CHAPTER XXIII.

THE RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION.

THE Sabbath came, with its holy hours of worship and rest. The incense and the sacrifices were offered up in the Temple, and its ample courts resounded with the tread of innumerable worshippers, and the voices of those who sang praise. There were no signs to show that the glory of Israel, the object of so many prophecies, the desire of all nations, the great benefactor of the human race, had just been rudely destroyed by the people whom he had come to bless. The festival went on, and the crowded city rejoiced. The religious leaders, wrapt up in their bigotry and self-importance, exulted in an achievement which was to bring down ruin upon them from the God whom they had offended; and the mass of the people, ignorant and blind, were content to have gratified their passions and the will of their superiors, little knowing that they had risen against their truest friend. Had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But all were not thus. There were friends of that holy and just one, who,

though they were far from a full comprehension of his character, yet mourned him in the depths of their souls as

the most excellent and admirable of beings. It is easy to judge what was the gloom of this day to them. To the eleven Apostles especially, who had cause to feel shame for their desertion of him, as well as grief at his death, it must have been a day of unmixed sorrow and despair. Not a ray of light appears to have beamed upon their minds. He, whom they had loved, trusted, and followed, as the Redeemer of Israel, had been cut down by their side, and with him all hope, all gladness, had fled. They had no power, so stupefied were they by a calamity for which they were unprepared, to call up to mind the consolation and promises, by which he had attempted to fortify them for this very hour. And instead of rejoicing in the confidence of his revival, they could do nothing but deplore his loss.

Thus the Sabbath passed away, and the dawn of the first day of the week drew nigh. The affectionate women, who had accompanied Joseph and Nicodemus when they hastily deposited the body of their Master in the tomb, had waited anxiously for the dawn, that they might finish the rites of burial. They had prepared the customary spices and ointments, and with the first ray of light after the holy time was passed, they made

Matthew xxviii.

Mark xvi.

John xx.

Luke xxiv.

haste to return and complete their mournful office. So little did they anticipate the event which was about to take place!

They arrived at the tomb, and to their astonishment found it open. The stone had been rolled away from its mouth. They entered it, and to their yet greater amazement found it empty. While perplexed at this, they were addressed by a person in white raiment, whom Matthew describes as the angel who had rolled away the stone. Why seek ye the living among the "He is not here, he is risen as

dead?" said he.

he told you he

should do." He then pointed them to the empty sepulchre, and bade them return with the tidings to his disciples.

The Evangelists describe, in the most natural manner, the agitation of the women at this unexpected address. They went out and fled from the sepulchre; they trembled and were amazed, neither said they any thing to any one.' Thus they came, breathless and in haste, to the Apostles. But so little prepared for such an event were these men, that the words of the women seemed to them like idle tales, and they gave them no credit. None but John and Peter so much as went to examine for themselves; and they, when they found the sepulchre empty, by no means inferred that Jesus was risen, and returned home without further inquiry.

་

Not so Mary Magdalene. She could not persuade herself to withdraw, but remained behind weeping. And she soon had the happiness of seeing and speaking to her risen Master. He came to her from the garden, as she stood in tears before the tomb. At first, she did not recognise him, so absorbed was she in her grief. She supposed him to be the gardener, and begged him, if he had removed the body of her Lord, to inform her whither. Jesus uttered her name; the tones of his voice pierced to her heart, and she knew him. "My Master!" she exclaimed; — and it was all she could say. She would have detained him to express her gratitude and joy, but he would not permit her; he told her that for the present he should remain with them; ' but go to my brethren," he said, for thus affectionately did he style his disciples," and say to them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and unto my God and your God."

Mary found the Eleven still mourning and desponding; and they refused to give credit to her story. They seemed incapable of rising above the stupor and despair in which they had been sunk.

A striking picture of their state of mind on this eventful day, is found in the interview which took place in the afternoon, between two disciples, as they were walking to Emmaus, and Jesus him

self who had joined them on the road. He inquired of them the cause of their sadness; and they, supposing him a stranger, gave him the history of Jesus and his death. "But we had trusted," they added, by way of explaining their grief, "that it had been he who should have redeemed Israel." This showed that they still cherished a wrong idea of his redemption; and they repeated the stories, which they had heard from the women who had that morning visited the tomb, as things perfectly incredible. Jesus exclaimed against their incredulity, and explained to them from the Scriptures, how the sufferings and resurrection of their Master had been foretold. Still they did not suspect it to be he, until he blessed the bread as they sat down to supper. Then they knew him; and they hastened back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples.

Here they found that the state of things had somewhat changed. Peter had seen his Lord; and upon his report the eleven had come together, believing and congratulating each other. The two from Emmaus had hardly added their testimony to that of Peter, when Jesus himself entered among them. Their minds were not yet sufficiently composed, and they were startled at his appearance. They doubted if it were not that

Luke xxiv. 16.