THE RESURRECTION
About dawn on Sunday morning, the two Marys came to the sepulchre (Matt. XXVIII:1). The soldiers set to watch the tomb are there also (Matt. XXVIII:4). There is 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" (Matt. XXVIII:2). "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow" (Matt. XXVIII:3). The angel tells the women that Jesus is risen, and bids them 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" (Matt. XXVIII:6, 7). As the women were on their way to tell this to the disciples, "Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held Him by the feet, and worshipped Him" (Matt. XXVIII:9). Jesus says to them to be not afraid, and to tell His brethren that He will meet them in Galilee (Matt. XXVIII:10). Some of the watch go into the city and tell the chief priests what has happened (Matt. XXVIII:11). The chief priests give the soldiers "large money" to say, "His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we slept" (Matt. XXVIII:12, 13). The soldiers did as they were taught, and "this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day" (Matt. XXVIII:15). "Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but some doubted" (Matt. XXVIII:16, 17). Jesus then tells them to teach and baptize "all nations" (Matt. XXVIII:10).[52]
According to Mark, the two Marys and Salome come to the tomb early Sunday morning "at the rising of the sun" (Mark XVI:1). There was no watch there, and the stone was rolled away from the door of the sepulchre (Mark XVI:2, 3). They go into the sepulchre and find there a "young man, sitting on the right side, clothed in a long, white garment" (Mark XVI:5). The young man says to them that Jesus is risen, and that they should go and tell the disciples and Peter: "He goeth before you into Galilee," where they should see Him (Mark XVI:6, 7). The women fled quickly from the tomb, "neither said they anything to any man; for they were afraid" (Mark XVI:8). Then, at some time and place not specified, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (Mark XVI:9). She tells of this appearance to "them that had been with Him, as they mourned and wept," but they believeth not (Mark XVI:10, 11). "After that He appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country. And they went and told it unto the residue: Neither believed they then" (Mark XVI:12, 13). Afterward, at a time and place not specified, Jesus appears to the eleven "as they sat at meat," and upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart in not believing the accounts of His previous appearances to Mary and the two disciples (Mark. XVI:14). He then delivers a short exhortation to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature, telling of the signs that should follow belief, and the punishment that should follow unbelief (Mark XVI:15, 18). "So then, after the Lord had spoken unto them, He was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God" (Mark XVI:19).[53]
Luke relates that the two Marys, Joanna and "other women" went to the tomb on Sunday, "very early in the morning" (Luke XXIV:1, 10). There is no watch and the stone is rolled away (Luke XXIV:2). They enter the sepulchre, find the body of Jesus gone, and, as they stand there "much perplexed," "behold, two men stood by them in shining garments" (Luke XXIV:3, 4). They were afraid, but the two men tell them that Jesus is risen, as He had predicted, and as they now remember (Luke XXIV:5, 6, 7, 8). The women then return and tell "all these things unto the eleven and to all the rest," but "their words seem to them as idle tales, and they believed them not" (Luke XXIV:9, 11). Peter then goes to the sepulchre, finds the linen clothes "laid by themselves," but apparently sees nothing of the two men (Luke XXIV:12).
On the same day Cleopas[54] and another disciple go to a village called Emmaus, about three score furlongs from Jerusalem (Luke XXIV:13, 18).
As they are proceeding on their way, Jesus, in the guise of a stranger, joins them. Quite a long conversation follows, the disciples telling Jesus the things that had happened to Him, and He expounding the Scriptures to them. It is evening when they reach the village, and Jesus "made as though He would go further." But the two disciples induce Him to tarry with them (Luke XXIV:15-29), "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" (Luke XXIV:30, 31).
The two return to Jerusalem and, finding the eleven there, say to them, "The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon" (Luke XXIV:32, 33, 34). They then tell the disciples what happened to them on the way (Luke XXIV:35). "As they thus spoke, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them" (Luke XXIV:36). The disciples are terrified, and "supposed that they had seen a spirit" (Luke XXIV:37). Jesus then tells them to see and handle His hands and feet, and prove that He is real flesh and bones and not a spirit. But "they yet believed not for joy, and wondered." To finally convince them He eats before them a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb (Luke XXIV:38-43). He then delivers a short discourse to them, telling that these things have happened to Him that the Law and the prophets might be fulfilled (Luke XXIV:44-49). They then went out to Bethany and He blessed them, and "while He blessed, He was parted from them and carried up into heaven" (Luke XXIV:50, 51).
John says that Mary Magdalene came along to the sepulchre and found the stone rolled away (John XX:1). She then summons Peter and John, who enter and find the grave clothes lying around, but no body. They then "went away again unto their own home." It is added, "For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead" (John XX:2-10). Mary remains weeping, and, looking again into the sepulchre, sees two angels in white there (John XX:11, 12). They ask her, "Why weepest thou?" and she says, "Because they have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid Him" (John XX:13). She then turns and sees Jesus standing, but supposes Him to be the gardener. She asks Him to tell her where they have laid Jesus, "and I will take Him away," she says (John XX:14, 15). Jesus then calls her by name, and she apparently recognizes Him and calls Him Master (John XX:16). Jesus then tells her, "Go unto my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God" (John XX:17). Mary then reports these things to the disciples, but John does not say whether they believed her, or, as Mark and Luke say, they disbelieved her (John XX:18). On this same Sunday evening, when the eleven, except Thomas, are together secretly for fear of the Jews, Jesus came to them and showed them His hands and side. Then follows a short discourse from Jesus to His disciples (John XX:20-23). When Thomas hears of this appearance, he expresses his disbelief, unless he can put his fingers into the print of the nails, and thrust his hand into His side (John XX:24, 25). Eight days later Jesus appears again to His disciples, when Thomas is present, and tells the latter to make his verifications. Thomas says unto Him, "My Lord and my God." Jesus then commends those who "have not seen, and yet have believed" (John XX:26-29).
John's Gospel apparently at one time ended at this point (John XX:30, 31), but Chapter XXI was subsequently added. Here there is related a third appearance of Jesus, this time to six of the apostles and Nathaniel of Cana (John XXI:1, 2). This occurred at the sea of Tiberias, and there was a miraculous draught of fishes (see Luke V:4, 5, 6), and a hint of Peter walking on the water (see Matt. XIV:28-31). At first the disciples "knew not that it was Jesus," and, even after John tells Peter that it is the Lord, they seem to be under some restraint, "and none of the disciples durst ask Him, Who art thou, knowing that it was the Lord" (John XXI:3-12). After they had dined, there ensued some conversation between Jesus and Peter, and later with John, out of which came the saying that the latter should not die (John XXI:15-23).
In neither of these appearances is there any account of Jesus ascending up into heaven, or of His instructing the disciples to preach His Gospel to all nations.[55]