Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things which were done, they feared greatly, saying, 55 Truly this was the Son of God. And many women were there, beholding afar off, who followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: 56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and

Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the 57 mother of Zebedee's children. When the

even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself 58 was Jesus' disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate com59 manded the body to be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in 60 a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out of the rock : and he rolled a great stone to the door of the 61 sepulchre, and departed. And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

62

Now the next day that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees 63 came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. 64 Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last. 65 error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: Go your way, 66 make it as sure as you can. So they went. and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone. and setting a watch.

CHAP. XXVIII.*

1

AT the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn towards the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary, to see 2 the sepulchre. And behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the 3 stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his rai4 ment white as snow. And for fear of him the guard were alarmed, and became as dead 5 men. And the angel spake and said unto the women, Fear not: for I know that ye seek 6 Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here:

for he is risen as he said: Come, see the place 7 where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead: and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him. Lo, I have told you. 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came, and held him by the feet, and 10 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.

11

Now, when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the, things that were

12 done. And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave 13 large money unto the soldiers, saying to

them, Do ye say, His disciples came by night, 14 and stole him away while we slept.* And if this come to the governor's ears, we will per15 suade 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.

16

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had 17 appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.

19

Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit ;† 20 teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

* A most absurd story.

† An allusion, perhaps, to the practice of the Jews with their proselytes-they were baptized in the presence of three persons.

PREFACE TO MARK'S GOSPEL.

ST. MARK, the writer of this gospel, was not one of the twelve apostles; nor is it probable that he was one of those who were personally favored with the preaching of Christ. But according to the general opinion of the primitive Christians, he wrote his narrative of the life and miracles of our Savior by direction of the apostle Peter, with whom, after the death of Christ, he was often associated in preaching the gospel. Being long a companion of Peter, and receiving a particular account from him of the miraeles and doctrines of Jesus, he was qualified to give a true and correct relation. He is probably the person mentioned by Peter in his first epistle, chap. v. 13. Whether he were the same who is spoken of in Acts, chap. xii. 12. chap. xiii. 5, 13, who is also called John, learned men are not agreed. Dr. Lardner, however, supposes he was. If he were the same, he was also after a companion of Paul and Barnabas in their travels to preach the gospel. But it is sufficient for all the purposes of establishing the genuineness and authenticity of his history, that he was long intimate with the apostle Peter, and from him directly received the account be has given us in his gospel respecting the miraeles and discourses of Christ.

Some have supposed St. Mark's gospel was merely an abridgment of St. Matthew's. But it is not probable, that Mark had seen the gospel of Matthew, when he wrote his history. We learn from early ecclesiastical writers, that Mark wrote his gospel at Rome, at the request of the converts there, who had been instructed in the Christian faith by St. Peter, whom Mark attended: and that he wrote about the same time Matthew's gospel was written in Judea for the benefit of the Jews. It is evidently not an abridgment of Matthew. For he not only passes over some things related by Matthew; but narrates many events and miracles not noticed in the history of that evangelist.

As to the discourses of Christ, he is not so full and particular as the other evangelists: But some miracles of our Lord are related by this writer with much more minuteness.

Early Christian writers assert, that the gospel written by Mark, was not only undertaken with the knowledge and approbation of St. Peter; but that he dictated the matter and inspected it personally, so that it was sometimes called his gospel. As it was written at Rome for the benefit of those whom Peter had converted to Christianity, and as this apostle was then at Rome, preaching the doctrines of the gospel, there can be no reasonable doubt that he directed and superintended the undertaking. And it merits all the credit and importance as if it had been penned by this apostle himself.*

According to the concurrent opinion of ancient Christian historians, St. Mark was sent into Egypt by the apostle Peter, to preach the gospel. In Alexandria, and other parts of Egypt, his missionary labors were abundantly successful. He made numerous converts to the faith of Christ; and is styled the first Bishop of Alexandria, which, for many years, was the principal place of his residence. And here, at length, he suffered martyrdom in the cause of his divine Lord and Master.

Papias, who wrote A. D. 116, observes that the Elder, (probably St. John) from whom he had divers informations, said, Mark being the interpreter of Peter, wrote what he knew and remembered; but not in the precise order in which things were spoken and done by Christ. Origen, an early Christian writer and apologist, says, "the second Gospel is that according to Mark, who wrote as Peter dictated it to him." Another early Christian Father says, "the Gospel published by Mark may justly be reckoned Peter's, whose interpreter he was." We might quote much more to the same purpose from other ancient writers in the Christian church; but it is unnecessary.