The Resurrection

THE word "gospel'' means "glad tidings" or "good news." The fact that

Jesus rose from the dead is indeed good news During the forty days from the

resurrection till the ascension he made at least eleven different appearances

unto his disciples. Five of these were on the first Lord's day.

He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven

devils. Women were last at the cross and first to the tomb, and it was to

women that the blessed Christ first appeared after his resurrection: "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." (Mark 16:9.) Jesus making

himself known to this woman is one of the most human and most touching

things in the New Testament. "But Mary stood without at the sepulcher

weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulcher,

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. And they say unto her, Woman, why

weepest thou? She saith unto them. Because they have taken away my Lord,

and I know not where they have laid him. And when she had thus said, she

turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She,

supposing him to be the gardner, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him

thence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith

unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to

say, Master.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 our God. Mary Magdalene came and told the

disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto

her." (John 20:17, 18.)

The same morning he appeared unto the women returning from the tomb.

"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 worshiped him. Then said

Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee,

and there shall they see me." (Matt. 28:9. 10.) These women were returning

from an empty tomb, and met the one that had so recently occupied the tomb!

And the same day he appeared unto Simon. (Luke 24:34.) How fitting that

he would appear to this disciple alone! Peter's faith had wavered a few days

before. Yes, he had cursed and swore and denied. Now the risen Christ, back

from the tomb, appears unto Peter.

The same afternoon he appeared unto two disciples as they were going to

Emmaus. Emmaus was a half dozen or so miles from Jerusalem. All Jerusalem

was talking about the things which had happened there so recently. These two

disciples were talking about it. While they were thus communing and

reasoning, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But they did not

know him. Their eyes were holden. Jesus said to them: "What manner of

communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are

sad?" (Luke 24:17.) Of course they thought it was strange that he would thus

talk; but listen to their testimony concerning Jesus even before he made

himself known: "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty

in deed and word before God and all the people." (Luke 24:19.) You will note

that they mentioned "deed" before "word." They told how he was delivered up

and condemned to death. They told of the crucifixion. And then they told this"stranger" that they had trusted that it was he that should have redeemed

Israel. They said it was now the third day since these things were done. Then

they told how certain women of their company had made them astonished

after being at the tomb, seeing angels, and being told that he was alive. Then

the "stranger" began to teach them, saying: "O fools, and slow of heart to

believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered

these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning at Moses and all the

prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning

himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made

as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying,

Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went

in to tarry with them. 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 24:25-

31.) After he was gone, they talked about how their hearts had burned within

them while they were walking by the way and while he opened up the

Scriptures to them.

These two disciples hurried back to Jerusalem the same evening. No doubt

those were happy miles. Jesus is risen! They had seen him! They had talked

with him! When they came to Jerusalem, they found the eleven gathered

together. Thomas was not with them. They told what had happened on the

way to Emmaus, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking

of bread. While they were talking, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them.

They were terrified and affrighted, and supposed they had seen a spirit. Jesus

assured them it was he. He had them look at his hands and his feet. He told

them that a spirit did not have flesh and bones. He took some broiled fish and

honeycomb and ate before them. Then he opened unto them the Scriptures.

(Luke 24:33-49.)

A week later he appeared unto the disciples again. Thomas was with them

this time. He had said: "Except I shall see in hishands the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not

believe." (John 20:25.) When Jesus appeared on this occasion, he said to

Thomas: "Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy

hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." (John

20:27.) This was enough for Thomas. Listen to his noble confession: "My Lord

and my God." Then Jesus said to Thomas: "Thomas, because thou hast seen

me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have

believed." (Verses 28, 29.) And, thanks be to God, we have not seen him, but

we believe just as firmly as did Thomas. "My Lord and my God."

And then later we learn of Jesus appearing to seven disciples as they were

fishing in old Galilee. What a sweet meeting they had with him there on the

shore that morning! He had prepared breakfast for them. Read of this

marvelous appearing in John 21.

Jesus appeared to eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee. (Matt. 28:16-

20.) Paul tells about his appearing unto more than five hundred brethren at

once. Paul was writing of this about twenty-five years after the resurrection,

but he said even then that the greater part of that five hundred were living. Of

course some had fallen asleep. (1 Cor. 15:6.) And Paul said that after that he

was seen of James. And then his last appearance just before he was taken up.

"And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and

blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was Darted from

them, and carried up into heaven." (Luke 24:50. 51.) "While they beheld, he

was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." (Acts 1:9.)

But he is coming again! "This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into

heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

(Acts 1:11.) "Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and

they also which pierced him." (Rev. 1:7.)