping and mourning because, along with other causes of grief, the Body was gone. She told them that she had seen the Lord, and delivered the message which He had sent. But they believed not that He was alive, and had been seen by her.* A brief resume may be helpful to the mind, in seeking to keep before it the order of events. Peter and John were the first apostles that learned of the [*It is clear that the group, of which Joanna was one, went at once to the Eleven. But it is not clear which next preceeded, the other group, or Mary. The narratives intimate no haste in Mary’s movements after she had seen Jesus. Some time elapsed, proba- bly, before she delivered her message. It seems to me the more probable that siie delivered her message after the second group had delivered theirs. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 66 empty grave, and absent Body. After their examina- tion they went home, and it was some time before they went to the other apostles. The group of women to which Jesus did not appear hastened to the Eleven, Peter and John being absent, and told them their story touching the open and empty grave, and the angels, and their message. They then went to the company of which they and Cleophas were a part, and told them what things they had seen and heard. Meantime, Mary Magdalene went to the Eleven — Peter and John being present, and having already told them what they knew — and told them that she had seen the Lord. Subsequently the group which had seen Jesus went to the Eleven and told their story. There were two companies of the faithful. Both were acquainted with fact of the empty grave, and one with the report of the resurrection. The impression made upon the minds of these C5ompanies was quite different. The words of the first women to the Eleven were not credited at all, until subsequently con- firmed by Peter and John. Then the company was filled with grief because the Body was gone. But neither the words of Mary, nor of the second group of women, were believed at all. The other company, because after-exam- ination by some of their members confirmed it, believed the first group of women’s words, as to the empty grave. This was the situation at midday — for less time is not sufficient forall the occurrences. At that hour there was no one, save the women, unless it was the chief priests and elders, who believed that Jesus had arisen. And the mental condition of the apostles was such that 66 THE HOLT EESUERECTION. nothing but the clearest, fullest and most satisfactory evidences could convince them of the fact. Jesus’ Third Appearance-to Two Disciples on THEIR WAY TO, AND AT, EMMAUS. Jesus’ Fourth Appearance-to Peter. Mark xvi, 12, 13; Luke xxiv, 13-35; 1 Cor. xv, 5. Afternoon of the first Lord’s Day. After that He appeared in another form unto two ot them, as they walked, and went into the country. And behold two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from J erusalem about three score 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 Clophas, 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 J esus of Nazareth, 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 besides 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 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 57 that He was alive. And certain of them which were with us, went to the sepulchre, and found it even 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, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses, and all the prophets. He ex- pounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things con- cerning Himself. And they drew nigh unto the village whither they went: and lie made as though He would have gone fur- ther. But they constrained Him, saying. Abide with us: for it is toward 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. Jesus’ appear- ) He was seen of Cephas. The Lord is anoe to Peter. ^ risen indeed,and hath appeared to Simon. And they — Clophas and his companion — 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 Jeru- salem, 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 unto the residue what things were done in the way, and how He was known of them in breaking of bread: Neither believed they them. The only appearances up to midday were those to Mary Magdalene and the women. Their statements were not believed; and the reports about the resurrection were not 58 THE HOLY KESURKEOTION. generally known. The two appearances mentioned in this section, were at Emmaus and in Jerusalem, and late in the day of this, the first Lord’s day, April 9th. A. D. 30. Emmaus was nearly eight miles, or a two hours and more walk from Jerusalem. When the two disciples ar- rived there the sun was not far from setting. It could not have been earlier than 5 o’clock. If two and one-half hours were spent in the walk, it must have been between 2 and 3 P. M. when they left the city. At that hour, then, ‘‘the rest” of “our company” to which these two belonged, had no knowledge of the fact that Jesus had arisen. And if in the meantime, Mary and the women told the disciples, their word was not believed. At 2 P. M. the only facts believed by the disciples were these: an empty sepulchre, the Body gone, the grave- clothes orderly arranged. Save to those to whom He had appeared, none believed, perhaps had not even a thought of, Jesus’ resurrection. We return to the narrative, whose charming simplicity stamps it as truth. At about 2 P. M. on that day a name- less man^ and Clophas — who were ex outoon^ of them^ i.e.j “of the rest,” followers, but not apostles of Jesus — left Jerusalem. This Olopas must not be confounded with Oleophas. The latter is Aramaic; and was the name of the husband of Mary, the mother of James and Joses, and who was at this time, probably, dead. The former is Greek, and was the name of this follower, whose birth- place or home, say some of the Fathers, was Emmaus. [*Epiphanius (Adv, § 223), implies his belief that Na- thaniel was the nameless one of Emmaus’ journey.] Eumaus. ■'A r- r .1 ?- ■ V -Vi: o- ; SITE OF EMMAUg. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 69 This village was sixty stadia^ or nearly eight miles west of Jerusalem. It stood on the border of Benjamim, on the slope of vine-clad hills. The way was over hills and through valleys, barren for some distance out of the city, and after that glowing with the verdure of spring. The white and red blossoms of the almond trees, the tender buds of the olive and vine, the flowers throwing oft their fragrance, the songs of birds, the picturesque and varie- gated scenery, and the historical incidents and facts which made some of the spots famous, all combined to make the walk a delightful one. But all this could not, on this day, interest these two, drive away the deep sad- ness of .disappointed hopes, nor satisfy those who felt that they had lost Jesus. All hope, as their going away shows, had been given up. One thought occupied their hearts. ^‘They talked together of all those things which had happened/’ To them, thus talking to each other. One drew near, whom they did not know. What sympathy could He have with their sorrow? Curiosity, not interest, they thought, prompted the approach. He saw that logons antiballete^ they were casting words^ not hostile, but friendly, between themselves, each one giving his own views. They were investigating the facts about certain occurrences. Sad they looked. Sad they were. The One asked what was the subject of discussion and the cause of grief. And His frank and friendly manner penetrated and opened their hearts. Jesus ever delights in reality and truthfulness of heart, and He found them here. ‘‘Art Tliou,” Clophas said, “only a sojourner in Jerusalem, that Thou 60 THE HOLY BESURRECTION. art ignorant of the events of the past few days?” This question shows that they recognized not that face and form. Mary supposed Him to be Joseph’s gardener. These two took Him to be a stranger. Had He made, H imself known before He had, out of the Scriptures con- vinced them as to the facts, His appearance would have overpowered them, and made them incapable of calm investigation. For this, or for some other reason. He ap- peared to them in “another,” i. ^., different form from that in which they had last seen Him. One visible, but not recognizable, to them incredulous as to, and not ex- pecting, His resurrection. “Their eyes were holden.” Jesus’ manifestations seem to have been conditioned by the corresponding capacity in those to whom they were granted. These two, it seems, were not ready for the disclosure. Hence “their eyes were holden” by Him, so “that they should not know Him.” Without either af- firming or denying, He answers their question by asking another, “What things?” In their answer they pour out all their feelings. They frankly own to their expectations and profound disa- appointment and sorrow. They designate Jesus by that phrase — Jesus of Nazareth — so prominent in the post resurrection narratives. “He was a prophet” (Matt, xxi, 11, 46; John iii, 2), they said, “mighty in word and deed, before God and all the people.” His followers, and we among them, eljpisomen (imperfect), did hope estin ho melloon lutroustha% that He it is who was about to redeem Israel — ^. bring in that spiritual redemption th^t was promised hj the prophets. (I^uke r*)* A ' ; THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 61 i, 68, 69, 75; ii, 38; xxii, 6.) What a sad letting down, giving away, dying out of hope, in their words, ‘‘hopoSy and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and have crucified Him,’’ which precede, but we hoped, &c. And besides all this, triteen taiiteen hemeran ageiy this iSy or, He is in, the third day since these things were done,” This remark evidently refers to some well-known anticipated event which was to occur in the third day. They evidently understood Jesus’ words, ^^after three days I will rise again,” to signify <^rise in the third day.” Most of that day had passed. He had not risen, so far as they knew. His death had shaken, the failure of his promised resur- rection had annihilated, their faith and hope in Him as the promised Messiah. ^^But” — they go on to say — ‘‘cer- tain women of our company, which were early at the sep- ulchre, greatly astonished us by their report. They found not the Body, but saw, so they say, a vision of angels — whether they really saw angels, or whether it was only optasiauy a vision^ we cannot say — which said that He was alive. Then certain men with us, i. e.y of our company, disciples, but not apostles, went to the sepuh chre — a visit to the tomb, not elsewhere spoken of — “and found it even as the women had said, hut Him they saw noti^^ Tliey had nothing more to say. Then the Unknown speaks, as the Teacher dealing with the thoughts and affections of men — then as always according to the con- dition and need of those addressed. When they were in sorrow. He soothed and refreshed; when in doubt, 62 THE HOLY RESHERECTIOlf. convinced; when in unbelief, rebuked and enlightened. So now, having rebuked their unbelief, He, as the Teacher of men, led them through the Scriptures, till their light and warmth warmed their hearts. They needed, and He gave, restoration of soul. Passing by the reports, and the recent facts, He goes to the Scriptures, and in their light shows the signifi- cance, and gives explanation, of the historical events of the Friday before. In His exposition He shows Him- self the mighty Master of Scripture rebuke and consola- tion, and lifts them out of themselves and away from the present time: anoeetoiy O me^ij wanting under- standing^ unreceptive on the intellectual side. Why? Because of hradeis tee Icardia^ unsusceptihility of heart. The two words comprehend the whole man, and express its want of susceptibility. Discouragement of heart comes from a want of understanding of the mind; and this again, from a lack of light in the heart. Y ou want to trust in the eyes of yourselves and of others, in the words of angeljB and of men. You do not understand, because your heart hesitates to take in all the Scriptures, to be- lieve in what they say, despite appearances. Your faith being one-sided, is powerless to kindle light in the darkness of the soul. Had you inwardly known, and experienced the truth of the prophetic word, you would not have been in perplexity. Its light would have gone from the heart to the head. A knowledge of, and confidence in, God’s word, are the all important facts. This is the great word to us, and to all: ‘‘Slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken.” The Way to Emmaus. tHE HOLY EESHRRECTiO:^. 68 Having gently chid them, Jesus went on to show the moral necessity of ton Christon^ the Christ being a suff- ering Christ. These things which you mention as the ground of your doubt are necessary marks of the true Messiah. Had He not thus suffered, He could not be the Christ, nor enter into His glory — the glory that be- longs to Him essentially, and is the due reward of His works. The two stand in indissoluble connection, (1 Peter i, 11.) The sufferings involve the consequent resur- rection. And had you understood the Scriptures you would have learned from the empty grave that the glory had begun. Wherefore? and how? must the Messiah suffer these things? are questions which would naturally arise in their minds; and in His words they have the answei. The whole Scripture lay clear before His mind. Be- ginning at Moses, He explained calmly, patiently, fully., consecutively, the types, the history, the prophetic words ; pointed out the relation and bearing of each to all, and the scope and progressive development of all the great whole to the Christ; showed most clearly ^‘in all the Scriptures,’’ ta^ the things — not parts of Scripture, but ‘^the things” — ‘‘concerning Himself.” This was a moral demonstration. But it had all the wei^rht and force of a mathematical one. Every statement was free from the slightest discoloration of^isophism or unreality. Every link was perfect, and was accurately and logically joined to its fellows. The first link was joined to the eternal purpose of God, as revealed. The last one attached itself to Jesus of Nazareth. The argument was faultless and 64 THE HOLT RESURRECTION. living. The conclusion was irresistible. The inexor- able logic of facts fastened on the mind the unchangeable conviction that the Messiah ^‘must be crucified, and must rise again from the dead the third day,” and that Jesus of Nazareth was this Christ. And His method is the right one for those, who, with hearts glowing with the white light of truth, would dissipate darkness and doubt. As He led them through the spice groves of prophecy, and opened ear and heart to the orchestral tones of the promises, what fioods of light streamed into the mind! What joy filled the heart! They saw that Jesus was the Christ, and that His sufierings and subsequent resur- rection were alike an inevitable necessity, and that as certainly as the sufierings had been a fact, so surely must the resurrection be a fact. The Scriptures, opened up and understood, had corrected mistakes aud wrong impressions, had given an intelligent judgment as to the case, had dissipated their gloom, had calmed their hearts. Yea, these filled with the marvellous energy of His love, burned within them, while He had talked to them by the way. Unexpectedly soon they reach the village. He, being a stranger, had no right, uninvited, to cross the thresh- hold of their house. Prosepoieito^ He added to go on^ and He would actually have gone on had He not [♦This verb was used in classical Greek to pretend. And Rob- inson gives tills definition of it here. But the primary meaning is add to without any idea of seeming. It is contrary to all the facts of His precious life, and not in keeping with the dignity of His character to say that Jesus pretended to do what He had no inten- tion of doing. The primary meaning, “He added to,” makes good sense, “He added to go on.”] THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 65 been constrained by an urgent appeal to stay, lie was ready to say ‘^Good bye.’’ But they were reluctant to be separated from Him, to whom they had been so closely drawn, and who had made their walk, which had begun in sadness, to end in joy. Parebiasanto^ they compel (Luke xiv, 23; Acts xvi, 15) Him to tarry with them: Abide with us; for it is towards evening, and the day is far spent.” Accepting their invitation. He went in with them. Ko word was spoken — so it seems — after they entered. They sat down to supper. He acted as the host. He took the bread, blessed, brake and gave to them. Sud- denly their eyes were opened — the same verb used to express the opening of the understanding (vs* 45), and Jesus’ opening of the Scriptures (vs. 32). That which had olden their eyes” (vs. 16) was removed. They discerned Jesus before them in His resurrection Body. They know Him — a fact showing that though immense- ly exalted by resurrection. His identity had not been impaired. Then — so soon as clearly, fully recognized — aphantos egeneto ap^ autoon^ He was invisible to them His appearing, His allowing Himself to be recognized, and His sudden disappearing, were all mysterious. But though mysteries, they were facts; facts explained by this, that the Body in the course of, and on its way to, glorification, was completely controlled by the Spirit. This disappearance, so sudden, so unexpected, must have produced a startling effect upon the two. They must have given each other an amazed look. The recog- nition of Jesus was instant and sure. But the impres- 66 THE HOLY RESURKECTION. eion, wliich the discovery of this fact made upon them was, for a moment, obscured by the powerful impression which Jesus’ words had made upon them: ‘‘they said one to another. Did not our heart burn within us while He talked to us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures.” It was now near, or fully, dark. But the two, “rising up” at the same time from the table, and from the grave of doubt and despondency, hastened back to the city with the amazing tidings that Jesus was alive. Some place the appearance to Peter before, some after that to “the two” at Emmaus. I believe it was after; and this is my ground for this conclusion. Peter was the only one specially named by the angel in his message to the women. But that word related to an appearing in Galilee. This message he could not have received until after his own visit to the tomb. It must have been near noon when this and the other things were told the Eleven. And the words were to them as idle tales, and they be- lieved not. Nor is there any intimation that any apostle saw Jesus before the two left for Emmaus. Jesus joined them soon after starting, and was with them till near evening. There seems no place in the narratives for this appearing until after Jesus left “the two” at Emmaus. It occurred, we think, during the two hours in which they were returning to the city. And this agrees with the fact that the first intimation to the rest, of an appearing to Peter, was given late in the evening. As to the place of meeting, and as to what passed between them, the THE HOLY RESL HRECTTON. 67 Scriptures are j^rofoundly silent. It may have been in his own home, or while he was wandering about in soli- tude, agitated by conflicting hopes and fears. But it seems that Peter then received pardon as a believer, and that thus the way was cleared for him to receive restorer tion to the apostleship afterwards. (Johnxxi.) So soon as the interview ended, Peter hastened at once to the apostles, and told them the joyful news. This reanimated them. In the morning they were a scattered, in the evening, brought together by this news, a gathered flock. Happy, indeed, was that company. Soon as the two entered, their ears were greeted with, ‘‘the Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon.” Their word confirmed the fact of resurrection. But their story was not believed. Understanding not the properties of the resurrection Body, it seemed to them incredible that Jesus could have appeared to them ‘ towards evening” at Ernmaus, and immediately after, between then and their prompt return to the city. He could have appeared to Peter in the city; and have done this long enough before this meeting, for them to have been gathered together to rejoice at the glad news. They believed that He had appeared to Peter; but they also believed that it was not Himself, but His appari- tion that had appeared to the two in the village. (See Acts xii, 15 .) And this we infer from the fact that when He did appear in their midst they were terrifled, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. To that appearance we now turn. f)8 THE HOLT RESHRRECTIOIT. Jesus’ Fifth Appearance— the First Appearance TO THE Apostles. Place, Jerusalem; time, evening of the first Lord’s Day, April 9th, A. D. 30. Mark xvi, 14-18; Luke xxiv, 36-49; John xx, 19-23; 1 Cor. xv, 5. After that He appeared unto the Eleven — was seen of the Twelve. Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, and as they sat at meat — the Eleven, and them that were with them — and as they — the two disciples from Emmaus — thus spake (see close of last section of the narrative) came J esus Himself, (Jesus appeared) and stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them. Peace be unto you. Effect upon the disciples.] But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen, a spirit Jesus’ words to them.] And He said unto them,Why are ye troubled? and why do thougbts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I my- seif: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when He had thus spoken Shows His hand and feet. He showed unto them His Eats before them. hands, and His feet, and His side. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered. He said unto them. Have ye here any meat? And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and of an honey-comb. And He took it and did eat it before them. Impression of all this upon the disciples.] Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord. And He upbraided them for their unbelief and hard- ness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen Him after He was risen. Then He said unto them, Jesus speaks to them again. These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you, that all things THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 69 must be fulfilled which were written of Me — concerning ]VIe — in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms. And ye are witnesses of these things. And be- hold I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tar- ry ye in the city ot Jerusalem until ye be endowed with power from on high. Then saith He unto them again. Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent Me, even so send I you. And when He had said this. He breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them: and whosesoever sins ye retain Breathing upon them Holy Spirit \ they are retained. Then opens their understanding. ^ opened He their under- standing, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them. Thus it is written, and thus it be- hoved the Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, be- ginning at Jerusalem.^ The husteron, afterwards^ of Mark, vs. 14, refers to meta de touta^ of vs. 12mdtoihe proton^ firsts vs. 9. Mark’s, as John’s, first one was to Mary; the second one to the two on their way to Emmaus; the third was this one in the evening, which is also narrated by Luke and John, When John says this is now the third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples (xxi, 14), he passes by the appearance to Mary, which he also fully [*We have put in vss. 44-49, of Luke. But we ought to remark that the repetition of “He said,” vss. 44, 46, suggests that Luke here combines, perhaps, the last sayings of Jesus without respect to the exact time when spoken. Part were clearly spoken on the first day. But part may not have been spoken until the day of Ascen- sion. (See Godet on Luke.] 70 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. gives, and refers to the two previous appearances to the apostles on the first, and succeeding. Lord’s Day even- ings. And again, this appearance to the Eleven was really the fifth one on that day. The first one was at the sepulchre to Mary; the second one to one group of women immediately after, while they were on their way from the sepulchre to the city; the third one to the two on the way to, and at, Emmaus; the fourth one to Peter in the city, perhaps at the tomb; and this, the fifth one, was in the evening, and in a house in the city. 0 usees cun opsias tee hemeera ekeinee te£ mia toon sabbaioon theeroon kleismenoon. ‘‘beincr evening: therefore on that day the first of the week, and the doors being shut, &c.” John says the doors were shut for fear of the Jews. In that room were^ ‘^the apostles,” called by Mark ‘‘the Eleven,” by Luke and by Paul (1 Cor. xv, 5), “the Twelve” — “and others with them ” (Lukexxiv,34.) These were those whom Jesus had drawn and united to Him- self. Recognizing Him as the Messiah, and Son of God, they had a most profound reverence for His Person, and implicit confidence in His salvation. From them He chose His apostles, and thus laid the foundation of His church (Epli. i, 20). They had been witnesses of His works and words, of His life and death, and were, as those who were to His witnesses to the world, now to become witnesses of His resurrection. The apostles primarily, but not alone. For it is most important to [* “Assembled,” in J ohn xx, 1 9, is a recent insertion. It is omitted by Lachmann, Tischendorf, Tregelles, Wescott, Lange, Afford and Godet.] THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 71 notice that the narratives suggest no distinction, as made by Jesus, between the apostles and the ‘‘them that were with them,” in any word He spoke, or any act He did at that time. In these each and all shared equally. Nothing conferred upon the apostles was withheld from the rest. And in John xiii, 16-20, Luke xxii, 16, the same comprehension is seen. This seems to have been the first time that they gath^ ered together since they had been scattered, panic-stricken, by Jesus’ arrest and condemnation. Up to that day it had been all bewilderment, helplessness, uneasiness of spirit. Their courage had been somewhat revived. All who could be trusted and collected, were folded together as the family of God. They had met to talk about the perplexing events of that day. Some rays of light were struggling with the darkness. They had these un- doubted facts: the sepulchre was open, the guard had dis- appeared, the grave clothes were in orderly arrangement in the tomb, and the Bod|v was gone. They had the marvellous experiences of some women of their number. But these seemed to them incredible. To this was ad- ded Peter’s extraordinary statement that Jesus had actually appeared to him. The two from Emmaus had entered in the midst of the intense excitement caused by Peter's story, and increased it by their own still more extraordinary recital. The seeming impossibility of two appearances succeeding each other in places so far apart, cast in their minds a doubt over this story. Eager they were, but from the testimony thus far adduced una- ble, to believe in the actual restoration to life of the dead 72 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. Kedeemer. To this uncertainty add the fear of the Jews, and the darkness of the future, and you can readily see in what a perplexed and agitated condition of mind they were. To a company so honest, truth-loving, anxious for, and ready to welcome the right evidence with joy, and yet frightened and skeptical, nothing but the strong- est evidence would answer to dissipate doubt, and give intelligent and calm conviction. If J esus was risen. He must of necessity have the stigmata of the crucified. Nothing short of this evidence could satisfy their reason- able doubts. To them this evidence was given. And it was so victorious over all doubts and disbeliefs, that they became the heralds of His resurrection. The first manifestation of Jesus’ glorification was His resurrection. By the Spirit H.e had offered His flesh — ‘^which He gave for the life of the world” — which had held Him bound to this world, and like the veil of the Temple, had separated Him from His God (Heb. x, 20; ix, 9.) By the death, which had accomplished atonement^ His Body had been broken, and thus the total fulness of The Spirit which He, at His baptism, had received to dispense, could flow out. He had, in dying, laid down His sin-burdened, suffering, sorrowing life — that life which, in the present condition of man’s nature, had its determination by the state in which man lives. During life. His Body had been, by degrees, and by the indwelL ing Spirit, spiritualized. He had received the assurance that it should not see corruption. Having passed through death, it was quickened by The Spirit, and be- came, in resurrection, a spiritual Body. In rising. He THE HOLY RESUR-KECTION. 73 got back His own life, a supernatural life, which included in it the whole life in soul and body, which He now has in Heaven, and egeneto^ hecame a guickening Spirit, capable of imparting resurrection life to both body and soul. (John V.) It was as possessed of this Body and power that He now appeared to His disciples. They were sitting on the couches around the table. Apparently they were trying by iteration and re-iteration of the phrase ^‘the Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon,’’ to convince themselves of the fact. But iteration could not disturb the warmth of the burning hearts from Emmaus. While this was going on, as suddenly and as unexpectedly as He had appeared to Peter, as suddenly and as unexpectedly as all His appearances and disappear- ances after His resurrection were. He, the Kisen Man, now suddenly ephaneroothee^ appeared (Mark, vs. 14), in their midst. This verb is employed descriptively of the appearances of Jesus. It expresses the fact that they were those"* of an exalted Being. They invariably awakened within the apostles a feeling of awe and dread which even the joy could not overcome. At this time the doors were, and remained, shut. There was no other way of bodily access. Yet the Elder Brother eeltlien^ came (John, vs. 19) — the verb expresses motion into the room^ — how? none knew: whence? none could tell. He came not announced by any sight, or sound. During life His Body was so subject to The Spirit that He could [* This is not inconsistent with the foot note on page 39.] 74 THE HOLY RESURRECTIOK. walk upon the water, and be transfigured. Now it was so completely pervaded and controlled by Him that it could enter a room whose doors were shut. He came — a partial fulfillment of John xvi, 22 — ladened with the fruits of holy sorrow and suftering for them. Estee^ He stood^ en mesoo autoon (Luke, vs. 36), eis to meson (John, vs. 19), in the midst of them^ and said, ‘‘Shalom Lashem^ eireene humin^ Peace he unto youP This, His first word to them, after His resurrection — His Easter greeting — was the usual Jewish greeting. But how immensely deeper its meaning here! Before His death He had said, ‘‘Peace I leave with you.” By His death He had secured, and now was rewarded by, the fulness of this same peace. He can, and does, with the greeting, impart the gift: “By peace let your hearts be filled. Let all fear and anxiety give place to instant, full and permanent divine repose. I live. And be- cause I live, you live also. Open your hearts to receive the peace made for, and secured to you, by My death, and which 1, your Risen Master, bring.” But this assuring word, coming as it did from the well known voice, did not at once dissipate the terror which His unexpected appearance had inspired. They had witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus. But he had come forth with his natural body unchanged. But this appearance was according to the laws regulating the res- urrection body. And with these laws they had no experi- mental acqijaintance. They had never seen a spiritual body. The thought of one ever being on earth, and visible to men, was far from their ordinary thinking. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 76 They could not grasp the idea, so it seems, of J esus thus coming forth. They had not hence, been able to believe what had been told them on that day. And now, when they saw Him before them, they could have no other thought than this: that this appearance was — not pTiantasm/iy an apparition (Matt, xiv, 26 ; Mark vi, 49), but pneuma (Luke xxiv, 37), a spirit — a bodiless spirit from Hades appearing in the form of Jesus. And the, sight of one from the abode of the dead was enough to terrify them as it did. ‘^They supposed that they had seen a spirit.” And this supposition may be accounted for, from (a) what the two had said, and (b) from Jesus’ manner of enter- ing; (it seemed to them impossible for a body to enter as His had done); and (c) from the fact of the existence of the spirits of those once living, as disembodied, sep- arate, living and active. This last fact Jesus recognized and assumed in His ‘‘a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have.” It may be seen, but cannot be felt. And having that horror of bodiless spirits, which is natural, they were terrifled. ‘‘Why,” said He, “are you agitated in mind? Why do dialogismoi en tais Jcardiais^ inward disputings^ criti- cal questionings^ (Luke ix, 46; Phil, ii, 14; 1 Tim. ii, 8), take the place in your hearts of prompt and thorough recognition?” Idete^ loohy carefully investigate^ “handle Me, and see.” His object was to convince them by the senses of seeing, hearing and feeling, that the body, once slain, was really alive again, and had become a spiritual Body. Then He showed them His hands and feet, and side. 76 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. And when they saw the wounds, which He carries still, memorials forever visible to the redeemed (Eev. v, 6) evidences of that identity which He asserted — ^‘It is I MyselP’ — and proofs of the accomplishment of His aton- ing work, and of His victory over death, they were con^ vinced. This consciousness of identity conclusively shows the restoration of that life which had ceased at His death. And its commencing glorification is seen in this, that He could instantly pass from place to place, and suddenly and unexpectedly appear in a room whose doors were shut. He is conscious that He is not the same, for He says, ^^while I was yet with you’’ — and yet that He is the same — for in the full and sublime con- sciousness of identity. He said, handle Me, and see: a spirit hath not fiesh and bones, as ye see Me have.” And they handled Him (1 John i, 1, 5.) Still they hesitated, not, however, now, from doubt, but from excess of wonder and joy. To their revived faith. He said. Have you here hroosimon^ anything to eat? They gave Him from the meal already ended perhaps, a piece of a optou^ roasted fish, and — if the word be genuine — of a honey-comb.'^ He took them, and ate them before them. This action demonstrated the reality of His Body, as the scars in it did its identity with that body which had served Him during life, and had hung upon the cross. In a higher condition than formerly, and spir- itual it was, but not yet glorified. It was in a transition [*“And of a honey-comb” is wanting in Sin. Yat. Alex. Stier is in doubt. Alford brackets, but remarks, “they could hardly have been an interpolation.” Lange retains them.] TOE HOLY KESURKECTION. 77 state, and on its way to glory. It hence, possessed the attributes, partly, of both states. It could eat, yet pass through a shut door. We have no experience of this tran- sition state. We cannot, hence, form a clear conception of it. But we can grasp the fact of its existence as sure- ly as we can the fact that angels ate, and that we, in our glorified bodies, shall eat bread in the kingdom to come. (Gen. xvli; xix; Matt, xxvi, 29; Luke xxii, 16-18.) Thus Jesus g^ve them an ample opportunity to exer- cise their senses intelligently, variously and sufficently, upon the question of the reality of His presence with them alive, and in His resurrection Body. They heard, and knew His voice. They saw, and handled His form. They saw Him eat common food before them. Their doubts were removed. Their minds were tranquilized. They were glad, for they saw the Lord. Having assured them of His identity, personal reality and presence, and having seen them glad because they saw Him, and having upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, in not believing the word of them who had seen Him after He was risen. He gave them a foundation for their faith in the reality and certainty of His resurrection, more stable than even His appearance. 1st — He points out His resurrection, and the distinc- tion between His past, and His present and future rela- tions to them: ^‘These are the words which I spak^ unto you while I was yet with This word shows that in His own mind, and in factjUis disseveration from this scene of mortality, and from all ordinary intercourse with His disciples, was complete. And it is further a 78 THE HOLY RESURRECTiON. distinct declaration of the new relation which He sus- tains to the world, and to individual believers and the church, in all ages. He is with them, and yet the sep- aration is as great as is the distance between mortality and resurrection. 2d — He declares that during His pre-resurrection life He had often spoken to them these words: ^‘that all things written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning Himself, must be ful- filled ” (Comp. Matt, xvi, 21; xvii, 22; xx, 14; Mark viii, 31; ix, 22, &c.) And here, as in His talk to the two disciples on their way to Em mans. He distinctly laid the foundation of the reality of His sufferings, death and resurrection in the ^^necessity’’ of those Scriptures. These must be because God had long before so declared in the Scriptures. And these must be fulfilled. 3d — He then said unto them a second time, ^‘Peace be unto you.” This word, when spoken on His entrance, was to them as believers, and for their personal comfort, Now, it had regard to them as witnesses. Before they could be the preachers of the perfect peace which the Gospel brings, they must be filled with it, as, to, and by, the facts which they were to ])roclaim. This they now receive. Then He gave the first part of His com- mission: “In like manner as the Father hath sent Me’* — strictly speaking, the one only apostle (Heb. iii, 1) — ^^out from heaven,” so I, “in the Kingdom of resurrec- tion and reconciliation,” send you “out of it into the world into which I was sent, and out of which I went by death. I send you with equal authority, and to the THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 79 same great end, i, to go, and bear witness to Me, through the manifestation of Myself living in you, as the Father sent Me to testify of Him, and manifested Himself in Me. I send you to live, act, suffer in the world, as I have done.’’ For this mission and work He had been anointed. All that He had done, said and suffered, had been under the guidance and by the power of The Spirit. He was now tJie Kisen Son of Man. But though standing on res- urrection ground. He no more now, than during life? acts independently of The Spirit. Through Him now, and during the ^‘forty days” He gave command- ments to the apostles whom He had chosen, and spake to them of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of Grod. (Acts i, 4, 5.) Partakers, as are all His people, of His grace, and hereafter to be of His glory (for His love im- pelled, His promise obliged Him to ask this for them, John xvii), they must personally experience that it is the blessedness of man to live, act and speak by The Spirit. Witnesses of His life, and now of His resurrec- tion and recipients of His testimonies, they must become His messengers to the world, as the free and intelligent organs of the holy life of the Personal God. And fur- ther, as united to Him vitally, and as spiritual, they are to become reservoirs through which the living waters must flow forth. All this could be only by and after each one had been anointed and fllled with The Spirit from Him, as He had been from the Father. Hence, having spoken the second word of peace. He pro • ceeded to an act which showed His immediate access to THE HOLY EESURRECTION. 80 the human spirit, His absolute control over it, His ability to fill it completely with the fulness of God, and to adjust its vision, and give it spiritual discernment. He, the Hisen One, standing in (1 Tim. iii, 18), and redolent of, The Spirit, enephuseese^ breathed upon them, saying, “ receive ye Holy Spirit.’’ This act and word showed that The Spirit, who, during His own sad and suffering life, had been given Him for His own use, was now through His atonement, set free. The disciples were not only thus made partakers of His resurrection life, but also of The Spirit. The breathing was an act of divine and sovereign power. This verb is used in Gen. ii, 7(LXX) to express the action of God in imparting life and spirit to man. God’s breath of life, that is, Ituach^ The Spirit of God in His actual Personality, breathed into man’s nostrils the breath of life (Job xxxiii, 7; Is. xlii, 2), and man became a conscious, self-revealing soul. Such an in-breathing never occurs as the act of man. And this act, so direct, so real and so eflScacious, shows that Jesus was God as well as Man. The breathing into was the vehi- cle for the bestowment and reception of what took place in the act. As there was by that breathing an actual impart- ing to, and an actual receiving by, Adam, of life from the Creator, so by this, of actual Spirit from the Hisen One. They actually shared in the higher life to which He had been raised, and actually also received The Spirit. They, thus became consciously spiritual men — the first fruits of the new creation, of which Jesus is the Head, which sanc- tifies and completes the natural creation of which Jesus is the Maker. Thus The Spirit became to them, thus THE HOLY HESURRECTIOlsr. 81 ouly can He become to any, the in-dwelling Sf)Irit. Tliis in-dwelling was then, and must ever be, the prelude of, and a preparation for, the fulness. What Pentecost was to Ascension, this in-breathing was to Eesurrection^ And thus, then, and thus ever only, can He ever be the ever-present, ever-living Witness, and His in-dwelling and fulness the only ever convincing and conclusive testimony to the generations of men of the fact and power of Jesus’ resurrection. The historical fact may be received upon historical testimony. But the signifi- cance and power of the fact can be appreciated, and work its own true effect upon the consciousness of men, only when, and as testified to by those who have felt the same, and testify to it in the power of The Spirit. For, without this in-breathing, man has no more power or inclination to speak of the resurrection of Jesus, save as a bare his- torical fact, than had the clay formed into man at first, to act before the in-breathing took place. Those and those only who have been made partakers of the resur' rection life by the in-dwelling, and of power to testify by the in-filling of, The Spirit, can speak of the fact by the authority of the Risen Lqrd^ and with divine and convincing power and assurance to man. And it is this (and nothing less can do it), that invests the testify- ing work of Spirit-indwelt believers with such awful responsibilities. For what they speak is the direct tes- timony of God; and the issues depending upon its recep- tion or rejection are momentous, because eternal. 4th — By this act of inbreathing He opened their un- derstanding. The verd, dianoigoo signifies to open^ so tHE aOLY REStJRRECTlOjT. S2 as to admit a person or thing, otherwise shut out; as, open gates, to admit entrance; ears, to admit hearing; eyes, to admit light (Mark vii, 33, 36; Luke xxiv, 31: Acts xvi, 14.) He opened the understanding, that they might sunienai^ join together in the mind, compare, comprehend and see clearly, the Scriptures, in their im- port, scope, connection and significance. Thus were they enabled to pass, not over, but througli, the letter to the spirit, to understand the divine teaching concern- ing Jesus and His resurrection, to trace the sequences of things, and see how, of necessity, they must occur, see in the prophecies the roots of the facts of His death and resurrection, and consciously, and with continual fresh- ness, realize the threefold conviction of sin, of righteous- ness, and of judgment. Henceforth, the book was to them unsealed— type of that action by which, hereafter, the veil will be taken away from Israel 1 Cor. iii, 16-18. This is a statement of unspeakable value. It is a declaration that by The Spirit’s action alone can the understanding be opened so that one can understand the Scriptures, that the sword of The Spirit is the Word ot God, and that this expounded, illustrated and en- forced by the tongue of fire, is the only weapon entrusted to the church to use. This Word is the vehicle by which truth, and Jesus Himself, comes into the soul. By its own force it must overcome the prejudice and hostility which it meets. To convince the understanding and in- telligence, it must be spoken, not by ignorant or hesitat- ing witnesses (for this, like a trumpet’s uncertain sound, THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 83 could only distract), but by witness of understanding and intelligence. To move the heart it must be spoken with assurance, power and tenderness. To arouse the conscience to profound conviction, it must be announced with the profound conviction of its vital importance. And to change the soul in its receivings and actings, it must be brought into it by the power of The Spirit. For this vitally indispensable prerequisite to success in convincing men of the reality and power of Jesus’ resur- rection, the disciples were prepared by this inbreathing, and opening of the understanding. They had now the power to move the soul. They had also a true spiritual insight into the Word of God. It was revealed to them anew. They saw its meaning and force. Truth rose before their minds in all its clear simplicity and awful majesty. Jesus’ profound, far-reaching words were seen in all their divine proportions and significance. The naturally unimaginable mercy of God shown in saving men through the vicarious sufferings and death of One became a living, glorious and powerful reality — the basis on which they could preach ‘‘repentance and remission of sins” to the world. To the Apostles, these acts and words were a solemn confirmation and sealing to their apostolic office and work. But in the inbreathing, and the opening of the understanding, those “that were with them” equally shared.^ The narratives make no exception. The whole assembly shared in all the bestowments; personally, and [*A comparison of Luke xxiv, 53, with John xx, 22-24, shows this fact.] 84 THfi HOLY RESURRECTION. as representatives of the church in all ages. One fact may remove any hesitancy upon this point. By such only as have the imparted insight, and power of dis- cerning spirits, can sins be declared remitted or re- tained. This can come only from the deep personal ex- perience. Insight and power are not the prerogatives of office or position, but the heritage of all believers (2 Cor. xii. 10; 1 John iv. 1; Acts v,ll; xiii, 31; xiii, 9 &c.) When, afterwards, the authority to preach was given, none of Jesus’ followers present were excepted. All could so tell the facts and truths experimentally known, that others could experimentally know them too; and thus the word become unto them, if received by faith, ^‘a savor of life into life” (and this includes sins remit- ted), or, it rejected, “of death unto death” (and this is sins sealed). The disciples, as organs of The Spirit, could discern the effect of the word, and speak accord- ingly. They could say to those believing, “your sins have been remitted” {Greek\ to the others, “your sins are retained.” Thus they could loose, or bind, remove^ or seal, sins: “Whosoever sins ye remit, they have been remitted, and whosoever sins ye retain, they are retained. This was true then, this is true to-day, of all Spirit-in- dwelt believers. And this invests their position with an awful grandeur and responsibility. \ 5th — Having “opened the understanding to under- stand the Scriptures,” Jesus proceeded to expound these to them — perhaps in a similar way to that in which He had done this unto “the two” on that afternoon (Luke, |xxiv, 46; comp. vss. 26, 27.) Using the verb which He THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 85 constantly used, when speaking of the moral necessity in which His work and sufferings were rooted, He said ^‘Edei^ it is necessary that outoos^ thus^ in this man- ner, ton Christen^ the Christy i.e., of prophecy, should (a) suffer, and (b) be raised from the dead the third day; and (c) that in the name of this Christ repentance and re- mission of sins should be preached (d) among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Subsequently^ He said, ‘‘Ye are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the prom- ise of My Father upon you, In Jerusalem, ye shall be endued with power from on high. And this power, which was to be given to the witnesses from age to age, would work in human minds and hearts a conviction as to the reality, and a true understanding as to the import, of these facts. Thus the argument becomes complete in the human consciousness. Repentance and remis- sion of sins on the ground of these facts could not be preached, much less experienced, unless the facts them- selves were realities. And these facts were not some- thing abnormal, but occurrences that ‘^must (a) from the nature of things; (b) from the fact that centu- ries before it was thus written in the Book of God. Ho proclamation of repentance and remission of sins, based upon Jesus’ death and resurrection, had yet been made. But the Risen One declared that it would be made, first in Jerusalem, and then after that among all [* Although it cannot be positively asserted, the probabilities are that the words “Ye are witnesses, &c.,” (Luke, vss. 48, 49) were spoken upon the day of Jesus’ ascension. But because of its con- nection with the preceding verses, we treat it here.] 86 THE HOLY RESURREOTIOH. nations. Forty days after this, in Jerusalem, and ever since, among the nations, has this prophecy been in the process of fulfillment. No instruction of man could show one how, and no power of man could compel one to thus preach. This must be a matter of personal conviction. Nor could human power work conviction in the human consciousness from age to age, that the things announced were actual facts. The active agency of God must be admitted. Thus only can the fact that these are received as facts in the human consciousness, be ex- plained. The living proclamation is an ever-present, living and conclusive testimony to the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, who died for our sins, and who rose again. Jesus' Sixth Appearance-to Thomas. Time: Lord’s Day, April 16th, A. D. 30. Place; Jerusalem. In the upper room, perhaps, where the Supper had been instituted, this and the fifth appearance were given. John XX, 24-39. But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus (the twin), was not with them when Jesus came— i.^., unto the company on the night of April 9th. The other disciples therefore said unto him. We have seen the Lord. Incredulity of Thomas.J But he said unto them. Except I shall see (I see, idoo) in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe. And after eight days again. His disciples were within, and Thomas with them: Jesus’ appearance.] Then came Jesus (Jesus cometh, THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 87 erchetai)^ the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. His word to Thomas.] Then saith He to Thomas, Peach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side; and be (become, ginou) not faithless, but believing. Conviction of Thomas.] And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and my God. Jesus’ reply.] And Jesus saith unto Him, Thomas, {wanting in many Mss^ because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Thomas, a Galilaean probably, a twin — ^whose twin- sister was named Lysia, tradition says — was an early follower of J esus. He was called into the apostleship, and made an apostolic journey into India, where he founded churches, and where he suffered martyrdom. His ab- sence from the gathering of the disciples on the previous Lord’s Day could not have been involuntary, nor acci- dental. This conduct corresponds with the character- istics of him so vividly portrayed in his sayings [John xi, 16; xiv, 5; xxi, 2], and as delineated by Thorwalsden, in his famous statue of him, now in a church in Copen- hagen. There he stands, the thoughtful, meditative man, struggling through diflS.culties and doubts, weighing ev- idence, and unable to believe until powerfully convinced. The traits given of him place his character before us with a precision which belongs beside,only to Peter, John and Judas Iscariot among the twelve. A man of ar- dent temperament, generous impulses, and a loving heart, he was strongly attached to Jesus* Once, when 88 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. he saw Him face the dangers that awaited Him in Judaea and looked upon the journey as leading to total ruin, he determined to share in the peril: ‘‘let us also go, that we may die with Him.’’ His sensibilities are very acute. His reflective faculties were prominent. This made him hesitant. When decided, he was flrmly so; but he must see clearly. And he was prone to look at difficul- ties, and at the dark side of things. At Jesus’ remark, at the Supper, “whither I go, ye know; and the way ye know,” He expressed incredulous doubt as to moving a step in the unseen future, and eager inquiry how that step was to be taken: “Lord, we know not whither Thou goest, and how can we know the way?” He was the critical one among the apostles, and the embodiment of that principle, so necessary and wholesome, which in- vestigates tacts, wants to know the ground and reason, clears the field of myths and phantasies, and can let no- thing remain that is not established on a right and true foundation. He was skeptical, but honest and truth- loving. And his doubting was the result of his deep earnestness and longing after truth. He must have re- ality. He would not receive a lie. But the truth, so soon as known, was welcomed gladly, and held firmly. Jesus’ Divinity had been accepted by Him as a fact. But the idea of a suffering and dying Christ was to him totally incompatible with the idea of Divinity. Hence the sufferings and death of Jesus were a more dreadful shock to his faith than to his affections. It staggered under these blows. Doubts followed. Then his faith became a heap of ashes — under which, however, smoul- THE HOLY RESUKKECTION. 89 dered some fire. He could not explain tlie empty tomb, but he did not believe in the resurrection. Hence, he could not meet with the disciples. Isolation, not com- panionship, suited his state of mind. When, after the meeting, the disciples told him of Jesus’ appearance to the assembly, their word should have been, but was not, sufficient ground for him to rest faith upon. He doubted not their honesty of conviction or word, but he distrusted their understanding. Their joy seemed to him unreal. Sitrlit and touch alone would convince him that the ap- pearance was that of a real body, and that body Christ’s. To their oft-repeated saying, “We have seen the Lord,” he broke out in the oft-repeated reply, which is a certain index of the disquietude of unbelief, an expression of the vehemence of his doubt, and consequent poverty and helplessness. And it, at the same time, shows how vivid was the picture which his mind retained of his Master’s form, as he had seen Him lifeless on the cross:. “Except I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, ou mee pistuoOy I will noty I can- not bdieve.^^^ Their senses were as sound, their intellects were as clear, their spiritual discernment was as true as his own. His unbelief, therefore, arose from self-will, and so was sinful. So also was his daring to demand a certain kind of evidence, ix.y his own action upon Jesus, as a neces- [*Thomas may have heard from John of the stigmata^ or he may have been present at the crucifixion. If the latter, then the re- mark on the top of page 237 of the “Holy Death” must be corrected.] THB HOLY RESURBEOTION. 90 sary preliminary to believing. But he could not wholly break away from the power of their word, nor could he extinguish the love of his own heart to Jesus. Tossed, hence, between the conviction of his understanding, and the love and fidelity of his heart, he, during that week — while the other disciples were resting in peace, and en- joying the gift of The Spirit — was walking about, or re- maining at home, solitary and sad, contending with doubts, and seeking outward evidences. One good result of this week’s experiences, however, appeared. He was willing to be at the next weekly gath- ering of the disciples. This was on the second Lord’s day of history, April 16th, A.D, 30. The assembling shows that already that day was regarded as holy. And Jesus’ appearance to the assembly puts upon the day special emphasis and honor. Thomas was there, humbled and penitent. The record does not inform us whether there was an expectation of a recurrence of the visit of the previous Lord’s Day or not. The doors were shut. Suddenly, Jesus erchetai^ oomethj Tcai estee, and stood in their midst, and said, ^‘Peace be to you” all, especially to you, Thomas: for he had not that peace which Jesus’ presence and word had imparted to the others, and which faith had received. Then (eita presently) turning to him, the doubting, and so hindering one of the company, as if this had been the special object of His appearance. He uttered the words which convey as strongly the sense of condemnation and tender reproof, as those of Thomas had shown the sense of hesitation and doubt: ‘‘Thomas, 'pherey bring thy finger hoode^ hither^^ — a particle which THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 91 intimates that Jesus Himself pointed, while speaking, to His own wounds — ^^kai ide^ and see^'* i,e.^ investigate, and through the senses make sure of, hands;” — a reply, this, to Thomas’ ‘^except I see in His hands the print of the nails” — ^^and bring thy hand and thrust it in My side” — an answer to Thomas’ ^‘except I thrust my hand into His side,” and a phrase indicating that the opening was wide and deep enough to put the hand into; and mee ffinou, become not^ apistos^ unbelieving^ but be- lieving, i,e,^ as a condition of mind (Gal. iii, 6), and as to the essential point, resurrection, and all it implies and involves. The phrase indicates that Thomas was at that critical point where he could not stop, but must go on until he passed into perfect peace, or into total unbelief. Jesus’ knowledge of Thomas’ previous and present words and spirit, came not from His omniscience — for He had not yet ascended — but from the Father by The Spirit (John vii, 17; viii, 26, 28, 38.) To Thomas it was a startling revelation. Jesus’ manner of entrance, salutation, form, looks, voice, challenge, and the marks of suffering and mutilation immutably impressed upon His resurrection Body, were proofs most indisputable that it was the same Body which had hung upon the cross. The repetition of his own words, spoken only in the hear^ ing of his fellow disciples, the address to the thought of his heart,* and especially the infinite, reviving, and heart-teaching love towards Irim, all combined with the external to produce upon Thomas immediate and most [*See John i, 48-50, for another example.] 92 THE HOLY EESURREGTION. profound conviction. The truth shone in upon him with sudden splendor. Senses, intellect and heart were in- stantly and fully satisfied. All doubts disappeared. The Divine Man stood betore him. His conviction of this fact was deeper and stronger than that of the other apos- tles. He had said, unless I thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe.’’ But asked to do this, he does it not. He is convinced without it. He has found his Lord again. V ictory over death and the grave has aroused and inspired his worship. He bounded at a spring from the depth of despondency to the height of Joy. In one exclamation — whether an address, or a description, it was said to Jesus — -he poured forth his perfectly satisfied adoration, his profoundest feeling, clearest perception and victorious faith: ‘Mehovah, Adonai, my Lord and my God.” This formula, in the Old Testament, belonged exclu- sively to the Creator. In the mouth of an apostle, it always referred to J esus. And the words, while they show how the disciples understood- the phrase, ‘^Christ, the Son of God,” are a far higher assertion of Jesus’ Divin- ity than any other of the apostolic age. In the appro- priative, soul-satisfying word of faith, ^^My,” Thomas declares the identity of the Eisen with the Crucified. He who now stood before him, was, he said. He whom he had worshipped before. And this word shows — for ^‘none can say that Jesus is the Lord but by The Spirit” ■ — that Thomas had received The Spirit without, as the ten had through, the breathing. The Son of Man became Man that men might find the living God in His human- ^ESXTS APP EARS TO THOMAS. The Temple Wall. This, the oldest existing rednains in the citj^y formed part of the rampirts of the Ancient Wall of Jerjusalefn. / THE HOLr REStTRRECTION. 93 ity. From resurrection, and the open, bloodless wounds, Thomas was convinced of the fact. The church has ever since been struggling towards, and trying to spell out, the words he spoke. And his has been the faith of all be- lievers since — a faith not formulated in cold dogmas, but coming forth spontaneously from living souls. Jesus saith unto him,*“because, eooralcaSj pejpisteukas^ thou hast seen^thou hast helieved'^^ — art become a believer, art in possession of complete and intelligent faith. The perfect tense indicates that the present faith, grounded on the whole past, is genuine. And the words of Jesus which follow, the goal of the development of faith in the circle of those then believing, was the starting point for faith on earth: ^^Blessed are they who have not seen, yet have believed.” This is not a condemnation of sight. For Jesus had shown Himself to others, and they had seen. And unless some had seen, there could be no testi- mony to the fact. But it is a word of encouragement to those who could not see. ^‘Blessed are those” of all coming generations, at any point in the future, ‘^who having not seen Me” in the flesh, have yet, upon the testi- mony of those who have seen Me, have ^‘believed.” Jesus’ Seventh Appearance. Persons, seven disciples ; Place, Lake of Galilee, called also the Sear of Tiberias ; Time, April-May, A.D. 30. Matt, xxviii, 16; John xxi, 1-24. Then, after these things, the Eleven went away into Galilee. [*“Thomas,’‘in vs. 29 of E. V., is wanting in the best manuscripts, and is omitted by Tisch., Treg., Alf., God.. Mey., Lange,West., Hort.] 94 THE HOLY RESURRECTIOK. And Jesus shewed (manifested, ephaneroosen) Him- self again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias; and on this wise (in this manner), showed (manifested) He Him- self. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas, called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Oana in Galilee, and James and John^ the sons of Zebedee, and two other (others, alloi) of His disciples, Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him. We also go {come^ erchometha') with Thee. They went forth, and entered into a (the, to) ship,* and (in, en) that night they caught nothing. But when the morning was now come (morning was already coming on, prooias de Tiedee genomenees) day was breaking, R. V.,) Jesus stood on the Jesus suddenly pres- ) shore; but the disciples knew ent on the shore. J not that it was Jesus. Then saith Jesus unto them. Children, have ye any meat (anything to eat, ti prosptiagion) ? They answered Him, No. And He said unto them. Oast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. Success following obedience.] They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of (the, toon) fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s {outer) coat about him (for he was naked), and did cast himself into the sea. But {de) the other disciples came in a (the, too) little ship (boat, ploiarioo\ (for they were not far from land, but as it were — only about — two hundred cubits), dragging the net with (full of, R.V.) fishes. As soon, then, as they were come to land (so when they got out upon the land, R. V.), they saw (see, hlepousin) a fire of \^Eutlius^ immediately, of T.E., is wanting in the best Mss., and is omitted by most critical commentators.] TfJE HOLr EESURiCECTlOJS. 96 coals there, and fish laid (lying, epikeirneno iC) thereon, and bread. Jesus saitli unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up (on boaid), and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net brok- en (rent eschisthee). They breaklast with Jesus.] Jesus saith unto them, come and dine-j* (breakfast, aristeeeate.) And none of the disciples durst ask Kim, Who art Thou? knowing that it w^as the Lord. Jesus then coineth and taketh the brea:l, and giveth them, and the fisli likewise. This is now the third time^ that Jesus showed Him- self (was manifested, epharieroothee)^to His disciples after that He was risen from the dead. So when they had dined (breakfasted), Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son ot Jonas, (John, looannou^^') lovest {agapas) thou Me more than them? He saith unto Him, Yea, Lord; Thou knowest that I love (^philoo) Thee. He saith unto him. Feed {boske) My lambs. He saith unto liim again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, (John) lovest {agapas) thou Me? [\Arutaoo. signiiies to take any meal, except dinner or supper, also the lunch before the deipnon^ supper was the chief meal of tlie day. Here it is the early, or morning meal.] [*Not the third appearance, (for John records three others,)but the third to the apostles. John gives the other two in ch. xx. These we have considered. These manifestations reported by John are summed up by Paul thus : “Then of the Twelve.” 1 Cor. xv, 5.] [**T!ie looana here, and in i, 42, of T. K., must give way to looannouy according to the best critical authorities. See Dr. Schaff’s footnote on the two passages.] 96 THE HOLY RESUR-RECTION. He saitli unto Him, Tea, Lord; Thou knowest that I \oYQ {^philoo) Thee. He saith unto him. Feed (tend, poimain^ My sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas (John) lovest (^philies) thou Me? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me? And he said unto him, Lord, Thou knowest {oidas) all things; Thou knowest (per- ceivest clearly, ginooskeis) that I love iphiloo) Thee. Jesus saith unto hyn. Feed Qjoske) my sheep (sheep- lings, ta prohatio). Verily, verily, I say unto thee, when thou wast young thou girdest thy self, and walkeds whither thou wouldest: but when thou shale be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake lie signifying by what (kind of, poioo) death he should (was to) glorify God. And when He had spoken this. He saith unto him, Follow Me. Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on His breast at (the, too) Supper, and said, Lord, which is he thatbe- trayeth Thee? Peter (therefore, ounf^) seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do (or. But how will it be with him, outos de ti)\ Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till 1 come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me. Then, therefore, went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die (dieth not, ouk apothneskei). yet Jesus said not unto him. He shall not die (dietli not); but, if I will that he tarry till 1 come, what is that to thee? This is the disciples which testifieth of these things. [^Oun is a re iding adopted by all the critical edd.] tHE HOLY KESTJEREOTION. 97 and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true. John xxi has occasioned some critical discussion. It appears like, and by some critics is declared to be, an addenda. Some say it may be, others that it is not such. But its genuineness and authenticity appear well estab- lished.* And it has been ever received by the Church as a part of the sacred Scriptures. It is quite often remarked that the apostles lingered in Jerusalem from a want of faith. But ten of the El- even had, on the day of Jesus’ resurrection, such con- vincing proof of the fact that no subsequent appearing could make it more certain. Their conviction is seen in the calmness of the word to Thomas ^‘We have seen the Lord.” They could not, hence, doubt but that He would meet them, as He had said, in Galilee. The fact is that their leaving the city during the Pass- over week, would have been a wound to their own deep religious convictions, and a shock to those of their coun- trymen. That week closed on Saturday evening. They would not leave on the Lord’s Day, to them already an holy day. On the day that Thomas’ unbelief was wholly removed, they could return an unbroken company And immediately afterwards they started for Galilee. Thither the resurrection story leads our steps. Meta tauta^ after these things — i,e,^ those which had wrought conviction ot Jesus’ resurrection in the minds of the disciples — they witnessed Jesus faithfulness to [*See Lange in Loco^ Trench, On Mir^ note xxiii.] 98 THE HOLY RESURREC'nON, His word, will go before you’’ — -the flock — ‘flnto Gali- lee.” The words intimate that many days had passed since ‘‘these things,’^ and that the disciples had time to think, in the quiet of Galilee, calmly, clearly, fully upon what ^ they had seen and heard. Jesus* again ephanerosin eauton^ manifested Himself to His disciples. This word, as used of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances, in- dicates (a) that they were always by a distinct act of His will; that the disciples did not, as during His life, see Jesus, but that He appeared to them; and (b) that He was visible to them only when He Himself, pleased to be. He did not now appear in order to prove that He had risen, but to instruct them in their duties, and to assure them of His blessing, as Risen, in their work for Him,, and in their daily toil. This last was the object of the appearance by the sea of Galilee; and the object of the one on the mountain in Galilee, was to give His people the Great Commission. All the Galilaean appearances occurred during the latter part of April and first part of May, A.D. 30. After these things Jesus showed, not His wounds, but Himself. And in this manner {Grk.) manifested He Him- self. The disciples, — who may have been Aristion, and the John of whom Fapias speaks as an old disciple of Je- sus (Godet) — and five apostles, were together. These five were Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, Thomas, called Didy- mus, Peter, and the two sons of Zebedee. James and [* Alford omits the name. But no good reason can be given. It is found in B. C. Sin. Alex. Vat., and is retained by Tisch., Treg., Lange, Godet, Westcott and Hort.] ^ttE /iOLY RESUKRECTION. John are well known. We have already given a sketch of Thomas. Nathaniel, (whose name is equivalent to Theodore, a gift, or given of God), was a native, or resi- , dent, of Cana, in Galilee. lie was, by one who could read the heart, specially characterized as a man of most guile- less disposition, and of unswerving truthfulness — a char- acter rarely paralleled in the Scriptures (John i, 47.) One of those devout Jews who had listened to John Baptist, he became one of the first six disciples of Jesus. This was within a week after His (Jesus’) victory over Satan, and on the second day after John had pointed Him out as the Lamb, and as the Son of God. Jesus’ answer to a remark of his showed him that He had heard his unuttered prayer, and so must be able to read his secret thoughts. He immediately confessed Him as the Son of God and King of Israel (John i, 46). If he be the one mentioned under the patronymic Bartholomew, and this is now generally admitted,^ he was one of the twelve apostles. His name appears no more until here, as one of the seven who, after a night of fruitless toil, were witnesses of the miraculous draught of fishes, and of Jesus’ seventh post-resurrection appearance. They were together to engage in their ordinary life- calling. Peter said, “I go a fishing” — not for pastime, but for livelihood. The rest said “we come with thee.” They went forth from the place they were to that sea which would vividly remind them of their now Risen Lord. At once they entered the fishing boat, put off from pSee note of Dr. Schaff in Lange^ on John i, 45.] loo THE HOLY RESURRECTION. shore and spent the night (the most favorable time for catching fish, Luke v, 5), in catching — nothing. This scene is most prosaic. The men had passed through most extraordinary and amazing experiences. But not a trace of fanaticism, or unhealthy excitement can be detected in their deportment. Their minds were in a most healthy state, or they could not have passed this night in managing boats and dragging a net. They could act calmly and intelligently. Such men could not be easily deceived by fancies or myths. Such men, seek- ing to earn a livelihood by the honest and laborious toil of fishing, were not the men to construct a vast system of falsehood in order to impose it upon the credulity of mankind. When the morning was breaking, or had already dawned — for the text wavers between ginomenees and genomenees — Jesus stood on the shore, distant about one hundred yards. The fishers saw Him, but did not know who it was. Unseen He may be near. Unknown He may talk with us. ^‘Young men {paidia)^^ said He, ‘^have you any relish to eat with the morning bread or breakfast?’’ for this is what prosj>hagion signifies; and fish was regarded as such a relish. This question, which anyone who needed a breakfast relish might ask of any fisherman, shows J esus’ genuine human interest. ^‘No,” they replied, showing that they did not recognize His voice. ^^Oast in your net on the right side of the ship, and you shall find,” said He — a remark suggesting that the net had been drawn up into the ship, and that they had stopped fishing. They acted upon His suggestion. When the mornin^ wns now come. Jesn.e stood on llie shore. IT IS THE LORD. THE HOLY RRSURRECTION. 101 This shows the ascendency of the Unknown Man. And their obedient faith in His word had an abundant reward. So full was the net of fishes that they were not able to draw it up into the ship. The night of toil was followed by a morning of joy. And this magnificent draught may possibly have suggested the immense success which would follow their preaching when they become fishers of men. This scene recalled to John another similar morning scene on this same sea and shore, two years before, April. May, A.D. 28. Then, as now, the disciples, after a night of fruitless toil, let down their net in obedience to Jesus’ word, and caught a multitude of fishes. Then Jesus called four of His disciples to become fishers of men. The coincidence struck J ohn. He began, perhaps, to recall the tones of voice. Suddenly the fact flashed across his mind, and he expressed it to Peter, ‘‘It is the Lord.” John contemplates, and divines. His eagle eye of love is the first to recognize. But Peter is the first to act, and that, too, with characteristic promptness and energy. Being naked, except the garment next the skin, which decency demanded — a sight common in the East to this day — he, out of proper respect for Jesus, put on his ependuteen^ upper tunic (the garment worn between the inner tunic and outer coat, his fisher’s blouse; which was without sleeves, and extended to the knee), and girt it fast, so that he could swim freely. Then he jumped into the lake, and swam to shore. The rest followed in a small boat, dragging the full net with them. They found on the shore, when they reached it, a fire of coals, and THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 103 this and the subseqaent appearances (save the one to James, His brother, which was for his conviction and conversion), point forward, and are the pledge and prom- ise of His abiding presence and actings in His church, by His Spirit, for all time. This one was, generally for all the disciples, and specially for Peter. It was to the former a manifestation of His confidence and love, of His recognition of their bodily needs, of His abiding interest in the daily calling and toil of His own, and of the true honor which He sets on that toil. It was His showing them symbolically, (a) through the draught of fishes, the success of their preaching; and (b) through tlie repast that He had provided, (1) that, in His work, they might depend upon Him for both spirit- ual and temporal assistance, and (2) — in asking them to bring of tlie fish which they had caught — -that the sat- isfying of their needs would depend upon the concurrence of the two factors, (a) His blessing and aid, and (b) their faithful work ‘Thou shalt eat of the labor of thy hands ” (Ps. cxxviii, 2.) He, in this action, pointed out the unity and harmony of the physical and spiritual creation. And He also thus made known, through this symbol, too, such important truths as these: the difference between cast- ing the net on the one side of the ship where nothing but exhaustion comes from the toil, and the casting of it, ill obedience to His command, upon the other side and having it full, as the result; the dependence for blessing and succe5S,in any enterprise, upon His presence, and obedience to His word; and the assurance that He proposes, has ready, and gives to His people a morning 304 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. meal before He sends them out to work for Him. It was to Peter a time and event of transcendent im- portance. And the resemblance between the present and previous scenes in his life is very marked. He had re- ceived a call to the ministry after a miraculous draught of fishes. This was now after a similar draught restored to him. He had lost his office from his denial by a fire of coals. By this confession now, by another fire of coals, he regains it. Breakfast being over, a conversation fol- lowed between Jesus and Peter. Of his sin in denying Jesus he had, on the night of its occurrence, repented most bitterly. He had been specially named by the angels as one to whom the Risen Redeemer would appear. Doubtless, during the appearance to him alone on the evening of the resurrection, he had been pardoned. Now he was restored to the apostleship. Thrice ad- di •essing him by his name, Simon, son of John, which would recall to him his natural state (see page 95), out of which Jesus had brought him, into which again his fall had plunged him, and from which grace had a second time rescued him, He put that question, thrice repeated,^ which goes to the very core of the subject, [*We give, in parallel columns, the Questions. 1. Lovest thou Me more than these? 2. Lovest, agapasy thou Me? 3. Lovest, phi- leiSy thou Me? Answers. Yea, Lord Thou know- est that I love Thee. Yea, Lord, Thou know- est that I love Thee. Lord, Thou knowest all things. Thou know- est that I love Thee. Commands. Feed My lambs. Feed my sheep, probata. Feed my sheep- lings, probitia. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. . 105 which Peter alone could answer, and which, together with his replies, are the counterpart of his three-fold temptation and denials: Simon, son of John, agapas^ lovest thou Me more than these? This verb, agapas^ describes the love eternal, unchange- able, and pure, which belongs to God, and also the reverential love grounded on high graces of character, which the child of God should ever bear and cherish towards Him, and towards his fellow men (Matt, xxii, 37, 39, QtU). It points to the love of the will, that pure and perfect affection which includes veneration, reverence, and the deepest subjection to the object loved. And this love has the highest value — ^^more than these.” This phrase, pleion toutoon^ may refer to the subject loving, or to the object loved. It is exegeti- cally, the former. ^‘Do you, Peter, who said,‘though all shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended,^ love Me more than you love these, your brethren?” This question, while gently reminding Peter of his boast, and fall, gave him an opportunity to speak out honestly his real sentiments with purified confidence and reverent joy. This appeal was direct and sudden. Peter felt its force. Put unembarrassed by it he promptly replied. Agapas was a height to which he could not conscientious- ly rise. But he used a word which came out clear, full and strong from the depths of his consciousness: ‘^Yea Lord, philoo^ I love Thee.” This verb expresses the personal love of human affection and relationship. He draws no comparisons. Yet conscious of his own weak- 106 THE HOLl RESURRECTION. ness, and with an implied self-distrust that is beautiful, he appeals to Jesus’ profound and personal knowledge of the heart: ^^Thou knowest that, despite my errors, faults and fails, I have a true personal love for Thee.” Do you love J esus ? This is the root-question. This is the true pivot upon wiiich everything must turn. Hence, Jesus, having said, “Feed My lambs,” puts the question a second time: agapas^ lovest thou Me? A second time Peter replies philoo^ I love Thee, Thou knowest. God must be the object of philein. before He can be the object of agapan And in his second use of philoo^ Peter is evidently struggling to rise consci- ously from i\iQ philein^ which he has, to the agapan. Then Jesus having told him to feed His sheep, puts the question the third time. But now, as if to help Peter up. He comes down to his word: ‘^phileis Mee^ lovest thou Me% Do you have towards Me the love of per- sonal affection?” This seemed a severe thrust. It apparently called in question not the reality, but endurance of, philein^ the personal affection, the lower kind of attachment which he had claimed. It was an appeal to his most self-penetrative knowledge. Its object was to deepen his consciousness of his fall, and to recall both the proud presumption with which he had overvalued himself, and the cowardly debasement with which he had so shame- fully denied his Lord. And this, not to lacerate the wound afresh, but to produce genuine humility. And this it did. Peter was sorrowful (Greek). With very deep feeling, he, I'Qr the third time, repeated his oidas THE HOLY RESUHPECTION. 107 Thouhnowest all thingSj&c. This verb signifies the actual perception of an object, (a) by the senses, (b) by the mind. Thou hast from Thyself (perfect, middle), an ac- tual perception of tapanta^ all things. Thou perceivest, and hast perceived. My heart, and every fact and feature of my life, my fall, my penitence. And from this percep- tion, ginoosTcefs^ Thou hast come to Tcnow^ hast gained a knowledge of the fact — for this is the force of this verb — ^‘that I love Thee.” Thus Peter opened his whole heart to Jesus’ inspection. And Jesus, in the word, ‘^the time is coming when thou must choose between denial and confession, and when confession will be death,” showed Peter how certainly He knew all things. To Peter’s thrice-repeated answer Jesus gave a thrice- repeated commission. The first one was, ioslce ta arnia moib^ feed my little lambs. They, first and most of alb need nourishment; not discipline so much as abundance of good and wholesome food, given from a loving heart and by a loving hand. And Jesus used the verb boske^ which signifies simply to feed^ and implies personal care in the feeding. The second one was, poimaine ta probata.^ feed My sheep. This is a higher and more comprehensive verb than boskej lead, like a shep- herd leads a fiock. It includes the whole idea and office of the shepherd, leading, guiding, feeding. Here the pastoral care and oversight are declared to be an equally important office with the gathering in. ‘‘Feed My probata.^ sheep.^'^ The sheep, and also the lambs, belong to Jesus. Peter shows us (1 Epis. v, 2*4), how deeply he had learned this lesson, and how careful he 108 THE HOLY RESUKRECTION. was even in tlie words he uses to recognize this fact. And when any preacher dares to take that word into liis mouth and say, church,’’ ^4ny flock,” he, if the church is really one ot Christ’s, shocks the instincts of the spiritual mind, and robs Jesus of His rights. The pastor is simply a shepherd, and he should feel and rec- ognize this fact as much in the w^ords he uses as in the duties which he performs. He is to feed the full-grown sheep ; also prohitia^ (the read- ing of A.B,0. Sin.Yat., and adopted by Tisch., Treg., Alf., Lange, Godet), the little sheep^ i.e.y those half-grown, (a term expressing tenderneis), and arnia^ the little lainhSy i,e,y the children and the little ones in faith and spirit- ual growth. He is hosheiny to feed y Le.y give the most personal care to the whole flock, not over- looking any, and poiinamein^leady like a shepherd, into the green j)astures, by the quiet waters of grace, and under the shelter of the Man who is a hiding place from the storm, and a refuge from the tempest. The study of the Epjis- tles, and especially of Acts xx, 28, with the context from VS.18, on, shows how thoroughly the apostles had learned this great lesson, and how constantly, and conscien- tiously they acted upon it. John undoubtedly gives the exact words. And these, with the narrative in which they are embedded, suggest Jesus’ object in putting these questions. We repeat. His prayer had kept Peter’s faith from failing. His look had melted Peter’s heart to contrition. His ap- pearance to Peter had given assurance of forgiveness and restoration of soul. He would now restore him to THE HOLY itESUKHEC'TiON. lOS tile apostlesliip, to the place where, being converted,, he could strengthen the brethren and glorify God by his death — a privilege which he had forfeited by his unbelief and denial. But love to Jesus, and voluntpuy self-devo- tion, are indispensable conditions or pre-requisites, on which ministry for Jesus depends. Therefore these questions were put. They were rightly answered. Je- sus, therefore, in His commission, ‘^Feed, &c.,’’ restored him to the place in the apostolate which he had for- feited by his fall. Another object was the emancipation of Peter from the thraldom of self. The sharply incisive questions opened to Peter the depths of his own being. He saw that love was there, but that it came not from himself, but from grace, upon wliich also the continuance and growth were dependent. Thus was he taught, and filled with, humility. Thus he saw the folly of any confidence in the flesh. Thus he learned to cling only and always to Jesus for all. And he now knew that be could feed the lambs, and be shepherd over the flock, as Jesus would have the v/ork done, only by being filled with love, and by drawing all his supplies from God. And another object yet was to prepare him for the trial and death so painful to the flesh, so abhorrent to the will, wliich were before him. Jesus constituted him a witness in the full power of a martyr-faith. In the wo)ds, ‘‘thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and an- other shalt gird thee, and carry thee whither thou would- est not,” He signified to him by what death he should glorify God. To this end he pledged strength to serve no THE HOLY RESURREOTlOit, without fear of a second denial, and grace to die as a martyr should. And such a lesson would lead Peter for- ever from all egotism. To call into present exercise the consciousness of this self-surrender, Jesus said to him, ^^Follow Me” — in the power of resurrection, in the path of testimony and sufE- ering, by the way of the cross, to the rest in which that path ends, and to the glory to which that resurrection leads. And thus He now, in spirit, makes good that promise given him at the Supper: ‘^Whither I go thou canst not follow Me now\ but thou shalt follow Me afterwards ” (John xiii, 36.) Soon as Jesus had spoken these words he commenced withdrawing from the company. Peter, taking the words in a literal sense, proniptly followed. Turning about he saw John — who, having heard the words as though addressed to himself, was also following behind — and asked,^^Lord, and what shall this man do?” We hear the answer, which says that some will die before, and others will tarry till. He comes. We see in Peter, who soon suffered martyrdom, and in John, who lived to be very old in the service of Jesus, two types of ministry, one, those who testify by martyrdom, the other, those who testify by speech and by pastoral activity. We see Jesus and the two going on. And though in Matthew we have another appearance, and in Luke ascension, yet in John this is the last glimpse we get. On the eye follows them until they are out of sight, and Jesus has gone up to heaven. THE HOLT RESURBECTION. Ill Jesus’ Eighth Appearance. To the Eleven, and to above five hundred at once. Place : On a mountain in Galilee. Time : April-May, A.D. 30. Matt, xxviii, 16-20; Mark xvi, 15-17 ; 1 Cor. xv, 6* Alter that He was seen of above five hundred breth- ren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present (i.e., about twenty-five years after the Ascension) but some are fallen asleep. Then the Eleven disciples went .... into a (the, too) mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him; but some doubted (hesitated). And Jesus came and spake (having come, spake,) unto them, saying. All power (authority, exousia) is given unto Me in ien) heaven, and in {on^ epi) earth. Go ye therefore into all the world and preach Qceerugate) the gospel to every creature: and teach (make disciples of, matheetuesate) all (the, ta) nations, baptizing them in the name (into the name, eis to onoma) of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: He that be- lieveth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that be- lieveth not shall be damned (katahritheesetai) : Teaching {didasTcontes) them to observe all things whatsoever 1 have commanded you. And these signs shall follow them that believe: in My name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they sliall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. And lo, I am with you always (all the days pasas tas heemeras)^ even unto the end of the world (of the age, tou aioonas). Amen. This was the chief and most decisive meeting of Jesus with His disciples after His resurrection. It was the 112 THE HOLY RESHRRECTIOK. only meeting which, with its time and place, He had ap- pointed; and its importance, significance and solemnity were very great. There the’Ohnrch received her great commission. Mark speaks only of, Matthew gives special promin- ence to, the Eleven. But the solemnity of the discourse seems befitting only to an assembly which would rep- resent the entire infant Church. The promise of this meeting, given before His death, evidently respects the gathering together of the fiock scattered by His death (Matt, xxvi, 31, 32.) This promise, repeated on the morning of His resurrection when He had made the ap- pointment, and mentioned also by the angels (Matt, xxviii, 7, 10), was given to the women, who also, cer- tainly, were included in it, and who were told to tell it to the disciples, whom Jesus calls My brethren (John XX, 17). This appointment, and the fact of His res- urrection, would be rapidly circulated among all the faithful.* All who could would be gathered eis to oros, to the mountain where etaxato autois He had ajojoointed them. For His word was, ‘^kahei mee opsontai^ there shall they see MeP And the universal conviction of the church in all ages has been that then and there were gathered the more than five hundred brethren of whom Paul, twenty-five years later, speaks, as having seen, at one time, Jesus alive, and part of whom were living when he wrote.^ The mountain on which this assembly gathered is [*See Stier’s admirable remarks. Word^ of Jesus, viii, 278.] THE HOLY HESURHECTION. 113 unknown. Perhaps it was Tabor, perhaps the mount of Beatitudes, where the Sermon had been delivered, and which was near the sea of Tiberias. But whatever the mountain, there they assembled, and there ophthee (Paul), He was seen by the eye.* And idontes auton^ having seen, Le,^ having perceived Him, by the senses knew Him. His majesty was so apparent, showing that He presented Himself in the glory of His divinity as well as in His exalted humanity, that they ^‘worshipped:’’! hoide^hut some few, not of the Eleven, but of the others, doubted, we are frankly told. The some doubted, hesitated, not whether Jesus was arisen, but whether this was Jesus. Then, prosalthoon — elal- eleen — legoon (words belonging to the majesty of His appearance), Jesus, having come nearer to them, to all, especially to those who doubted, spahe^ saying^ and His presence and words took away all doubt. The consciousness of His position as King and Judge, as well as Saviour, must have stamped itself on His face, and appeared in His bearing, as well as in H’is words. His themes were of commanding importance: His exaltation and lordship, as Messiah; the conversion of the nations, and their discipling by the testimony of men; and their obedience to Him. He issues great commands, and gives boundless promises. To Him, as Eternal Son^ power was given from eternity (Matt, xi, 27) ; and now it is given to Him as God«Man, obedient Servant and [*The verb is from the obsolete verb, a^to^ from ops, the eye.] [^AutOy Him, because wanting in B. C. Sin., and other vers., is omitted by the best critics.] lli THE HOLY RESURHEOTIOK. / Risen Lord. And as such, He, with ascension, took full possession of that glory which, as Eternal Son,He had be- fore the world began. To Him, as Jesus, edothee pas- exousiaj all authority was given, and all power to ex- ecute it, ^‘in heaven,’^ where is the origin, ground and seat of His dominion, ^^and on earth,’’ where this author- ity and power are to be exercised over nature aud over all flesh (Matt. ix. 27; Jolm xiii, 3; xvii, 2.) Thus does He represent Himself as Lord of Heaven and of earth, and deelai'e (a) that universal lordship i§ in His hand, and (b) that He exercises the kingly office of pow- er, as of grace. And because of this He claims the dis- cipleship and obedience of all nations. ‘^Go ye” {oun^ therefore^ Matt, is not genuine). He said, to the church which He had already founded on the confession of His Person. As at Pentecost He poured out The Spirit on the whole assembled church, so here, not to the apos- tles alone, but to all — for no discrimination is made — He commits these instructions for the world’s evan^el- ization. ‘^Go ye",” seeking to bring the world into will- ing and loving subjection to Me; by truth as the only weapon, by persuasion and conviction of the truth as the only ground in the heart. ^^Go ye into all the world” — progressive, penetrating, unresting, unlimited move- ment this — ‘^and preach the Gospel.” That is, every- where announce My life, death, resurrection and salva- tion (1 Cor. XV, 1-6), Do not preach at, around, away from, or something else for, it, but it itself. Teaching is for the saved (Tit. ii, 11, 12). The gospel is for sin- ners. Do not teach doctrines labeled the gospel. But THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 115 preach the glad tidings of grace in all their fulness, comprehensiveness and tenderness. Preach them with simplicity and fervour, and with all that clearness and profound conviction of their importance and blessedness which will carry conviction to understanding, conscience and heart. Preach them ‘^to every creature.” Tell every ♦ human being that My salvation is for him if he will have it. Tell every one the consequences of not believ- ing, and of believing and being baptized. Tell also of the signs that parakoloutheesei^, shall proceed along with all them that believe. (Matt, xvi, 17.) The gospel must precede, and is a condition of the making disciples of all nations. The verb, matheeteuoo^ (in E.Y., teaGh^\^ used transitively, in N.T., to make a disciple of one (John iv, 1; Matt, xiii, 2-; xviii, 20; xxvii, 57; Acts xiv, 21; x, 41.) It marks the point where one who has not been, is, under the preaching of the gospel, willing to become, a disciple. This is shown in his being baptized, or if he has been baptized in in- fancy, in recognizing the parental act as his own. Hav- ing brought them to this point, how to make disciples, by leading them to be willing to become disciples, Jesus goes on to say, haptizonte^" participle), baptizing them eis to onoma^ into the name (Matt, xviii, 50), as into Christ, &c. (Rom. vi 3; Gal. iii, 27). The eis to &c., means (a) the element in which, (Mark i, 9; Rom. vi, 3, 4), (b) the object to which (Matt. [*The reading of the T. R. retained by all modern critical editors, is found in Cod. Sin. A., and in most Mss. Two Mss. only have hariUzantes^ 116 THE HOLY RESURRECTIOK. iii, 11; Acts ii, 35), or (c) the authority by which (1 Cor. x, 2 ; Acts x, 48) one is baptized. To onoma^ the name comprehends all that belongs to the person. It is not the essence, but the expression and manifestation of the essence. The name of God stands for, and comprehends the nature and all that belongs to God, as revealed (Ex. vi). The phrase, lap. eis to on.^ signifies (a) the sub- ^ Jective recognition, and (b) the objective admission. Paul’s word is very strong. By one Spirit we are all baptized into one body (1 Cor. xii, 13/ Gal. iii, 27; Rom. V, 1) — all become partakers of the nature of God. The noun is in the singular, not names, but name — one name. The juxtaposition is equal, without distinct- ion or division. While there is independency of con- sciousness, there is unity of essence. The phrase points out both equality and personality. It is a plain state- ment of the trinity of the Divine Nature. And this truth, because taught in the same connection in which the mission is commanded and the baptism appointed, must be fundamental. From this point all Christian truth must issue, and in it must end. ‘‘In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of The Holy Spirit.” This formula, now first spoken, finds its source in the baptism of Jesus. There, Father, Son and Spirit were first tully revealed in adorable un- itj. The Father bore, the Son received, witness, and The Spirit abode upon Him,^.^.,the Son. The Father had man- ifested Himself in sending The Son. The Son had man- ifested Himself in coming, and in resurrection, and soon would in ascension. The Spirit would manifest Him- THE HOLY RESURRECTION, 117 self in oiit-pouring. And people become disciples, by being baptized into the name of this Thrce-One God, who has thus been manifested. Didashontes autous^ teaching them^ i. e., the baptized. The grace that brings salvation to the lost, teaches the saved. The process is, preach the gospel — baptize — teach. Give instruction to them, teach. Teach what? Teerein^ to ha/ve an eye upon^ watch narrowly, observe to keep, in faith and act together in living VLm.\r^^panta'> all that I have commanded. Teach the facts and all the doctrines which come out of the facts: teach the promises and precepts with their foundation and extent: teach all things that have been received from My life and My words. Tell them everything which I have com- manded, and tell them that all is to be observed. And ]o, I, who now stand before you in My glorified humanity, and who will ascend (for otherwise He could not be with His disciples in every place and in all time), am with you, by My Spirit, for light, strength, comfort, assistance, defense, pasas tas hemems^ all the days — the dark and distressful, as well as the bright ones — as I have been, though not always visibly, present with you since My resurrection — eos tees sunteleias ton aioonos^ until the end of the age^ or dispensation. This is the great word to that little company on that little mountain, in little Galilee. This is the great task for that company. By them the whole world is to be won. And yet the whole wisdom and power of the world is incapable of winning one soul to God. This is the last great resurrection appearance given in Matthew, 118 THE HOLY KESUERECTION. and J esus^ last word. It links the Church’s warfare, work and conquest with His sufferings and death. It shows the connection between this work and His resur- rection. And its closing words, ^do, I am with you all the days,” linger, like the song of the summer bird, in the soul. Jesus' Ninth Appearance-to James. Date and circumstances unknown. Place, probably Jerusalem. Jesus’ Tenth Appearance-to The Eleven. Place, Jerusalem, Mount Olives, and the Bethany slope. Time, Thursday, May 18th A. D. 30, This appearance was in connection with His Ascension, and was followed ten days after. Lord’s Day, May 28th, A.D. 30, by the Descent of the Holy Spirit. Mark xvi, 19, 20; Luke xxiv, 49-53; John xx, 30; xxi, 25; Acts i, 2-14; ii; 1 Cor. xv, 7. After that He was seen of James. Then of all the apostles whom He had chosen. To whom He showed Himself alive after His passion, by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things of the kingdom of God: un- til the day in which He was taken up, after that He, through The Spirit, had given commandments unto them. And being assembled together with them. He com- manded them that they should not depart from Jeru- salem, but wait for the promise of The Father, which, saith He, ye have heard of Me. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jer- usalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence. When they therefore were come together, they asked THE HOLY RESURKECTION. 119 Him, saying, Lord, wilt Thou at this timo restore again the kingdom to Israel ? And He said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons which the Father hath put in His own power. But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be wit- nesses unto Me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judi©, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part (end) of the earth. So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them — and when He had spoken these things — hming led them out as far as to Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. And it came to pass while He blessed them, while they beheld. He was parted from them, and taken up; and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And He was carried up, and received up into heaven: and sat on the right hand of God. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold two men stood by them in white ap- parel, which also said. Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so (will, eleusatai) come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven. And they worshipped Him. Then returned they with great Joy unto Jerusalem, from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a Sabbath-day’s Journey. And they were continually in the Temple praising and blessing God. Amen. And when they were come in, they went up into an (the, ta) upper room, where (they then) abode, both Peter and James, and John and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphseus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas (John) the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of 120 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. Jesus, and with His brethren. The number of names together were about one hundred and twelve. And when the da}^ of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one acco) d in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues (^tongues parting or distributing themselves), like as of hre, and it sat (rested itself), upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit; and began to speak with other tongues, as The Spirrt gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad (when this voice was heard), the multitude came together, and were con- founded (troubled in mind), because that every one heard them speak in his own language (dialect). A.nd they were all* amazed and marvelled, saying one to an- other, Behold are not all these which speak, Galilseans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue (dialect), wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and El- amites, and the dwellers in (inhabitants of) Mesopotamia, andin Judse, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Gyrene, and strangers of Rome (Romans here pVesent), Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arab- ians we do hear them speak in our tongues the won- derful works of God! And they v^ere all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another. What meaneth this (what can this be)? Others mocking, said. These men are full of new (sweet, gletticous) wine. [^Pantes^ ally is found in Cod. Sin. but is wanting in B. D. The best writers opiit it.[ THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 121 Blit Peter, standing up with the Eleven, lifted up his voice, and spake forth unto them, saying,Ye men of Judse, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words. For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour in the day; but this is that which hath been spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh : And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams; Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth ot my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, And signs on the earth beneath; Blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke : The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood. Before the day of the Lord come. That great and notable day : And it shall be, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved. Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazar- eth, a man approved of God unto you by mighty works and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, even as ye yourselves know; Him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowl- edge of God, ye by the hand of lawless^ men did crucify and slay: whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David saith concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face ; For he is on my right hand, that 1 should not be moved: Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope : Because Thou wilt not leave my soul in Hades, Neither wilt Thou give thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou madst known unto me the ways of life ; Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance. ^ [*Or, men without the law.] 122 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. Brethren, I may say unto you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us unto this day. Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins He would set One upon his throne; he foreseeing this spake of the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was He left in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption. This Jesus did God raise up, whereof we all are witnesses. Being therefore by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He hath poured forth this, which ye see and hear. For David ascended not into the heavens : but he saith himself. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Till I make thine enemies the footstool of thy feet. Let all the house of Israel therefore know assuredly, that God hath made Him both Lord and Ohrist,this Jesus whom ye crucifled. How when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them. Repent, ye, and be bap- tized every one of you in (upon, ejpi) the name of J esus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit; for the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off*, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying. Save yourselves from this untoward (crooked) generation. Then they that received^ (having received) his (the, S^A^menoos^ gladly^ is wanting in the most important Mss., an- cient Versions and Churcli Fathers. It is cancelled by Lach- mann, Tischendorf and Alford.] THE HOLY KESTJRREOTIOH. 123 ton^ word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine (teaching), and fellowship, in (the, te^ breaking of bread, and in (the, tais) prayers. And fear came upon every soul: and many signs were done by (through, dicb) the apostles. And all that be- lieved were together, and had all things common; and they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all, according as (kathoti) every (any, tis) man had need. And they, continuing daily (day by day, contin- uing steadfastly), with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house (at home), did eat their meat (food) with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved (those there were being saved, soozomonous). THE CLOSING WORDS OF THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence -of His disciples, which are not written in this book. But these things are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name. And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which if they were written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books which should be written. Amen. The appearance to J ames is mentioned only by Paul. When, where, and for what object it was granted we are not informed. Not improbably its object was the con- version of His brother, who hitherto could not accept 124 THE HOLY -RESURRECTION. Him as the Messiah (John vii, 5), and who ever after is found associated with the apostles.^ The last appearance was to all the apostles. This was in Jerusalem. There, were the parting words to be spoken, the Ascension to occur, and the foundation of the Church to be laid. Thither, within a day or two of the Ascension, the apostles and others had returned from Galilee — perhaps by express direction of Jesus. From Jesus’ words at the Supper, and to Mary at the tomb, they expected, most probably, that Jesus’ return to the Father would be open and most august. Inti- mations of the day when, may have been given. This was Thursday, May 18th, A.D. 30. Besides Mark’s in- timation, Luke’s is the only account of that day’s occur- rences. He introduces his statement by a brief summary covering the forty days. While yet in the world J esus had shown Himself equally to all, beseeching men to be reconciled to God, and seeking to win their confidence by services of unwearied love. But they had rejected and hated Him and His Father, and had put Him to death. Hence, they were not entitled to see Him now in resurrection, and on His way to the highest heavens. But to those who had received Him as the Christ, the Son of God, He, during the forty ijaristeesen eau- [*Two of Christ’s apostles were named James. The elder of them, John's brother, was put to death by Herod (Acts xii, 2). The otlier, Jesus’ brother, was called The Less. It is not certain which of them Paul means. If the first, Paul probably learned it by tradi- tion; if the latter, he might have had it from James himself when he saw him at Jerusalem (Gal. i, 19) ; and who was still living, A.P, 57, when this epistle was writteu.] THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 125 ton^ made Himself present^ zoonta^ living^ meta to pathein auton^ after His suffering to, and in death. While optanomenoSy being seen^ and legoon ta^ speah^ ing the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, He gave to them pollois tehmeeriois^ many evidences^ so established as to be incontestible — the word in classic Greek signifies settled, fixed — that He who had been dead was alive. There was not, as to this fact the slight, est possible room for doubt. This continued aehri tees heemeras^ until the day in which He was taken up. And on that day, filled with events of commanding impor- tance and absorbing interest, they not once lost sight of Him until He disappeared in the cloud. These words are introduced by a word — sunalizoinenos being assembled — which plainly points to a general gath- ering, assembled at a place and time appointed by Jesus. About to reveal His last will and instructions, and then depart. He wished the apostles and the rest (Acts i, 21) to be present. And the significance and solemnity of the meeting are seen in this, that no word of the same kind is used of any other post-resurrection meeting. He had accomplished His work, and upon it, as the foundation, had placed the Church’s mission. He had already breathed The Spirit into His disciples, opened their understandings, and given them the first (John xx, 21-23) and the second (Matt, xxviii, 18-20) parts, and now in connection with His Ascension is about to give them the third part (Acts i, 8) of His great commission. The whole commission is very comprehensive and very strong. ‘^All power is given unto Me in heaven and in 126 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. earth;” this is His authority. “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me these were the persons. “Go ye therefore this was the command. Its essence is implicit and ah- solute obedience: go always and anywhere when He bids, hasten when He draws (Philip ran, &e.), pause when He restrains. Henceforth they were to be of great, and their testimony of supreme, importance. “Begin at Jerusalem” where my name is a by-word and reproach, where atonement has been made, the people are being prepared, The Spirit is to be first received, the church’s foundation laid, and whence the word of God is to go forth (Is. ii, 3-5). Widen then the sphere of thy labors. Having witnessed in Judsea, the field of My la- bors, the land of promise, the first congenial soil, en« ter “Samaria,” the missionary field between Judaea and the Gentiles, and “white already to harvest.” Then go everywhere, “into all the world,” “among all nations,” “unto the uttermost part of the earth” — so that no re- gion, however desolate and unpromising may be left unexplored — “and to every creature,” how sunken, de- based and bestial soever he may be ; this was to be the field of operations. “Teach,” “preach the gospel,” “preach repentance and remission of sins in My name;” this was the work and the message. “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved,” “whosoever sins ye re- mit they are remitted unto them,” “he that believeth not shall be damned,” “whosoever sins ye retain they are retained;” this defines the character, and reveals the greatness of the work. This is the assurance to those addressed of the unalterable certainty of the results THE HOLY KEStJRRECtlOK. 127 of the reception or rejection of Christ. ‘^Baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit;’’ this was the badge of disci pleship. “Teach- ing them to observe all things whatsoever I have com- manded you;” this was the law of the house. “Lo I am with you always, even unto the end of the age;” this was the assurance of His presence and support, and of their success, by His Spirit, until He come again. This was their great commission. To live and preach worthily in the exalted position in which it placed them, they must have divine aid. And ^^idou^ hehold ^^ — a word which expresses the uniform intervention of this aid — “I send the promise of the Father which ye have heard of Me.” Nor must they, from apprehension of personal danger from the Council, from love to their native Galilee, nor from a desire to get at work, leave the city, but ‘^sit stilly Tcathizate^ until enduseesthee^ ye he clothed with power from on high.” The explanation which defines this word by equipping, or furnishing, is superficial, and robs it of its profound importance. In the Old Testament {Sept. Yer.) this word is constantly used to express the sudden afflatus of The Spirit. Gid- eon, Amazai, Zachariah, &c., were ^‘clothed” with The Spirit In the New Test, we have, “clothed with Christ” (Horn, xiii, 14; Gal. iii, 27). So here, clothed with, not exousia^ authority.^ hvXdunamin.^ power \ hence, inwardly. It is that inward power (vs. S) that entire, internal pen- etration and actual possession which completely pene- trates and clothes the moral nature, which gives evidence of its presence by the expression of power correspond- 128 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. ing thereto, and which is received always, but only from, and by^ the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This was the complement of the in-breathing. The latter, though real and precedent — for no in-breathing, no baptism — was but provisional. For The Spirit went away with J esus, and was, when He came, sent down by Him from Heaven. This was from Him as the As- cended, as that was from Him the Risen, Head. By this He would initiate them into Ascension, as He had by that into Resurrection. How, instead of getting con- stantly drawn into and being defiled by evil within and around, instead of, though seeking, finding notperfect rest, they had liberty and triumph, could tell of the power of this new life, could gather the Church on resurrection ground,and were possessed of that susceptibility by which they could be gradually prepared for the suddenly com- ing fulness. This — for the order is perfect — is the spark, that the fiame, this the dew, that the copious shower, this gives intelligence of the new man, the con- sciousness of being according to Christ, which must pre- cede the service for Him ; that, the power for that ser- vice. This fits men as vessels to receive, that, as chan- nels through which to pour forth, the fulness of God. In fine, by this, they will know when that comes, that it is The Spirit of Christ the glorified God-Man, who is 60 gloriously poured out, making their testimony to Him to be felt in intellect, conscience and heart, to the conversion of men — the blessed results of the living waters fiowing abroad. But ‘‘tarry ye in Jerusalem,” for the Revealer and THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 129 Minister^^of the promises which are yea and amen in Me,” for Him who is the supreme gift in which all others ter- minate, and without which you cannot begin your work. ^‘For John truly baptized with water” — I indeed, said John, baptize with water unto repentance.This cannot give cleanness of heart. But it is the sign of a higher baptism : ^‘The Mightier than I cometh. He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit;” and this is an action on the soul. These words were now recalled by the true Baptist. ^^John baptized with water, but ye” — in whom I have breathed The Spirit, whose understanding I have opened, who now are, in a profound sense, spiritual men, i,e.^ organs of The Spirit, ^^ye shall be baptized m” {en^ in all the passages,) overwhelmed, most richly endued, ‘^with the Holy Spirit.” Water refreshes the body, and revives its strength. This will give freshness and strength to the soul. Water changes the outward condition of the body, as to purity. This will completely penetrate all your mental and moral powers, give that sanctification which is the end and aim of man’s renewal, power also propor- tionate to the work, and the stamp of Divine authority upon what you, under the Spirit’s direction, do and say. John adds, ‘^and with fire,” Fire, like water, is an emblem of The Spirit, as “The Spirit of burning.” Fire consumes matter. The Spirit destroys the power of the old nature, thus showing its destiny. The sacred fire by its pervading energy dissolved from the bands of this world what was offered in sacrifice, and thus set it free to ascend, as sweet incense, to heaven. So The Spirit sets free the mental and moral powers from the bands 130 THE HOLY KESURRECTIOH. of this world, that they may be wholly consecrated to God. He kindles a fire in the soul, which, while the man muses, burns, which makes one fervent in spirit, and full of energy. He purifies the lips — as He did Isai- ah’s — so that the thoughts burning in the soul shall come out through the tongue of fire. And He also pu- rifies the people, that they may be zealous of good works. All this was the preparation for that eventful day — for the baptism which was to come ^^not many days hence.” During the forty days Jesus had spoken much about the kingdom of God. And His now speaking of the baptism of the Spirit* suggested the question, ‘‘Lord, apokathistaneis^ wilt Thoureszore again^&Q.V^ The verb is used in classic Greek to express restoration to former place and state. And it has a similar meaning in Matt, xii, 13; Mark hi, 5; viii, 23; Luke vi, 10. So here. The disciples had no doubt but that the kingdom would be restored. Jesus’ death, resurrection, instructions, com- mission, and promise of The Spirit had dissipated the Jewish and carnal ideas which they had entertained (Luke xix, 11, &c). They saw that The Spirit would be in that kingdom. Their understandings had been opened to understand the Scriptures. In them they had read of that visible kingdom for the ancient people of God, of which Gabriel — who surely could not have had the carnal Jewish ideas — spake to the Virgin (Luke i, 21), and unto which all nations should come. Though they surely could not, after vs. 3, cherish any conception [♦Most critical scholars are agreed that Tioi men oun sunelthountU^ when they had come together^ vs. 6, refers to the meeting on that day.] THE HOLT RESIJRRECTIOK. 131 of that kingdom inconsistent with its spiritual character, yet they shared not in that tendency, now so wide-spread, to spiritualize everything. They received the. promise and prophecy concerning that kingdom just as they had been given. They saw the close connection between this outward kingdom and the inward conversion of the Jews. They ask not whether it would be re-established, for of that they had no doubt. And Jesus, by silence on this point, confirmed that conviction. But they asked as to the time. Dost Thou restore— the verb, ajpohatJi- istanais^ is Jn the present tense- — now, en too chronoo^ in this time^ the kingdom to Israel? And as they based their expectation of this restoration of the kingdom in its outward form, upon the prophecy and promise as they understood them, their question practically was. Will it now be restored in the sense in which we un- stand it was promised? And will it be introduced by the power from on high? No epoch can be affirmed of an imaginary event. But Jesus affirms an epoch of this kingdom as a reality, in the apostles’ conception of it. He justified the strong desire for its coming. The New Testament, as well as the Old, 4peaks of it. And it will come. ■^'B^ the time when? This feature of the question Jesus rebuked. It showed that they were not having that waiting, that quiet and becoming spirit to what He had said which they ought. They were impatient as to the time. <‘It is not,” He said,” ^Toryou (Matt, xiii, 32) to know chronous^ the periods^ spaces of time forwards, e hai/nous^ or epochs^ the appointed periods (1 Thes. v, 132 THE HOLY BESURREOTiOi^. 1), which, not Theos^ God^ but ho Pateer^ the Father ^ ethetho^ has fixed in His own exousia^ authority and power. The kingdom is sure, but only after epoclis, which the Father had determined, and, for the present, concealed. But, instead of receiving this information, ye shall, not many days hence — in contrast with the times and seasons — receive dunanin^ power Srom on high — the pro- phetical (Is. xxxii, 15) and oft-repeated expression for heaven — by and after The Holy Spirit’s coming upon you. And ye shall be, not prophets of the future, but workers in the present, and martures^ witnesses of the past — witnesses to, or martyrs for. Me, as the case may be. While recognizing the coming kingdom, whose foundations they were, by their testimony and by the power of The Spirit to lay in the convictions of men. He calls attention to present and practical work in the kingdom of grace. They were to proclaim the works of God, in Christ, and Christ’s death and resurrection for the salvation of men. This was work enough to occupy all their time and thoughts. And it was worthy of their noblest aim and efforts; for no work is more holy, comprehensive, and, though arduous, honorable. This was Jesus’ last word. It was given to all. It constituted the whole company of believers witness- bearers and martyrs for Him during all the time until He comes again. Such, always and everywhere, even to the uttermost ends of the earth, must they be during the whole period of His absence. HE GIYES NO PEOMISE OF THE WOELD’S CONYEESION THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 133 BEFOEE EE COMES. This was not in their com- mission. Their business was to preach His gospel. Their testimony must be given regardless of the conse- quences either to themselves or to their hearers — given in the power of The Spirit — -given actively and efficiently while they were watching and waiting for their Lord. Let us now look back through the appearances of Jesus, and endeavor to find out what was His object in them. There were ten post-resurrection, and three post-ascension appearances. Five were given the day of His resurrection. One of these was to Mary Magdalene, at the sepulchre, about 8 or 9 A.M. ; one to one group of the women, shortly after, on their way to the city; one to Olophas and his companion, on the way to, and at, Emmaus, in the afternoon and evening; one to Peter, in Jerusalem, about, or just after sunset; and one to the Eleven (Thomas absent) and others, in Jerusalem, and after dark. One week later one was given in Jerusalem? to the apostles, Thomas being present. The next two were in Galilee. One of them was to sev'en disciples at the sea of Tiberias, and the other was to the Eleven, and above five hundred others, on a mountain. The next one was to James, His brother, time and place un- known — perhaps in Jerusalem, perhaps in his Oalilsean home. And the last one was in Jerusalem and on Ol- ivet, on the day of His ascension. Three of these were to individuals, Mary Magdalene, Peter and James. One was to two persons (the Emmaus one), one was to seven (the sea of Tiberias one), and tlie other three 134 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. were to many, one being to over five hundred people. The first appearance was on April 9, the last on May 18 th. Some were in houses, some in the open air, and all of them long enough in time, and varied enough in inci- dents, to allow those who saw them to decide intelligently as to them beins: realities. One purpose of the five granted on the first Lord’s day was to convince His followers of the reality and com- pleteness of His resurrection. And the object in them all was, not merely the proving of the fact that He actually had arisen, but also the establishment in their minds of the identity of His Person as risen, with His Person as crucified. Thus would He revive and confirm their faith in Him as the Christ — the foundation oi which had been laid during His life, but had been greatly shaken by His death. And the reason why He would establish this is most important. His resurrection was salvation, first to Himself (Is. xlix, 8; 2 Cor. vi, 2), and next, to us. As He expiated sin for us in dying, so He becomes life for us in rising again (Acts xiii, 38, 39). His ap- pearances were to them, and, aS established, to us, im- movable assurances of both facts. We live in Him. Besides the general purposes, each appearance had a special one. In the first one Jesus comforted the one, Mary, who so ardently sought His lost body. In the sec- ond He, through the women, made an appointment to meet His brethren in Galilee, as through Mary. He sent a message to them concerning His ascension. In the third He re-animated the dying hopes of the two disciples, and in the fourth one He raised up the penitent THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 135 Peter, with assurances of forgiveness. In the next two, after having satisfied His disciples of His identity, He explained to them, from the Scriptures, the necessity of His death and resurrection, opened their understanding to understand them, imparted to them The Spirit, and gave to them His commission. In the next one He res- stored Peter to the apostleship,and in the next blessed His brother James with conversion (John viii, 5), and with a call to the apostleship. And in the last one He gave His final instructions, and impressed upon His followers that powerful missionary spirit which lasts to this day. Each of His three post-ascension appearances had also a special object. The one to Stephen, near Jerusalem, and shortly after Pentecost, was for his personal com- fort, and for a testimony to the Jews. The one to Saul of Tarsus, near Damascus, some months later, was for his conversion, and for his call and introduction into the apostleship among the Gentiles. And as in the last post-resurrection ones He gave His instructions con- cerning the planting of the church, and the preaching of the gospel fora witness among all nations during this dispensation, so, in His last post-ascension ones granted to John in Patmos, sixty years after Ascension, He showed through him, to the church, her uneven and sorrowful history during this dispensation, and her triumphs when He comes. Here is a wisely graduated progression. These appearances, when studied in their de- velopment, as seen in the continuous narrative, show unity and completeness of plan. And this plan is pro- foundly psychological, and holily organic. And all this 136 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. shows that the appearances could not possibly have had a subjective origin in any apostle, nor in one or all of the writers. Each and all could only have originated in one mind, and that the mind of Jesus Himself. The appearances must, all of them, have been objective. And the plan shows that the object of them was im- measurably more than merely to work in the minds of the disciples the conviction that He (Jesus) had arisen from the dead. We return to the narrative. One great object of Jesus’ coming was the settlement of the question as to the lawful sovereignty over the earth, This, to be complete, must be over all the forms and forces of matter, as well as over those of sin, and over the in- tellect and affections of man. There must also be the law- ful victory over the usurper, and his consequent expulsion with that of sin and sorrow, from the earth. This could be accomplished only by One who had all of nature’s forces under his control. If Jesus be the Champion, He must be all victorious. And He was. By His faith He had overcome the world. By The Spirit’s power and sword word of God”) He had overcome the devil. By His holy life and expiating death He had over- come the flesh which had corrupted us through sin, the law (by satisfying its demands) which had condemned us because of sin, and death which overtakes us because of the condemnation of the law. By these victories. He, as a member of humanity ,had restored it to its true place. His resurrection was a proof of this restoration. But resurrection is only a partial victory o\er the physical THE HOLY KESUERECTION, 137 world. By moral victories Jesus had wholly overcome the world in its ethical aspects. By the same victories He had overcome it in its physical aspects, so far as these related to its solid parts: partially, during life, by such victories as the turning of water into wine, by the feed- ing of thousands by a few loaves and fishes, and by walking upon the water; and wholly by His resurrection. To complete these victories. He must overcome the world in its aerial aspects. That is, He must ascend. Here, the ‘‘must,” which appears so constantly in His life, comes into full force. Ascension is a necessity to, as well as a crown of, victory. How otherwise could He show that all the forces of nature are under His absolute control? Or, that in Him humanity realizes its destination, which, from the beginning, was to serve as a free instrument for the operations of the infinite Creator, God : ‘‘Thou didst set him over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet.” On another ground, also. Ascension “must” be, and hence was, a reality. As far back as April, A.D,27, Jesus had plainly intimated to NicodemusHis own Ascension as the Son of Man to the local Heaven. And He gave as the ground of, and reason for, this fact, viz: that He had des- cended therefrom (John iii, 13). His words,“came down from heaven,” plainly declare His consciousness of having Himself lived in Heaven as His true native place. And to that Heaven must He personally return. Sub- sequently, in A.D. 29, He lepeated the same fact to a crowd: “What! and if ye shall see the Son of Man as- cending where He was before.” (John vi 62.) This 138 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. ascension must be the opposite of ‘^coming down.” Hence it could not be His death. This fact He expressed by hu]psoothena% lifted but never by anabainein^asGend* He again said, after His resurrection, am not yet ascended, but I ascend” (J ohn xx. 17). And after the historical fact (of ascension), this same verb was used by the apostles to express that fact. (Eph. iv, 8-10; Acts ii, 31.) This Ascension was,further,a necessary factor in Jesus’ personal development. When He came diOwny‘dimuton eh^ enoose^ He emptied Himself morphee Theou^ of the form of God^ and took upon Himself the form of a servant.” Both acts were conditions necessary to His human ex- istence, in order to His work upon earth. But that work being finished, He must, of necessity, resume ‘^the form of God,” of which He had emptied Himself. This was in His view when He said in His High-priestly pray- er, ‘‘Now, O Father, glorify Thou Me with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.” The an- swer to this prayer necessitated Ascension; and it was for Him a postulate of faith. By it His Person, as the Son of Man, was elevated to the Divine state which He had possessed as Son of God. By it, and in His Person, was God’s design in respect to humanity (and to the Universe) perfected. Through Him, the ascended Man, is preached the forgiveness of sins. In Him all be- lievers are one. In Him are they raised up, and made to sit in heavenly places. Through Him came Pente- cost, whereby His baptism becomes partaken of by be- lieyprs, an4 tl^^y become, in moral being, like Him. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 139 And this must be followed by Parousia^ whereby their bodily condition must become like His, and His ascen- sion become theirs. Further, the living waters must flow ^‘from the throne of God and the Lamb.’’ Heaven, not earth, must be the point of departure of The Spirit. He must come, as The Spirit of Jesus, consummated as The Christ, by the complete gloriflcation of His nature; as The Spirit ot The Son, formally restored to the glory which He had with The Father before the world was; as the bestow- nient — -for this was the prerogative of royalty — as The Spirit of The Father, sent from Him by the Son. Only when the Son was re-instated in the plenitude of the Di- vine condition, and glorifled in Heaven, could The Spirit come down officially, and glorify Him on earth. And thus only could He (Jesus) live in the heart of believers, and act through them on the world. Ascension, hence, was a necessity to the perpetuation of His cause in the world. Up to the last moment Jesus faith and disposition were, without intermission and without wavering, turned to the eternal light of God. Thus He, through The Spirit, purifled His Body into heavenly light. Thus was it thoroughly prepared for full gloriflcation. And what remained but that it should be glorifled in Heaven? This was the third feature of His gloriflcation. The hour for this consummation had come — Thursday, May 18th, A.D. 30. And the Narratives tell us how it was accomplished. Of their genuineness there has never been any doubt. Nor ought there to be any of the fact they 140 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. tell. It was publicly announced immediately afterwards in Jerusalem (Acts ii, 33, 34). It was constantly taught by the Apostles, and firmly held by the early church as an article of faith (Eom. viii. 34; x, 6; Eph. i, 19, 20; ii, 6, .6; iv, 8, 10; Col. iii, 1; 1 Tim.iii, 16; 1 Pet. iii, 22.) And in the Hebrews more weight is attached to Jesus’ as- cension than to His resurrection. Jesus had finished all His instructions. He had — as the participle, suna^ lizomenoSy having assembled^ clearly shows — brought them specially together in order to take leave of them. The final meeting was in some house in Jerusalem. There He began His talk, during which — as the com- parison of the tw^o Narratives suggests — He led them out of the house and city, eoos {^pros. Alex,) eis Beth- anian^ in the direction of^ near to^ in the neighborhood, perhaps sight, of Bethany which lay at the foot, or on the slope, of Olivet, a mile from its summit, and on the farther side from Jerusalem. This slope was the scene of His deepest humiliation and sorrow; and its brow, of His sublimest elevation. And on that mountain His feet shall stand when He comes again ^ (Ez. xi, 23; Zech. xiv, 4.) On the projected spur of the Mount, which overhangs Bethany, and in a recess furnished by the hills, is a spot which best meets all the conditions of the narratives. Stanley remarks: ^^On the wild up- lands, which immediately overhang the village. He with- drew from the eyes of His disciples, in a seclusion which could nowhere else be found so near the stir of a [*Mount Olivet lies between Jerusalem (from which it is separ- ated by the valley of Jehoshaphat), and Bethany (from which it is separated by a little ridge of hills.)] MOUNT OF OLIVES. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 141 mighty city — a long ridge of Olivet screening those hills and those hills the village beneath them, from all sight or sound of the city behind, the view opening only on the wide waste of desert rocks and ever-descending valleys, into the depths of the distant Jordan and its mysterious lake. At this point the last interview took place. ^He led them out as far as Bethany,’ and ‘they returned’ probably by the direct road over the summit of Mount Olivet.”* In all former post-resurrection disappearances Jesus vanished suddenly from sight. How? and whither? no one knew. He had said, “I go to the Father.” The coming of the promised Spirit will be proof of this fact. “For if I go, I will send Him to you.” How, about to leave the scene of His labors and sorrows, He will depart from them visibly, so that they, by the testimony of their senses, can declare that He, in His humanity, had ascended to Heaven ; and that they, after the coming of The Spirit, could say, “He lives! He lives with the Fa- ther! He lives for us!” He led them to the brow of Olivet. Jerusalem, Y^here He had been rejected and slain, where His gos^ pel would be first preached, and the foundation of His church be laid, lay in full view before Him. He was, while walking, speaking to them as a Prophet and King, who would establish a Heavenly kingdom on earth. They now see that while saying, “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me unto the uttermost part of the earth,”He — as the typical practice ever had been — lifted up His hands over them. It was the blessing of the departing yet remain- \^8inai and Palestine^ pages 189, 190.] 142 THE HOI.Y RESURRECTION. ing — ^‘with you always’’ — Lord, as High Priest. The Aaronic high priest thus blessed the people as he came forth from the Temple (Lev. ix, 22). And se Jesus, who came forth visibly from the invisible world for the last time till He comes again, and is just about to return to Heaven, there to act as our High Priest, blessed His dis- ciples. Thus the marks of His atoning sacrifice were beginning already to be glorified in His hands. This act was, further, the sealing to them of the results of His Resurrection; a sign and pledge also of the bestowments of “the Power from on high,” which His hands would soon be, and never cease, giving; and a sample of His actings as “Priest upon the throne” during “the times and seasons” until He comes as King to reign. Kai en to eiilogein^ and while in the act of blessing them, kai tauta eijpoon^ and while saying these things — i,e.^ the final words closing with “the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts i, 4-8) — and while blepontoon autoon^ they were intently gazing with a clear, continuous gaze un- til He was hidden in tlie cloud (reminding us of His theooreete^ &c., ye shall see the Son of Man ascending? &c., John vi, 62), diestee (second aorist intransitive) af autoon^ He drew hack^ and separated Himself from them^ and epeerthee (first aorist indicative, passive), was lifted up (the oeginning of Ascension), Tcai aneleepes- thee^ was horne^ or carried up (nature’s law of gravit- ation being obedient to His will), gradually ascending, and, while going up, blessing His disciples, Tcai nephelee hupelahen auton^ and a cloudy passing beneath, received Him^ and hid Him from their eyes — and this was the THE ASCENT INTO HEAVEN. THE ASCENSION. THE HOLY KESURRECTIOK. 143 end of the ascent as visible to them. Kai anejpJier^io eis ton ouranon^ was home or carried up (the verb an- ephereto^ implies some kind of a conveyance), into hea- ven. This was His assumption (1 Tim. iii, 15). The cloudy pillar was the heavenly chariot which, in the Theophanies of the Old Testament, carried Him, as the Angel of His (God’s) Presence, before the people. Here it was the cloud. And the use of the verb in Acts with- out the accompanying words, eis ton ouranon^ of laike, shows that already, when The Acts was written, the As- cension was a recognized fact in the consciousness of the primitive church. The verb, epeerthe^ lifted up^ des- cribes, locally, the experience of Jesus in the ascending, and spiritually, the act of the Father in raising Him to a higher position, and to greater power. The whole description shows that His departure was not the troubled passing of a mortal from earth, need- ing prayer and support, but the magnificent move- ment of a Conqueror, who, having overcome all foes, goes away, leaving behind Him the blessing of His glorified Being. And the physical features in which His Ascension is portrayed, form a picture which has been celebrated in Christian song; and also in Christian art, by Eaphael, Titian and Paul Yeronese. And the present ^2iX\!\QhfiQporeuomenon.^ going (Acts i, 11), expresses His motion from one place to another, and His own voluntary action therein. Upward was He borne until He disappeared in a cloud. Onward, [*This clause is wanting in Sin., and in some other Mss. ; but most critical editors retain it. The weight of Mss. authority is vastly in its favor.] 1!4 THE HOLY KESUKRECTION. dleleeluthota (par. per. mid.) tons ouranous^ passing^ jJimself, through — not ^‘into” as our Version has it — the heavens (Heb. iv, 14), He ascended huperanoo jpantoon toon ouranoon^ ‘‘far above all heavens^^ (Eph. iv, 10), into the “Heavens of heavens” (Deut.x,14; 1 Kings viii, 27; Ps. Ixviii, 33; cxlviii, 4), to the right hand of God — the place of majesty, where the self -revelations of God take place, whence the manifestations of Divine power proceed, and where, shortly afterwards. He was seen by Stephen, as he, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up into the opened heavens. Such was the sublimely fitting close of His life on earth. Such He knew it would be. The consciousness of His Divine Sonship, Messiahship, mission, and of most certain victory had given its peculiar current to His thought, and explains the peculiarity of His intercourse with men. Lifted up into the sunshine of His antici- pated resurrection and ascension. He could, as He moved in the midst of men bowed down by sorrow, or crushed by the terror of death, lift them up. With most exquisite human feeling He could sympathize with men. Yea, more. Since His own soul was in the sun- shine of those deathless regions which lay for beyond the tomb in the garden, He could, with the power of His anticipated triumph, cheer and sustain them. Before the brightness of that sunshine the prospects and prom- ises of earth had disappeared, its sorrows, privations and sufierings had been patiently borne, its proper en- joyments had been sweetened and sanctified, and His soul, when the dark, heavy clouds of death were gath- THE HOLY RESHRKECTION. 146 ered over Calvary, was in perfect peace. Man cannot ful- ly describe what He endured during life, and especially during the hours preceding death. But many may know something of the sunshine of resurrection which illumined His soul. By the introduction of sin the Di- vine harmony had been disturbed: man had lost his place of blessing, and God had been denied His glory. But the Son of Man in His dying, put things into their proper places. Sin was expiated. Death was dethroned. Man’s blessing was secured, and God’s glory was estab- lished. Having scattered in the realms of death the seeds of resurrection-life which will, at His second com- ing, spring forth in resurrection bodies, He came forth la- dened with all the fruits of victory. These effected vast and most beneficent changes in the history of man, and in the destiny of earth. These opened the way for the pouring of resurrection-life into the race, and the lift- ing of it up. These ushered in the morning of the new creation, and prepared the way for the kingdom of God- As the Anointed Man He had walked throuorh the va- rious paths of life, and had presented therein the first untainted human fruits to God. As the Kisen Man He had showed Himself alive, and with hands extended in blessing, had ascended to Heaven. He thus became the exalted Man. As such He sits on the right hand of God symbol this, of His omniscience, omnij^resence and omnipotence. In Him dwells all the fulness of the God-head bodily (Col. ii, 9). Proof, this, of His right to, and future investiture with royal dominion over all the earth (Ps. cx, 1; Dan. vii, 13, 14; Phil, ii, 10). 146 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. On that throne He sits, carrying on His work of bless- ing. There will He sit, until all who are of His risen flesh shall have been brought in to form the “one new man/’ and have come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Himself (Eph. v, 30), until He comes in the clouds of heaven — as assuredly He will — to occupy His own throne, and His toes be made His footstool. Rest, honored Jesus, in Thy triumph! We adore Thee! We rejoice. If we follow Thee where Thou wast, we forget not where Thou art. Born in a stable. Thou liv'est in the stateliest of palaces. Cradled in a manger. Thou occu- piest the chair of kingliest state. A Sufferer from penury, and possessed of no place to lay Thy head,Thou art now Heir of all things. Endurer of contradiction against Thyself, Thou art now adored and worshipped by the hosts of heaven, and by the truly noble and holy of earth. Once Thou wast without form or comliness in the eyes of men, who saw in Thee no beauty to make Thee an object of desire. How, the brightness of the beams which irradiate from thy glorious countenance Alls all heaven with light, and makes the inhabitants thereof, and all those who are going thither, to shout aloud for joy. This gladness is most disinterested. This ecstacy of delight which fills our souls as we see Thee ascending, begins and ends with Thee. It is Thy triumph as that is related to Thyself that makes us clap our hands with joy, and bids us to summon all nature to share in our gladness, and join in our adoration, our homages, and our praise of Thee. And we also find our souls pouring forth praise and THE HOLY RESHREEOTION. 147 gratitude to Thee, Thou triumphant Christ, for all that Thou in Thy life, death, resurrection and ascension hast done for us. Thou hast settled the question of a life triumphant over death, and thus hast most thoroughly satisfied man’s original instinct and longing after immor- tality. The resurrection and exaltation of the whole man, body and soul, are assured. Thou hast settled forever the whole question of sin in all its aspects and issues. Put to death because our offenses were upon Thee, and ^^tasting death for every man,” Thou hast re- moved every hindrance out of the way, and Last become the Author of eternal salvation unto all them who be- lieve and obey Thee. Thou hast forced open (not by violence, but in the way of righteousness,) the gates of the grave, and death at Thy bidding must give up its prey. Thou hast opened the Kingdom of Heaven for all believers. And now all who approach thereto by the way of Thy cross find a welcome entrance. And as we meditate upon these, and all the blessings, bene- fits and privileges that come to us from and through Thee, Thou ascending Lord, our souls cannot repress their exultation. We are happy as we see Thee ascend- ing. Sharers of Thy triumph, we follow Thee now by faith, and will, in our resurrection^ bodies be caught up to meet Thee in the air by and by. The cloud which had received, and was ascending with. Him, had disappeared in the upper distance. And as the disciples, forgetful of all else atenizontes eesari^ were gazing intently — into {eis^ the [ton) heaven, upon jpor- 148 THE HOLY EESURREOT ION. euomenou autou^ Him going ^ lo, suddenly and unex- pectedly, two men in shining garments jpareisteeTteisan^ were present to them. Were they Moses and Elias? or, were they two future witnesses? (Rer. xi, 3), or the two that stood by the women at the tomb? (Luke xxiv, 4). Or were they two of those who had come out of the tombs on the morning of Jesus’ resurrection? (Matt, xxvii, 53.) They addressed the disciples asGalilaeans? Was it because they themselves had been Galilseans. Or were they angels in the form or appearance of men? We cannot tell. We only know that they had come from heaven to tell men on earth of the fruitlessness of looking after Jesus. He had gone up into Heaven, no more to return until the times and seasons had been filled up. Until then He would be seen on earth no more. But then He would come again; come in like manner as they had seen Him go away, that is, in His glorified humanity, visibly, in glory, and with His hands stretched out in blessing; come to stand, as He had just then stood, on Mount Olivet (Zech. xiv, 2). This was their message. Soon as it was delivered they disappeared from view. The heavens were silent and serene. The circling worlds moved on in their stately orbits, but to their utmost bounds they felt the undulations of this magnificent movement — a most fit- ting crowning of a career so beauteous and beneficent, and whose tragic close had saved a race and a world. Jesus had gradually raised the minds of His follow- ers to a new conception of the unspeakable greatness of His work, and the infinite excellence of His Person. THE HOLY RESTTRRECTION. 149 Just now had they witnessed a sight of the most exalted character. The rising slowly, majestically, and with- out visible agency, and the vanishing into the depths of heaven which they witnessed, convinced them that the Conqueror of Satan and death was the Master of nature’s laws, which reverently obeyed His will. They saw that the body filled completely by The Spirit was capable of partaking of exalted power and of the highest life. They knew from the Heavenly visitants that the gates of glory had opened to let their Master in, and that the promises would be fulfilled in their enduement with power. This thrilled, this filled their hearts with ecs- tatic joy. They could contain no more. Another as- surance that He should come again, pledge this of the victory of His cause, was a blessedness greater than their hearts could contain. John xiv, 28, and xvii, 11, had passed into an abiding history for the church. As did the women on the morning of the resurrection, as did the five hundred on a mountain in Galilee, so did this company. They worshipped Him. They gave Him while ascending, and when exalted at the Father’s right hand the same solemn adoration that they gave to God. They could not be mourners. For their Mas- ter would no more be exposed to the outrages and wrongs of men. His death had been crowned with the most exalted triumph. The sheaf of the first fruits had been presented, and was being waved before the Lord. They could not be petitioners. Prayer would be proper by and by. But this was the feast of resurrection, and praise was its only expression in worship. They were 160 THE HOLY RESURREOTIOH. filled, the returned to Jerusalem with, great joy. And there, with one accord, with most intimate union inward and outward, publicly and undisturbedly, in the Temple —proof, this, that the Sanhedrim did not believe their own report about the Body — were continually airountes Theon^ praising God^ i.e. His Person, kai enlogountes Theon, and blessing God i.e,^ thanking Him for His benefits. So the Shepherds glorified and praised God at J esus’ birth. But how vast was the distance traversed between the two acts of homage and praise! The next ten days were passed quietly, and in united hearty prayer. This show that they were no enthusiasts, and yet that they, with an assured confidence, expected the fulfillment of the promise. Pentecost came, and with it the Comforter. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and ‘‘went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. Jesus’ Post- Ascension Appearances. HIS yiRST ONE, Place: Jerusalem. Time: Soon after His ascension. Person to whom : Stephen, the able deacon, and first martyr of the new-born church. Acts vii, 55, 56. But He {Stephen) being full of the Holy Spirit, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. And he said. Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God. This appearance to Stephen was for his consolation. Some time later J esus gave His THE HOLT KESUEEECTION. 161 Second Post- ascension Appearance. The place: Suburbs of Damascus. The time: about one year after the Ascension. Person : Saul of Tarsus. This appearance to Saul was for his conversion. The narratives of this event are found in Acts ix, 1-6; xxii, 4-21; xxvi, 9-18; 1 Cor. xv, 8. Luke’s historical statement is as follows: And Saul yet breathing out threatenings ami slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went into the high priest, and desired of him letters to Damascus, that if he found (should find) any (who were, ontas) of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound into Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round him a light from heaven; and he iell to the earth and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why perse- cutest thou Me? And he said, Who art Thou, Lord ? And He* said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.^* Arise and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. Paul’s own personal statements about this appearance are as follows: And last of all he was seen of me, as of one born out of due time. 1 verily thought with myself that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Which things I also did in Jerusalem: and many of the saints did 1 shut up in prison, having re- \^Ho Kurios^ the Lord^ of T. R. is wanting in all the best Mss., and is omitted by all the best critics.] t**The words, ‘Tt is hard hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him,” are not found in a single Greek manuscript in Actsix; are omitted by all critical scholars, and are thrown out in the R. V.] 162 THE HOLY EESUERECTION. ceived authority from the chief priests; and when they were put to dfeath, I gave my voice against them. And 1 persecuted this way into death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. And^ I punished them oit in every synagogue, and compelled them to blaspheme; and being ex(5eedingly mad against them, I persecuted them even unto strange cities. Whereupon with authority and commission from the chief priests, and from all the estate of the elders, from whom also 1 received letters unto the brethren, I went unto Damascus, to bring them bound unto Jerusalem, for to be punished. And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus, about noon, at midday, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me — I saw in the way a great light from heaven shining round about me, and them that journeyed with me — and I fell unto the ground. And when I was fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me in the Hebrew tongue, and saying, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me? It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I answered and said. Who art Thou, Lord? And the Lord* said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazar- eth, whom thou persecutest. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of Him that spoke to me* And I said. What shall I do. Lord? And the Lord said unto me. Arise, and stand upon thy feet, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do. For I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister (servant, hupeereteen^^ and a [*“The Lord,” xxvi, 15, is not in T. R., but is found in Cod., Sin., and all uncials. It ought to be in T. R.] THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 153 witness both of those things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will (yet) appear unto thee; delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles unto w^hom 1 now send thee (in order), to open their eyes, and to turn them (their eyes, so that they may turn), from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me. THIRD PART. ASCENSION APPEARANCE. About sixty years after His ascension, Jesus appeared twice to John, the apostle, during his exile in the isle of Patmos, whither he had been banished for the word of God and the testimony of J esus Christ. On the second of these appearances, He showed Himself from Heaven (Rev. iv, v), and in the first of these He appeared to Him on the earth. John’s description of this one is as follows (Rev. i, 10-19 ): 1 was in The Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, saying, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last; and, what thou seest, write in a book, and send it unto the seven churches which are in Asia: unto Ephesus, and unto Smyrna, and unto Pergamos, and unto Thyatira, and unto Sardis, and unto Philadelphia, and unto Laodicea. And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, 1 saw seven golden candlesticks; and in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as Snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters. And He had in His 164 THE HOLY RESUHREOTION. right hand seven stars, and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword; and His countenance was as the sun shineth in his streugth. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. And He laid His right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forever- more, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Then He gave him the letters to the seven churches, given us in i, 18-20; ii and hi: Write the things which thou hast seen and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter; the mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in My right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest, are the seven churches. LETTER TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS. Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write: These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil ; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hastnot fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do first works; or else I will come unto you quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thon repent. But this thou hast, that thou hates t the deeds of the Nicolai tanes, which also 1 hate. He that hath an ear, let hiin hear THE HOLY EESURRECTION. 155 what The Spirit saith unto the churches ; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God. LETTER TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA. And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna, write: These things saith the first and the last, which was dead, and is alive; I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer; behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. LETTER TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN PERGAMOS. And unto the angel of the church inPergamos write: These things saith He which hath the sharp sword with two edges: I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is; and thou boldest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doc- trine of the Nicolaitanes, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth. He that hath an ear, let him hear what The Spirit saith to the 156 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. LETTER TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA. And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These things saith the Son of God, who hath His eyes like unto a flame of Are, and His feet are like flne brass: I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works ; and the last to be more than the first. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacri- ficed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, 1 will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am He which search- eth the reins and hearts; and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; 1 will put upon you none other burden but that which ye have already: hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron ; as the vessels of a potter shall they De broken to shivers: even as I re- ceived of my Father. And I will give him the morn- ing star. He that* hath an ear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches. LETTER TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN SARDIS. And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 167 These things saith He that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. Bemember therefore how thou hast received and heard : and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou slialt not watch, I will come on thee, as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour 1 will come upon thee. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy. He that overcome th, the same shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before His angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches. LETTER TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA. And unto the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith He that is holy, He that is true. He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man open- eth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it; for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not de- nied my name. Behold, I will make them of the syna- gogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and wor- ship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly ; hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that over- 158 TAB HOLY RESURRECTION. cometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and lie shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God : and I will write upon him My new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what The Spirit saith unto the churches. LETTER TO THE ANGEL OF THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA. And unto the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful, and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would that thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of Me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayst be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayst be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve that thou mayest see. As many as I love, 1 rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock; if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne. He that hath an ear, let himhear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. As these Letters to the churches have a close connec- tion with the Return ot Jesus, the subject of the next two, and closing, volumes of this series, a study of three is given on pages 223-302. And we also give the appearance to John as well as to Paul and Stephen here that the reader may see fHB HOLY EESURREOTlOiT. 159 the relations which the two series sustain to each other; and compare the special purposes of each series with those of the other, and of each appearance with the rest. This study, while it enlarges the understanding, will strengthen faith, and quicken love. There is one experience of our ascended Lord, hoW' ever, that is so vitally connected with His ascension and session at God’s right hand, that it demands a larger consideration. This was the fourth manifestation of Jesus’ glorification: HIS ANOINTING IN HEAVEN. It is thus described by The Spirit speaking through the prophet: ‘‘Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever. The sceptre of Thy kingdom is a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of glad- ness above thy fellows.” Psalm xlv, 6, 7.” The fulfillment of this prophecy and promise was ac- complished in the actual anointing of Jesus as King, upon His triumphant return to Heaven. This is told in Hebrews i, 8, 9: “But unto the Son He saith. Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever.: a sceptre of righteousness in the scep- tre of Thy Kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity; therefore God, Thy God, hath an- ointed Thee wiih the oil of gladness above Thy fellows.’’ The Psalm, called a “song of love,” is undoubtedly Messianic. The human basis may have been the nup- tials of Solomon ; but its fulness of meaning can apply only to the Royal One typed by him. And this appli- 160 THE HOLT EESUERECTIOH. cation of it by the writer of The Hebrews fully establish- es the fact. The subject of the Psalm is Messiah the King, and His dominion on, and over, the earth. His welcome home was a royal one; “Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and the King of glory shall come in.” And the reason of this is given, viz; His own worthi- ness to occupy the throne. This is based upon the es- sential majesty of His Person, and the approved excel- lence of His work : “Thy throne,0 God,is forever and ever, the sceptre ot Thy Kingdom is a sceptre of righteous- ness.” This is the great qualification for effective hu- man rule and supremacy. His was to be the govern- ment of all beneath the sun. And as such, only as es- tablished and maintained in eternal right, could it firmly stand. To Adam that dominion had been given. God’s highest servant was entrused tpith the rights of God. But he abode not in honor, maintained not in right- eousness his sovereign place. His fall proved his per- sonal unworthiness, and consequent incapacity to be the governing head of a dependent creation. But Jesus stood where Adam fell. He maintained and vindicated right- eousness in every possible trial. He thus showed Him- self possessed of personal fitness for human rule. For the joy set before Him He had endured the cross, des pising the shame. And He now enters into this joy, and receives, as The Man of God’s pure sanction and de- light, tlie rewards of righteousness. He is told to gird on His sword with glory and ma- jesty; and to go forth prosperously, because of meek- ness, truth and righteousness. And His anointing, and tHE HOLY RESURRECTION. 161 investiture with the sceptre of human rule, is on the ground of His righteousness — of His perfect obedience, and fulfillment of the word of God (Phil, ii, 4-7). The Psalm says, ‘‘Thou lovest righteousness and hat* est iniquity,” &c. The present tense expresses His af- fections before incarnation. But in the Hebrews the verb is in the past tense — “Thou hast loved, ”&c. — de- noting something long enough past and established to be a settled fact. This describes the fact as it was after His return to heaven. The experience of an actual, thorough, unresting testing, in every possible way, dur- ing the whole stay in a world of sin, most conclusively shows that “Thou lovest, and hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity.” “Therefore” — as a result and re- ward of this absolute holiness and merit — “God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee.” This cannot be His anointing at baptism. That was seen by John, this was unseen by mortal eye. That was at the beginning of His course, and qualified Him for it. This was. at its close, and consequent upon it. That belongs to His cross and crown of thorns, insignia of His service, suffering and shame. This was connected with His triumph, with a sceptre, throne, crown of gold, and insignia of royalty. That was for the ministry of grace, and for the ends of the first Advent. This for the ministry of glory, and for the ends of the second Advent (Ps. Ixxx, 20, 29). ' And to these insignia He had a right, in His own name, by His Father’s designation, and by His victory over all His foes (Acts ii, 36; Pom. xiv, 9). This was recog- 162 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. nized in this anointing. He, like David, was anointed twice, before as Saviour, now as King. And this an- ointing was connected with His exaltation and session at God’s right hand, for not until then did He assume the Kingdom as the Son of Man (Ps. cx, 1, 2), He, filled with The Spirit, who went with Him to heaven, re- ceived His Kingdom. The Father anointed Him with the oil of gladness, and enthroned Him by His side on the seat of dominion over all flesh — infallible assurance that He Himself would return, and that, meanwhile. The Spirit would be poured out upon all fiesh. And His Kingship was owned in heaven and on earth. Angels gave Him welcome and worship. Saints on earth crowned Him Lord. Saints in heaven sang out, ^^Worthy is the Lamb that was slain;” and in the chorus of ador- ation and homage the whole creation joined. Hone, while He was on earth, dreamed of the exalted career of that lowly, unpretending Man, nor of the ultimate vast sweep of His beneficent way. He stood in all outward aspects at the farthest possible remove from His distinguished types, whither of the priestly or kingly line. He never wore the brilliant breastplate of Aaron into the holy of holies. His hand never held any sceptre except the mocking reed. But His priestly work was the only real and eflScacious one earth ever saw. How, from the depths of glory He wields a righteous sceptre over the world. Monarchies many and memorable have, since He was crowned, fiourished and faded awav, but His remains. Monarchs have been feared and obeyed, but rarely, personally loved by their subjects. But His 163 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. royal office has secured a depth of attachment, and a fulness of service, to which all the records of earth-born royalty together furnish not one parallel. This anointing was ^^above Thy fellows.” Above an- gels, confirmed by Him in their estate, His messengers, and His fellow-partakers in the glories, holiness and blessedness of Heaven. Above His fellow-men, born of His Spirit, united to His Person, participants of His nature, and members of His family. These enter into fellowship with His sufferings and death. They con- stitute the Bride which He wull espouse, and associate in His royal dignity when He returns. They share the anointed fellowship of Jesus’ reigning joy. He sanctifying and they sanctified are all of one; there- fore He is not ashamed to call them brethren; saying, ‘‘unto my brethren will I declare thy name.” Him now, they delight to honor. By faith, through The Spirit and word, they have some sense of what He is, and what He has done, and is doing, for them. This value is very imperfect. But they take God’s valuation,the value God has set upon Him. This they see in this anoint- ing, which was because of His intrinsic excellence. They see Jesus crowned with glory and honor. They anoint Him in their hearts. They give Him the best out of their ivory palaces. They break upon Him their boxes of perfume, and all His garments smell of aloes, myrrh and cassia. They crown Him their King. They sound His praises as One whose name is as precious ointment poured forth. So did the Magi. Their tribute was a kind of anointing, expressive of the glory that was in 164 THE HOLT RESURRECTION. Him as a babe, and of tbeir homage to Him as King. So did the woman that was a sinner. The anointing God had put upon Him, tor the ministry of grace and lo\ e to sinners, had, as He walked on earth, spread itself abroad. Her faith had discovered, used, enjoyed it. Her soul, awakened to those affections, which by it are aroused, brought in its own time and way, its anoint- ings also. Lovely and affecting scene, with a character all its own, expressive of a sinner’s value of Jesus as suited to her needs. So did Mary. The nameless wo- man anointed Him as Saviour, Mary anointed Him as King. The former, in tears and in the tenderness of the sinner’s faith, the latter, without tears, with the oil of gladness, in the intelligence and joy of the matured be- liever’s faith. The former, because just saved, the lat- ter, against the day of His burial. She knew He was to receive glory, not corruption. Her faith said, Kes- urrection will preserve His body. And her anointing is expressive of the believer’s sense of all the value that is in Jesus as the Heir of all the glories connected with, and consequent upon. His return from the grave. In this anointing Jesus received the completion of the promise of The Father, which He was to send. And the first act of His royalty, the fifth manifestation of His glorification, was to send The Spirit down (Acts ii, 33). The invisible enthronement in the heavens was followed by the visible coming of The Spirit to earth. The fitness of receptivity of the disciples was complete- They received the fulness, and along with it a share in His first anointing. As the holy oil ran down the THE HOLY RESURREQTION. 165 beard of Aaron’s garment, so this flows down from Him to them. His members, and ultimately to be the joint- heirs to His throne. This is Pentecost. This flts them to be workers to- gether with Him, until He returns. This is ours as well as theirs. Pentecost will be followed by Parousia. Then His ascension will be theirs and ours. The Pen- tecost gives the holiness and power for service, Parou- sia, the glory and reward. He is anointed above His fellows, for it is right and meet that in all things He has the pre-eminence. But that will not hinder their participation in His glory, when He returns, and they are raised, with Him to reign. Heaven retains Him since the day that He vanished from the wistful gaze of those who witnessed His ascension. Now He is hidden, but owned by angels, and by the spirits of the j ust in heaven, and by the saints on earth. They await the Epiphany of His glorious Kingdom. He shall come forth majestically. Not alone. Besides myriads of saints, He shall be brought on His way by an angel host. He shall come in power and glory, as King of nations. He will be recognized as King of kings, and Lord of lords. The world which crowned Him with thorns, will render supremest homage to him, the once rejected Son of Man. In that triumph and joy all His saints will share. And in that day of His espousal and gladness of heart, when the marriage will be consum- mated, and they will see the connection between anoint- ing for service, and anointing for reigning, they will look back to Pentecost when and where The Spirit proclaimed 166 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. Jesus King. Then will they see how then and since, The Spirit has brought to J esus all those who crown Him in their hearts, and own His sway.* The Argument Rightly Built on these Facts. The reader has now before him the whole history of J esus resurrection. The narratives are independent of each other. The discrepancies between them are seem- ing. For despite them (though some of these may not, from lack of information be removed in time) the nar- ratives can be combined into one harmonious whole. And the result is one complete and consistent picture. In its study we see that in the consciousness of the early Church the resurrection of J esus was an external reality, and the foundation of their faith. And the object of the whole picture, as of its parts, is to give to everyone the unhesitating conviction of the reality with its mo- mentous consequences. There are difficulties. Some are philosophical. To these, however, this answer, ‘‘God is able to do” is suf- ficent for all who believe in the existence of a Living, Personal God. “Why,” said Paul to King Agrippa, “should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead?” (Acts xxvi, 8). Others are critical and historical. These may be largely re- moved by a sound exegesis, and a clear statement of the facts. And this patient study must surely bring con- [*1 Cor. xiii. 3. Eph. v, 30. Heb. ii, iii. Matt. xxv. 31, 33. Rev. iii, 31. xix.] THE HC/LY HESURREOTION. 167 victioH as to the external fact to every thoughtful mind and honest heart. The testimonies are (a) the successive historic state- ments; (b) the senses, intelligence and honesty of the witnesses and writers; (c) the words of Jesus; and (d) the Hebrew Scriptures. In the historic statements the miracle is intermingled with the ordinary, and is told in the same simple and homely way. The writers recognize that Jesus’ resur- rection is a stupendous fact, not unnatural, but yet wholly beyond even the extraordinary in His life. They mention it as a natural and integral part of His life. They give the proofs and arguments which He advanced in evidence of the fact. They tell its features and the effects which it wrought upon the thinking and acting of His followers. They announce facts. They adduce Scriptures. But they never give a proof or argument of their own* Their very simplicity and earnestness attest their truthfulness. Paul’s testimony is most direct and decided. In his great letters to the Romans (A. D. 58 or 69), and to the Corinthians (A.D. 59) our oldest, and only unassailed lit- erature on the subject, he mentions Jesus’ resurrection as a well recognized historic fact. ‘‘Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of God, the Father,” and “was declared to be the Son -of God with power by His resurrection from the dead.” He mentions a number of His appearances. He declares that the most of those five hundred to whom He had showed Himself alive at one time were still living when he wrote this letter. To 168 THE HOLY resurrection. their testimony he adds his own: ‘‘I have seen the Lord,” He then goes on, Christ be not risen, your faith is vain — i. has no foundation — and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of Him that He raised up Christ, whom He raised not up.” And upon this resurrection he founds the resurrection of all believers. And Paul was altogether too honest and self-respecting a man to stoop to such a degrada- tion as is involved in giving out fictions as facts, or to stake his own veracity upon statements which he did not know to be absolutely true. Two of the writers, Matthew and John, were eye- witnesses of the facts which they give. And John, in his Letters and Revelation,* mentions as an unques- tioned historic fact that Jesus lived in Heaven as “the First-begotten from the dead,” and that He had de- clared to him “I am He that liveth, and was dead, and am alive forevermore.” And the vividness, fulness, and minute and delicate details of his descriptions — such as those of the running of Peter and himself, the inside of the tomb, Peter’s throwing his coat over his naked body, and the appearances of Jesus given in the Revelation, &c — instantly impress upon the mind the conviction that he had witnessed, and accurately nar- rates what he describes. These testimonies have been subjected to the severest [*The Letters were written about A. D. 90 ; the Revelation, A. D. 96; the Gospel about A. D. 78. Holtzmann, whose liberal- ism no one disputes, puts the date of Matthew’s and Mark’s Gos- pels prior to A. D. 70, and Luke’s before A. D. 80. Die Synopt, Evan.'\ THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 16P and most searching unfriendly scrutiny. But every such investigation has strengthened the conviction oi their historic accuracy. The effort has been repeatedly made to break their force by disentangling the miracu- lous from the natural. But the two are so interwoven in the warp and woof of the story that it is soon seen that it must stand or fall as a whole. There is no solid ground for doubting the accuracy of the narratives in the one more than in the other. If in the one^ then everywhere are they unworthy of credit. If their tes- timony as to the resurrection, then all their testimony concerning Jesus must be rejected. If He did not arise, He did not exist at all. Witnesses and writers both were men of common sense. Having the opportunity, they had the capacity to judge of sensible facts. They could distinguish be- tween reports and testimony, and justly estimate the value of the latter. They were independent thinkers. They differed in many respects from each other. Doc- trinal differences, individual preferences, divergent ten- dencies of thought divided them into parties and sects. But as to the fact of Jesus’ resurrection, there was ab- solute oneness of conviction. They were few, unknown, unlearned (save a few), uninfluential, and unsupported by any learned or influential men. They proclaimed salvation open to all ^fln Jesus,” and impossible apart from Him. They announced as facts — the basis of that salvation — one thing abhorrent (crucifixion) to the Jew- ish theocratic mind, and one thing incredible (resurrec- tion) to the practical Roman, and philosophic Grecian 170 THE HOLT RESUEEEOTION. minds. And yet Jews, most scrupulous in matters of faith, Romans, most practical in their ideas of life, and Greeks, most cultured and keen-witted, became converts. Around these facts a system at once doctri- nal and ethical, and new in the world’s history, crystal ized. With them its every institution, belief and its ethical life were indissolvably intertwined. From them sprang every hope. These were the foundation without which it would crumble to pieces; the vital air, with- out which it would wither and die. If not objective facts, they were falsehoods; and as such, weights which must sink the system into ruin, and its authors into infamy. The system was aggressive, revolutionary and destructive, hut constructive as well. Its preachers were described as men who turned the world upside down. The facts were first published not in distant and inaccessible countries, but on the spot where, and a few days after, they had occurred; In the presence of a vast and promiscuous concourse its preachers charged home upon the murderers of Jesus their guilt, and announced the triumphant vindication of the Cruci- fied; “God raised Him from the dead.” It was open- ly, fearlessly, powerfully proclaimed not only in Jeru- salem, but also in Antioch, Ephesus, Corinth, Rome, and in all the chief centers of intellectual, social, politi- cal and commercial activity. It was proclaimed in the most enlightened era of antiquity — the age of Augus- tus and Tiberius; the age of Cicero, Yirgil and Horace; the age when, under the attacks of philosophy and blows of reason, superstitions crumbled into dust, when THE HOLY RESURRECTION, 171 natualism and nature-worship were in the ascendant as they are now, when one party explained the movements of matter by inherent forces, and another party af- firmed that perfection in moral goodness was reached by the unaided cultivation of one’s moral powers. It appealed to the thinking, reasoning powers, and to the common sense of mankind. It demanded the closest investigation. It profoundly stirred, it sent vital cur- rents through society, purifying and ennobling it. It aroused, and arrayed against itself the fiercest hostility. By the Jews it was assailed in the bitterest hate. Its adherents were stoned by mobs, and dragged before Councils. An explanation of their conduct was de- manded, and fearlessly given — given with all unwaver- ing conviction of truth. All sorts of charges were al- leged. But never once was the cry raised, ‘^these men are imposters.” Never once were their facts challenged by any one.* The saying ‘^was commonly reported,” but not commonly believed. If it was ever urged, or even seriously entertained by any one, the fact has left not the slightest trace on the literature of the first cen- tury. Its object was to paralyze the preaching of Je- sus’ followers. But it seems not to have made any impression. Thousands of Jews, including ^^a great company of the priests,” became obedient to the faith. The Church was at once formed in Jerusalem. Within [*See Acts, passiom. We do not forget the story started by the Sanhedrim just after Jesus’ resurrection, and still in circula- tion when Matthew’s Gospel was written, thirty years after the event (Matt, xxviii, 10-15), and also handed down by later Jews. (Toledoth J eschu. Dialogue with Trypho,) 172 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. twenty-five years after that it was established and flourish- ing in the chief cities of the Koman Empire, and in the regions beyond. In iiome, as we learn from Tacitus’ graphic description, and as early as A. D. 80, the Church suffered the first great persecution from the Gentile Powers. The Sanhedrim knew that the fact was pub- licly aud constantly proclaimed in the city and that multitudes were daily becoming convinced thereby that Jesus was the Christ. They were grieved that Jesus and the resurrection were preached. They heard the* arrested men’s statement, ^^This Jesus whom ye crucified God has raised from the dead.” They were urged by the strongest motives to deny the statement, and had the amplest opportunities to investigate its accuracy. They did not even make the attempt- And what sufficient reason can be assigned for this conduct save this: the allegations were facts. They let the disciples go. And when they were let go they went forth rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer for His sake. But their mouths were not stopped. Despite all hardships, trials, persecutions and threats they boldly affirmed the facts, of which they were eye and ear witnesses. And their preaching produced conviction. Converts multi plied in every direction. Lives and hearts were changed. Men were cheered by the doctrines which they preached, and animated by the hopes which those doctrines in- spired. The construction of their books shows consummate wisdom. The details — such as the seal guard, earth- quake, terror-stricken soldiers, affrighted women, weep- THE HOLY RESURRECTION. lt3 ing Mary, troubled Peter and John, doubting Thomas, sad and suddenly joyful Clophas, the calm Christ, these and many more — bear the stamp of historic accuracy upon their face. Could the most inventive genius con- struct such narratives? Could it be found to move so many men to write upon a subject within a few years of each other, each one using only those things which ans- wered the object he had in \iew, some of which seem manifest divergencies from the statements of the others, but all giving surprising, and truth seeming details and all showing such complete unity of design in convey- ing to the mind the imj)ression of the actual resurrec- tion of a real Person? and He One whose character they had so fully delineated? Could the writers be so moved by this genius as to write all this, knowing all the time that they were writing fiction? This would be a varia- tion from the ordinary experience of the working of the mind more wonderful than the fact of the resurrection itself. Their attempt to palm upon the world a fiction for a fact on the supposition they did this makes them the most unprincipled of men. Could such men have de- lineated a character so thoroughly unique, so truthful, and of such surpassing loveliness as that they ascribe to Jesus? The parts are indissolubly connected together. He is represented as both a natural and a supernatural Person. This delineation could not possibly be the re- sult of natural processes, nor could such a Person be the victim of natural destiny. His incarnation necessitates resurrection. 174 THE HOLY KESURRECTION. The writers had nothing in all previous history, in any book, in any existing mythologies or philosophies, nor in any of the conceptions of the anticipated Messiah, out of which to fabricate these things, or to build up such a character. These were totally at variance with the actnal life of the delineated Christ. These were founded upon the then current interpretations of the prophecies, that upon the lived facts. In their light the prophecies were found to be unlike the previous and popular impression, but wonderfully correspondent with these facts, and in their light wonderfully clear. And this fact shows that they could not possibly have constructed the life out of either the prophecies or the popular conception. But more. They — on this hypothesis — constructed a system in which, and on whose facts, they placed their present peace and eternal happiness. ^^If,” said they, ‘dn this life only we have hope, we are of all men most miserable. For, if Christ be not risen, the dead rise not,” i, e., there is no future state. Thus they cut themselves off from all future bliss. They pronounce themselves the most miserable of men in this life. They spend time, money, reputation, life, and they endure pov- erty, persecution, suffering, shame and toil. For what? For the propagation of a delusion which had made them unhappy, could only make every one unhappy, and which could not be of the slightest imaginable benefit to any one. This would be an absurdity unparalleled. And yet they proclaimed this system with the avowed purpose of influencing mankind to believe it true, and to receive it for their temporal and eternal good. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 175 This system is one of snpremest holiness and of boundless benevolence. It seeks man’s good in his sal- vation from sin and pollution. It most pronouncedly condemns all falsehood and wrong; forbids the doing of evil that good may come; opposes man’s passions and sinful life; and is the object, until he is converted, of his determined hostility. It addresses his nobler powers, satisfies all his true yearnings and aspirations, and gives both the will and power to love, and be helpful to his fellow men. It, has made its way by no gorgeous cere- monial, no fascinating rite, no physical power, no sup- port of infiuential men. It is too severely chaste and simple for the former, too benevolent for the latter, and too lowly for the last. For its progress in the world it acknowledges its indebtedness to naught else save its Author, its own intrinsic excellence, and its own proofs of its own heavenly origin. And yet it spread with a ra- pidity that amazed and alarmed the nations. Opposing systems crumbled to pieces before its advancing tread. It conquered the world. To-day it is wide-spread, and growing. It has rooted itself in the heart of humanity. It is found alike in stately houses and humble cottages. It fiourishes equally amid the snows of the North and in the perpetual verdure of the South, in the wilds of Africa and in the centers of civilization. It has created the civilization of Europe and America, and evermore brings incalculable blessings to mankind. This system was founded upon the death and resur- rection of Jesus. They were proclaimed because be- lieved. The living Church is a living proof of belief in 1T6 THE HOLY REStJRRECTlO]^, these facts. Baur admits this. ^‘The faith,” says he,^^of the disciples in these things as facts, is most certain and indis- putable. This faith is the only foundation solid enough to sustain the superstructure of Christianity in its whole historic development.”^ iStraus admits the same thing.-j- But the faith could not have grown up apart from the fact. The whole history of the Church in its rise pro- gress, and ennobling influences upon the individual, society, nations, is a fact which no reasoning can dis- turb. Through it has been wrought the most stupen- dous changes in human thinking, and none more mar- vellous than that about the cross. It was the most odious of punishments. The odium attached to the gallows, guillotine and block is almost praise compared with the abysmal infamy attached to the cross. It was never wiped away. Nothing except total oblivion could save the name and family from the badge, ^^accursed of man,” and ^^accursed of God.” It seemed utterly im- possible for anything ever to lift the instrument and its association out of the degradation and odium belonging to them in the judgment of mankind. The Jews knew that Jesus had stamped His influence too deeply upon the national mind for Him to hope for oblivion. His memory could not perish. And therefore, that He might be consigned to eternal infamy, they crucifled Him. But out of this degradation and infamy the cross came forth transflgured, the sign of honor and the sym- bol of the salvation of God. It was not a change [*i)m ersten Jahrhundert^ 2d ed., pages 39, 40.] \\Lehen Jesiu^ page 289.] THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 177 WTOuglit by the mellowing influence of distance or time. In the city where, and within a few days after the time when on it J esiis hung, it was glorifled. And not long afterwards the world was amazed to hear that so grand a man, and so firm a persecutor as Saul of Tarsus had become thoroughly turned to it, and was everywhere saying, glory only in the cross of Christ;” and that sound was re-eclioed by multitudes, some among whom were the noblest, purest, kindliest of mankind. What was it that caused this stupendous change in human thinking? that lifted up the cross to the exalted position it occupies? Not the sufferings of Jesus merely. These might win pity and respect, but could not command reverence and love. A dead Christ could not have shaken down the solid foundations of idolatry and its institutions as they existed at Corinth and Rome, and on their ruins have erected a religion and its civilization whol- ly opposite. Only the living Christ could do this. It was the nature and results of those sufferings, the character of the Sufferer, and the seal which His resurrection had stamped upon both: His sufferings endured for the benefit of man; His character such as became the Messiah, calm, self-possessed, suffering and dying in the con- sciousness of the dignity of His Person, and of object of His mission, and in the fullest assurance of soul; and His resurrection, putting upon all the stamp of God’s approval: these it was that at once changed the cross into all that it has been ever since. In the light of resurrec- tion every fact of His death became clear as a sunbeam. And the cross, at once the symbol of the work accom- 178 THE HOLY RESURItEOtlOl^. plislied upon it, and of the vast and beneficent results fiowing from that work to man, stands forth in resurrec- tion light, transformed, illumined, glorious to the end of time. Could any system based on a falsehood or myth have accomplished all this? Could unprincipled men have originated a system whose foundation being really a lie has yet all the appearance, power, authority, usefulness of truth? Could they impose it upon thinking men? And yet this is what they did, and with such marvellous success that their lie obtained a permanent triumph over truth. Their supposed facts took deep root, and spread. Men were regenerated. Nations were lifted up. The^ world was revolutionized. The face of history was changed. Despite all attacks upon it, it has maintained its ascendency for two thousand years, and seems possessed of vitality enough to flourish for thousands of years to come. Was that system concocted by men? Rests it upon a fraud? To ask men to believe this is to ask something more than the average thinker who studies the facts, can accept. Christianity is altogether too massive a struc- ture to rest upon an un-reality. It is infinitely easier to believe that it is the offspring of a miracle, than to be- lieve that it is the offspring of a lie. The lives of the founders corresponded with the ethics of the system which they proclaimed. ^^Put away,” said they, ‘^all lying, guile and hypocrisy, and evermore speak the truth. Be faithful to God, and do your whole duty to man. Be sober, honest, kind to all, and remem- ber the poor.” So they preached. So they acted. Their THE HOLY HESURREOTION. 179 lives were above reproach. They labored with their own hands. Being reviled, they blessed. Being persecuted, they suffered it. ^^You, and God also, are witnesses, how holily, justly and unblamably we behaved; not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but manifesting ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” Thus they lived, and thus they labored, because they trusted in Jesus, the Saviour of all, who both died and rose again. These are the men upon whose testimony rests our belief in the fact of resurrection. The rejection of this testimony involves us in endless contradictions, and compels us to admit things repugnant to our feelings, and contrary to the course of human events. We must believe that a company of men, honorable in all other respects, banded together to aim ostensibly at good through the fabrication of a lie, that they held together, and continually enlarged, without one being found to ever give the slightest intimation of the fraud, and that they placed all their own hopes upon the resurrection of Jesus, while they knew all the time that He was fast locked up in the tomb. This is a story too incredible for the acceptance of any sane and honest mind. Let us turn to the facts which they give. 1 . Jesus frequently fore-announced His own death, and subsequent resurrection on the third day following.* These facts were to be fraught with the richest blessings to mankind. As a memorial of them and of Himself, [*Matt. xxi, 21; xvii, 23; xx, 15; Mark ix, 31; x, 34; Luke ix, 22 ; xviii, 33 ; xxiv, 7.] 180 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. He instituted a simple Supper whose continuance would be till He came again. On the night of its institution He was betrayed and arrested. On the following day He was condemned to death by the Jewish supreme tri- bunal, and executed by the order of the Roman gov- ernor. At 3 P. M. He died. Pilate, when thoroughly satisfied of this fact gave His body to a J ewish coun- cillor, who buried it in his own tomb. Upon the great stone closely fitting into the sepulchre’s mouth, Pilate’s official seal was stamped, and a guard of Roman soldiers was placed by his command at the tomb. Their duty was to prevent any one taking away the. Body. These facts are beyond dispute. No link in the chain of the tes- timony is wanting. Jesus was actually dead and buried. 2. Nothing, during the next forty hours, disturbed the quiet of the tomb. Then the tomb was burst open, and the Body was gone. Was it taken away? So said the soldiers. But this was at the instance of the priests to whom they told the facts which they knew, and who had every motive to conceal those facts. Did friends remove it? Their mental and moral condition at the time absolutely forbids the supposition. They had all forsaken the living Jesus. What possible motive was powerful enough to impel them to disturb the Body of the dead Jesus, whose end had seemingly so cruelly mocked the glory of His life, disappointed all their hopes, and had exposed them to all the obloquy of following a false Messiah? Did enemies remove it? They had no motive to do this. And if they had done it, their word to this effect would have confronted the idea of resurrection; THE HOLY KESURRECTION. 181 and, siicli was the popular clamor against Jesus, would have been credited. And farther, had they done it, and then told where the body was, that would most effect- ually have killed the cause of Jesus. Did unknown Iversons remove it? The seal, guard, absence of all mo- tives say, no. And as for the story started by the priests, the following is a suflSicient answer. Peter and John once, and the body of the apostles twice, were brought before the Sanhedrim, and boldly in their presence declared that Jesus had arisen (Acts iv, 1-22; v, 17-32.) Most favorable opportunities these to expose the fraud. Why was it not done? Why, rather was the fact admitted by implication?^ Is it not strange that the guard’s remis- sions was never reported to headquarters? No valid reason has ever been given why Matthew’s statement a- bout the soldiers should not be implicitly believed. They told the facts as far as they knew them. Their word was believed. And to account for the empty tomb — a fact which would soon be known throughout the city — they were bribed to tell the lie. 3. To certain women, who went early to the sepul- chre, an angel, declared that Jesus had arisen, and would meet His disciples in Galilee. They returned to the city in haste, and told the disciples. The chief priests believed the soldiers; the disciples believed not the wo- men’s words. The latter announced resurrection. And this was a fact that the disciples were not in a condition of mind to accept. Even when Peter and John saw in the [*See GamalieUs remark. Acts v, 34-39.] 182 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. order of tlie grave clothes in the empty tomb the rul- ing of the highest presence of mind, and of the greatest composure of spirit, they could not see initthe idea of resurrection. The facts they were cognizant of may have been a stepping stone to faith in it, and to the con- sequent complete faith in Jesus as the Son of God. But that was all. Up to, say, 5 P. M. of that day not a nlan believed that J esus had arisen. The first two who did were Clophas and his friend. To them J esus appeared and made Himself known in the breaking of bread. This was His third appearance on that day. Thence on He appeared to His disciples in different places, and under different circumstances, sometimes to few, sometimes to many, once by appointment, and that to above five hun- dred at once. He made Himself known to the senses of persons amply qualified to judge as to His identity. He gave them ample opportunity for the closest inspec- tion. By the senses of touch, sight and hearing they tested Him, and were thoroughly satisfied of the reality, both of the Body, and of its resurrection. These appearances were not those of a ghost. The first one to the company of the disciples was after they had been told of those to Mary, to the women, to Olo- phas and his friend, and to Peter. It was a sudden, un- expected presence in a room where the doors were shut. It terrified them. They supposed it was a spirit. He calmed their terror, and removed their doubts. ‘‘Handle Me,” said He; “a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have.” Nor were they visions in either the spiritual or pop- THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 183 ular acceptation of that term. This, the hypothesis of Holsten, adopted also by Lang, (Heinrich) by Straus {Neues Leben)^ and by the author of Supernatural Religion^ is seemingly rational and scientific. But it ruins the character of the witnesses, and it does not sat- isfactorily explain the facts. It first strives to make the ante and post ascension appearances the same in kind. Then it labors to show that post ones, espec- ially those to Paul, were but vivid mental impressions. The mind seemed to see Jesus. Then mistaking the subjective for the objective, it invested what was not real with reality. They were not a bodily apparition, but only a vision to the mind. Two passages are given as the basis and support of this theory: was not disobedient to the hea/oenly vis- ion'y^ “it pleased God to reveal His Son in me ” (Acts xxvi, 19; Gal. i, i6; Cor. xii, 5-6). But when we com- pare these with those in which the appearances are mentioned (Acts ix, 3-6; xxii, 3-16; xxvi, 8-18; 1 Cor. ix, 1; XV, 8) we at once perceive that these were ob- jective appearances, and that the manifestations to the soul (an experience common to believers, Jn. xiv, 24) accompanied it, and was different in character from it. This must have been so, if Paul honestly told, and Luke accurately narrated the facts. The visional theory can- not be made to harmonize with either of the statements, or with the mental or moral characteristics of Paul. He undoubtedly regarded the appearance as an objec- tive one. He puts it in the lists of what all regarded as such and which he uses as a proof of our bodily resur- 184 THE HOLY KESURRECTION, rection. He describes it by the word optasia^ a sights a spectacle^ {heavenly vision E, Y.) rather than orama^ or orasis^ the word always used in tlie N. T. to designate the internal vision. And that he intended by the word to designate an objective reality is evident from his word to Agrippa, concerning God’s ability to raise the dead. And lurther, when he was doubtful as to the char- acter of a manifestation, he was very careful to make the doubt known. 1 Cor. xii. His Judgment was too cool, his intellect too clear, his reasoning faculties too acute, his ethical faculties too practical, wise and straight-for- ward, and his whole humanity too robust and manly, to mistake a subjective for an objective reality, or to declare that he had seen, when he had not seen the Lord. He could be neither the victim nor author of such a delusion. Farther, save the adjunct of locality, there is no ap- parent difference as to reality and objectiveness between the ante and the post ascension appearances. The im- pression upon the mind of the beholders was that they were objective manifestations. If they were not, but only the spirit of Jesus glorified, then He deceived the people. And this is the annihilation of His character. On the visional theory the ante ascension appearances might account for the post ascension ones, but the lat- ter certainly could not originate, therefore not explain the former. This throws us back to the ante-acension ones. And here the hypothesis is met by most formid- able difficulties, (a) The difference between the objec- tive visions of which we have a record in the Bible and a subjective one, and between the recorded ones and THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 185 these appearances is very marked. Let any one take a concordance and hunt up, and read the passages which speak of visions, and then compare them with these nar- ratives and he will at once see how marked the contrast between the three things, (b) Would not one who had experience of these phenomena, question consciousness in his calmer moments? Thomas’ mind was a doubting one, Peter’s was practical, Paul’s sober, cultivated prac- tical and profound. Would such minds mistake a sub- jective vision or hallucination for a reality, be carried away by it, and never once detect or have a question concerning the reality? (c) A vision could only have suggested this: “Jesus is in heavenly glory.” The dis- ciples could not hence, have said truthfully, “we have seen the risen Lord down here.” Nor could they have suddenly sobered down from the visionary state, and, looking the cold facts in the face have then stood up before the Sanhedrim which condemned Him to death, and calmly and boldly said, “Jesus is risen.” Fifty days are not time enough for belief in resurrection to grow up in so many minds out of a hallucination. Straus felt and confessed this difficulty. It left him, he saw., no ground to stand upon. Hence all his frantic efforts to do away with the appearances which occurred on the first day. (d) A subjective vision cannot be made to accord with the facts as given, in their number, variety and details, nor with the solid hard tacts of a dead and buried Jesus, the non-expectation of resurrection, the desolation, the dismay, the complete breakdown and ut- terly cheerless and hopeless condition of the disciples. 186 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. How could those who expected no resurrection mistake a mental hallucination for a bodily appearance? They might and at first did suppose that they had seen a ghost- But how could they suddenly transform a ghost into a bodily reality? It would be psychologically impossible for such men to weave out of such facts a series of vis- ions such as — on this theory — the narratives give, and then associate themselves together in order to persistently declare them to be objective realities, (e) The appear- ances themselves show that they were not subjective. They were not a luminous something fioating in the air, and vanishing in the sky. They were a localised tanga- bility, which gave full, definite, audible instructions and promises for the conducting of the Church, and which pointed out from the Scriptures that His resurrection must of necessity follow His sufierings and death. And (f) the visional theory will not at all accord with the fact that the appearances did not become an abiding ele- ment in the life of the Church. They have determinate and narrowly drawn boundaries. They suddenly began. And they suddenly ceased. With the exception of the post-ascension ones they are comprised within the limits of forty days. On the well marked day of Jesus’ return to His Father, they ceased, and the disciples calmed down. Even before that, they exhibited no sign of vis- ionary or morbid excitement. They went a fishing. They addressed themselves to their life calling and com- mon duties. Could they have done this if under so strange a hallucination as this theory declares them to have been? A sudden transition from a state of vision- THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 18T ary and morbid excitement to a state so collected and cool is psychologically impossible. The calmness, the self-posesssion, the thoroughly practical energy of will, all indicate a perfectly sound mental and moral condition. The strictly determined manifestations and their cessa- tion, and the change in the disciples can be accounted for intelligently upon no possible hypothesis save this, that both were controlled by the external fact. With- out the fact the faith could not have been born. The clearness, considerateness, repose of spirit and ear- nestness of endeavor which ever after characterized the disciples absolutely forbid the supposition that they were a company of visionaries in which each one tried to infect every other one with his own fanaticism. Unless the evidences of the senses be wholly swept away as wholly unreliable, the fact must stand. And it overturns the visional theory. Nor is this theory either rational or scientific. It can give no satisfactory explanation of the origin of the belief in actual resurrection, nor of the se- ries of appearances. It makes all the witnesses dishonest and irrational. All this is a demand too enormous to be accepted. Faith in the fact must live unless you would destroy the foundations of all historical knowledge, and empty the past of all reality. The change in the thinking of the disciples, was sud- den and complete. The following facts are unquestioned : The disciples were not prepared for resurrection, and did not believe the first tidings of it. Notwithstanding the stupendous news of the fact, and the profound im- pression of terror which the first appearance to the com- 188 THE HOLY RESURRECTION, pany made upon it, the conviction of the reality of Je- sus’ resurrection did take deep and permanent root in the mind. A living faith in it was an actuating and impelling power of the preaching, the substance of which was it, and its kindred fact Jesus died.” This preach- ing was the foundation of theChurch’s faith and life, the starting point of its worship, and also of its peculiar forms, and the source of strength and joy for service and suffering. And how could this faith have become the power it then was, and has been ever since, except that it reposed upon an objective and historical fact? You say, no one saw the act of reanimation and resurrection. True. The narratives do not affirm that any one did. It was the Body after it had come forth alive from the tomb that people saw. You say, the statement, ‘^the Body broke through the rocky sepulchre and came forth alive”, is too stupendous a demand upon our faith. I reply, the break- ing through the despair and disbelief of the disciples Vvas a still more stupendous fact, and a thing still more difficult to accomplish. And yet this was done. You say, why did He appear to His friends only, and not be- fore the Sanhedrim which had condemned Him? I ans- wer, liad His rising been merely the resuscitation of His previous life, as in the case of Lazarus, He could have been discerned by any cognizant of that life. But it was a resurrection in the true and proper meaning of that term, a manifestation of glorified humanity, of a Body completely filled and pervaded by the Spirit. Hence it could be discerned only by snch as were spirit- ual. To such, who had known Him before must He ap THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 189 pear in order that His identity might be clearly and fully recognized, and thus the fact of resurrection be tully made known. But unbelievers being unspiritual could not have seen Him even had He appeared in their midst. Besides, had it been possible for Him to have been seen by such the sight could only have convinced them of the mere fact. But since the sight developed, as in the case of Thomas, an already existing faith which it could not create, the mere conviction of the fact of resurrection could not have brought faith in Him as the Son, and as the Christ, of God. Hence an appearance to unbelievers would have been useless. ‘^They have,” and this is Je- sus’ answer to the question, ‘^Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. If they will not hear them, nei- ther will they be persuaded though one arose from the dead ” (Luke. xvi. 29, 31). Study the condition of mind of Jesus’ company. His arrest was a terrible blow to mind and heart. Worn out with the sickness of hope deferred, darkened by the shadow on the Lord, weighed down by the apprehen- sions of some appalling, impending stroke, distracted by the suggestions of distrust and doubt, they saw Him betrayed by one of their own number and arrested by the officers of law. Then terror crushed out all faith and courage. Peter, who had boldly confessed, John, who tenderly loved Him, Thomas, who was ready to die with Him, Nathaniel, the guileless, and all the rest, — men who had seen His mighty works, had heard His mighty words, had drunk in life and joy from His lips — all forsook Him and lied! The rude, heavy stroke of 190 THE HOLY REStJRRECTION. death had shaken to pieces all repose, resolve, constancy, and balance of mind. Jesus siezed, soon became Jesus judged, abused, beaten, condemned, crucified, the seem- ingly helpless victim reviled and execrated. There was no tendency, in all this, nor in anything in the occurren- ces of that night and day of horrors, save Jesus’ own de- portment and words, to steady their nerves, restore their presence of mind, lift them out of their profound de- jection, much less to give wings to joyful faith. With His death and burial came utter despair. Bitter disappoint- ment must have been mingled with their profound sor- row. THEEE WAS A GAP IN THE CONNEC- TION OF THEIE FAITH IN JESUS, AS A LIV- ING PEESENCE AND POWEE, AND AS THE SON OF GOD WHICH EESUEEECTION ALONE COULD FILL. It is contrary to all the laws of thinking to suppose that in such a condition of mind the idea of resurrection would occur to them. And every fact sliows that it did not. The utmost that the empty tomb did was the convincing of Peter and John, (and also Mary Magdalene) that the Body was gone. And the words of Clophas and his companion ^^we trusted that it had been He which would have redeemed Israel,” expressed the conviction of the whole company. Their hopes of redemption by Him were a thing of the past, a matter gone by. The fabric was shattered to dust. From the depth of despair, they passed at a bound to the height of joy, and to that confidence and boldness so conspicnous in their lives and preaching. This was tnli} HOLY RESURRECTION. 191 caused, tliey said, by Jesus’ re -appearances. Each appear- ance and its teaching gave an increase in knowledge and faith, and each advance in faith gave fresh conviction. Now it is psychologically impossible for perpetrators of a fraud to have wrought such a change in themselves. They must first reanimate all their own dead hopes. Then they must come together and deliberately form a falsehood stupendous in character. Then to carry it out successfully would require coolness of mind, pre- cision ot purpose, power of invention to construct and of will to acoomplish, and a unity of thought, of pur- pose, and of affection to each other, and to the lie, which would hold them together under all possible circum- stances, A combination this, of mental and moral char- acteristics which ordinary minds do not possess. Ma- cauley, the historian, in commenting upon the subtle conspiracies against the life of William III, remarks, that while a conspiracy is confined to one mind it may not become known, but that it is impossible for a com- pany of conspirators to hold together long without some one of them making the crime known. And this, though bound to each other by most solemn oaths. But these men held together, a compact unyeilding, influential body. Within fifty days of that date they preached in that city that Jesus had arisen from the dead. Kings and Councils could not alter their conviction on this point. Suffering, privation, the fear of persecution, the prospect of death could not hinder them from preach- ing it. And the whole change in most of them was wrought 192 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. within fifteen hours. That was a day of sudden revolution of feelings. In the morning profound sorrow bowed down women and men alike. In the evening all was joy. Idle tales were found true. Hopes all dead suddenly sprang up full of life. In the morning, faith in Jesus as Mes- siah was all gone, and the future impenetrably dark. In the evening a light burst out which persecution could not quench. It was a day of fragmentary and appar- ently discordant testimonies, a seeing, and running and telling, each saying what he had seen, or heard. There is no day like it in history. THE DEAD IS ALIYE! The Body, once bound, and pierced, was now before them with the marks of crucifixion upon it. The grave had seemed an absolute proof that death was stronger than an absolutely holy life. But its degradation and dishonor had been wiped away. Jesus’ character, claims and words had received most ample and honorable vin- dication. He was declared to be the Son of God. Hav- ing scattered the seeds of resurrection-life in the prov- inces of death He had arisen the Conqueror of it, and of all the false accusations against Himself, and had demon- strated by fact His words, ‘‘1 am the Resurrection and the Life.” In this triumphant resurrection the course of nature had received a new direction. The new crea^ tion had begun. Human thought had been started in new channels. The past was no longer a deplorable mistake, but a golden legacy. The future was full of blessing. Suddenly the whole company of believers are conscious of their vocation. Intrepid faith, joyous labor, holy zeal, consciousness of victory fill heart and voice. Forth they go to conquer the world for their Lord. THE HOLY KESURRECTION. 193 And that gladness still lives. Easter day is crowned with songs and flowers. The voice of rejoicing is now heard, as it was on that first Easter day, in the taberna- cles of the righteous. And Christos ho anestee, Christ is risen^ is the glorious greeting of Christian friends. Now, how account for this sudden, this amazing change in the thinking and acting of the disciples? this powerful conviction? this permanent revolution? It could not possibly have been accomplished by any in- ternal process. There was nothing in the popular be- liefs, nor in the Grecian or Roman thinking,* nor in current interpretation of the prophecies which could be- get the idea of an actual resurrection. | Shall we with J\[attliew Arnold J deny the fact, and account for the be- lief of the disciples by saying that what they call an understanding, was a mmmderstanding of Jesus’ words (in Luke xviii, 31-34:.; John ii, 22,) about His res- urrection? True, His words made upon them a pro- found impression. Though understood not when spoken, (Luke xviii, 34) they were not forgotten. True, after the events had occurred they recalled His words (John ii, 22, xii, 16.) But it is also true that before His death they questioned with themselves what the rising from the dead should mean (Mark, ix. 10), and that even after, some of them had seen tlie empty grave they knew not the Scriptures that He must rise again from the dead. [*When Paul at Athens preached the resurrection, he and his subject were objects of ridicule, and Festus called Jesus’ resurrec- tion a superstition. See Acts xTiii. 32, xxv. 19. also xxvi. 24.] [fSee Matt. xvd. 21-23; John ii. 22.] \XOod and the Bible. Eng. Ed. page 263.] 194 THB HOLY RESURRECTION. (John, XX, 9.) The empty grave will not convince them of the fact, and if so, surely by no mental processes could they work up in their own minds a belief of the idea as actualized. They could not see how re»urrection could be, and hence could not think it out as a fact. They did not look at the fact in the light of Jesus’ say- ings, but they looked at the sayings in the light of the fact. The fact solved the mysteries that were in His words. The fact poured a flood of light upon all His teachings, and upon all the Scripture. It was the key which fitted all His words, unlocked the meaning of His instructions, and opened to their view the great truths concerning Himself which prophecy and promise had announced. How then could these things either mis- understood, or not understood at all before, be the foun- dation on which to erect an imaginary fact— if such a phrase is allowable? Words that He spake had led many to abandon Him. (John vii). But not one who saw Him alive after death ever wavered for a moment in their attachment to Him and His cause. Shall we say that this belief was formed by a vision, ner- vous convulsions, phantoms of the disordered imagina- tion of hysterical women, and weak-minded, weak-nerved men? Was it the result of Renan’s ‘^sacred moments when the passion of a hallucinated woman gave the world a resurrected God?” Christian thought started by an apparition! Christian society organized by self- deception! The Church founded upon a falsehood! The regeneration of the world eflEected by a fraud! Call this rational if you will, but do not suppose that it ever can THE HOLY I^EStJRREOtlON. 195 stand before the judgment seat of conscience, or of his- tory. No, This was a new belief in the world, and it could not have originated except in a new fact external to man, and supported by the most indubitable, experi- mental evidence. The fact, further, must have been clear enough to remove the last shade of doubt from the thinking, and powerful enough to start men upon a new, most unexpected and most difficult career. And an out- ward fact meeting all these conditions must have been manifested. For, only thus can the sudden change in the apostles be explained. And surely if ever the foun- tains of human life bubbled up and sent forth the streams of deep inward conviction, it was on that eventful night when Jesus stood in their midst alive from the dead. And this grand subjective revolution in the soul and life of the helpless band which could only rest upon the objective revelation, the resurrection of the Lord, at- tested and glorified itself, by this thorough change, as a divine fact. So also did the change effected in the cross, whereby what had been a sign of the deepest disgrace became a sign of the highest honor. So conclusive was the testimony that all the disciples believed it, that Paul was changed by it from a relentless enemy into a life-long and ardent friend; and that the whole face of history was permanently changed by it. Always and everywhere, in all their addresses and in all tlieir letters the apostles give special prominence to the fact. It was the key note of all their preaching. At Pentecost Peter affirmed, ‘‘This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are witnesses.’’ To the crowd in Sol- THE HOLY RESURRECTION. i.96 onion’s porcli greatly wondering at the miracle wrought upon the lame ra?m at the gate ^^Beautiful,” he declared that it was the name of Jesus, whom God had jaised from the dead, and through faitli in Ilis name as Risen, that the man had been made whole. To the Council who were grieved that they preached through Jesus the resurrection of the dead, and had arrested him and John, and demanded of them to tell by what power and name they had wrought a miracle on the lame man, Peter ans- wered: ^^By the name of J esus, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead.” When broimht ai^ain a few days after before the Council, and charged with having anew preached a Risen Christ in the city, they all ans- wered, ^^ye slew Jesus; but God raised Him up, and ex- alted Him with His right hand a Prince and a Saviour.” To Cornelius and the company assembled in his house at Caeserea Peter declared, ‘^that Jesus whom they slew, God raised up, and showed openly to chosen witnesses.” At Antioch Paul declared that God had fulfilled the promise given to the fathers in raising up Jesus again. He repeated tlie same at Athens and Corinth. Every- where it was the. same. With great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Acts ii, 32; iii, 15, 16; iv, 10; v, 30, 31,; x, 39, 40; xiii, 58-39; xvii, 31; 1 Cor. xv, 19.) What was declared by word of mouth was penned down in all theirLetters. It was the foundation of all their own experience and preaching. It, with its twin-truth, ^^Christ was cruci- fied,” was the one fact which was constantly brought forward in all their discourses, and in all their defenses THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 197 of conduct. They zealously announced it before kings and Councils, and told it to the people as the foundation of salvation and as the spring of joy. Throughout the apostolic Letters not one attempt is made to establish the fact.* They ever speak of it as a fact well-known, and universally received by the church. The sufferings of Jesus and His resurrection are constantly mentioned together as facts of equal weight and of equal validity. And the profound impression which the facts made upon Paul appears in his, ^‘that I may know the fellowship of His sufferings and, (not the fact, but) the power of His resurrection.” It was the great funda- mental truth in all his preaching, as witness his word on Mars’ hill, to the sceptical, philosophical Athenians, and also his word to the practical and worldly-wise king Agrippa, at Csesarea. So would he have it as a funda- mental fact in his experience :^^that I may know the pow- er of His resurrection.” Know it in its fulness, sweep, and significance. Know it as the mighty inspiration of every thought. Know it in its transforming power up- on the character. Know it in all its blessedness and felt elevation, in every hour of life and in the agony of death. And this power he felt. The fact and its con- sequences placed him, in a certain sense, on the immor- tal side of death. It peopled his heart with aspirations after a glory and immortality assured and unspeakably desirable. It urged him onward in that unparalleled [*1 Co.r. XV, is no exception. In it Paul reiterates what he had constantly preached, and shows that Jesus’ resurrection is the foun- dation of the resurrection of believers.] 198 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. career which blazed like the sun carrying life and joy to multitudes. And in his profound experimental acquain- tance with these facts, the other disciples and early con- verts shared. The fact of Jesus’ triumph over death and session on the Father’s throne filled them with the most exalted conceptions of His character. Resurrection not only wrought conviction, and opened truth, shed a fiood of light on the prophetic Scriptures and upon Jesus’ teaching, recalled, and made plain sayings of His which had been hitherto not understood,^ but it also was the Divine solution of all their difficulties, and the Divine remedy for all their sorrows. Its mighty power was manifested throughout their whole career. While Je- sus was yet with them” many finally abandoned Him and His career. On the night of His death, all, even the most faithful, steadfast and heroic had forsaken Him and fied. But resurrection recalled all these last, and bound them to Him forever. It animated them with new motives. It gave a firm ground for an intelligent faith to rest upon, and assured them of success in their mission. It made their lives sublime, and threw over them a halo of glory which no persecution could obscure, and death itself could not dim. And as they went forth with all the glorious greetings of Easter morning, and told the world of the Conqueror over death. Who had demon- strated by fact that He ‘^was the Resurrection and the Life,” the whole face of history was permanently changed. And so profoundly have they wrought, by the Spirit, this conviction into the heart of liumanity, that sword, sci- [*See, for example, Luke xviii, 31-34; John ii, ^2; xii, 16, &cj THE HOLT RESURRECTION. 199 ence, skeptical criticism and every form of attack have in vain tried during 1900 years to cast it to the ground. No weapon formed against it has prospered. No power has been able to loosen its hold upon the intellect and heart of man. If all this testimony to the resurrection of Jesus is worth nothing, no testimony is worth anything. Its en- ormous weight must crush every attempt to deny the fact. In vain scepticism here concentrates and consum- mates itself, working to reduce the fact to a myth, or to the bare idea and symbolism of life. For here, life is in its highest energy. And to say that this is death, or a lie, is a supposition too monstrous for belief. “The false- hood of all this testimony would be more miraculous than the event which it relates.” We close this part of the argument with a remark from Heinrich Ewald, a writer whose sympathies for orthodoxy were certainly not strong, and whose critical power and profound scholar- ship none will question: “Nothing stands more histori- cally certain than that Jesus rose from the dead, and ap- peared again to His followers, or than that their seeing Him again was the beginning of a higher faith, and of all their Christian work in the world. It is equally cer- tain that they saw Him, not as a common man, or as a ghost risen from the grave, but as the only Son of God — already more than man at once in nature and power; and that all who thus believed Him, recognized at once, and instinctively His unique Divine dignity, and firmly believed iu it henceforth. The Twelve and others had, indeed, learned to look on Hiin even in life, as the True 200 THE irOLY RESURRECTION. Messianic King, and the Son of God, but from the" mo- ment of His re-appearing they recognized more clearly and fully the Divine idea of His nature, and saw in Him the Conqueror of death. And the two pictures of Him fixed in their minds were in their essence identical. They knew that He who now stood l^efore them in all the glory of resurrection was the very same that they knew before His crucifixion.’^ Jesus showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs, (Acts i, 3.)^ — ; a book which Holtsman, a learned skep- tic, says must have appeared by A. D, 80, at the latest.-}* We may further remark that all critics agree that the Epistles to the Romans and Corinthians were written by Paul, and some time between the winter of A. D. 68-59 to the spring of A. D. 59-60. The first great persecu- tion began A. D. 64. By evidencas of which the sen- ses could take cognizance, and that of the most satis- factory kind, J esus convinced His disciples (a) tliat lie was not a spirit or shadow, but a genuine Man, (b) a Risen Man, (c) and that this Man was one and the same Man that they had been associated with during the three proceeding years. Of these facts they had not, could not have the slightest possible doubt. Hor can any one who accepts their testimony. And were the fact of res- [*Zcller, one of the latest rationalistic writers, after the fullest investigation, and severest criticism, has acknowledged the au- thenticity of The Acts, llis judgment is tliat the whole book is the work of one and the s nne author, that this same author wrote the third Gospel, and that this author vras Luke, Paul's companion in travel. (Apostel Gesc.\ecte psige 387, 414, 516.)] [fSchenkel’s Diet, Bib. Art. Act% of the Apostles.} THE HOLY KESUHKECTIOX. 201 tirrection an isolated one, and were it not fartli3r, that tlie most tremendous consec[uences are iovol /cd in and proceed from it, it would probaldy be received unreserved-* ly and universally, and be then re-legated to the region of those phenomenal incidents wliich amaze for a while, but are uninfluential in human affairs. But it was immeasureably more than an extraordinary occurrence. After the appearances on tlie first day, and the one to Thomas on the eighth day, Jesus did not (so far as the narratives show) any more attempt to de- monstrate Ilis actual bodily presence with them and in the same Body, now spiritual, that He previously poss- essed, than He had during His life before death attempted to prove His actual presence. It was a fact which He took for granted that they recognized. All the other ap- pearances had, and so had these, something immensely higher^ in view than the mere convincing of men that He had actually come forth alive from the tomb. This we have already seen. In one aspect a result from the processes of nature, the fact in another aspect was wholly outside [♦That the reader may examine this point we give the places. Matt, mentions two appearances, one in Jerus Jem. morning of ilie res- urrection, one in Galilee many days after (xxvii:, 9, 10, 16, 17). Mark speaks of three, all on the day of the rising (xvi, 9, 12, 14.) Luke mentions five, three on the day of the rising, and two on the day of the Ascension (xxiv,13,34, 36, 50, 51 ; Acts i, 4-9. John mentions four (xx, 15, 19, 26; xxi, 1,) Paul mentions five, (1 Cor. xv, 5-8), some of which are mentioned by one, some by two or more of the Evangelists, and one (that to James) told by no other. And His statement, “in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bod- ily,” i. e. capable, because possessed of a Body, of manifesting Himself in a bodily form (Col. ii, 9.) was based upon His own flight of Him in His glorified Body.] 202 THE HOLY RESURRECTION, of those processes. No human agent and no natural force had any hand in its production. But it is not more a stupendous than it is a potential fact. It is its vast consequences that make it so significant. All the results of Jesus’ mission are wrapped up in it. The vital evidence of His Sonship and Messiahship comes from it. Of these things ‘‘the words that I speak” said He before His death, “are proof: and the works that Ido bear wit- ness of Me. But the only signs that shall be given to an evil and a sign-seeking generation as the final attestation of these claims, is the sign of J onah, the prophet. For as he was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Destroy this temple of My Body, and in three days 1 will raise it up. Having the power to do both I lay down My life that I may take it again ” (Matt, xii, 39, 40; John ii, 19; x, 16, 17,) The previous resurrections were more properly tem- porary restorations to the life before death, with its lim- itations, sorrows and close. The raised ones died again. But Jesus’ resurrection was the revelation of a new life, one free from earthly limitations, and which could not be subject to death. ‘^Death could have no more dominion over Him.” He came forth from the tomb an eternal Man, with a manhood perfected, with a Body which shared completely in the totality of the marvellous fulness of The Spirit. Its identity was the same, but yet it had un- dergone an extraordinary change. Along with natural- ness (shown in a series of simple and homely facts), its supernatural features were constantly manifested. It THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 203 was a spiritual Body, powerful, glorious and free from the limitations by which it had before been fettered. And yet it was able to enter into those limitations. It ate fish and honey, and was nourished no one knew when or how. It made itself known, was visibly, tangibly present, yet instantly disappeared in invisibility. It moved invisibly from place to place; was now here, now there; came, no one knew whence, staid, no one knew where, went, no one knew whither. It entered into, and departed from a house without audible step, and with- out passing through an opening. It was seen standing on a shore, yet without injuring the law of gravitation rose above the clouds. These facts show that it pos- sessed at the same time the qualities and attributes of both the natural and the supernatural body, i.e. of one, the life-principle of which is The Spirit (1 Cor. xv) a Body tlirough which Jesus first breathed upon, after- wards slied down upon, the disciples The Spirit. The writers in giving these facts are well aware of their seeming contradictoriness. In His ‘^while I was yet with you,” they give Jesus statement of them. They are wholly unique. They could belong only to a tran- sition period, one in which the Body while undergoing a process of transformation, belonged in some respects to the present, and in other respects to a higher order of things. Such a Body could not permanently stay on earth. But did the Conqueror of death and the grave depart in the ordinary way His character and cause would thereby be destroyed. But death could not touch Him who had arisen in the power of an endless life. 204 THE HOLY KESUERECTION. Ascension must be the consequence, completion and crown of His work. It must be His glorification, as Resurrection had been His transformation. It too, He had declared, was the contingent fact upon which de- pended the coming down of The Spirit and the applica- tion of all the benefits of H is redemption to man and to the cosmos. And having accomplished all that be- longed to this transition period He left earth by a vis- ible ascension. Without effort, and by His own inher- ent energy He rose up slowly and majestically until a cloud received Him out of sight. When next seen by man He was in Heaven in His sooma j^neumatikon^ and standing by the right hand of God. These facts are wholly beyond our experience. They are supernatural. They are astounding. The honest, thoughtful mind stops before them, pressed with diffi- culties, troubled with doubts. Man’s testimony is suf- ficient to establish the bare fact of resurrection. For of this the senses could take cognizance. But the poten- tial facts — the ground, the cause, the reasons for the re- vivification and resurrection of the Body, and its resurrec- tion-character — were beyond the reach of the senses, and so of human testimony. They are designed to reach the consciousness, so must be supported by that kind of tes- timony which will produce in it the conviction of their reality, and displace doubt by that intelligent faith which it was designed to beget. They are supernatural facts, so could be supported only by supernatural testimony. To hazard eternity on any less stable foundations would be the height ot folly. To accept less would be un- THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 206 scientific and illogical, and could lead only to credulity. But this is mental and moral degradation. All this Je- sus recognized. He was too noble, too holy, too regard- ful of man to make any such a demand. He placed the ground of confidence in these supernatural facts on an in- finitely stronger foundation. He proved them by the infallible testimony of the living God. This was the strong first testimony as to the facts which He gave after His resurrection, (i.e, after His first appearances,) and He gave this proof before He made Himself personally known. Given first to the two on their way to Emmaus, and subsequently to the whole company, it must be of the supremest importance. To it we turn: The facts must occur, said He, (a) from the necessity of the case, and (b) because they were fore-announced in the Scriptures. ‘‘Thus it is written, and thus must (edei) the (toon) Christ suffer, and rise from the dead the third day.” The resurrection in the particular way in which, and the particular ends for which it occurred must be. This verb, edei (an impersonal one) signifies in the Greek classics “it needs,” “there is need of,” “it is binding on one.” This also is its constant meaning in the New Testament. It designates that which for some inevitable reason, — the circumstances of the case, the fitness of things, the rightness of the thing itself, or the appoint- ment of God — must occur (John iii, 30; iv, 4; Matt, xxvii, 10; Heb. ix, 29; 1 Cor. xv, 29; Acts ix, 16; xiv, 62, &c.). It expresses the unavoidable in the nature of things, the inevitable. This necessity was upon Jesus from the first, and He felt its pressure. “I must be about My 206 THE HOLY REStTRHEOTIOiT. Father’s business,” must preach the Kingdom of God.” must work.” must work the works of Him that sent Me, to-day.” In speaking of His coming sorrows He also declared this necessity, the whafc to Him was inevitable. ^‘The Son of Man must go up to Jer- usalem,” ‘^must be delivered into the hands of men,” •^must go as it is written of Him,” ^^must be lifted up,” and ‘‘this that is written of Me,‘He was reckoned among the transgressors,’ must be accomplished.” He further said that this inevitable must be followed by another in- evitable: “He must suffer and die, and must be raised again the third day.” This full announcement was so well known that His enemies attempted to prevent it — as if they could arrest the inevitable. And after this “must” was fulfilled, this fact was pointed out by an angel, and emphasized by the Risen Lord (Matt. XV, 21; Mark viii, 33; Luke ii, 59; v, 43; ix, 22; John iii, 14; xii, 34; Matt, xxvii® 63; Luke xxiv, 7, 26, 44, 46; John xx, 6. See also in Acts iii, 21; xvii, 5; 1 Cor. XV, 25, 53; 2 Cor. v, 10 &c.). The “must of the work” and the “must of the suffer” v^ere not a physical, but a legal and a moral necessity. But in the “must rise again” there were, strictly speaking, two necessities: one growing out of the nature of things, and this was a natural, and the other growing out of the ‘‘thus it is written,” and this was a moral, or supernatural necessity. The resurrection was inevitable from the operation of natural law. The inorganic is not vital. The spirit is not mortal. Death is restricted to the region between THE HOLY EESHRREOTION. 207 the two worlds. The plant lives in the root and seed. Hence its death is almost only an appearance of dying. The animal lives only in the general life of nature. Hence it has no full individual life to resign, and its dying, though awful and repulsive to it, is really no complete death. Actual death begins with conscious man, and is so far as we know, to cease with him, and to be trans- formed into new and conscious life. From Gen. iii and especially from what is said of the Tree of Life in the Garden, we see that man, as created, was not to die but to undergo a transition from the natural to the spiritual state by a change corresponding to that spoken of 1 Cor, XV, 51; 2 Cor. v, 4, and which was typed in the translation of Enoch and Elijah. But becoming sub- ject to the eiffects of moral death, this transformation passed over into corruption and physical death. The entire weight of death pressed upon man. And Jesus in becoming man’s Substitute became his partner in this subjection to death. He, hence, must die. But from the constitution of His Person, He must also, according to the laws of nature, which are but inevitable sequences from, or rather nothing else than the expression of the will of the Creator, rise again from the dead* For as by a natural law ^^sin when it has arrived at maturity in its growth {Greeh) bringeth forth — apokuei^ a verb which expresses the necessity of the result according to natural law — death; so, by the same law, holiness, when perfected, must bring forth life. Jesus was absolutely free from sin. He was perpetually nourished by holi- ness. He is, in a sense so real and exclusive that to feed 208 THE HOLY RESURRECTION on Him is to live, tlie vital principle of man. And tliis He is, because (a) He was sent by, and (b) He lived dia through^ and on the living Father (John v, 57). From Him He drew life, light and nourishment, incess- antly. He perfectly reproduced on earth, and in a hu- man life, the life of The Father. He was God lived by a Man. To Him it was given to have life in Himself (John V, 26.). His humanity then, must have been per- fectly sound. There, hence, conld have been in Him nothing that could cause death, nothing from, or of which it is the result. And hence He could not be naturally subject to death. It could not come to Him by the working of any natural law in Himself as by any decay or breakdown of the powers of life. If it touched Him, it must come upon Him by His own voluntary permission and from the moral necessity of the position in which He had voluntarily placed Himself as the Sub- stitute for sinners. He must fulfill for man, the law which condemns man to death. Hence, from the mo- ment when He accepted that position, death, because in that chain, was inevitable in the sequences of events. In Him the law, and so death, was fulfilled, ended, taken out of the way. In His death corruption was overcome. Rather, strictly speaking, death was transformed into that transformation unto which men were originally de- signed. Hence, there must be a complete transforma- tion, i, e. resurrection. This is the demand of both natural and moral law. His resurrection, then, in this aspect of it, and from the constitution of His humanity^ was neither supernatural, nor miraculous, but normal and natural, .and necessary in, and to the har- THE HOLT HEISUKKEOTION, 209 mony of His character, and was demanded alike by natural law, and by the attrtbntes of His Humanity. Kesurrec- tion, then, as well as the death, must have been in the chain of events. It must have been as impossible for Him not to rise, as for Him, in the position which He occupied, not to die. Ordinarily death and consequent corruption come from the action of the principle of sin working, through one natural law, in humanity as sinful. But from the constitution of Jesus’ Person, and from the ab- solute parity and perfect soundness of His Humanity, both physically and morally, it was not possible that He sliould be holden of death. (Acts ii, 24.). There must, hence, have been in Him those powers of reaction from which,when He was dead, Divine power, working through another natural law, must bring forth life. And this is resurrection. And the flowing forth of the blood and wa- ter from His wounded side conflrms this reasoning based upon the constitution of His Humanity. For this fact sliows that at the moment when dissolution begins inor- dinary bodies, that vital reaction had already begun in His Body which some hours later manifested itself in resurrection.* His resurrection was also a moral necessity. First, in that it and ascension were indissolubly linked to- gether as integral parts of the life of Jesus. They were ones of a series of the facts which constitute the subject- matter of redemption, and which, beginning in the eter- nal purpose, and going on through the life, death, res- urrection and ascension, intercession, and coming again, The Holy Death, pages, 227, 241.] 210 THB HOLY RESURRECTION. must continue to be in full operation until He shall have finished His whole work, and shall have delivered up the Kingdom to the Father. Let one link be missing and the chain of events would be helplessly broken. But this cannot be. And so Resurrection and Ascension must be, each in its own order and time. Ascension, in so far as it related to the power of Jesus, in Himself considered, because foretold, promised to Him, and sought by Him in prayer, must be (Ps. Ixviii, 18; Heb. xii, 3; John vi, 62; xviii, 3.) It was vitally connected with His dignity and work as Man, was the only befitting consummation of His whole earthly life, was the last of Him seen by man, and was the attestation of His word, came from God, and I go to God.’’ It was further His elevation in His character as the Son of Man to ^‘the form of God,” that divine condition which He had from eternity, and of which He emptied Him- self when He became Man. By and in it He returns as the perfected Fruit of this life’s development to the Father, from whom He, under the impulse of love had come as the Eternal Word. And it must also be be- cause of His relation to man. Ascension in Him per- fects God’s design in regard to humanity. He ascended carrying our humanity, redeemed, purified, exalted, to the Father’s right hand. But He left behind a company, the germ of a new world. God’s eternal plan, with a view to which He had created the world, was, in it to form of believers a family like to His Son, the Pattern and Prototype of the race. As vegetables and animals are the unconscious organs of the life which He (the THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 211 Creator) gives to nature, so this family were to be the intelligent organs of the holy life of the Creator as the Personal God. In giving reality to this plan, the Crea- tor must accomplish it, first in the resurrection and as- cension of His Son, as the Son of Man ; and secondly, in making this family, actual partakers of Him (Eph* ii, 6 ; i, ii ; Heb. ii, 10). This, which began on Pen- tecost, must continue to Parousia. Then the Son showed that He had lawfully obtained sovereignty over the earth — a fact which has ever since been apparent in the ever enlarging of His family. And when the nations of earth, like the cities of Israel, shall have been gone over, and this gospel shall have been preached among all nations for a witness, then will this be completed at Parousia. Then will His Kingdom be manifested. Then shall His feet stand upon the Mount of Olives (Zech. xiv, 3); and coming to Jerusalem will He then begin the new epoch and reign. Hence ascension must be, and in or- der to it, resurrection. And contingent upon both is another series of facts all connected with the formation of the Holy Family — the coming of The Spirit, the forma- tion and growth of the church, the regeneration of sinners, the sanctification of saints, and thus, the foundation of the family — the present existence of which is proof infall- ible that both resurrection and ascension have already occurred. This necessity is apparent, further, in the words ‘‘all that Jesus began to do and teach until the day in which He was taken up.” All previous to that day — so this verse says — was the beginning of that the completion of which must be after He was taken up. Ascension, then. 212 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. is in the middle of His work. It closes the first and it opens the second part of it. He began His work while the visible. He carries it on as the invisible Christ — not only up there, but down here, not only among, but in us, not only in one, but in every place. Mark shows the connection in his last verse: So then the Lord was received up into heaven and they went forth, and preached every where.’’ And every reader of the Acts and Epistles knows how constantly, as we have already sh<.»wn, the same fact is brought out, either directly or by allusion, in those writiiigs. The whole historic development of the Church is, according to the documents, the continuation only of the divine-human life of Jesus on earth. All the going on in its progress, all its activity and power, all gracious oflSces to the be- lievers, all the strength for holy living, all cheering and animating views and assurances to them dying of being then present with the Lord as to their spirits and of their bodies, united to Him, resting in hope until His coming,all assurances of His coming again, and of the res- urrection of their bodies then, and of their being caught up to meet Him in the air — in a word, all that enlivens, animates urges onward a believer living, and gives cool- ness, joy, intelligent hope in dying comes from His (Je- sus’) constant activity by The Spirit. All this neces- sitated His being in Heaven as the glorified Man, and this He could not be without both resurrection and as- cension. And since both are a part and proof of His work, it is clear, that had His life closed in irremediable death it would have been a failure. His atonement would have TH3 HOLY RESURRECTION. 213 been valueless, every hope and aspiration beyond this life would have perished in His grave, and the Church could never have been. It was again also a moral necessity, in that both had been promised to Him by the Father. The Spirit of prophecy speaking through Isaiah had declared that His prayer for restoration from the grave should be answered : Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard Thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped Thee, (xlix, 8.). And speaking through David, at an earlier day. He had declared, that to the Messiah there would be given the fullest assurance of His own resurrection and ascension: ‘‘My flesh shall rest in hope. For Thou wilt not leave My soul in Hades; neither wilt Thou suf- fer Thine Holy One to see corruption.^ Thou wilt show Me the path of life: in Thy presence is fulness of joy; at Thy right hand are pleasures forevermore ’’ (Ps. xvi, 8-11; com. Acts ii, 25-28.) This was the word of the living. Personal God to Him. And since it is not pos_ sible for God to lie, this word makes it morally necessary that Jesus must rise again. There was further again, a moral necessity for His res- urrection, based on the fact that it was foretold. This fact Jesus brought most prominently forward upon the day of His resurrection. To the two disciples on their way to Em - mans He remarked, that if they had believed all that the prophets had spoken, they would have believed that He had actually arisen from the dead on that the third day * [*The phrase, “Thou wilt not suffer.” Acts ii, 27, seems to im- ply that Jesus’ Body was naturally corruptible. But the Greek oude dooseis^ wilt not gme^ shows that it was not.] 214 THE HOLY RESURREOTIOK. since His crucifixion. Even in the absence of sensible evidence they would, on the authority of the written word, have believed the fact. And it was not until after He had established the fact from the Scriptures, that He made Himself known to them in the breaking of bread. It was this proof too, which He gave the com- pany of disciples on that same evening. He first tran- quilized their minds, convinced them of the identity of His Person, and upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart in not believino^ those who had seen Plim after He was arisen. He then rested the fact of the certainty and character of B.is resurrection upon the necessity of all that was written of Him being fulfilled as He had told them before His decease.* His method of procedure was this: He first breathed on them, saying, Receive ye The Holy Spirit. Simultaneously, He opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures. To mind and heart thus prepared He said, ^‘Thus it is written, and thus it is, hence, necessary {edei) that Christ should suffer, and should rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins [There are no express prophecies in the O. T. of the resurrection as a separate fact. But those which speak of His exaltation and glori- fication after His humiliation are very many. And these involve His resurrection as their beginning. We may mention a few. The prophecy of Shiloh, of Ps. xvi, of ex, where Messiah sits at God’s right hand, ruling, and of Dan. vii, 13, 14, where ‘‘universal dominion is given by the Ancient of days to one like the Son of Man,” and of Zech. ix, 9, 10, xii. 10; xiii 7, xlv, 1-3, where His sceptre is world- wide, and His feet are to stand on Mount Olivet — all these im- ply the intervening resurrection. In fact all the prophecies which speak of His sufferings and subsequent glory are virtually so many pro]3heciesof His resurrection. We append a partial list which the reader may examine and compare for himself.] See next page. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 215 should be preached in His name among all nations, be- ginning at Jerusalem. The predicted facts were (a) Christ must suffer, (b) must rise the third day, (c) in His name, after having suffered these things, and, through resurrection and ascension having entered into His glory repentance and remission of sins must be preached everywhere (Luke xxiv, 26, 46-48). Houtoo — houtoos, — thus — thus. Thus it is written, He said, and therefore thus edei, it must he. Therefore, thus, and no otherwise, it is. It has come to pass become it must, and it must be- cause it is thus written. The ^‘thus” of the one event, e. of the resurrection, corresponds to the ‘‘thus” of prophecy And before evfer a word about it had been preached, Je- sus declared that the “thus” of the other event, — i. e. the preaching everywhere of repentance and remission oF sins in His name “must be,” — must correspond also to the “thus” of prophecy. It was surely the Divine pur- pose that these things should be. This purpose the Divine wisdom had made known, in writing;, centuries PROPHECIES RESPEOTIKO CHRIST. As the Son of God: Psa ii, 7. Fulfilled, Luke i, 33, 35. As the seed of woman: Gen. iii, 15. Fulfilled, Gal. iv, 4. As the seed of Abraham : Gen. xvii, 7; Geu. xxii, 18. Fulfilled, Gal. iii. Id. As the seed of Isaac: Gen. xxi, 13. Fulfilled, Heb. xi, 17-19. As the seed of Davin: Psa. cxxxii, 11; Jcr. xxiii, 5. Fulfilled, Acts xiii, 33; Rom. i, 3. His coming at a set time: Gen. xlix 10; Dau. ix, 31, 35. Fulfilled, Luke ii, 1. His being born of a virgin; Isa. vii, 14. Fulfilled. Matt, i, 18; Luke ii, 7. His being called Jinmanii d : Isa. vii, 14. Fulfilled, Matt, i, 33,,i33. His being born in Bethlehem of Judea: Micah v, 3. Fulfilled, "Matt, ii, 1; Luke ii, 4-6. Great per- sons coming to adore Him: Psa. Ixxii, 10. FulfiPed, Matt, ii- l-ll. The slaying^ of the children at Bethleliem: Jer. xxxi, 15. Fulfilled, Matt, ii, 16-18. His being called out of Egypt: Hosea xi, 1 Ful- filled, Matt, ii, 15. His being preceded by John the Baptist; Isa. xl, 3; Mai. iii, 1. Fulfilled. Matt, iii, 1, 3; Luke i, 17. His being anointed with the Spirtt: Psa. xlv, 7 ; Isa. xi, 3; Ixi, 1. Fulfilled, 216 THE HOLY RESURHECTION. before, by the Divine Spirit, throiigli the prophets. A Divine must {edeiy) therefore, is concerned in their pas' sing into actual facts. On the unalterable purpose of God as thus made known, Jesus placed the certainty of the fact of His resurrection and ascension, and the con- sequences flowing therefrom, and therefore of the peculiar character of His resurrection Body. Had the disciples known the Scriptures, they — so Jesus declared — so soon as they saw the empty tomb, yea, even without seeing it empty, or even without seeing the risen Jesus Him- self, would have rested in the assurance that He had ac- tually arisen. And so soon as J esus had expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Him- self they did believe the fact. After Pentecost they went every where preaching them as facts whose existence was necessitated from the foregoing Scriptures. Jesus had declared, so did they, that this was the all commanding demonstration of the fact of His resurrection. This gave the point and power to Peter’s preaching on the Matt, iii, 16; John iii, 34; Acts x, 38. His being a Prophet like unto Moses: Deu. xviii, 15-18. Fulfilled, Acts iii, 20-2:2. His be- ing a Priest after tha order of Melthizcdek: Psa. cx, 4. Fulfille,d, Heb. v, 5, 9. His entering on His public ministry: Isa. Ixi, 1 2. Fulfilled, Luke iv, 16-21, 43. His ministry commencing in Galilee : Isa. ix, 1, 2. Fulfilled, Matt, iv, 12-16, 23. His entering publicly into Jerusalem: Zee. ix, 9. Fulfilled, Matt, xxi, t-5. His coming into the temple: Hag. ii, 7, 8; Mai. iii, 1. Fulfilled, Matt, xxi, 12; Luke ii, 27-82; Johnii, 13-16. His poverty: Isa. liii, 2. Fulfilled, Markvi, 3; Luke ix, 58. His meekness and want of ostentation, Isa. xlit, 2. Fulfilled, Matt, xii, 15, 16, 19. His tenderness and com- passion: Isa. xl, 11 ; xlii, 3. Fulfilled, Matt, xii, 15, 20; Heb. iv, 15. His being without guile: Isa. liii, 9. Fulfilled, 1 Pet. ii, 22. His zeal: Psa. Ixix, 9. Fulfilled, John ii, 17. His preacdiing by par- ables: Psa. Ixxviii, 2. Fulfilled, Matt, xiii, 34, fc. His working miracles : Isa. XXXV, 5, 6. Fulfilled, Matt, xi, 4-6; John xi, 47. His bearing reproach : Psa. xxii, 6 ; Ixix. 7, 9, 20. Fulfilled, Pom. 15, 3. THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 217 day of Pentecost, and at the house of Uornelius. This gave that resistless force to Stephen’s word, which car- ried home conviction to the conscience of those who heard it. They could not but feel that it was, but they would not accept it as, the fact. His argument, hence aroused against him all their murderous hate. This was Paul’s all-conclusive argument at Corinth, Thess- alonica, and Antiocli. This was the rock: The Scriptures have declared it therefore the fact must be, therefore is: upon which all the witnesses always and everywhere firmly planted themselves. This they openly, fearlessly, powerfully proclaimed. This made the Gospel the power of God unto salvation. Drop this out and the preach- ing of repentance and remission of sins, because they can be founded only upon the resurrection and the ante- cedent death, is not of the slightest avail. That preach- ing which drops them out can never work that stupen- dous, deep, and abiding change which the Scriptures call conversion. Preach these with the power of The His being rejected by His brethren; Psa. Ixix, 8; Isa. xiii, 3. Ful- filled, John i, 11 ; 7. His being a stone of stumbling to the Jews: Isa. viii, 14. Fulfilled, Rom, ix, 35; 1 Pet. ii, 8. His being hated by the Jews: Psa. Ixix, 4; Isa. xlix 7. Fulfilled, John xv, 24, 25. His being rejected by the Jewish rulers: Psa. i, 8’ 22* Fulfilled, Matt, xxi, 41 ; J ohn vii, 48. That Jews and Gentiles should combine against Him: Psa. ii, 1, 2. Fulfilled, Luke xxiii, 12; Acts iv, 27. His being betrayed by a friend ; Psa. xli, 9 ; Iv, 12-14. Fulfilled, John xiii, 18, 21. His disciples forsaking Him; Zech. xiii, 7. Ful- filled, Matt, xxvi, 31, 56. His being sold for thirty pieces of silver: Zech. xi, 12. Fulfilled, Matt. 26, 15. His price being given for a potter’s field: Zech. xi, 13 Fulfilled, Matt, xxvii, 7. The intensity of His sufferings : Psa. xxii, 14, 15. Fulfilled, Luke xxii, 42, 44. His sufferings being for others: Isa. liii, 4-6, 12; Dan. ix 29. Ful- filled, Matt. XX, 28. His patience and silence under sufferings : Isa. liii, 7. Fulfilled, Matt, xxvi, 63 ; xxvii, 12-14. His being smitten 218 THE HOLY RESTJKRECTIOH. Spirit, and tlie result, seen in noble Christian characters, is as conspicuous to-day as in the days of yore. And since the salvation preached, received, enjoyed is a re- sultant from the facts of the sufferings, death, and res- urrection, and since — as is seen in the emphatic connec- tive Tcai (Luke xxiv, 46, 47) — it is a part of the ‘‘thus it is written,” present conversion to God, and present Christian character-building furnish to men an ever-pres- ent and powerful testimony to the other facts in the chain, viz: the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ. These facts spring from the eternal purpose, and be- long to the eternal plan. The incarnation of the Eter- nal word was not an after thought consequent upon the Fall. Though that may have modified its surroundings, it could not have induced it. His coming and all its conse quences were fore-ordained before the foundation of the world (1 Pet. i, 20; Rev. xiii, 8, 17; Eph. i, 4; Matt. XXV, 34.) It is only when and as we apprehend these facts that we have a true conception of the world, and of hu- on the cheek; Micah v, 1. Fulfilled, Matt, xxvii, 30. His visage being marred; Isa. lii, 14; liii, 3. Fulfilled, John xix, 5. His be- ing spitted on and scourged; Isa. 1, 6. Fulfilled, Mark xiv, 65; John xiv, 1. His liands and feet being iiciiled to the cross: Fsa. xxii, 16. Fulfilled. John xix, 18; xx, 25 . His being forsaken by God: Psa. xxii, 1. Fulfilled, Matt xxvii, 46. His being mocked: Psa. xxii, 7, 8. Fulfilled, Matt, xxvii, 39-44. Gall and vinegar be- ing given Him to drink: Psa. Ixix, 21. Fulfilled, Matt, xxvii, 34, His garments being ]n\rted and lots cast for His vesture: Psa. xxii. 18. Fulfilled, Mast, xxvii, 35. His being numbered with tlie transgressors : Is L liii, 12. Fulfilled, Mark xv, 28. His inteicession for His murde crs : Isa. liii, 12. Fulfilled, Luke xxiii, 34. flis death: Isa. liii, 12. Fulfilled, Mat:, xxvii, 50. That a bone of Him sliould not be broken: Exo xii, 46; Psa. xxxiv, 20. Fulfilled John xix, 33, 36. His being pierced: Zech. xii, 10. Fulfilled, John xix, 34.37. His being buried with the riLh: Isa. liii, 9. Fulfilled, THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 219 manity. These facts were included in the thought of crea- tion. And since entrance into involves departure from the world, the departure as well as entrance had a place in the plan of creation. And since the entrance was by in- carnation, the departure could not be by death, so must be by ascension. ‘^He that ascended is the same that had descended first into the lower parts of the earth.’’ Res- urrection and ascension then must be, became included in the eternal plan. And since it is the accomplishment of the purpose belonging to creation, but whose progress was defeated by the introduction of sin (Col. i. 16 ,) it follows that both man and the cosmos share in the res- toration and consummation of all things. So say the Scriptures. At the appointed times, and in the appointed order eternal power brought them out from ideas into ac- tualities. We study the facts. We study the Hebrew Scriptures. We see that the former are in exact accord with the latter. We see Jesus Himself pointing out the correspondence between the two, and demonstrating Matt, xxvii, 57-90. His flesh not seeing corruption: Psa. xvi, 10» Fulfilled, Acts ii, 31 ; xiii, 35 ; 1 Pet. iii, 10. His resurrection : Psa* xvi, 10; Isa. xxvi, 19. Fulfilled, Luke xxiv, 6, 31, 34. His ascen- sion : Psa. Ixviii, 18. Fulfilled, Luke xxiv, 51 ; Acts i, 9 ; Eph. xiv, 8. His sitting on the right hand of God: Psa. cx, 1. Fulfilled, Heb. i, 3. His exercising the priestly oflice in Heaven : Zech. vi, 13. Fulfilled, Kom viii, 34. His being the chief corner-stone of the Church : Isa. xxviii, 16. Fulfilled, 1 Pet. ii, 6, 7. His being King in Zion: Psa. ii, 6. Fulfilled, Luke i, 32 j John xviii, 33-37. The conversion of the Gentiles to Him: Isa. xi, 10; xlii, 1. Ful- filled, Matt, i, 17, 21; John x, 16; Acts x, 45, 47; Isa. lii, 7, com. Acts viii, 35. His righteous government : Psa. xlv, 67. Fulfilled, John, V, 30; Rev. xix, 11. His universal dominion: Psa. Ixxii, 8; Dan, vii, 14. Fulfilled, Phi, ii, 9, 11. The perpetuity of His king- dom: Isa. iii, 7; Dan. vii. 14. Fulfilled, Luke i, 32, 33. 220 THE HOLY KESURKECTION. the certainty of the events from the certainty of the “thus it is written.’’ We see that all is in the eternal plan, so it must be that God’s seal is upon both. The order is perfect. The argument is rational, logical, irresistible. To thinking men who honestly and thoroughly study both books — the book of the facts and the book of the fore- going Scriptures — it becomes an intellectual and moral conviction which nothing can disturb: ^^Jesus Christ died for our sins, according to tlie Scriptures; Jesus Christ was buried; Jesus Christ rose again according to the Scriptures.” This is the word which, as Calvin finely expresses it, creates a conviction which asks not for l easons; a knowledge which accords with the highest reason, namely, knowledge in which the mind rests more firmly and securely than in any reason ; in fine, the con- viction which revelation from heaven alone can produce. These testimonies were confirmed by many and mag- nificent miracles. ^‘They went forth and preached, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following;” ‘‘God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit.” These were publicly wrought and manifested. Pentecost with its tongues was a con- firmation. So were the attestations which everywhere accompanied the preaching of the word. And the more conspicuous, lasting and important of these by far, were those revolutionary* and beneficient changes wrought in the thinking and acting of men, in their social, business, and political life, and in the character of their homes. These evidences are capable of almost indefinite expai?- THE HOLY EESUKRECTION* 221 sion. Tl.ey are familiar to every one. One is patent to every eye that will but look, viz: ^^Tliis Gospel must be preached among all nations for, not the world’s con- version, ('this will not be. Scripture says, before Jesus comes) but, for A WITNESS.” And until all this array of testimony is completely overthrown it is intellectually impossible to eliminate from the world’s thinking the fact that Jesus of Nazareth arose from the dead. That fact is now in the consciousness of humanity. To make it the resting place of an influential personal faith it must pass into the personal consciousness. As a natural fact it can be brought within one’s grasp by human agency competent to convey it. But as a supernatural fact it can come within one only by a supernatui al agency. The very nature of the testimony, that the resurrection oc- curred because the^^thus it is written”made this necessary. No one can receive it, and the fact to which it testifies into the consciousness except through both a human and a supernatural agent and witness. Both are at hand, Ye Apostles are, ye shall be, witnesses. Preachers and teachers both they were to be; but above, and before all witnesses, eye, ear, mouth, life witnesses of the facts of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension, as rooted in the ^^must be.” ‘‘We speak what we know.” The other agent is The Spirit. “We are witnesses, and so also is the Holy Spirit.” The two testimonies are con- current. He alone can, and acting through these wit- nesses does convey to the personal consciousness the supernatural conviction of the supernatural fact. It was He who carried this conviction through the hundred 222 THE HOLY EESLKREOTION. and twenty to the three thousand on the day of Pente- cost. This He has been doing ever since. And no oth- erwise can any one be inwardly and influentially con^ vinced of these facts, can they and their results be brought to the individual consciousness. Here we rest the argument. And could any argu- ment be more complete? Hot one link is missing. All is solid, because all is Divine. The two Testaments, opened to the consciousness by The Spirit, do to and for us what Jesus did to and for the disciples. They, as He did, lift up our faith into the region, and place it up- on the foundation, of the Divine. The whole humanity surrenders gladly to the facts, and then allows them to exert upon it their purifying, ennobling influences. Then it becomes possessed of a faith that is living, for it springs from, and is nourished by life. It is an intelligent faith, for it possesses all the information in the case. It is a historic faith, for it reposes upon liistoric facts. It is a scientiflc fact, for it sees in the things a true scientific development, a ^^must be” according to law. It is a saving faith, for it lifts man out of the most frightful, and elevates him into the most exalted position. And im- measuralfly higher than all else, it is a Divine faith, for its deepest, its eternal foundation is, not the wisdom of men, but the power of the living, paisonal God. But if all that this argument involved was merely the establishment of the resurrection of Jesus as an iso- lated fact, or as the commemoration and crown of a series of facts, then the orain to man would be little. O It is the relation that it sustains to our race that gives this stupendous fact its infinite value to us. Incarna- THE HOLY RESURRECTION. 223 tion is not the climax of creation. Nor was the accom- plishment of the work that Jesus wrought on earth the end, in view of the incarnation. Jesus’ resurrection and ascension in the form of glorified manhood was the goal of incarnation, was the culmination of God’s work- ing in creation during the ages. In Him glorified, man, for the first time, was fully brought to view as the perfect image ot the invisible God. In Him thus exalted, was realized the thought of the ideal man which had been in the mind of God from eternity, and the realization of which had been the goal of all His creative energy as far as this concerned our globe, possibly, also, the system to which it belongs. And this resurrection and ascension were for the race. Jesus arose, not alone, for He was the first fruits, the pattern and power of all vi- tally united with Him (i Cor xv, 22; Eph. i, 18- ; ii57). By them He is looked at and to, not only as The Man on earth, grand as He then was, nor only as The Man on the cross expiating sins, but also as The Man Risen, The Man Ascended, The Man Glorified, The Man seen passing through the heavens to a seat on the right hand of God; — The Man of Nazareth exalted as The Man on The Father’s throne, possessed of many crowns and of all power in Heaven and on earth, the embodied Eter- nal Life, and The Father’s gift to man, The Saviour of mankind and The Coming King.* This is the One whom we know, trust in, love, honor and obey. Tliis [^‘His return is the subject of the two closing volumes of this series.] 224 THE HOLY RESURRECTION. is the One who, in glory as on earth, says, I,* The Son of Man, am conscious, also, that I am The Eternal Son of God. HALLELUJAH ! Christmas: Christ is born. Good Friday: Christ died for our sins, Easter: Christ is risen. Ascension Day: Christ has ascended. Parousia: Christ is coming. HALLELUJAH ! BEING JUSTIFIED BY FAITH We have PEACE WITH THROUGH OUR LORD , JESUS CHRIST. A Romans, v. i, Ye Ckrzs^s THE HOLY LETTERS. 226 THE HOLY LETTERS. Rev. ii, iii. ■ HESE Letters (see pp. 154-158,) Jesus sent to certain churches, after His return to Heaven. As truly as His words given in the Gospels are, so truly aie these an integral fact in His life. If we would have afullview of it,\ve must know their teaching, import and scope. They are, except His few words in the last chapter of The Revelation, His last words to His Church until He comes again. And this coming, as His words on that subject which we have already studied show, is as integral a part of His life as was His first coming, or as is His present appearance in the presence of God for us. Tliat coming is the subject of the closing volumes of this series. And our present study, added to wdiat we have already learned, will help us in that study. The fundamental idea of these Letters, as of The Revelation in which they are found, is the Coming ot Jesus. And this fact must be kept steadily in view. The Letter to th- ) The first Letter is addressed to Church in Ephesus. ) the church in Ephesus, the most infiuential, as the first one established, in Asia Minor; and the great center then, as Antioch and Jerusalem had been of Church infiuence. 226 THE HOLY LETTEKS. The city itself had a history which runs back until lost in legend. Situated on the banks of the river Cays ter, in the province of Ionia, possessed of an excel lent climate, surrounded by a country of surpassing beauty and fertility, and admirably placed for traffic with all parts of the Levant, it rapidly grew in commer- cial importance. In the time of these Letters (about A. D. 86, 96), it was the finest city and chief emporium of Asia Minor. Through it the trade of Greece and Home passed along excellent roads into the remoter dis- tricts, and at its wharves Roman proconsuls landed on their progress into the interior. In wealth, magnificence, and infiuence, civil and re- ligious (heathen), it liad become the metropolis of consular Asia. It was called Hhe Illustrious,” ‘‘The Light.” The capital of a proconsular province, enjoy- ing a municipal government, and possessed of such great commercial advantages, it became the center of the occult sciences, the meeting place of Grecian and Oriental culture, and the abode or resort of many illus- trious men. As the seat of the worship of the goddess Diana, that object of profoundest and wide-spread wor- ship (Acts xix),^ the streets were annually crowded with the thousands drawn to festivals in her honor. And her temple, whose construction occupied 220 years, and whose magnificence made it one of the wonders of the world, contributed more than all else besides to make the city renowned. It is not these facts, however, but its connection with /_ EPHESTIS RESTORfeD THE HOLY LETTERS. 227 the early history of the Church which gives Ephesus its peculiar interest to the Christian. This church, founded by Paul, who labored there nearly three years, enjoyed the ministration also of Timothy, possibly, also of Luke, and later of the be- loved John, the intimate friend of Jesus. To it he de- voted the almost heavenly close of his long career. There, possibly, he wrote his Gospel and Epistles,* and — so a well-founded tradition says — was buried; as were, also, Timothy, and Mary the mother of our Lord, And to that church, the nearest to Patrnos, and the most important of the Seven, was the first of the Letters re- ceived at Patrnos, sent. Paul’s first visit found some in whom the seeds of truth had been planted. Continuing his journey, he left Aquila and Priscilla to carry on the work. And they, at a later period, as also Apollas and Tychicus, (2 Tim. iv, 19; Eph. vi), were of signal service. Some time later he returned, and remained for nearly three years. His labors were most abundant (Acts xx), and successful. A church was organized. Elders were or- dained, and Timothy, later, made the pastor. All Asia heard the word of The Lord. The Jews were hardened. Sceva’s sons, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen, Hymen- seus and Alexander, and Phygelles and Hermogenes,f each, in some form, opposed the spread of the truth. [*If it was not to this church that he wrote the first of his Epistles.] [fActs xix; 1 Tim. ii, 20; 2 Tim. i, 15; iv, 14.] 228 THE HOLY LETTEES. But it prevailed, it grew, it gathered to its embrace Onesiphorus and his family, Trophimus, and Tychicus, who later became Paul’s companion in travel,* and numbers besides. Among these were those who had been worshippers of Diana, and others who had been devotees of magic. These burned their books valued at a large amount, and others confessed their faults publicly. These all gave the gospel an enthusiastic and consistent testimony. Such was the power of The Spirit. Such, the mighty growth ot the word. Such^ the ardor, decision and zeal of the new converts. The church delighted Paul. To it he gave a most affec- tionate farewell (Acts xx), and, later, sent a letter which is one of the most profound and sublime, and yet ten- derly practical that he ever wrote. Thirty years had passed, and now to it comes this Letter, sent by Jesus Himself. It is addressed to “the angel of the church.”f To him He speaks, using of Himself a title and attributes, which harmonize with the character and needs of the church. “Thus said He” — recalling the “thus saith The Lord” — “that walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, and hold- eth the seven stars in His right hand. I know thy [^2 Tim, iv, 12; Acts xx, 4; xxi, 9.] [fThat is, its representative. It is praised or blamed accord- ing to its character and condition. But he is distinguished from it (vs. 13,16, 20), and it, like him, is addressed as responsible (i, 5). When the intention is to discriminate, the plural is used; when the whole church is spoken of, the singular, “some of you,’’ slain among you, &c.] THE HOLY LETTERS. 229 works” (good, but not heroic,) ^^and labor” (kopos^ toil^ the word implies labor unto weariness), <‘and patience” (endurance), ^‘how thou canst not bear them which are evil” (bad men in the domain and mask of piety); <^and how thou hast tried” {epeirasoo^ tried hy tests^ 1 Jn. iv, i), them which say they are apostles, and are not (Acts XX, 29, 30). And,” tried by both their doctrine (2 Cor. xi, 4, 13,) and works, ^‘thou hast found them liars. And I know how thou hast borne and hast pa- tience, and for My name’s sake hast labored and hast not fainted,” i, e,^ hast unweariedly in spirit labored on under sufferings for My sake, which thou hast stead- fastly endured. Under each and all trials, patience had continued steady. Though under constant and heavy pressure, the temptation to escape the conflict by com- promising the truth had been steadily withstood. A magnificent eulogy! The church is commended for soundness in doctrine, purity in life, hatred of error, dread of worldliness, faithfulness in the discharge of duties, indefatigable activity in service, and patience in sufferings endured for Jesus’ sake. And more com- mended even was their hatred of ‘‘the deeds of the Kicolaitanes.*” This party took offense at the moral (^The ^‘deeds,’’ e., the opinions carried out into practice, is an advance upon the speculative errors of vs. 15. The name, like Anti- pas (vs. 13), is historical, but there is no historical ground for the opinion or claim that Nicholas of Antioch was the founder of the sect. The party, which seems to be described in 2 Pet. ii, 16 : iii, 6, 16, must not be confounded with the Balaamites (vs. 14, 15). And the strong words, “which I also hate,” point to deeds of abomination and impurity, such as those mentioned in the prophets (see Is. lxi,8; Jer. xliv, 4; Amos v, 21; Zech. viii, 17, &c.) 230 THE HOLY LETTERS. strength of Christianity. Under the plea of the “law of liberty” the persons labored to accommodate the grossness of heathenism to the exigencies of Christian life, to introduce into the Kingdom of God libertin- ism, the false freedom of the flesh. From whatever motive, with whatever plea, the movement was peculiarly wicked, and peculiarly offen- sive to God. Doctrine and practice both were pecu- liarly opposed to the purity of the gospel. To hate both as and because hated by Jesus, was a peculiar mark of grace, and received special Divine commen- dation. This was the bright side. Jesus recognized, noted, and commended all that was right, all that was wor- thy of His approbation. But eminent as the church was in all this, and prosperous, powerful and influen- tial as it was in position, numbers, good works and wealth, it was really a declining church. “Never- theless” — how sadly it sounds! — “I have* against thee, because {hoti)^ thou hast left thy first love.” What is that love? It is the pure love of the religious consciousness, its receptivity, freedom from antagoniz- ing contaminating forces, and that genuine earnestness and devotion found in “the love of espousals,”the chaste and fervent love at conversion, called forth by, and res- ponding to, God’s consciously expressed love (Jer.ii, 2). It subordinates all other love, and prompts to a loyal obedience to, and loving and filial worship of, God, and [*Comp., in Greek, Matt, v, 23; Mk. xi, 25; Col, iii, 13.] THE HOLY LETTERS 231 to loving and brotherly service for man. And where it is professed, works performed without it are as sound- ing brass, and worship as a tinkling cymbal. In Thessalonica this love seems not to have been left. The heart- fellowship with The Fountain of Life and of Love was continuous and delightful. Hence the love, while becoming steadier and stronger daily, nev- er lost its freshness. And so the labor from love, as the work from faith and patience from hope, never lost in quality.* And the church in Ephesus had this love in all its freedom at the time that Paul addressed to it his noble letter, f whose contents and tone show that the church was disciplined in the things of God, and was walking in the power and comfort of the Holy Spirit. For he places its members on his own level in Christian attainment, makes known to them some of the deepest revelations of the mystery of the gospel, gives them, not so much directions and commands, as exhor- tations to continued and advancing cultivation of those things which had been or would be made known to them by The Spirit — whom they had never grieved — , and prays for them that they might know the knowl- edge-surpassing love of Christ, and be filled with all the fulness of God. ['^This church is not mentioned among the type churches. As a church it seems to have had no successor. A rare sight, indeed, and most refreshing would a Thessalonian church be. It was a church in which The Lord’s return was a vital, fundamental truth, the freshness and power of which were never lost.] [fSee Eph. i, 15; ii, 16-19; iv, 15, 16; v, 83-89.J 232 THE HOLY LETTERS. Such was the church in the time of its first love. A holy association of loving and laborious children of God. Planted in the capital of Eastern idolatry, in the very presence ot the superb temple of Diana, and stand- ing erect, faithful to God, and separate from all evil, it was a light-bearer from heaven, a paradise in the midst of the idolatrous and profligate city, whose re- generating influences were everywhere felt. No rude dissensions, no worldly mind deflled its daily history. The members lived in the atmosphere of unselfishness, were generous in their benefactions, and ready for any service for the good of man. Love ruled in their hearts, and ran through their actions and words — love to God, to each other, to all saints, to mankind. The glory of God surrounded them. The Holy Spirit dwelt within them. The Son of God cheered them on. The calm of Heaven was reflected from them. The stake had no terrors, the lions no power to disturb their tran- quility. The ardor of their first love enabled them to triumph whilst devoured by the beasts, or consumed in the flames. Men saw this. They saw Christianity inac- tion, truth working by love, and were won, converted and saved. Angels passing by on errands of love were re- minded of their own mission and home. Jesus beheld all this, and rejoiced at these happy results of His suf- ferings and death. How terrible the contrast between that delightful and this deplorable, state — a change brought about in thirty years. This church, planted and watered by the THE HOLY LETTERS. 233 apostles, nourislied by the lives of saiuts and blood of martyrs, and powerful for good, had fallen, indeed. The tree was fair, but the root was withering away. There was a great show of churchly life, and great decorousness in the services, but the blight was there. The forms of worship remained, but the life expressed in them had, to a large degree disappeared. The form of sound words, the truth once delivered to the saints, was maintained, but it was largely an inanirnated ortho- doxy. The traditions of an earnest Christianity were held with zeal, but only as traditions. Tlie watchwords were spoken, but they were not what they were to their fathers, bugle sounds summoning loving hearts to war- fare, works or sufferings. The prayers, praises, labors, contributions continued, but through the impulse orig- inally given. The body was intact. No member lack- ing, no function suspended, no defect, lesion or disease apparent to the mere human eye, though practiced and skilled. Apparently, nothing, really everything, had changed. Apparently nothing was wanting, really everything. External energy had taken the place of in- ward power. For that mysterious, intangible, unde- finable something which escapes analysis, but which is nevertheless so real and essential, the God-imparted life, the source of the love, was becoming feeble. The body was growing colder every hour. Nothing save reviving could save the church from death. This church had left her first love, had let slip the consciousness of The Lord’s love to her, and hence the 234 THE HOLY LETTERS. divinely-given fire was slowly expiring. That inward, habitual prayerfulness, warmth, contemplation, that glowing, ab-sorbing love to Jesus, as a personal, pres- ent, precious, powerful Saviour, which had characterized the early Church, Paul to old age, the Ephesus church in her earlier years, and which had led her then to de- voted service and entire consecration,* was now slowly waning. Once, dwelling steadily on Jesus’ love in its manifestations, her own love had grown exceedingly. And by its fervency she had stood the severest pressure ot persecution; and her unwearied activity had been re- warded in large numbers of saved men. But having lost the sweet sense and enjoyment of Jesus’ love, her love had cooled down. She was satisfied with Jesus’ service rather than Himself. Instability of affection had been followed by dividedness of heart between Je- sus and the world. And unless all this was changed, soon would all love to Jesus wholly disappear. Jesus’ love, ever glowing, ever flowing, is stronger than death. This love He gives. And while He high* ly prizes good qualities and active, increased service. He wants first of all the heart. The man’s salvation is the fruit of His own perfect self-sacrificing love, and His love can be satisfied with nothing short ot the heart su- premely devoted to Him. It cannot love Him worthi- ly, but it can love Him truly. The affection is inade- quate, but there must be undividedness of object. The response miist correspond to the bestowal. This want- [yJEph, iii, 16-19; iv, 15-16.) THE HOLY LETTERS. 233 ing, service is valueless. This gone, the rest is nothing. This love, He sees, is waning in the church in Ephesus. It was still a noble body. Would that churches now reached the height of its failure! None less minded earthly things, and more the things of God. None less concerned itself about order, and more about purity and ej05ciency,and large-hearted, gracious sympathy with men. With that church, far better than most churches now. He expostulates most tenderly, ‘^remember whence (from what height,) thou art fallen. Recall thy early state, thy better, nobler past, when the light of The Lord took away the glory of the Ephesian Letters,* when the love of The Lord prompted the burning of the books of magic, *1* and gave a steadiness which the Ephe- sian mob could not shake, and when the enthusiastic devotion to the worship and work of God was equalled only by your delight therein. Recall the bliss of com- munion, when the heart, withdrawn from the transient and perishable, was fixed, in undoubting faith and glow- ing love, upon the eternal. Then I was present to your every thought, and precious to the every throbbing of your heart. Then everything was animated by your love to Me, From the cold, dark valley where you now are, look up to the sunlit summits, the heavenly places where you walked with God in all the fervor of your first love, and measure the distance thou Hast fallen. And repent. That is, see your fall and sin as God (*So well-known in ancient sorcery.) (fTbey were valued at about $10,000 of our money. 236 THE HOLY LETTERS. sees them, judge them as God judges them. Confess them to Him, and put them away. Then the immedi- ate revelation of grace will meet the need. Restoration will be followed by blessing. Thus getting back to first love you will do your ‘‘first works’’ from love (Gal. V, 6). Then follows a threat, the magnitude of which shows the badness of the condition. “Repent, &c., or I will come quickly,* and remove thy candlestick out of his place.” This word is not to the city, as it it was its candlestick that would be removed. Nor is the word, “I will remove thee, the church, out of Ephesus. The word, here, does not refer to the removal of Christianity, or to the Church as an institution, from Ephesus. But it is a word to the church, “I will remove thy candle- stick out of its place,” i. e.^ its place among the “seven,” where it is now, in the Heavenly Sanctuary. The church’s candlestick condition would then cease, and the already dwindling light would go out. The organi- zation might continue, but it w^ould be no light bearer. The church services go on, but there would be no testi- mony for Jesus, given in the power of The Holy Spirit. The barren would become the withered fig-tree, on which no fruit would grow. For all the purposes of God’s glory and man’s spiritual good, the church would be of no value, and its continuance or extinction would be a matter of but little consequence. [*This word, tacliu^ quickly^ is wanting in the best Mss ; is cancelled by critical scholars, and is omitted in the R. V.] CHOJiCX or ST JOHN. EPHESUS fOK SITIf o> KPH^!;SU^ tHE HOLY LETTERS. 23t This warning word was unheeded, and the rest is soon told. The city itself is a desolation. The streets once populous, are now browsed by the sheep of pover- ty, or ploughed by the Ottoman serf. But this desola- tion is not necessarily the result of the removal of the Ephesian church’s candlestick. The city was not to blame for that, but the church itself. It was not a case in which persecution drove Christianity out of the city; but in which the church itself forfeited its candlestick character and position. And the consequence was the church’s owii decay. And this was followed by its dis- solution. And as a result Christianity went down in that region. Mohammedanism flourishes where it once ruled. The mosque stands where the church building once stood. No Christian dwells where once Christian- ity had a stronghold, nor reads either Letter to the church at Ephesus, in the place to which they were originally sent. No prayer, no song is heard in that place where Paul labored, John lived and died, and Jesus had so many followers. And as we sit amid these ecclesiastical ruins, one great fact forces itself upon the attention: That learning, however great, or- thodoxy, however undisputed, zeal in church order, services and work, however maintained, cannot compen- sate for the absence of ‘'first love,” and cannot of them- selves be a reason why Jesus should not remove the church’s candlestick, when it (the church) has lost its candlestick character and position. 238 THE HOLY LETTERS. The Letter to the ) The second Letter was ad- church in Smyrna, j dressed to the church in Smyrna. The new Smyrna, rebuilt by the successors of Alexan- der not far from the site of the old, was one of the fairest cities of Ionia. It was forty miles north of Ephesus. Climate, soil and situation were all that could be desired. On the Asiatic side of the ^gean, on a coast of great beauty, and on one of the finest har- bors in the world, it was the natural outlet for the whole valley of the Hermus, and commanded the trade of the Levant, as it does to this day. In wealth, culture and splendor it outshone Ephesus. It was called <^the beautiful,” ^‘the crown of Ionia,” ‘‘the jewel of Asia.” Its works of art, public library, museum, and temples to Jupiter, to the mother of the gods, and of the goddesses worshipped under the name of Nemesis, were famed far and wide. Its edifices, public and private, its arts, its polity (it had a municipal gov- ernment, and was a republic), and the politeness and kindliness of its citizens were, so Pausanius declared, as near perfection as could be found on earth. And Strabo follows a description of its streets (which were laid out at right angles), and of its temples, theatres, baths, schools, hospitals and aqueducts, with, “this is in- deed the most beautiful city in the world.” When, and by whom the gospel was first preached there, and the church was planted, is not known. But it enjoyed the labors of Polycarp.* And, illustrious by [*See footnote on next page.] SMYRNA, THE HOLY LETTERS. 239 the high character which it steadily maintained, and by the persecutions which it endured, it was specially so by his glorious martyrdom. This Letter is a witness to that high character. With an impartial eye Jesus is looking at it as a representa- tive of Himself, as a vessel bearing His name before the world, as a letter to be known and read of all men during His absence. And in the practical use of the grace received, He sees nothing to condemn or reprove. First love has not been left, nor early faith. Loyal obedience to Himself is not wanting. Its life is seen in “I know thy poverty, but thou art rich,’’ its spirit, in the ^'faithful unto death.” It was poor, yet rich towards God, in the graces of The Spirit, in all the affluence of a noble, Christ-like life. It was calumniated, yet honored, suffering, yet faithful, victorious and crowned. Lowly, loving, laboring, witnessing, suffering, and the mother of martyrs, it realized the Beatitudes of Mat- thew V, The story is refreshing to us. The sight must have been most refreshing to the Church’s adora- ble Head. [*When a lad, he had heard from the apostle John’s lips the narrative of the life and death of Je^us. When a man, he received the pastorate of this church from the servants and eye-witnesses of The Lord, and, according to Tertullian, from John himself. In A. D. 108, he received a letter from Ignatius, while on his way to Rome, there to suffer martyrdom. In labors, in the preaching of the gospel, and in holiness of life, he was eminent. His long and useful career was closed in extreme old age by a glorious martyr- dom. When ordered by the judges to blaspheme the name of Jesus, he answered with a firm and quiet dignity, “eighty-six years have I served Him, and He has never done me any wrong. How, then, can I now curse Him, my Saviour and King?”] 240 THE HOLY LETTERS. To it He presents Himself, not with a ‘‘sharp two- edged sword,’’ but with a name and character which are responsive to its distress, and which, with His Letter alive with loving and consolatory words, give firm sup- port and truest comfort to it in the fiercest fire of per- secution. He tells His suffering ones that He is “The First and The Last” — a designation which centuries before Isaiah had challenged for Jehovah. Satan’s utmost power cannot go beyond death. But through and beyond death Jesus had gone. He had been the suffering, He was now the triumphant, Man. And this victory over death He thus announced to them: “He who became dead, and now liveth again.” And from this vantage ground of the very highest order He addresses His suf- fering church. “I know thy works, and the tribulation and the pov- erty;” that is, the works good in the estimate of Jesus, done under the heavy pressure of tribulation and pov- erty. Tribulation {thlipsis)^ that pressure and anguish which come from persecution for Jesus’ sake;* and also that pressure and anguish, apart from persecution, which are the constant attendants of the true Christian life.f At times these are very heavy, almost crushing. But, whatever be the instrument or cause, Jesus says, “I know the tribulation;” the thorns which pierce the [*Acts XX, 23; 1 Thes. iii, 4; Heb. xi, 37; Rev. i, 9.] [fSee Matt, xiii, 21 ; 2 Thes. i, 4, where persecution is distin- guished from tribulation, and John xvi, 33, Acts xiv, 22.) THE HOLY LETTEKS. 241 body, the reproaches which fall upon the head, the agony which wrings the heart. He knows the tempting power of Satan at such a time, and furnishes the shield which quenches all his fiery darts. He knows the ne- cessity of the blessedness which flows through the tribulation. Living faith in the Living God is re- vived and strengthened. The life of God in the soul receives enlarged experiences. The tendency to spir- itual decay and to departure from God is checked. The person, the church becomes more Christ-like, and more genuinely human, tender and kind, and bet- ter qualified and prepared for Christian work. He, in it learns to suffer with Christ, learns, as He did, obedi- ence, becomes, as He became, perfect through suffering. ‘^And the poverty.” It, in itself, is no sin, no shame: ^‘He who was rich, for our sakes became poor.” But it exposes one to peculiar trials and temptations, and leaves one helpless, and often friendless and op- pressed. Such were the Smyrnsean believers. Their poverty came partly from their' position, and partly from the oppressions of persecution. They were no strangers to the experience of both Jas. ii, 6, and Heb. X, 32-34. They were poor in numbers of high position or of extensive knowledge, in worldly goods, in worldly influence, and in the world’s esteem — the very opposite in these respects of the Laodicean church; as the opposite, also, in the next fact: “But thou art rich.” There is a wealth that is pov* erty; this the Laodiceans had. There is a poverty that 242 THE HOLY LETTEBS. is wealth; and this the Smyrnseans had. Like Paul, they had nothing, yet possessed all things, were poor, yet made many rich. They were rich in Divine, ex- haustless riches, the coin from Heaven’s mint; rich in the treasures of true wisdom and knowledge; rich in faith, love, victories over sin, humility, gentleness, brotherly love and love to God and for man; rich in decision, courage, patience, zeal, and sufferings for Christ; rich in holy, useful lives, good works, and the fruits of The Spirit. Their riches were intrinsic, those of character; hence they had that contented mind which is a continual feast. And they were rich in the estimation of God; and, for all that is valuable, in that of man. Possessed of all this, of treasures in Heaven, and being children and heirs of an infinitely rich God, what more did they need ? And rich in all the graces of The Spirit must they be. For most afflicted they were and persecuted. Already they had suffered much from a ‘‘those” who were a synagogue of Satan, “Synagogue” was, as it still is, the technical name of the house where the Jews assem- bled for worship, then, by metoiiomy of the worshippers. In not one single case is the word used ot the Church as composed partly, or wholly, of Gentiles. Jas. ii, 2, is no exception. For that Letter is addressed to “the twelve, tribes,” i. of Israel. These, though they “had the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,” still main- tained their synagogue worship. And some such an assembly as this seems to be referred to here. They THE HOLT LETTERS. 243 were Jews, nationally, who had been prepared to receive Jesus as The Messiah, so had no standing with the regular synagogues, but who met by themselves, and who had so far departed from the faith of Christ that their Jewish principles and feelings were far the strong- er. Jesus says their claim to be Jews was a false claim, and that they, instead of being a synagogue of convert- ed men, were a synagogue of Satan. That is, they were actuated and guided by him, and were only his tools. Their evil speaking (hlasphemia) against the church — perhaps, accusing it of apostacy from the Law — Jesus knew, as also how much the church had suffered from it, and how patiently all this had been borne. But much as already were the sufferings, more and still worse sufferings were to come. Not deliverance, not even relief was held out to them. A crisis was im- minent. All efforts to effect them injuriously had failed. And now they are about to suffer, not from but through the passions, prejudices and personal in- terests of men, all that the permitted malice and might of Satan, in his war against God, can inflict on His saints. Their constancy had only aroused the enemy’s rage. The attacks had hitherto been confined to out- rages of words, now severer measures were about to be taken. ‘‘Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tested, i, by him, to show that you are not wheat,* to yourselves, and before the [*See Holy Supper, pp. 119-121.1 244 THE HOLT LETTERS. world. The tribalation will be severe, with some end- ing in death. But it will be brief and definite, 10 days only, as contrasted with the 1260 days of tribulation (xiii, 5,) yet to come. You will feel, but do not fear, the things which you will sufier. They cannot hinder communion with Me, nor prevent the bestowment of grace, nor dim the blessedness and brightness of Heav- en. ‘‘Be thou (the ginou pointing to the perils,) faith- ful’’ to all truth and in all things until death, and I will give you the crown (of victory, Stephanos^ of the {tees) life: that crown which is given to the victors over temptation, and through trial. It is not the heritage of all the saints, but of certain victors only (Jas. i, 12). The distinctions in glory, and the distribution of rewards regard the measure of service or suffering on earth (Matt, xix, xx). That church was faithful, and that city Christianity has never left. It to-day is majestically seated upon a gulf of the archipelago, and numbers 180,000 souls. Of these 90,000, of various denominations, recall, by their profession, the faith held by those to whom this Letter was addressed. The Turks call the city “Infidel Smyr- na.” It is one of the most important centers of Chris- tian activity in Asia Minor. And, through the success- ful labors of American and European missionaries, the cause of Jesus is spreading from this center into all the regions round about. The Letter to the church ) The third Letter was in Pergamum. J addressed to the church in PERGAnns THE HOLY LETTERS. 246 Pergamum, (now Bergama), in Mysea. The city was situated on the Oaicus, 3 miles from its bank, 20 miles from its mouth, and about 26 miles from Smyrna. The capital of the splendid dynasty of Attains, it was famed for its antiquity, ease of access, strength and beauty of situation, splendid temples, wealth and learn- ing, and as an illustrious and a principal city of Asia. Its great public buildings were regarded as superior to all, save the temple of ^]phesus, that Asia could show. Its royal library of 200,000 parchments almost equalled that of Alexandria, with which it was, by the gift of Cleopatra, ultimately united. The sheep- skins there prepared for writing materials gave the new name, Pergamene papers, from which came our word parchment. One painting by Aristides, with which one of its kings enriched the city, cost $600,000. In its renowned school of medicine the illustrious Galen (one of its citizens, by birth), was educated. A long line of kings resided there, every one of them distinguished for taste and liberality. The city was of no commercial importance, but its literary advantages made it the abode of artists, architects, and learned men; and these gave to the place that tone of high literary culture and erudition which it possessed and enjoyed. The citizens being more attracted by the idealizations of human power and beautyjSuch as Phidias represented in marble, and Aristides on canvass, than by the darker and deeper superstitions of the East, the (heathen) religious spirit, though sensuous and voluptuous, was 246 THE HOLY LETTERS. graceful and elegant. In its temples the religious rites were celebrated with unusual splendor. And for years these were conducted with comparative decency. But it finally became a city of temples whose groves furnished the amplest appliances and opportunities for the licentious rituals of heathenism. The one god of the Fergamene system of idolatry which dwarfed all the rest was ^sculapius, the god of medicine. His temple* stood in a beautiful grove called Nicephorum, and his worship drew almost as many to Pergamum as did that of Diana to Ephesus. But the tendency of all heathen worships was down- ward. And this worship, under the influence of the prevailing habits and modes of thought, had by the close of the flrst century A. D,. degenerated into pharmaceutical magic. Its influence being wide-spread, its power for evil was most terrible. It paralyzed the intellect, flattered and depraved the passions, corrupted the morals, and held the keys of physical life with a fraudful and vindictive hand. This fact not improbably, together with the fact that Pergamum, as the seat of a Roman tribunal, was the center of persecution for churches of that region, gained for the city that fearful name, ‘‘Throne of Satan.’^'j* Of the history of the church there, nothing has come down to us except what we have in this Letter. And [*It ruins are still shown, as are the granite walls and marble columns, the evidences of the city's former greatness and magnificence.] [fBut see note at foot of picture .] Possibly, this alter, which is 40 feet high, Is covered with coloseftl sculptures showine the combats of gods and giants, and was built, probably, by Eumenes II (197-159 B. C.)i was the foundation for the word, “where Satan's seat is.” THE HOLY LETTERS. 247 from it we learn that it had been a noble church which neither threats nor persecutions, nor martyrdom could move from their fidelity; but that when this Letter was written it was a fallen church, overcome by the seductions of worldliness, and then dwelling under the protection of the world-power. Jesus introduces Himself to the church as “as having the sharp two- edged sword” — symbol throughout this book of the all-searching, condemning and destroying power of the word, which decides all questions that have to do with Himself, and which He applies with power. This designation has reference to the church’s present perilous condition from permitted internal evils (vss. 14-16). He knows their position. They were dwelling in a place where “Satan’s throne is,” and where “he dwells.” Remarkable expressions, pointing out very ter- rible forms of evil, temptation and corruption. “Satan’s throne” was not in the church, nor was it his dwelling- place. But the church was in the city where the throne was, and was peculiarly exposed to its influence. The church was still holding fast with vigor and tenacity {krateis^ pres, ten.,) the name of Jesus, but not with the firmness of grasp with which it had held faith in Him in the days when persecution raged, and when Anti- pas, J esus’ faithful witness, had been killed for His sake.* [♦Tradition says that Antipas’ death occurred during the Domitian persecution. He was, it says, shut up in a red-hot brazen bull, and ended his life in thanksgiving and praise, His 248 THE HOLY LETTERS. Amid the horrors of that persecution the steadfastness of the church was most conspicuous. Even the death of Antipas did not shake ic. What occasioned his death we know not; whether fanatical zeal for paganism, or for the special worship of ^sculapius, or whether direct hostility to Jesus and Ilis followers. Nor do we know whether the chief persecutors were citizens, strang- ers, or the magistracy. But Satan was the instigator. And he saw that he had made a mistake. Persecution had not crushed or even intimidated the church. It had only purified it, and made it all-victorious. The Christians could sacrifice life, but they would not surrender truth. Death they preferred to dishonor, martyrdom to treachery. In the physical disasters they had triumphed over Satan. Violence had gained him no success. But his‘‘throne,”his dwelling-place was in Pergamum, The presence of embodied faithfulness to God was most hateful to him. That firmness of faith, that steadfastness of purpose must be broken down. It could not be done by blows. It must be done by bland- ishments. And these succeeded. False teachers ap- peared. Compromises were insinuated. “The world so-called tomb is still still shown, in the mosque of St. Sophia, a building of the apostolic era; and the ruins also of the church of 8t. John, the walls of which were 100 feet high. It is the church, it is said, where the Christians met for worship at the time when they received this letter from John The present population of Pergamum (now Bergema), is estimated at 90,000; of whom about 3,000 are nominal Christians.) THE HOLT LETTERS. 249 has been excessively severe, because your principles have been excessively exclusive and repelling. Sliov/ more liberality. Meet the advances, and welcome the friendship of the world. Then hostility will cease. You will be under the protection of the world, and will share in the prosperity ot the city.” The church yielded. Doctrinal errors, then moral corruptions, crept in. Then persecution ceased, for the church had ceased, even while holding fast Jesus’ name, to be a witnessing church. This terrible fall is thus noticed: ‘‘I have a few things against thee, that since the time when Antipas was slain, ‘‘thou hast” in thy church “them who hold fast* the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitanes.” The teaching of Balaam !f and what was that? Not the wholesome doctrine which he uttered when the inspiration of God was upon him,J but the infernal teaching which he gave forth under the inspiration of the devil. He had gifts, but not grace. He was, under the seeming ot a good, a bad man at heart. He professed [*The same Greek verb, that h ad just before been used.] [fBoth Eusebius and Irengeus say that these parties participated in heathen festivals, and in the eating of meats offered to idols ; and that they declared themselves not defiled thereby. And from the licentious character of these festivals, fornication went hand in hand with this eating. These persons taught, says Irenseus, that this must be done by those who would attain a perfect insight into their secret doctrines. Of the wide extent of both of these forms of corruption there is a large historical proof.] [|Num. xxiii, 7-10, 19-24; xxiv, 3-9, 15-19, 20-24. His history is given by J^um xxii-xxv.] 250 THE HOLY LETTERS. to speak for God, he acted for himself. Otliers, such as unhappy Judas, have been drawn into evil without attempting to draw in any one else. But Balaam was coldly, systematically wicked, the most odious and skill- ful seducer which the Bible portrays. In his work he was most infernal. For cupidity and base vengeance, he plunged a whole nation into a sin which, except for Divine interposition, would have been its destruction. So well known was his wicked force of character that Balak wanted to use him in a ‘‘cursing’’ work. And so well know were his covetousness and ambition, that he did not hesitate to offer him bribes of gold and high position. The people whom he was to curse had injured neither Balak nor himself. He had no special desire to see them cursed. But the splendid rewards of divination! These fired his sordid soul. For these he will serve a bad king by cursing an inoffensive people. And his hellish motive he veils under the thin covering of pious cant, “that he will speak only what The Lord tells him to say.” The attempt failed. He was unable to curse Israel so as to dieliver them to the armies of Balak. The rewards were forfeited These he would get. He was warned. Obstacles were interposed. But he stopped not. With diabolical cunning and malice he devised a scheme which was a masterpiece of iniquity. To carry it out he must crush all human sympathies, degrade his humanity, endure the lashings of conscience, if it was not already seared, and brave the threatenings of God. THE HOLY LETTERS. 251 But nothing stopped him. Whom he could not curse he would corrupt. He would get Israel to sin, and so forfeit the favor of God. Then they would be an easy prey. He taught Balak to cast a stumbling-block* before the children of Israel. Balak, as king, could carry out the scheme. It was this: To get the beautiful daugh- ters of Moab to entrap the sons of Israel into foul un- cleanness. 'j- The plot succeeded. The men accepted the invitation to the heathen festivals. Then what the armies could not do was done by the fascinating arts and wicked embraces of the daughters of Moab. Pur- ity gone, all was gone. Easy then was it to induce the people to join in sacrificing to Moab’s gods, and to eat things offered to idols. The results were terrible. And had there been no immediate intervention of God, the nation would have perished in the snares of immorality, when just on the borders of the promised land. What Balaam taught Balak, permitted teachers of and in their own membership held and taught the members of the church in Pergamiim. They were se- ducers, teaching, under the semblance of friendship to [^Skandalon^ that part of the trap on which the bait is laid, the touching of which caused the trap to spring and close upon the prey; then, any impediment which causes one to stumble; then any occasion of sinning, or incitement to commit sin or to morally fall. 2 Josh, xxii, 13; Ps. cxl, 9; Is. viii, 25; Kom. ix, 32 ; xi, 9 ; xiv, 13 ; 1 Pet, ii, 7 ; &c.] [tNum. xxii, 25-xxv, 1, 2; xxxi, 16; Josh, xiii; 22.] 262 THE HOLY LETTERS. God, those things which overthrow the truth of God, are dishonoring to Him, and degrading to man, and which, carried into practice, are destructive to the person and to the church. It was ‘^to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornication,” . Phases of this sad form of evil had already appeared in the Church. To “eat things offered to idols” was the shibboleth between the laxer and the stricter party in the church in Corinth.* These Balaam-teachers maintained the lawfulness of this eating and of other compliances with idolatrous worship. The idol is noth- ing. What harm then in being present at the worship of the idols. Not that which goes into the mouth de- files. Why then absent from feasts where meat offered to idols is eaten? The body is nothing. The soul is the all important thing. The defilements of the fiesh can never reach it. Hence the soul will remain pnre though the body indulges in the heathen feasts and fornications. The heathen finding you so yielding to its customs, will yield to your God. Another phase of this corruption is mentioned by Peterj* and Jude,;}; in terms of the severest condemna- [*This was an exceedingly strong temptation to the Gentile converts. Not to eat such meats involved withdrawal from any social meal with their heathen neighbors, and from the whole so- cial life of that day. For the meat, after beiug offered in sacrifice, was prepared for and put upon the offerer’s table. And the sacri- fice, further, had bound up itself in one way or other with almost every fact of social life. Further yet, with the sacrifice foruication was connected. And the eating and fornication were invariably allied to tlie spiritual fornication and idolatry.] [t2 Epis. ii, 1-3, 13-21.] [fVss, 10-13J THE HOLY LETTERS. 253 tion. The persons had some measure of truth, but tliey used it corruptly, to seduce the people. They turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, by using it as an occasion for the indulgence of the flesh even to disolute- ness. They were “dreamers,’’ making their own thought their guides, and rejecting all the restraints of the truth. Their own reason and knowledge being the measure of what they would receive as revelation from God, everything in the Bible they reduced to that stand- ard. They were simply like unreasoning animals, con* tent with what they knew naturally; and even in those things they corrupted themselves. They claimed a superior sanctity. But it flowed not from the truth, was unreal, and so was a terrible snare both to them- selves and to others. One such source of corruption in a church was terri- ble enough. But in this church was another permitted evil, as the “so also” shows. The two were embodied in distinct but kindred sects. “Thou hast also them that hold the teaching of the Nicolaitanes in like man- ner, i, as the Balaamites did, that what they taught was to be understood and carried out literally, not met- aphorically. In some respects the Nicolai tan evil was far worse than the Balaamite. The latter is the spirit and practice of the world brought in by a strong, bad man from without, and, in a seducing way, bringing the church into league with the world, and making it (the church) comfortable in the world that crucifled its Lord. It is social amalgamation, with all its corruptions, with 264 THE HOLY LETTERS. heathen of high rank. For these were the ones whom theBalaamites courted. But the Nicolaitanes courted the people. And the mystic element in this evil was accept- able to the Pergamenes, to whom religion was the chief amusement, as well as the chief business of life. It hence was a snare to the people, to entrap them into the church, and to the new converts, to draw them to a sect which admitted that so much of idolatry (or conformity to the world) was lawful. In Ephesus this sect had prac- ticed their deeds. But these were so hateful to the church that the persons had been driven out. The attempt to obtain a foothold for the teaching had completely failed. But the persons had been permitted, if not wel- comed at Pergamum. What they had done there, they, here, boldly avow, and teach as doctrine. All conceal- ment is laid aside, and those crafty and wicked sophisms which blinded the mind, cauterized the conscience and perverted the moral sense, were openly proclaimed. Both were emissaries of Satan. Both proclaimed laxness as to the law, and gave personal license and temptation to others to sin. Both were antinoinians and seducers. Both sought to bring the church into un- hallowed association with the world. This showed that both were against Christ. .For the Church was called to be the witness at once of man’s sin, misery and need, and of God’s abounding love and grace in providing for man a salvation, free, full and eternal. When it, then, has fellowship with the world in its things, and walks according to its ways, the position of witness-bearing is i?HE HOLY LETTERS. 256 lost. And when that is gone, all is gone. This is, in one aspect of it, bronght out in Jesus’ warning word. He shows that the first point of divergence from the truth is laxity of conduct in connection with tlie profes- sion of grace, and refusal to submit to Himself as The Head of the Church. And the tendencies being pointed out the final issues can be readily discerned. This deteriorating process He would stop in its very beginning. Hence His great word, “Repent.” It is a call to the church to repent of its sin in tolerating, in having anything to do with these sins, and to repent in cleansing the church from them, and in testifying against them faithfully and fearlessly. This is disci- pline, and it is painful. The persons may have many amiable qualities, and they may be sincere. But their principles and practices are corrupting, and much as the heart may shrink from the necessity, the honor and holiness of God’s House must be maintained. And if a subject of such vital importance be ignored by the church, then, said Jesus, “I will come, and 1 will fight against them, Balaamites and Nicolaitanes, with the sword of My mouth.” A humiliation for, a tribulation to the church. It feels the stroke which it should have infiicted. The word was startling, but unheeded. The carnal security continued unbroken. The judgment fell, and the church withered away. The Letter to the church in Thyatira. The fourth Letter was ad- dressed to the church in Thyatira, a provincial town 256 THE HOLY LETTERS. on the river Lyons, lay on the fine road connecting Sardis and Pergamnm, and distant from the former 36 and from the latter 58 miles. It was on and close to the borders of Ionia and Mysia, and was reckoned sometimes in the one, sometimes in the other. It was founded by Selucus Nicator with a Macedonian colony; and that element at the opening of the Christian era preponderated, and gave a distinct character to the pop- ulation. After its subjection to the Romans many cor- porate guilds flourished, among which that of the dyers is especially mentioned. But though the roads were good, the region fertile, the waters famed for dyeing purposes, and the dyers gave some importance to the town, it never was a place of any great commercial im- portance. It scarcely ever appears in history, and is to- day a wretched village,with scarcely a decent house (save the governor’s), and where poverty, ignorance and deg- radation abound.-^ When and by whom the church was founded is not known. But it and the place were known to the Cliurch at large by one fact which has given to,both an imperish- able renown. It was the birthplace and homef of Lyd- ia, the flrst Gentile convert to Jesus in Philippi. And, doubtless, when she returned home she, to those of her guild, (the dyers), and to others, made known the gospeh Perhaps she was the first one to carry it to Thyratira, [*Of its population of about 1000, 300 or 400 are Greek and Armenian christians.J [t“Of the city,” <&c. Acts xvi,. 14.] THYATIRA THE HOLY LETTERS. 257 was among the constituent members when the church was founded, and was a zealous and successful worker in promoting its interests, and in diffusing the gospel in the city. During many years the church, and so its history, was a noble one. Its true life, and strong, was mani- fested in ^‘love and faith, in service and patience, and in first and last works” (vs. 19).* The love was the chief characteristic, and it was genuine to God, to man and to each other. It had its roots and channel of nourish- ment in ‘‘the faith,” so flowed from a pure heart, and was allied to a pure conscience(l Tim. i, 5). It expressed itself in a deaconship service (diakonian)^ that is in a living help to the members of the church, the sick, the poor, the strangers, and to all others that needed it, so far as this could be done. Not fitfully, but steadily. For this is shown in the “patience:” here, not the passive endurance, as in Pergamum, of persecution — for no per- secution is alluded to — but the active patience, seen in steadfastness in good works (Rom. ii, 7). And the steady and healthful growth of the church — seen in the call for these — called for more of such works; and the call was gladly responded to: “thy last works are more,” in number and importance, “than the first.” Such was the church in its palmy days, and such it continued through we know not how many years. But [*The definite article, teen before love, &c., and the position of the 80u^ thy after each of the. four words show that they are ex- planatory of the “works.” | 258 THE HOLY LETTERS. decline began, and then decay set in. The grip on Divine truth was not so firm. The following of Jesus was not so close and steady. The world began to get a hold on the heart, then in a measure to control the life. The standard of truth was lowered, then of holi- ness of life. Then the vicror and zeal of witness-bear- ing by voice and in life disappeared, and the way was opened for the energetic activity of evil. And that evil appeared. It was embodied in a woman. Her symbolic name, Jezebel (which may also have been her real name), indicates that she was a heathen at heart, and it the Alex, reading, ^‘thy wife,’^ be correct, then she was introduced into the church by marriage. The symbolic points to the historic Jesebel^ In her we see typed the characteristics of this woman And comparing the two histories, and judging from the tone and substance of the Letter, she seems as fascinat- ing in manners, as imperious in will, as designing in purpose, as the other Jezebel had been; and as strong in determination also to substitute the impurities of heathenism and the wild orgies of life for the purity of of the gospel, and to undermine the worship of God by the worship of nature, as the other Jezebel had been to displace the worship of Jehovah by the worship of Baal Of princely birth, perhaps, well educated, proud, and possessed of that mysterious something which makes individuals personally influential, she was fitted to ob- tain an ascendency. In her, strong mental qualities were united with flerce fanaticism and licentious and •THE HOLY LETTEK8. 259 idolatrous tastes and habits. Her appearance marked a turning point in the history of the church in Thyatira, as did that of the other Jezebel in the history of Is- rael. Possibly, at first she concealed her principles. Certainly, in uniting with the church, it was only to the outward organization, not to ‘‘the one body.” But ani- mated with fanatical zeal for her idolatries, and indif- ferent, if not hostile to Jesus, she began to promulgate her principles. Not at first fully, but — for so the phrase “time to repent” suggests — with an admixture of truth with her paganism. The church lacked the spiritual vision to detect, or the energy of faith to de- nounce and throw out the subtle poison. We see nothing of that hatred of the teaching which we saw in the Ephesian church against the Nico- laitanes’ deeds. By the fascination of her life, the power of her will, and the substance of her teaching, the gratification of the gross but powerful lusts of the flesh, she overcame all murmuring. She called herself a prophetess, was recognized as such, and taught as such, surely by the inspiration of Satan, in whose service all her intellectual and moral powers were employed. And when once she was recognized as being in this exalted position of prophetess, she unblushingly taught Christ’s servants, by precept and example, “to commit fornica- tion, and to eat things offered to idols.” And, asunder the terrible influence of the historic Jezebel, Israel apos- tatized until only “4000 were left who had not bowed the knee to Baal,” so under the teaching and pretended 260 THE HOLY LETTERS. inspiration of this woman, not only were God’s servants seduced to commit fornication and to eat things sacri- ficed to idols,” but a whole party (“thy children”) was born of this corruption, high in position, influential in character, large in numbers and most corrupting. And when this Letter was sent, this J ezebel as really (though not apparently) held the position and influence of au- thority, as had the historic J ezebel in Israel. Here is a terrible advance in evil beyond what was in Pergamum. There, was Balaam, the first Old Testa- ment type of the heathenish seductions that found their way into the Church. Personal gratifications, not hatred to God and His people, were the actuating mo- tives. He was outside. He had only gotten some Pergamene members to hold this doctrine without, so far as the narrative shows, carrying them into practice. And that was bad enough. But here is something still worse. We see Jezebel inside. Balaamism, in the more important and influential church in Pergamum, may have projected its baleful influence into Thyatira, and thus opened the way. J ezebel may even have belonged to the Balaamites there. But whether or not, here she is in the church, firmly established, teaching shocking things and exerting a disastrous influence, with the full consent* of the church. She permits her own chil- dren to be seduced into licentiousness and idolatry. She permits Jezebel, further, to be so much at home in her [^A^Tieis^ see Liddell and Scott, under Ajphieemi^ IV.] THE HOLY LETTERS. 261 pale, that children are born of the corruption ; find both their birth-place and home in her own sacred enclosure. Terrible indeed is this! She thus becomes partaker of JezebePs sin, and so, morally responsible for it. And to add to the aggravations and heineousness ofjthese sins, time had been given her to repent, and admonitions had not been wanting. But the latter had been utterly disregarded, the former unimproved. . “She willeth not to repent of her fornication.’’ This had been taught and practiced so long, that the call to repent- ance was absolutely refused. More terrible this than even the sin. It shows the thoroughly evil condition of the church. The other Jezebel had led Israel into apostacy so pervading, that it could not be removed ex- cept by the overthrow ot the nation. What this Jeze- bel had been to Israel, the symbolic Jezebel was to this church. Through her, paganism had so intertwined and confounded itself with the church that they two could not be separated. Corrupted through and through, the church had no right, no power to exist as an expression of God. Nothing remained but defini- tive, unsparing and destructive judgment. This was the situation when this Letter was received. In it Jesus introduces Himself by a title and predicates which are the ground at once of His right to act, and of His pronounced judgment upon Jezebel and the church, and of His promise to “the rest.” The title, “The Son of God,” declares His personal glory, and His identity with “The King,” who shall rule with a rod of 262 THE HOLY LETTERS. iron (Ps. ii), and with the “Him’’ who is the source and sovereign support of life and liberty (Jn. v; viii, 36). The one predicate “His eyes are as a flame of Are,” which points back to i, 14, shows the all-searching and consuming character of this visitation; and the other, “His feet like flne brass,” the pure, unbending, un- changeable character of that righteousness which He manifests when He judges, and the strength and ease with which he carries it out in treading down those who think to do as they please, and who try to tread Him down. Tlien follows the commendation, which we have studied, of the life and works of the church in her palmy days of purity, and which — if the “the last, &c.” belong to the then present — were still maintained by “the rest,” in spite of the abounding corruption. And then comes the word of denunciation, which, coupling the sin with Jezebel’s name, was both startling and terrible. “I have against thee because {liott) thou perrnittest, &c.” Her teaching, conduct, influence and their results we have seen. The time to pronounce judgment has come. And this distinguishes between her and her children on the one hand, and those in the church, the “My ser- vants” who, seduced by her, had become partakers in her adulteries, on the other. “Behold” (the word call- ing the attention to something unexpected and terrible) “1 cast her” (against her will) “into a bed” of torment. “And her children” — those springing from this corrup- tion, the recipients of her teaching, her adherents and THE HOLY LETTERS. 263 successors, those deriving their moral existence from her — “I will kill with death'’ — the Hebraistic form ot expression indicating a physical death, awful, sudden, violent, and judicial. The heinousness ol the sin was declared in the suddenness and severity of the punish- ment. To her, no further opportunity to repent, to them, none at all was given. But to those who had been se- duced by her, the “My servants,” wdio, though partak- ers of her sin, had not aided her directly in the spread of the corruption, this opportunity was given. They had committed adultery with her, so were guilty. If they saw this, listened to His admonition, and speedily and thoroughly repented of her works,* in which they had joined, they would be forgiven and restored. But if not they would be “cast into great tribulation.” And by this two-lold action “all the churches,” t, ^., of Asia, and, since these are types and representatives, all churches of all ages until Jesus comes, “shall know that I am He who searcheth the reins and heart.” This application to Himself of this Old Testament dec- laration of Jehovah, shows His possession of Divine omniscience and of Divine righteousness. By His ac- tion in the churches as He walks in the midst of them, He teaches them that with the holy light of God He searches all tracks and windings, and all the movements \_*Autee8 toon ergoon^ not their ^ as in E. V. They were Jesus’ servants, but had been victims of her temptations, and had allowed themselves in her works.] 264 THE HOLY LETTERS. of the thoughts and affections, and judges all impurity, even when arrayed in the garb of sanctity. And to all who are involved in any known evil, He “give to every one of you according to your works,” not merely those of the visible life, but also those of the hidden life, the inward, real acts and thoughts seen only by the all-see- ing and all- piercing Eye.* There is another, the third class, specified. They are called the tois loipois^ the rest^ the remaining ones.^ This is the first time that such a phrase is found in the Letters. It sets this company, which is in the church by themselves, as apart from the church. It recognizes that the church’s drift and movement go on without them, that, so far as these are concerned, they are in a hopeless minority, and uninfluential. These are the faithful few as distinguished from the mass. Them Jesus thus describes: “as many as have not this teach- ing,” i. e., of Jezebel, “such as ( oitines) have not known {egnoosan) the depths {pathecb)^ of Satan, rs they say,” i. as they call them. They had not, and would not have anything to do with the corrupting, the apostacy-producing teaching of Jezebel. Even tlie boast ol the depths of knowledge which could, as they [*The “you” and the “your” of vs. 23, refer to those involved in the corruption, and not to the “rest” of vs. 24.] I fThe words, “and unto” of vs. 24, are a gloss, and are to be re- jected. The “you” is in the Greek, in the plural, and refer to the “the rest.” It is they, not the church nor its angel, that is ad- dressed.] [ JThe word may mean places^ or things^ or both. See Liddell and Scott, sub wee,'] THE HOLY LETTERS. 265 said, be obtained, and only in this way, did not move them. ‘‘Depths,” these were, but, as Jesus characterized them, “of Satan.” And such they were. For — so the teaching was — in giving the body to lust, but keeping the soul clean from it, one defied Satan in his own do- main. This knowledge, which undermined the call to holiness these would not have; nor knowledge of sin by indulging in it. They would have no knowledge, but of good, and so they kept themselves clear from the sur- rounding evil. This perfect content with the knowledge of Christ in doctrine, life, privilege and hope, and this entire absti- nence from all complicity with the abounding and pop- ular evil was very blessed, and strongly commended. They needed support and comfort, and this they received. They were not told to withdraw from the church because it had become so corrupt. Nor were they told to labor for its purity, or to get Jezebel and her followers out. Nor were they held responsible for the evil. The corrup- tion from which they had kept, and must keep, them- selves wholly free, was a burden of sorrow which they must bear. And this, Jesus considered burden enough. ‘‘I will not throw upon you any other burden.” “But,” He adds, “that which ye have,” of truth and holy living, “hold fast” in its entirety, and by a determined grasp, renewed every moment,^ “till I come.” You cannot remove the evil, but do not yield to it. Be steadfast in the truth, till, not death but, I come. This coming it [♦This is the meaning of the first aorist, imperative, Kmteesote.'] 266 THE HOLT LETTERS* The Letter to the church in Sardis. was that which was held up before them by Jesus Him- self, as the bright and blessed hope. The fifth Letter was to the church in Sardis, the ancient cap- ital of Lydia. It was once pop- ulous, powerful and magnificent. Now it is in ruins. These lie in a miserable solitude where no house stands, and where no human being lives. But they attract the attention of the archselogist, and mutely tell of the en- terprise, wealth and culture of art of the city in its palmy days. And the few filthy and stupid Turks with the few men who bear the name of Christians, and whom the Turks keep all day at work, both of which live in the wretched hamlet of Sert, near the ruins, are all that is left to remind one of the great kings and mighty men who once made this region their home. Trees grow where once stood the banqueting halls ot kings and conquerors. The palace of Croesus, once honored by the presence of %ich eminent men as Thales and Solon, is but dust. And heaps of ruins are all that is left of the great tombs of monarchs and men of renown. It seems as if the whole region was lying under sojaie awful curse. But when this Letter was sent, Sardis still stood, a large and wealthy city, having about it much of its former splendor. It lay on the small river, Pactolus, just below the range ot Tmolus, on a spur of which its acropolis was built. It was 33 miles from Thyatira and 28 from Philadelphia. It was the residence of the kings of Lydia, one of whom, Croesus, obtained a world. THE HOLY LETTERS. 267 wide fame from the vastness of his wealth, and miserable end. Its original inhabitants were Lydians, descendants from Lnd, son of Shem, and were distinguished for their warlike qualities, their activity, energy and enter- prise. The city, naturally strong, was strongly fortified. It was a great commercial center, made such by its convenient position, very fertile surrounding country, nearness to the auriferous sands of Pactolus, and by the intelligent business activity of its citizens. Its manu- factures were varied. The dyeing of wool was there first successfully accomplished,* and woolen fabrics were made of a peculiarly firm texture. There, gold and silver coins were first minted, and stationary traders as distinguished from traveling merchants first were seen. And its trade in gold for a long time gave it a world fame. It had many stately structures, both public and private. The massive temple of Cybele still bears witness, in its fragments, to the wealth and architectural skill of the people. And the pleasure ground, ‘‘the Yalley of Sweets,” still stood unrivalled, even after Polycrates’ endeavor to eclipse its glory and fame by the Laura at Samos. No information has come down to us of the time when, or of the persons by*whom, Cl|ristianity was intro- duced into Sardis. But that the church became a large, wealthy and influential one, this Letter shows f From [^That is wool apart from the skins. The dyeing of the skins was done by the laraelites when in the wilderness. Ex. xxxv, 7.] [t?o does the fact that by the middle of the second century it was the seat of a bishopric, Melito b^ing the bishop; the fact, also. 268 THE HOLY LETTERS. it we gather that this church was orthodox in doctrine, punctilious in the observance of the forms, and decorous in the acts of worship, active in benevolence, conservative in tone, and strong in its hold upon business and social circles. It lived on such terms with, that is was not molested by, the heathen. It was free from scandals. It was not distracted by strifes nor suffering from persecution, nor troubled with the presence of Balaamites and Nicolaitanes, nor from the teaching of Jezebel. And if it had annual reports like churches now have, these, by their showing of the highly prosperous condition of things, financial and external, must have given great satisfaction to the congregation, and have called forth the liveliest demonstrations of delight. These reports would be the showing of things as man looks at them, and just about as near to accuracy when estimated in in the judgment of God as such reports usually are. The church was metropolitan in influence, if not in po- sition. It gave a high social standing to its members. Able to command the finest talent, it gave prominence and prestige to its pastor. It was regarded as a model church. Such was it as regarded by men when this Letter was written. Such, so some historical hints suggest, it continued for years afterwards — a fact which shows that more than one Christian Council was held there; and the inscription, setting forth that the building on which it was in- scribed bad been a heathen temple, but had been changed, accord- ing to an imperial decree, into a huspital for the sick and poor. Brookin’s Greek Ins.^ No. 8645, Vol. II, fase. 2.) 269 THE HOLY LETTERS. that a church may long exist, orthodox, outwardly active, and seemingly alive, but really dead. Compar- ing its condition with a Spirit-filled church (see Acts ii), one would say that the outward correctness was there, but that the heart was away from the love and honor of the Lord. The church was, spiritually, a worn out thing. To it Jesus introduces Himself as ‘‘He who has {echoon having^ the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars.” The stars represent the angels of the churches (i, 20), and His having them in his hand shows that He has the control and disposal of them. And the phrase, “seven Spirits of God,” expresses the Divine fulness of The Spirit, His sevenfold operations according to the work to be done.^ This fulness and variety of the power of The Spirit, in all the variety of His ministrations, Jesus has as The head of the Church* He, hence, has all fulness of knowledge in reference to it, and all power to do. Whatever fails, God cannot. He is faithful to His truth and to those called to the fellowship of His Son. Having made Himself known by attributes appro- priate to the condition of the church. He went on: “I know thy works,” in their quantity, quality and variety. And these were such as to give the impression, strongly self-cherished, that the church was, as it had the name of being, a living church: “that thou hast a name that [*This seems to be indicated by the “before the throne” of i, 4, and iv, 5, and the “sent forth into all the earth” of v, 6.) 270 THE HOLY LETTERS. thou livest.’^ Its reputation in the city and among the churches, tor vitality was very high. For soundness of creed, interest in worship, strictness in morals, and activity in works, it was spoken of as a model church. These, with the absence of false teaching, were gen- erally regarded as manifestations of a peculiarly strong and healthy life. And such ought every church to have. For in Jesus are all resources for all its needs. There is no excuse then for a true church not being always a living church. But what an enormous distance, what an abyss between the appearance and the reality! In man’s judgment its members seemed men of faith, whose heart was tuned to the melody of grace, and who breathed the atmosphere of Heaven. But Jesus’ judgment was, “Thou art dead.” A startling statement, a terrible word! The church, alive as to external growth, and strong in some direc- tions, had no desire for the presence and work of Jesus flaming and glowing in the heart. It was filled with the world. The members were like garnished graves full ot dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. They had faith, but it was foul with spiritual defilement. No doctrinal error was in the creed, no breaking down in the outward morality. But the conscience slumbered. Hence there was no conscience work. And, by a law of our being, degeneration of subjective obedience must be followed by degeneration in the objective. Dead orthodoxy becomes betrodoxy, sinks doctrine into doc- THE HOLY LETTERS. 271 trines, and the first fresh reception of truth into for- mulated articles. These, rather than God, were the object of faith. Hence, there was no growth up into Him, the Head. The heart not being true to God could not be true to man, could notact healthfully upon the conscience of others. Ephesus had left its first love. Fergamum had those who held the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. Thyatira permitted Jezebel to teach. But here worldliness and indifference to spirituality had exerted so deadening an infiuence, that there was not life enough — for the appearance of errors implies life — even to be agitated by or about an error. It was a condition of spiritual slumber so near to death as to be almost past recovery. And had the fires of per- secution burst out fiercely, or formidable temptations come, the sudden collapse of the splendid things would have shown its worthlessness. Well might The Master address the church with His next words. 1st, have found no works of thine completed [pepLeeroomena^ filled up to the full^ before My God.” Full, in contrast with deficiency, in the impelling cause, not in the appearance. They lack in the tone, in purit and sincerity. Not one of all the works, no matter how much admired by men, was such as to work, measure or quality as God approves. They did not answer to the works which God had ordained (Eph. ii, 10), nor to what He had done. They did not come up to the measure of the grace received, nor to what was 272 THE HOLY LETTERS. expected from the use of that grace. They were not wrought from living faith, nor to the Divine glory. Jesus, hence, could not put the stamp of the Divine approval upon them. And God-approved works being the phenomena of the God-given life, this word shows what was the condition of the life. A great word, this, for all. Having such a standard, it is a terrible thing to settle down into self-complacencies. Better to fail, aiming at the standard, than to seem to succeed by lowering it. The one pleases, the other displeases, God. 2d, ^‘Become thou watching.” Awake, and keep awake — a sign of life in activity (Eph. v, 10) — and then ^^strengthen, ta lotjpa {neuter)^ the remaining things^ That is, those things still left you of the things which constitute the true vitality of the church. These are the remnants. These, too, ‘^were about {emelleih) to die.” If not strengthened by an infusion ot the new life they would die. What these remnants were Jesus does not say. Perhaps they were the few graces not yet wholly extinct. 3d, ^‘Therefore,” i. e. because no work is found complete, ^‘remember, how [jpoos^ how^ i. .,were clear, how? By abstaining whol- ly from, not corruption, but from the worldliness, dead- ness and non-watching for Jesus which characterized the Church.* They recognized that the name Christian had its foundation in reality. It meant separation from the world unto God. And they acted accordingly. The eye was single, so the whole body was full of light. Though unable to penetrate the darkness around, it shone up to Heaven. There it was seen with joy. And so was the life, so consistent and blameless. The quality was negative, but it was very fine, and was very strongly commended. It is wonderful to see such a life in such a company, to see amid such surroundings such a breathing of the atmosphere of Heaven.f The church is called upon to repent. But to those sorely tried and faithful ones is given a glorious promise. They, individually, had aimed to act faithfully, and to [*2 Cor. vii, 1, sq.; Eph. v, 27 ; Jas. i, 27 ; hi, 6; 2 Pet. ii, 20.) [fThere is no church, perhaps, but what has such “a few names.” Such a life is proof of Jesus’ presence, and a greater evidence of His truth and power than any outward miracles.] 276 THE HOLT LETTERS. walk in purity on earth, and before God should the full justification ot their ways be seen. , ‘‘They shall walk with me in white; for they are worthy.” Many prom- ises are included in this one. That of the highest glori- fication, that of the confession of the name before His Father, i. e., in the highest and most glorious circle of life; and that of the possession of life, liberty, purity and power, eternally. The reward is appropriate to the conduct. They had walked here in true separation from the world. There they were to walk in immaculate puri- ty, and to be irradiated with unutterable beauty: they would “shine as the sun.” They had walked here with Jesus in rejection and reproach. They would walk with Him (Jn. xvii, 24) there in white, the color of victory, and peculiar to Heaven (Rev. vi, 11; vii, 9; xix, 8). Having kept the garment of grace undefiled, they receive, and walk in Heavenly triumph in the white robe of glory. “For they are worthy,” not absolutely, but relatively and so pronounced, because fit (Col. i, 12), and because of God’s gracious acceptance of their hearty obedience according to the law of grace. Saved by “the righteousness of faith,” they were ^accounted worthy* according to “the righteousness of life.” Saved by grace, and faithfully using the grace given them to live aright, they, measured by the rules which grace has laid down, are rewarded according to their works (Rev. xvi, 6). [♦Worthiness is ascribed to saints. See Matt, x, 10, 11; xxii, 8; Lk. XX, 35; xxi, 36; 2 Thes. v, 11.] f PHILiDELPHU' I HE HOLY LETTERS. 277 The Letter to the church in Philadelphia. To this church the sixth Letter was addressed. Thir- ty miles south-east of Sart (the ancient Sardis), and seventy miles east of Smyrna, is the town of It occupies the site of ancient Philadelphia, and its 24 churches still recall the church to which this Letter was addressed, a moun- ment, in the mindst of ruins, to the faithfulness of Grod to His promises.* The situation is picturesque. It was in the plain of Hormus, on the river Oogamus, on the confines of Lydia and Phrygia, 925 feet above the sea. The climate was pleasant and healthy. It stood in a great wine producing region. And the wines of which Philadelphia was the mart were famed, and had an extensive sale. The inhabitants were of Macedonian origin, and gave tone and character to the city, which was built by Attains Philadelphus, king of Pergamos^ and called after his name. ^ By whom, and when the church was planted there, is unknown. So, also, is its history, save what we get in this Letter. And this, as we read it, gives us praise and no censure — a fact which belongs to this church alone, save Smyrna. Unlike Ephesus, its^ first love was glowing; unlike Pergamum, its fidelity was stead- fast; unlike Thyatira, its doctrinal and moral purity [■^Its present population is said to be the purest in Asia Minor. Gibbon says, “among the Greek church’es Philadelphia still exists, a column in a scene of ruins. A tall pillar still graces those ruins, so that that church appears like a symbolized realization of Rev. iii. 12.) (*Eng. City of God.) 278 THE HOLT LETTERS. were unchallenged; unlike Sardis, its spiritual life was growing. Obscure among the churches, and uninfluential, it had so abode in the truth and light of God that it stood high in Heaven, and was peculiarly satisfactory to, and received the unstinted approbation of. The Lord. To it He introduces Himself by personal appellatives which show His moral character, and designations which relates to His Kingship. These things saith The Holy, The True, The One having the key of David. He is ^'The Holy,” not only the absolutely separated from all evil a;nd positively right in everything, but the root and ground of all hatred of sin and holiness ot heart and life in others. For it is the name which belongs to Jehovah Himself.* He is ‘‘The True.” Absolute truth is His, as contrasted with, not the false merely, but the subordinately true, the partial and im- perfect realization of the idea. Idea and fact in Him are commensurate.f Being these. He must delight to see the church realizing them in its life. Holiness and truth are its pillars. He saw these in this church. Its moral character responded to His moral attributes. “He hath” {echoon^ pres, par., has constantly^) “the key of David. He opens, and none shuts, shuts and none opens.” The verb shows that this key — symbol of authority — Jesus has as His own property. Hence^ [^Is. vi, 3; xl, 25; xliii, 15, &c.) [tThe reader can readily recall His, I am the “true” Bread, true Viue, &c,) /NCIENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH, PHIMDEI^PHlA (ASIA MINOR ) \* /. 7 't/:'ii-(}A.^ THE HOLY LETTERS. 279 He is David’s successor, upon the Theocratic throne, and has in His own right all the resources of that throne under His own control, and at His own disposal. Techni- cally, ‘‘the key of David” controlled the access to that king (Is. xxii, 22), in whom royalty was first realized in Israel,* and ot whom The one was to come who was to sit upon his throne. This key, committed while David reigned to a steward, Jesus now keeps Himselt. He can give access. He opens, and no power can keep out of His Kingdom those for whom He opens it. He shuts, and no power can force in one whom He excludes. Hence no Jews should rob them of the Kingdom, and no world persecution — for their steadfastness had been proved — of eternal blessedness. What a word of confidence and comfort to this tried and faithful church, this personal, rather than official introduction ot Himself! How already, before it heard another word, must this word have cheered and strengthened it! Then He went on: “I know thy works.” In His Letter to Ephesus, He enlarged on this word. In the one to Sardis, He notices the character of the works, “not perlect, &c.” But here. He says nothing of their quantity, kind or quality, as if they, as well as He knew that in these things they answered to the grace received, as if they came from a heart occupied with Himself. This showed that the church could be [*He alone is called “king” in the genealogy of Jesus, Matt, i.) 280 THE HOLY LETTERS. entrusted with still more grace for service: ‘‘behold I have set before you a door opened, and none can shut it. And a comparison of this passage with those where a similar figure is used * shows that it is a door of access opened to tell the story of grace, and that this opening would be eflPectual.f And the reason why this door was opened was, ^^hoti because^ thou hast little power {dunamit^y It was a church decidedly weak in the eyes of men, in numbers, social position and influence, great and learned men, and financial resources. But this was a weakness without reproach before The Lord. It had in it no element of unbelief or of unfaithfulness. Those outward things never can impart inward strength. But the consciousness of one’s own weakness, allied with faithfulness and humility, always opens the way for the strength ot God to come in. This reason for the opening of the door points to a fresh and mighty work of The Spirit in the church, resulting in conversions. To this reason for opening the door, Jesus added two others: “thou didst keep My word, and didst not deny my name.” These reasons sufficiently account for the weakness. They were true, were faithful to Jesus, and manfully met [*Acts xiv, 27; 1 Cor. xvi. 9; 2 Cor. ii, 12; Col. iv, 3; Rev. iii, 20 .) [fThe ‘‘key,”&c., has reference to the Kingdom, and is spoken for personal comfort. This “door” has reference to the Church, and to work for its advancement. The “key” was upon the shoulder, and has reference to government (Is. xxii, 22; ix, 6), but the “open door” has everywhere in the New Testament reference to grace.) THE HOLY LETTERS. 281 the consequences; neglect, and petty and severer trials. The written word always, and specially in perilous times when the form without the power of godliness prevails (2Tim. iii), is our only security through grace. This word, this church studied, obeyed, loved, and by it was nourished. This was one ot its marked character- istics. It kept Jesus’ word in memory, heart and life, as He had kept His Father’s, ‘‘hidden in the heart,” and followed it out in the life. He calls it the word of ‘My,” i. His owm, patience. His Father’s w^ord called upon Him and enabled Him, to endure, and when tempted, firmly to resist. The fiery trial He endured with uncomplaining submission, as He does still the usurpations of Satan. He had been promised, and was still patiently waiting for His Kingdom. This church was having a like experience. In privation, and in petty and severer persecutions they held fast to Jesus’ word, and kept waiting for His coming (i, 9). They looked not at circumstances, but up to Jesus; and, in fellowship with Him, were restful; for they knew that He would not fail them, nor their heart’s expectations. His word was precious, so was prized. His name was precious, so was honored. And this prominently appeared in some peculiar trial where faithfulness was put to the test. Some strong temptation was brought to bear upon them to break the word, and deny the name of Jesus. But the word was their authority, so security. Having the faith which overcomes, and the patience which waits, they were not moved. “Thou didst not deny” (aorist, 282 THE HOLY LETTERS. pointing to some special fact,) name.’^ The church had no pretensions, no great swelling words, no great name. But far better, it had holy living without declensions, an invincible attachment to the word, and a courageous confession of the name of Jesus. No wonder that Jesus loved this church with a special attachment, opened to it a well-spring of consolation, and gave it spiritual power and success greatly beyond the measure of its external power. Their chief antagonism seem to have come from a wealthy and powerful synagogue of (nominally) converted Jews.* These held that they themselves were the church, and despised these “little ones.” Not content, further, with excluding them from the King, dom, they shut the door of approach to the people. To meet the last, Jesus set before them an open door, which none could shut. To meet the first. He gave the church a promise very much larger in extent than the one given to Smyrna about the synagogue there. There, it should not prevail (ii, 9, 10). But here, some of the synagogue would be brought to own Jesus’ des- pised disciples. “Behold” — the word, twice repeated in the sentence, calling attention to the unexpectedness of the fact — “I give [didoOj present tense, at once, grace to them to come, and you to receive,) ek, from^ the synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews, but they are not, but do lie, behold I causef them that {hina) [*See pp. for meaning of synagogue, &c., here.) l^^oieesoo^ as in Jn. xi, 37; Rev. xiii, 13. See also Eph. iii, 11; Rev. i, 60 THE HOLY LETTERS. 283 they come and worship before thy feet.” They would be so overcome by the signal grace bestowed, and be so drawn to those whom they had despised, that they would take the lowest place, would know that Jesus loved them with the love of complacency {eegapeesa)^ called forth by their character, would acknowledge that God was in them of a truth (2 Cor. xiv, 25), and would recognize the love bestowed in the manifested life and patience, and in the signal success in the work of God. It was the triumph of grace in conversions accomplished at once. And it may be that to these Ignatius referred, in his Letter to the church in Philadelphia, in the passage which implies the membership, in this church, of converted Jews. And here, after their conversion, they come to the Church, as by and by, so Prophecy proclaims, the Gentiles converted shall come to Zion, to the Jews.* So highly does Jesus appreciate this ‘‘keeping of His word” with patience, that He makes a second promise: “because {hoti) thou didst keep the word of My stead- fastness, I also (on My side, the kai expressing reci- procity) will keep thee” ( 5 ^, emphatic and prominent,) “from {ek)\ tlie hour (the ton designating some special [*Jesus is here speaking not of the Kingdom, nor of what will occur after it is introduced; but of the Church. Hence, the refer- ence here to Is. xlix, lx, is not pertinent. Those speak of G-entiles coming to Jews, not as here, of Jews coming to the Gentiles.) (tif the ek has here the same meaning that it has in vii, 14, from, and through the great tribulations,” and in John xvii, 15, '‘from tlie evil” — and the verb there is the same as here — then the 284 THE HOLY LETTERS, and signal period, as in Lk. xxii, 63; Is. xvii, 1, &c., as distinguished from ordinary,) temptation [peirasmosy test of faith and obedience,) which was about to come upon the whole otkoumenees (either the Roman earth or the inhabited globe,) to test them which dwell upon the earth. And the close connection of this word with ‘‘I come quickly,’’ points to that “great tribulation” of which Jesus spoke just before His death (Matt, xxiv, 21), as the period here referred to. And the words, “them that dwell,” &c., a technical phrase quite often found in this book,* designates not so much the mass of mankind as in antithesis to believers, but that part of the race which, where the Divine light has shone, has resisted it and made earth thoroughly their home. It is their portion, and they want no other. They are of this earth, earthy, and a special class “of the world.” For them is this tribulation. But the faithful then living shall also suffer in it (Matt. xxiv). They, how- ever, shall be kept in and through it. And while it shall harden the former class (ix, 20, 21;xvi, 9,11, 21). it shall only bring out more conspicuously the fidelity of the faithful. And, in the persecutions which shortly meaning that it has in vii, 14, “out from, and through the great tribulations,'’ and in John xvii,15,“from the evil,” then the meaning is,‘ kept safely through.” But the force of the promise seems to be. not, saved through, but, delivered from the trial. And the ek in ii, 11; xviii, 4; Acts iv, 29, &c , shows clearly that the delivered need not necessarily be participators.) (*iii, 13; vi, 10; xi^ 10; xiii, 8, 14; xiv, 6; xvi, 6.) THE HOLY LETTERS. 285 afterwards befell this church, it might get a glimpse and taste of that ‘‘great tribulation’’ just before Jesus’ coming, to which its attention was now called. “Behold I come quickly.” This constant note of warning to the slothful servants, wasting The Lord’s goods, and to those saying, The Lord delayeth His coming, is also a constant word of support and comfort to the faithful.* To them it is a consolation under trial, and an incentive to faithfulness. This is its object here. To Sardis, which had allowed the world to have The Lord’s place in the heart. He would come as a thief. To Philadelphia, He would come Himself, as one expected and longed for, and having a crown to give. This it is that satisfies the heart, the coming of The Lord as a present living hope. Thus He cheered His poor Philadelphians: “I come. Hold that fast” in heart and life “that which thou hast” — the present truth, the present position and testimony, and the present looking for Me. If you let any one take away from you the sense of My coming, you let him rob you of association with Me. And this is to rob you of power, of present blessing, and of that which helps you to get the crown. This is stephanoSy the chaplet of victory y and also the crown of a king in the Kingdom of the [leavens. It is thine, for I have given it to thee. But I \iave not yet come. Be on your guard against losing it in any way. Then it will be thine in possession \vbe.\ I come. [*Pi].l. iv, 5;2 Thes. i, 14, &c.) 286 THE HOLY LETTERS. r i. i-u 1 . i ) To this church the seventh, Letter to the church ( j i ^ t j . T > and last, Letter was addressed, m Laodicea. ( • t a- x ) ihis Laodicea, tor six cities bore this name, was situated on the river Lycus, in the south-western part of Phrygia Major. This, its third successive name, was given it by Antiochus II, after his wife Laodicea. It stood in the valley of the Meander, midway between Oolosse and Philadelphia, six miles west of ITierapolis, and forty miles east of Ephesus. It was a celebrated city, and alter its conquest by Rome it became a chief city of the second class in Asia Minor, and a place of great importance. It was the capital of a conventus. It was renowned for its medical schools, hot springs, line buildings, for'the taste of its citizens in architecture and in the fine arts, and for its literary men of eminence. Its wealth was so great that after its total destruction by an earthquake during the reign of Nero (A. D. 62), it was speedily rebuilt by its own citizens, without any aid from abroad. Years after John’s day the city continued a place of eminence, and its church in (outwardly) a flourishing condition. It had been planted by converts, perhaps, or laborers from Ephesus, during Paul’s stay there. It had received from him a Letter, and afterwards a most aftectionate message (Ool. ii, 1; iv, 13, 16). For it he had fought a great fight. From it, so the Letter’s post- note says, he had sent his first letter to Timothy, City and church later on were often mentioned by Byzantine writers as possessed of metropolitan dignity as the seat LAODICEA. HOLT LETTERS. 287 of a bishop, and meeting place of Councils; in one of wl)ich (that of A. D. 301), the canon of Scripture was finally settled. But the end came. City and church were destroyed by the followers of Mohamet. The site of the former is a melancholy desolation. All that the city can show for its former magnificance is ruins. And of the church not a vestige is left — sad consequence of its being where it had to be rejected and abandoned of God. This was the church which now received from Jesus this severe Letter. To it, He introduced Himself under a very remarkable character. In the first three Letters He repeats certain characteristics by which He had introduced Himself to John. In the next three, and so now, He passes those by and gives a revelation of Himself suited to the character of the church — a fact which suggests that these churches more fully, typically, show forth the phrases, ‘-rich toward God” (Lk. xii, 21), and “rich in good works” (Tim. vi, 18), both referring to moral riches, rest upon the inatenal riches spoken of in the two contexts, ; 296 THE HOLY LETTERS. not its ^^Amen” to the promises of God in Christ. It makes a boast of its own resources. Though pretend- ing to honor Jesus, it is looking at itself, not Him. And what is this but the self- exaltation and self-exulta- tion of, ^‘is not this the great Babylon which I have built for my glory?’’ The church had money, learning, influence, was go- ing on in outward comfort and worldliness, and at the same time was making a boast of its riches, material and spiritual. But the last was a baseless Action, an imaginary exaltation resting upon an imaginary omni- science. More, it was a complete caricature of the bless- edness of true faith, a travesty on the truth of God. Thou sayest thou art rich, and become rich; thou knowest not that thou {su^ emphatic, thou of all others,) art the (A<9, the^ as distinguished above all others,) wretched and the miserable {eleinos^ to be pitied,) one:” wretched, because of your condition ; to be pitied, because about to be cast out with loathing from your exalted position as a vessel of testimony for God. Thou sayest thou hast need of nothing. Thou knowest not that thou art ‘^poor,” in the true riches, ^‘blind” as to your own true condition, and as to the truth and knowledge of God, “and naked,” in having no garment which is approved of God. Self- blinding, deplorable and aggravated igno- rance, this, over against the supposed possession of great riches and varied knowledge! Over against your fancies these are the facts. Three things are indispensable to your preservation. You THE HOLY LETTERS. 297 have them not. “I counsel you, &c.” You said you need nothing, but you need counsel. Then to this church, whose wealth was made by traffic, and which He had just said was poor, Jesus, in the terms of trade, says, ^‘buy (and the what shows the meaning of the term. Is. Iv,!,) of Me, of whom you think little, but from whom alone you can get them (Col. ii, 3), “gold tried in the fire” — fresh from the furnace, so free from every foreign sub- stance, new and bright: symbol of Divine righteousness, that by which a man is justified before God. Buy this that by the purchase “thou mayest have become rich.” This, in contrast with the imaginary riches which you have counted, will be sterling,and of abiding value. And this you can obtain only at the cost of all fancied right- eousness of your own (Phil, iii, 6-8). Buy, also, “white garments.” This is the righteousness of saints (xix, 8). It is the works of saints, the fruits of believing, in and coming from a heart, set free by, and so consequent upon the possession of. Divine righteousness. And these saintly works, the fruits of The Spirit in us, with their manifestation in good works in the life, must not be confounded with human righteousness. The former is of God. Buy this, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame ot thy nakedness be not made manifested. Having thus counselled concerning the poverty, na- kedness and need, Jesus counsels concerning the bless- edness; buy eye-salve [kol/urton)^^ to anoint thine [*The collyrium, so-called from its shape, was a stick or roll of ointment for the eyes, in the shape of a bread* cake (2 Kg. vi, 19, LXX). The verb, eachrioo, appears to have been the common tech- nical word for anointing the eyes.] 298 THE HOLY LETTERS. (inner) eye that thou mayest see.” The church was saying, «we see,’^ and therefore their sin remained (Jn. ix, 41). Yet they were blind as to the things of God. They had no spiritual discernment. Hence, they saw not their need of Divine righteousness, or of that of the saints. They were in the blindness of nature. They needed everything. And Jesus now counsels them to obtain, at the expense of the surrender of their own fancied wisdom, the anointing, for illumination, of The Spirit. To the church filled with pride and self-sufficiency, these words must have sounded very severe, and the word of rejection as unjust as it was awful. They would import to them in their then state of mind that Jesus did not care anything about them. Such a thought would be met by His next word. In opposi- tion to the loose and anti-personal nature of Indifferent- ism which perverts love into laxity, and sunders love from true and right severity, Jesus says: “as many as I love (^philoo\^ I rebuke {elegchoo)^ and chasten deuoo).^ This must be so from His character as the [♦In vs. 9 the verb is, agapaoo. See pp. . See, also. Holy Res., pp. 104-106, for remarks upon the difference in the meaning of the two verbs.] [fThe verb, elegchoo^ expresses the action of the agent, not the effect of that action upon the object. The intention being through the story of the wrong to awaken the sense of shame, and to effect that conviction which, as completed self-judgment, will end in re- pentance and confession, or will leave the person without excuse. (2 Sam. xii, 13; Jn. viii, 46; xvi, 8; 1 Cor. xiv, 24; Eph. v, 11, 13; 1 Tim. V, 20; 2 Tim.iv, 2; Tit. i, 9, 13; ii,15; Heb. xii, 6; Jas. ii, 9).] \XPaidm>og signifies to educate in Divine things by all the in- THE HOLY LETTERS. 299 faithful and true Witness. His truth must always, when it encounters falsehood or deceit, turn to rebuke. And this rebuke and chastening are signal proof that the church is not yet disowned. And far better is it to be chastened and restored than to be abandoned (Ps. Ixxiii, 6, 12; Hos. iv, 17). Instead, therefore, of being lukewarm, ^‘be zealous, therefore {oun)^^^ earnest, ardent, strenuous, not spasmodically, but continually — the idea brought out in the present tense, zeeleue. And let this zeal exercise itself in true repentance. This is the fourth church called on to repent: Ephesus, of having fallen from first love (ii, 5); Pergamum, for allowing Nicolai taiiism (ii, 16); Sardis, for being contented with a name to live (iii, 3); and Laodicea, here. In each case the peculiar form of repentance corresponds with the peculiar species of sinfulness. Here, the spiritual sensibilities and moral freedom were paralyzed, the sense of moral greatness and responsibility was obscured, the candlestick character was almost gone. This church, powerful and infiuential externally, and self- satisfied, was poverty-stricken. It was called upon to repent, to change mind and heart as to its own condi- struments used in the training and discipline of love. Correction is not always contemplated (Lk. xxiii, 10, perhaps 1 Tim. i, 20), nor castigation always implied (Acts vii, 22; xxii, 3; 2 Tim. ii, 25; Tit. ii, 12; and the noun in Rom. ii, 20; Eph. vi, 4; 2 Tim. iii, 16). In only three independent passages is the meaning specifically limited to training by castigation (1 Cor. xi, 32; 2 Cor. vi, 9; Heb. xii, 5-10; perhaps, also, 1 Tim.i, 20). In seven places this specific meaning is included by the context In one passage chastisement is excluded.) 300 THE HOLT LETTERS. tion, SO that it could see its own poverty and naked- ness, and to pass from lukewarmness to boiling heat. Be zealous to get right with God. An urgent call and right, but ineftectual. The church thought it knew better how to live and how to manage its own affairs than Jesus did. And this call was disregarded. In fact, the whole Letter seems to have made no impression for good. For Jesus’ next word shows Him no longer inside of the Laodicean church, but outside: ‘‘behold I stand {esteekea^ 1 place Myself,) at the door, and knock.” In every passage where thura^ door^ is used metaphorically, the implica- tion is that of an enclosure, and of persons within and, or, without. And in no case is it used of a part of a person, as say, “door of the heart” All critical com- ments refer to Cant, v, 2 sq. And there there is a garden, one person within, and one without In what is clearly a parallel passage, the persons addressed are called brethren, and “the Judge standeth at the door” (Jas. V, 9). Nor is the verb, “knocketh,” ever used of “knocking at the heart” Nor are the words addressed to the world, but are in a Letter to a church. When Jesus addressed men as to salvation. He said, “I (none other) am the {i. e.^ only,) door, by Me if any man enter in he shall be saved (Jn. x, 9). But here. He is not, but stands at, the door. Nor is it, one entering in by Him, but He Himself entering in to one. Nor is it, ‘die shall be saved,” but “he shall sup,” i, 6., enjoy fellow- ship and communion. And this shows that the one THE HOLY LETTEK8. 301 responding is already a saved man. Nor does He en- ter into the man, but ‘‘in unto” (pros) him, to where he is. And this place is, and can be nowhere else than the (Laodicean) church. And this shows that He was outside. He whose true place was within, was forced by the churches condition to go out. It was a dishonor- ed and disowned thing. In name, and name only, was it a church of Jesus Christ. What an appalling posi- tion! Great and flourishing^ yet disowned! Exalted among churches, yet how fallen! Meeting, and carrying on all the institutions and ordinances ot the Church, in His name, but He not there! While He sojourned on earth, the Theocracy had no Hrim, no Thummim, no Shekinah, but this church (when verse 20 became a reality,) had no true Christ! Christianity in the church, and Christ outside! But though the condition of the church constrained Jesus to take His place outside, there were those with- in, perhaps, whose heart was not occupied with the per- sons and things around, and whose ear was open to His voice. If any such were, them He addressed: “behold” (an exclamation which calls attention to the sad fact that He is outside), “I stand at the door and knock.” A vivid bringing home to the lukewarm church the truth of His Person so much forgotten. This shows that He seeks admittance. From whom'« The church? No. The any one (tis) who hears His voice; bears the inward appeal, the speaking directly by His Spirit to the inner man; who hears His voice with joy, the joy that res- 302 OCHB HOLT LETTBRB. ponds to: “My sheep hear My voice.” “If any one hear My voice and open the door (this implies personal lib- erty and responsibility), I will come in unto him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Even in the re- jected church saints may be found. And if when Je- sus knocks they open to Him, they personally (for it is now the question, not of the church, but individuals), shall have fellowship with Him. They shall be the guests and Jesus the Host. They shall know the bles- sedness of the Divine reciprocations. An analysis of these Letters, their relation to the Church during the absence of Jesus, and their connec- tion with the facts immediately connected with His Retnrn, will be found in Holy Return (A). Meanwhile may supreme affection be given to Him, and may we be found among those who, with girded loins and longing hearts and open eyes, are watching and waiting for their returning Lord. V