cordingly they did; and, to secure it against all private attempts, set a seal † on the From Matth. stone that was at the mouth of it. xx. 10. to the end, Mark xi. to the end, and Early next morning, even just as the sun was rising, Mary Magdalene, and the other 15. to the end, women who on Friday evening had prepared spices and perfumes, went to the sepul- Luke xix. 45. chre to embalm again our Saviour's body, ignorant of the guard that was placed there. John xii. 19. Their whole care and consultation in the way was, how they might get the large stone, that was at the entrance, removed. But, before they arrived at the place, an angel from heaven had rolled it away, and sat upon it; at the sight of whom (for his very well happen among such a large concourse of people: For, by the sequel of their story, it appears, Matth. xxviii. 11. that they depended upon Pilate, were subject to his correction, and consequently were not Levites (as some imagine), but Roman soldiers. Calmet's Commentary. † When Daniel was cast into the lions den, it is said, “That the king sealed the stone that was laid upon the mouth of it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords, that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel," chap. vi. 17. and from hence some have supposed, that the stone wherewith our Lord's sepulchre was closed, was sealed with Pilate's signet, because it was a matter of public concern, as others have fancied that it was farther secured by a great chain that went across it, and that the marks thereof were visible in the venerable Bede's time. All fables. Calmet's Commentary. The seeming opposition between what is record ed in the xvith chapter of St Mark's Gospel, concerning some circumstances that happened at our Lord's sepulchre, and the narrations of the other evangelists, made some of the ancients (as St Jerom informs us, Epist. ad Hebid.) call in question its authority. But as this chapter was owned in the times of Irenæus (lib. iii. c. 11.) and is quoted in the Apostolic Constitutions, lib. vi. c. 15.), a small matter of distinguishing, added to what Dr Whitby has done, by way of appendix to it, will be a means sufficient to reconcile them. As to the difference between the account in St Luke, who mentions the vision of angels to Mary Magdalene, before her going to Peter, and that in St Jolin, who makes it subsequent to it, our learned Hammond is of opinion, that this and several other inconsistences may be adjusted by this one consideration,―That St Luke, writing from notes which he had collected from eye-witnesses, and not from his own knowledge, observes not so exactly the order of time when things were done and spoken, but oftentimes, in another method, puts together things of affinity to one another, though not done or said at the same time. For so, in relation to the transactions at our Lord's sepulchre, he first sets down all that be longs to the women together, and then that which concerns Peter, though part of that which concerned the women was done after what is mentioned of St Peter: For the punctual observation of order (says our annotator) is not necessary when the things them selves are truly recited. The right order of the story he therefore supposes is this," Mary, and the other women, came to the sepulchre, but found that, before their coming, an angel, with an earthquake, had rolled away the stone, and that the body was gone. Upon this, Mary returns to Peter and John, tells them what she had seen, and they, to satisfy themselves of the truth of her report, hasten to the sepulchre; and having found things just as she told them, went away again. In the mean time the women stay at the sepulchre, wondering at the strange event; and then follows the vision of angels sitting upon the stone, and within the sepulchre, speaking to the women, and assuring them of the reality of Christ's resurrection; upon which they depart the second time, to tell the apostles the news." Hammond's Annotations on John xx. 11. [As I have declared my opinion to be that St Luke was personally a disciple of our Lord, I cannot admit the supposition on which Hammond attempts to reconcile his narrative with the narratives of the other evangelists. That St Luke wrote from notes, I have not the smallest doubt; but so. I believe, did Matthew, Mark, and John. It is therefore incumbent on me to find some other method than this of Dr Hammond's to reconcile the accounts which the different evangelists give of what past between the angels and the Galilean women at our Lord's sepulchre; but fortunately for myself and for the public, this has been already done by Bishop Horsley. "Every attentive reader of the Gospels knows," says that eminent prelate, "that the female followers of our Lord were numerous. He will easily discover that those numerous female followers had made an appointment to meet at the sepulchre at an early hour of the first day of the week, for the purpose of embalming the body; a business which the intervention of the Sabbath had obliged them to postpone. He will easily imagine that those women would be lodged in different parts of the city, and of consequence would come to the sepulchre in several parties and by different paths; that they arrived all early, though not exactly at the same instant of time. He will perceive that the detachments of the heavenly squadron the angels who attended on this great occasion→→→ became visible and invisible at pleasure, and appeared to the women of the different parties, as they succes sively arrived, in different forms, and accosted them in different words; and in this way the first evidences of the fact were multiplied, which would have been single had the women all arrived in a body at the same instant, and seen all the same vision. Each evangelist, it may be supposed, has confined himself to that part of the story which he had at the first, hand to the end. Ann. Dom. &c. or 31. A. M 4037, countenance was like lightning), and at the noise of the earthquake which accompanied &c. or 5442. his appearance, the guards fell down, like so many dead men, so that the women had Vulg. Er 33. free entrance into the sepulchre; but were not a little astonished to see the body gone, and an angel, in a refulgent habit, sitting in the place where it had been laid. Frightened at this apparition, they made all the haste they could out of the sepulchre; but were met by another angel in the like glorious apparel, who not only acquainted them with our Lord's resurrection, according to what he had foretold his disciples, but (to give them a fuller conviction) reconducted them into the sepulchre; shewed them, that the place where he had been laid was empty; and ordered them to go immediately and carry the apostles (but more especially + Peter) the news thereof. The women, accordingly, filled with fear, and joy, and wonder altogether, hastened to find out the apostles; to whom they related what they had heard and seen but instead of believing them, they looked upon this as no more than the product of a weak and frightened imagination. Out of curiosity, however, Peter and John ran to the sepulchre, and found the thing true according to the womens report; the body gone, † the burying-clothes lying on the ground; and the napkin that was about his head very carefully folded and laid by itself. Notwithstanding this, such was their incredulity *, that they returned home, from the women who had first fallen in his way, and The company which saw what is related by St objections that may be raised from the varieties of their story." Horsley's Nine Sermons, &c. published 1815. p. 153, &c.] Peter is here named, not as the prince of the apostles, but (as the fathers say) for his consolation, and to take off the scruple which might lie upon his spirits, whether, after his threefold denial of his master (with such horrid aggravations attending it), he had not forfeited his right to be one of our Lord's disciples. Whitby's Annotations. + The custom of interment among the Jews was to roll the dead body (as we read our Saviour's was, John xix. 39, 40.) up in spices, which, though they preserved it in some measure from corruption, by their glowy nature, could not but make the cloths that were used with them cling so close to the skin, as not to be drawn off without a great deal of time and difficulty. When therefore these coverings were found regularly pulled off, wrapped up, and laid by, this plainly shews that the disciples could have no hand in stealing away their master's body. For do thieves, after they have rifled an house, use to spend time in putting things in order again? Or can it enter into any sober man's thoughts, that they who came by stealth, and in danger of their lives, (as the disciples certainly must have done upon such an adventure) should thus stay to awaken the guard, and trifle away their time in such hazardous and unnecessary niceties? Had they been really engaged in this affair, they certainly would have taken away the body at once, without tarrying to unbind and undress it. And therefore the condition in which the sepulchre was found, to every considerate man, must be a sufficient confulation of that idle pretence of the Jews, "His disciples came and stole him away." The li teral sense of the Scriptures Vindicated, page 383. *The remark of one of the ancients upon this sub. ject is very good, "Nos de illorum dubitatione soli dari," that their doubting is the confirmation of our faith; and the more difficulty they shewed in belie ving CHRIST's resurrection, the greater reason have end, Mark xi. never supposing any thing else, but that somebody had taken him away. Mary Mag- From Matth. dalene, who by this time was again returned to the sepulchre, stayed behind the two xx. 10. to the apostles weeping; and as she stooped down to look in, saw two angels in bright appa- 15. to the end, rel, sitting where the body had lain, one at the head and the other at the feet. As Luke xix. 45. the angels were enquiring of her the occasion of her tears, and she telling them that John xii. 19. to it was the loss of her Lord's body, she happened to turn herself round, and saw Jesus the end. himself; but supposing him to be the master of the garden (where the sepulchre was), she desired of him, that if he had removed the body anywhere,, he would be so kind as to let her know, that she might take care of it. Hereupon our Lord, calling her by her name, she immediately knew him, and throwing herself at his feet, was going to embrace him; but he forbade her, upon the account that † " he had not as yet ascended to his Father," and only required her to acquaint his apostles with his resurrection, and immediate ascension into heaven; which she failed not to do, but still they gave no credit to her report. In the mean time some of the guards, in a great fright, fled into the city, and related all that had happened to the chief priests and rulers; who immediately assembled themselves to consult upon this important affair; and came at length to this resolution, viz. to bribe the soldiers with a large sum of money, and thereby engage them to give it out among the people, that, while themselves were asleep, the disciples of Jesus came, and stole him away; promising them withal, that, in case this their pretended neglect should come to the governor's ears, they would take care to pacify him. The soldiers accordingly took the money, and obeyed their orders: and this + report was current among the Jews for many years after. On this same day of Christ's resurrection, as two of his disciples were taking a walk we to belive it; because the testimony of those who themselves believe not till after full conviction, is, upon that account, much more credible. Whitby's Annotations. Various are the senses which interpreters have been pleased to affix to the reason which our Lord here assigns for his rejecting this woman's homage and embraces, "I am not yet ascended to my Father." Some imagine, that Mary, still retaining her notions of a temporal kingdom, concluded, that our Lord was now risen on purpose to assume it, and therefore fell down to adore him; but that he, willing to raise her mind to spiritual and celestial thoughts, gave her to understand, that, as yet, it was not a proper time for her to make her addresses to him, because he was not yet ascended into heaven, from whence he was to. administer his kingdom, and to send down the Holy Ghost, in order to form a spiritual communion between him and his true disciples. Beausobre's Annotations. Others suppose, that this woman imagined, that our Lord was risen again, in the same manner that Lazarus did, viz. to live upon earth as he had done before; and that therefore, to convince her of the contrary, he bid her not touch him as a mortal man, because " I am not yet ascended into heaven," but in a short time shall, and that is the place where you are to pay me your homage and adoration. Calmet's Commentary. Others again say, that by a figure, common enough among grammarians, who frequently change one tense for another, our Saviour's words may denote, that he was not then about to a scend, but to stay many days upon earth, so that Mary VOL. III. might have space and opportunity enough to pay her + Some are of opinion, that the report which the 2 P to the end, and Ann. Dom 66 A. M. 4037. in the afternoon, to a town called Emmaus, † and discoursing as they went along of &c. or 5112. what had lately happened, Jesus joined himself to their company, +2 but they knew him Vulg. Ær. 33, not; and observing that they looked melancholy, he asked them the subject of their &c. or 31. discourse, and what it was that made them so disconsolate? To which one of them replied, "+ That the subject of their discourse was too notorious even to escape the knowledge of the greatest stranger; that it was concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who indeed was a great prophet; one whom they expected would have been the King and Redeemer of Israel, but, to their great disappointment, had of late been delivered to death by their rulers, and crucified. And what is more astonishing, continued he, this very day (which is the third since his death) some women of our company, having been early at the sepulchre, and not finding the body, surprised us with an account that they had seen a vision of angels, who assured them that he was alive; which in part was confirmed by some of our men too, who went to the sepulchre, and found it empty, but did not see him." Hereupon our Lord took occasion to reprove their incredulity, and, from the testimony of the prophets, to convince them, that it was highly necessary the Messiah should suffer death, and rise again, in order to a glorious exaltation. As they drew near to the village where they intended to spend that night, Jesus + seemed as if he had farther to go; but, being unwilling to lose his good conversation, they, with some entreaty, +5 prevailed with him to stay. He did so: And as he was sitting at the table with them, took bread, blessed it, brake it, and delivered it to them as he was wont to do; whereupon their eyes were opened, and they knew him, but immediately he vanished + out of their sight. As soon as the two disciples had recovered from their surprise, they hastened to Je Emmaus (which was afterwards made a city, and called Nicopolis) was at this time a small village, about seven miles distant from Jerusalem to the west, where it is supposed, by Bede and others, that either Cleophas or his companion had an house; which, by their importuning Jesus to go with them, seems not improbable, because they could not propose to enter tain him so commodiously or hospitably in an inn. Wells's Geography of the New Testament, part i. and Howell's History in the Notes. + Whether it was, that after his resurrection his person was so considerably changed, that those who knew him before could not easily distinguish him; or that he appeared in an habit quite different from what he used to wear, which for some time might hinder them from recollecting who he was; or that he suspended the operation of their senses, that he might have a better opportunity to instruct their understand ings; or that, by an extraordinary power, he withheld their eyes from perceiving him, by which, upon removing of that impediment, they immediately knew him. Any of these causes will answer the purpose better than that we should impute (as some do) their not knowing their master to their excessive grief and sorrow. Calmet's Commentary, and Whitby's Annot. +3 He who was the spokesman upon this occasion is said to be Cleophas, Luke xxiv. 18. who was the brother of Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary, and so the reputed uncle of Christ, whose son Simeon, (says Eusebius, lib. iii. c. 10.) by the joint consent of the apostles then living, was made bishop of Jerusalem after St James, as being the nearest of kin to our Saviour. Howell's History. And so very probably he would have done, had not the disciples pressed him to stay with them: But, supposing he had been resolved to abide with them, and was minded to try the temper of his fellow-travellers, we cannot from hence charge him either with dissimulation or deceit; because, though our words ought to be the certain interpreters of our thoughts, and are therefore not to be employed so as to deceive any, yet walking hath no certain signification, nor was it ever instituted to be an indication of the mind. Whitby's Annotations. +s The original word in St Luke is παρεβιάσαντο, which our translation has rendered "they constrained him," in terms literal indeed, but in this place a little too harsh; because it is very improbable (especially if we consider the context) that these two disciples should offer any force or violence to Jesus, to make him go with them. Howell's History in the Notes. + Origen is of opinion, that our Blessed Lord, for the forty days that he was upon earth after his resurrection, could make himself visible or invisible, when and to whom he pleased. It is not to be doubted, but that he had the same body that was deposited in the grave; but then, what the powers of a raised and glorified body (especially when in conjunction with the Deity) are, we cannot tell; only we may infer, that our Saviour could, at least with the same facility, disappear to his disciples now, as he did to the Jews when "they were about to stone him," John viii. 59. which, it is generally supposed, he did, by the medium of a cloud cast over his body. Calmet's Commentary, and Whitby's Annetations. end, Mark xi. rusalem, where the apostles were met together, who, upon their arrival, informed them From Mattă, that their Lord was certainly risen, and (a) had appeared unto Peter; whilst they in xx. 10. to the their turns related what had happened to them in the country, how Jesus had walked 15. to the end, and conversed with them, and how they came to know him "by breaking of bread." uke xix. 45. i to the end, and But, notwithstanding all these testimonies, several among them remained still incredu- John xii. 19, to lous. For fear of the Jews the apostles had shut the door, and were now sat down to supper in a private room, late in the evening, when our Blessed Saviour came in and saluted them; and, that they might not take him for a spirit or phantom, but for the very person that was crucified in their sight, he shewed them the wounds in his hands, his feet, and his side. Nay, that he might cure them of all scruple and doubtfulness, he ate a piece of a broiled fish †, and some honey-comb, before them all, and then, having a little upbraided them with their unbelief, he gave them several great and weighty instructions, an ability to understand the Scriptures +2 more perfectly, a renovation of their commission to preach to all nations +3, a power and authority to remit or retain sins, a communication of the Blessed Spirit by breathing on them, and a promise of sending him more plentifully (to enable them to be witnesses + of his resurrection), before they were to depart from Jerusalem. And thus ended the first day of the week, which, in honour of our Blessed Saviour's resurrection, has ever since been kept as the Sabbath * among Christians. (a) 1 Cor. xv. 5. This he did, not to satisfy any hunger that his body could suffer after its resurrection, but to prove to them that his body was truly raised, and himself was really present. And, since it cannot be supposed that Christ in this action designed any illusion, it follows from his very eating, that his body had those parts by which we chew our meat, and withal a stomach to receive it. Whitby's Annotations. +This, the evangelist tells us, our Saviour did by opening their minds, Luke xxiv. 45.; for it is one thing to open the Scriptures themselves, or to explain them, and another to open their understandings to perceive them; and Christ, very probably, did the latter, by giving them now some first fruits of that Spirit of prophecy which fell more plentifully on them at the day of Pentecost. Whitby's Annotations. Though the word docs, in some particular places, signify the tribes and families of the Jews, exclusive of other people, and in very many places the nations of the Heathen world, in opposition to the Jews; yet this we are to observe, that wherever mention is made of preaching the Gospel, in order to gain converts to the Christian faith, the word relates, primarily, to the several parts of Judea and to the Jews, wheresoever they are in their dispersions abroad; then, secondarily, to the Gentiles mingled with the Jews; and, finally, to the whole Gentile world, when, upon the Jews rejecting the Gospel, the apostles were forced to depart from them; for such the tenor of their commission, and such their constant practice was. "It was necessary (say Paul and Barnabas to the Jews) that the word of God should first have been spoken to you (which refers, I suppose, to some precept of Christ, vid. Matth. x. 6. and xv. 24. which made it necessary); but seeing ye have put it from you, lo, we turn to the Gentiles, Acts xiii. 46. Hammond's Annotations. +4 As Christ's resurrection was a matter of fact, it must be proved by the testimony of eye witnesses, who, if they be honest men, and suffer the greatest prejudices in their fortunes, reputation, and life, for this testimony, give us the greatest reason to believe it. For their honesty will not suffer them, upon any account whatever, to deviate from the truth; their interest and prudence will not permit them (without any necessity laid upon them) to testify a falsehood, much more the grossest falsehood, to their utmost damage, and without any prospect of advantage; and then if they confirm this their testimony by all kinds of signs, miracles, and wondrous powers, exercised by themselves and others who embraced their testimony; and if this be done in all places, and on all persons for a whole age or ages, this makes it a thing impossible that they should thus attest a lie: And therefore our Lord bids his apostles" stay at Jerusalem," till they were thus empowered, by virtue from on high, to confirm this testimony, Acts i. 8. Whitby's Annotations. Now The Jewish Sabbath was at first instituted, not the end. |