place at or near Jerusalem, upon the first day of the week, or the Lord's day, the same day on which the Lord arose. 6. To the apostles, Thomas being present, eight days afterwards at Jerusalem, i.e. again on the Lord's day. Only by John. § 168. 7. To seven of the apostles on the shore of the Lake of Tiberias. Only by John. § 169. 8. To the eleven apostles, and to five hundred 10. To the eleven at Jerusalem, immediately Then follows the ascension. § 172. § 159. MORNING OF THE RESURRECTION.-Jerusalem. First Day of the Week. Mark xvi. 1. And when the sabbath was past,' Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. Matt. xxviii. 2-4. 2 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. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. C § 160. VISIT OF THE WOMEN TO THE SEPULCHRE. MARY MAGDALENE Matt. xxviii. 1. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene,and the RETURNS.-Jerusalem. First Day of the Week. Mark xvi. 2-4. 2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the The women had rested on the seventh day, according to Luke 23. 56; and the sabbath being past, Mark relates (ver. 1) that they brought spices to anoint the body. This purchase would seem to have been made in the evening after the sabbath; since Mark proceeds in ver. 2 to narrate what they did early the next morning. In that case Luke (23. 56) speaks of the spices by way of anticipation. Or we may, with Wieseler, obviate every difficulty by supposing that the preparation of the spices commenced indeed at the time given by Luke, but was not completed till after the sabbath, according to Mark. The angel had descended and the earthquake had taken place, before the arrival of the women. Our Lord therefore had arisen from the tomb at Luke xxiv. 1-3. 'Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning,they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices John xx. 1, 2.. 1The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, or before early dawn. See Note to § 160 in the The body of our Lord was laid in the sepulchre before sunset on Friday; and he rose early on the morning of Sunday. He therefore rose on the third day; having lain in the tomb during one whole day, and a part of two others; in all not far from thirty-six hours. On the expressions, the third day and after three days, see Note on § 49. On the time of the women's visit, see Note to § 160 in the Appendix. other Mary to see the sun. And they said among Mark xvi. + And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away for it was very great. Luke xxiv. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke xxiv. which they had prepared, and certain others with them. John xx. and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she 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. 6 § 161. VISION OF ANGELS IN THE SEPULCHRE.-Jerusalem. Matt. xxviii. 5-7. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen Luke speaks of two angels, Matthew and Mark of only one; see Note on § 57.-Mark says he was sitting; Luke speaks of them apparently as standing, ver. 4. But épíornu, in its appropriate and acknowledged usage, is to appear suddenly, to be suddenly present, without reference to its etymology. Comp. Luke 2. 9; Acts 12. 7. In Matthew, the angel addresses the women apparently while still sitting on the stone outside of the sepulchre; in Mark and Luke, on the contrary, the conversation takes place in the sepulchre. Luke xxiv. 4-8. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 and as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying," The Son of man must be delivered into the hands But although Matthew does not speak of the women as entering the tomb, yet, in ver. 8, he describes them as coming out of it; so that of course his account too implies that the interview took place within the tomb, as narrated by Mark and Luke. In recording the charge sent by the angels to the apostles, Matthew and Mark dwell more upon Galilee, and Luke more upon the Lord's previous announcement of his resurrection. e Luke 9. 22. Matt. xxviii. from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. Mark xvi. Luke xxiv. ye see him, as he said unto of sinful men, and be cru- remembered his words. § 162. THE WOMEN RETURN TO THE CITY. JESUS MEETS THEM."—Jerusalem. First Day of the Week. Matt. xxviii. 8-10. 8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me. Mark xvi. 8. And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. Luke xxiv. 9-11. And they returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. § 163. PETER AND JOHN RUN TO THE SEPULCHRE.-Jerusalem. 3 First Day of the Week. John xx. 3—10. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and look ƒ Matt. 26. 32; Mark 14. 28. 9 It is evident that Mary Magdalene was not with the other women when Jesus thus met them on their return. John 20. 2, and Note on § 164. h Comp. Matt. 12. 50. Mary Magdalene had gone to Peter and John only; who would seem to have lodged by themselves in a different part of the city. The other women went apparently to the rest of the disciples. What therefore is here said of John (ver. 8), that "he saw and believed," is not at variance with ver. 9, nor yet with Luke 24. 11. What was it that John thus believed? Not the mere report of Mary Magdalene, that the body had been taken away; for so much he must have known and believed when he stooped down and looked into the sepulchre. His belief must have been of something more and greater. The grave-clothes lying orderly in their place, and the napkin folded together by itself, made it evident that the tomb had not been rifled, nor the body stolen; for these garments and the spices would have been of more value to thieves than a naked corpse; at least, thieves would not have taken the pains thus to fold the garments together. The same circumstances showed also that the body had not been removed by friends; for they would not thus have left the graveclothes behind. All these considerations excited in the mind of John the germ of a belief that Jesus was risen from the dead. He believed because he saw; "for as yet they knew not the Scripture," ver. 9. He now began to recall and understand our Lord's repeated declaration, that he was to rise again on the third day; a declaration on which the Jews had already acted in setting a watch. In this way, the apparent want of connexion between verses 8 and 9 disappears. Luke xxiv. 12. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves,— -and departed, wondering in himself at that which was to come to pass. John xx. ing in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. § 164. OUR LORD IS SEEN BY MARY MAGDALENE AT THE SEPULCHRE. Jerusalem.-First Day of the Week. John xx. 11-18. "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 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. 13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? 13 She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 15 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. 16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and Mark xvi. 9—11. 9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. j Psa. 16. 10; Acts 2. 25-31. Mary Magdalene now manifestly sees the angels for the first time; and this circumstance also goes to show that she had previously left the other women at the sepulchre before the angels appeared to them. A main difficulty occurs here in fixing the order of time between our Lord's appearance to Mary Magdalene and that to the other women in § 162. This arises from the use of the word first, in Mark 16. 9, which seems to imply that this appearance to Mary Magdalene was the first of all: he appeared first to Mary Magdalene. Yet the whole course of events and circumstances shows conclusively that Jesus had previously appeared to the other women. We are therefore compelled, and that in accordance with good and ordinary usage, to regard first as put here not absolutely, but relatively. That is to say, Mark narrates three and only three appearances of our Lord; of these three that to Mary Magdalene takes place first, and that to the assembled disciples the same evening occurs last, Mark 16. 14, where our translators have used the word afterward, which is less correct. Now as the word for last is here put relatively, and does not exclude the subsequent appearances of our Lord to Thomas and in Galilee; so too first stands here relatively, and does not exclude the previous appearance to the other women. In this way the whole difficulty in the case before us vanishes. Mark xvi. 10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. John xx. saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. § 165. REPORT OF THE WATCH.--Jerusalem. Matt. xxviii. 11-15. First Day of the Week. "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. 12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, 13 saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept. 14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you. 15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. § 166. OUR LORD IS SEEN BY PETER.' THEN BY TWO DISCIPLES ON THE WAY TO EMMAUS.-Emmaus.-First Day of the Week. Mark xvi. 12, 13. 12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. Luke xxiv. 13—35. 13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned," Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in This appearance of our Lord to Peter is mentioned only by Paul and by Luke, ver. 34. It had not taken place when the two disciples left Jerusalem for Emmaus; or at least they had not heard of it. It had occurred when they returned; and that long enough before to have been fully reported to all the disciples and believed by them. It may perhaps have happened about the time the two disciples set off, or shortly afterwards. m Reasoned, or rather disputed, i. e. concerning the Messiahship of Jesus. On this point they, in their unbelief, felt great perplexity, owing to his dying, and that without having effected the political deliverance of Israel, which they thought was sure to be done by the Messiah. |