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418

CXCV.

Mat.

into Galilee, there shai!

ye see him, [as he said unto you:] Lo, I have

told you. [Marx XVI.

As the women depart with the news, Jesus meets them ; SECT. assure you, that there shall ye all see him, as he said to you that he would meet you there: (compare Mat. xxvi. 32. and Mark xiv. 28. p. 343.) xxxvш Lo, I, who am one of the angels that stand in 7 the presence of God, have told you this, and my associate is here ready to attest it; and therefore, important and wonderful as the message is, you need not at all scruple to report it.

Mark

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And upon this, instead of making any farther XVI. scrutiny, they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre as fast as possible; for they trembled, and were amazed at this angelic vision: and, whoever they met by the way, they said nothing to any one of them, for they were very much affrighted; [but] with hearts full of fear at what they had seen, and with a mixture also of great joy at this happy news which they had received in so awful a manner, they ran with all the speed they could to bring his disciples

Mat.

word.

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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; [and with fear and great joy did run to bring his XXVIII. 8.]

disciples word.] MAT.

MAT. XXVIII. 9.

And as they were going on their way to XXVII tell his disciples, behold, Jesus himself met And as they went to

[ειπείε οτι προάγει υμάς, &c.] the con. struction shews, as the learned Bos observes (Exercit. p. 23), that these words are the message which the angel puts into the mouth of these women, to be delivered by them to the apostles. But what is added [there shall ye see him] may, consistent with this criticism, be understood as in the paraphrase, which makes the sense more complete, by adding a very material, and, to them who so tenderly loved Jesus, a very delightful circumstance; namely, that they should see him themselves, and not merely receive the most credible assurances of his resurrection from others.

8 They went out quickly.] This is the exact import of the word cat, which is the same in both the evangelists, but is improperly rendered here in Matthew, they departed. (See West's Observ. p. 36.)

h With fear and joy] It was so natural for such a mixture of passions to arise on this grand occasion, that I think very little stress is to be laid on Mark's mentioning their fear alone, and Matthew's mentioning their joy with it, to prove they relate different stories.-I have since the pleasure to find, that this is represented in the same light by Mr. West, who has clearly shewn that both these sacred writers speak of the same fact. (See West's Observ. p. 37-40.

i And as they were going on their way to tell his disciples.] Admitting what is

them,

tell his disciples, behold,

here supposed, that there was but one vision of angels (besides that to Mary Magdalene), and one message sent by them, this will I think establish the order in which we have ranged this story. For if (as Dr. Clarke and many other critics strangely suppose) Mary's interview with the apostles (John xx. 2.) had happened between the angelic vision and this appearance of Christ to the women, such a connection as this would have been very unnatural. Matthew would on that hy pothesis rather have said, And when they had told his disciples [and they believed them not], Jesus met them, &c.-But Mr. West who apprehends that there were several distinct appearances of angels, and two distinct appearances of Christ to the women (the first to Mary Magdalene, and the second to the other Mary and Salome, when the other women were not present), concludes, that these several facts were reported to the apostles at different times, and by different women; and that Joanna and the other women, who had only seen the angels after the two Maries and Salome were gone from the sepulchre, made their report to the apostles before the arrival of the two Maries and Salome; and by thus representing the story in a different order he obviates the difficulty arising from the account which the two disciples that were going to Emmaus give of the report they had heard from the women. Luke xxiv. 22-24. (See West's Observ. p. 77, 86, & seq.)

* Jesus

449

And bids them not be afraid, but go and tell his brethren. hold, Jesus met them, them, saying, in the usual form of congratula- SECT. saying, All hail.

And

CXCV.

they came, and held tory salutations, Hail, my friends! I give you him by the feet, and joy of the day. And upon this, beginning to re- Mat.

worshipped him.

10 Then said Jesus

unto them, Be not thren, that they go in. to Galilee, and there shall they see me.

afraid go tell my bre

LUKE XXIV. 9.

And [they] returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and

all the rest.

cover from their fear, as they saw it was Jesus, XXVIH9
they drew near in the most respectful manner,
and, prostrating themselves before him, took hold
of his feet, and embraced them, and payed their
homage to him on this joyful occasion.

Then Jesus, as he saw that they were still in 19
a great deal of confusion, did not long permit
them to continue in that posture, but comforted
and dismissed them (as he had done before with
respect to Mary); and said to them, Be not any
more afraid, for you have indeed no reason for
it; [but] as you have now the fullest proof that
I am actually risen from the dead, go ye there-
fore and tell my dear brethren, whoever of them
you may meet here in the city', that they go
away into Galilee, to the place I formerly ap-
pointed (see note on Mat. xxvi. 32, p. 343);
and when a proper number of them is met
there, they shall see me appear publicly among
them, to remove all the remaining doubts which
any of them may entertain as to the certainty of
my resurrection.

Now after Jesus had spoken these words, he Luke immediately disappeared; and the women ran XXIV. on to carry the news: and when they were re.9 to turned from the sepulchre to Jerusalem, they told all these things to the eleven apostles, and to all the rest of the disciples, whom they met with then, or on the following days", having it much

k Jesus himself met them.] I cannot think, with Dr. Lightfoot (Hor. Heb. in Loc.) that this relates to his interview with Mary Magdalene described before; for though an enallage or exchange of numbers be sometimes used (see note hon Luke xxiii. 39, p. 409), yet it is not to be admitted without necessity. Now it is certain Mary was alone when Christ appeared to her; and that appearance was at the sepulchre, this between that and the city, and probably after they dispatched some considerable part of the way in their flight. The words [as they went to tell his disciples] are indeed wanting in many ancient versions and manuscripts, as Dr. Mill has shewn in his Note on this place; but Dr. Whitby, with considerable reason, contends that they are genuine (see his Examen. Millii, p. 91); and the sense of them seems implied in the close of the preceding

verse.

1 My brethren.] The reader will observe our Lord speaks the same language here which he had used John xx. 17. (See notet on that text, p. 443.) No doubt these affectionate friends of Christ were exact in reporting this circunstance, that their injured Lord called them his brethren still. And both Matthew and John, to whom the glad tidings were immediately brought, felt it strike so powerfully on their hearts, that they could not but record it.

m And to all the rest.] This I think refers not only to one report, but to the repetition of the testimony to any of their pious friends who believed in Jesus: and if that be admitted, it will be an additional proof that what is said in ver. 12 should be transposed in such a manner as is necessary for reconciling it with the scheme we have proposed in the preceding section. Compare note on Luke xxiv. 12, p. 4419.

450

They go and tell all these things to the disciples. SECT. much at heart to deliver this important message excv. in the most punctual and effectual manner.

Luke

10 It was Mary Mag

and Mary the mother of

things unto the apostles.

MARK XVI. 10.

And they were Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, XXIV. and Mary [the mother] of James and Joses, and dalene, and Joanna, 10 Salome, and the other women that had gone with James, and other wo them to the sepulchre, as above, with an in- men that were with tent to embalm Christ's body (p. 435), who them, which told these were the persons that were thus honoured with this message from the angels, and from Christ himself; and who accordingly came and told these things to the apostles, who had none of them as yet seen any thing more themselves than that the sepulchre was empty, and the linen Mark clothes laid in order. And Mary Magdalene XVI. 10 in particular went with the other women, and And [Mary Magdatold the disciples that had been so constantly with lene] went and told [the disciples] that had him, as they were mourning and weeping for the been with him, as they loss of their dear Master, that she also had seen mourned and wept, the Lord; and that indeed he had appeared to Lord, and that he had [that she had seen the her the first of all the company, and had spoken spoken these things these gracious things unto her as well as to them unto her.] [JOHN XX. relating to his resurrection from the dead, and 18.1 had expressly ordered her to acquaint them with his purpose of ascending ere long to his Father and their Father, and to his God and their God. (Compare John xx. 17, p. 442.)

11

they had heard that

words seemed to them as idle tales.] [LUKE XXIV. 11.]

But such were the prevailing prejudices that 11 And they, when had possessed the minds of the disciples, and so he was alive, and had entirely were their spirits dejected, and their been seen of her, behopes blasted by the death of their Lord, that lieved not: (and their though they could not think this was related with a design to impose upon them, yet they were ready to impute it to the power of imagination; and even when they heard that he was actually alive, and had been seen by her, and by the other women who also testified the same, they did not in general believe it; but their words seemed to most of them as an idle tale, and they determined to suspend their belief of so important a fact till they were satisfied of it by the testimony of their own senses; which, through the great condescension of their Lord, several of them were before the end of that day, as we shall quickly relate.

Mat.

IMPROVEMENT.

We are now again called, as by the angel's voice, to come and xxviii. 6 see the place where the Lord lay, and to take an affectionate sur

The guards return, and make their report to the priests.

451

CXCV.

vey of that sepulchre, which our rising Saviour had left, and where SECT. he had laid aside the dress of death, as a token that he should return to it no more. How wonderful that he should ever have Mar. lain there! that the Lord of life should have dwelt among the dead, xxviii.6. and from the glory of the throne of God should have sunk down to the abasement of the grave !-But he has burst its prison doors, and has abolished death, and him who had the power of it; abolished it for himself and us. How are all its terrors now disarmed! O death, where is thy sting! O grave where is thy victory! (1 Cor. xv. 55.)

With what pleasure did the angels deliver this gracious message 7, 8 of their Lord as well as ours! and with what transport did the pious women receive it! Behold the tender care of Christ over his people! Angels have it immediately in charge to send the glad tidings to his disciples; and Jesus repeats and confirms them. Go tell my brethren, I am risen from the dead. Lord! Is this 10 thy language concerning those who but a few hours before had forsaken thee! and one of them, with such dreadful imprecations, denied thee! Yet even that disciple is not excluded; nay, to him is it peculiarly addressed: go tell my brethren, and in particular Mark tell Peter, that he, poor mourner, may especially be comforted. xvi. 7. Compassionate Redeemer ! thou hast brought up from the tomb with thee that tenderness and goodness which laid thee there!

Such is the freedom and glory of thy grace, that thou some-9 times dost first manifest thyself to those who were once in the most miserable bondage to Satan. Whenever this is the case, may the peculiar obligation be remembered! May every remainder of unbelief be subdued in our souls! and may we joyfully 10 communicate to all around us the tidings of a risen Saviour, and the merciful discoveries of his presence to us!

SECT. CXCVI.

The guards, returning to Jerusalem, make their report to the chief priests; and are bribed to say that the disciples stole the body of Christ while they slept. Christ appears to Peter, and then to two other disciples. Mat. XXVIII. 11-15. Mark XVI. 12, 13.

MAT. XXVIII. 11.

NOW when they

some

of the watch

came into the city,

and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.

MAT. XXVIII. 11.

SECT. cxcvi.

Mat.

were going, behold, NOW while these extraordinary things were transacting, and the [women] were going to tell the disciples, what they had heard and seen behold, some of the guards, who had fled from the XXVIII. sepulchre in great consternation, began a little 11 to recollect themselves, as to the excuse they should make for its being broke open, and the body being gone, as it would soon be known. 3 L

VOL. VII.

that

452 They hire them to say, his disciples stole the body as they slept;

cxcvi.

Mat.

SECT that it was: they came therefore into the city, and told the chief priests, from whom they had received their immediate charge, all that had XXVIII. happened; and urged how impossible it was for 11 them to make any opposition in the presence of the angel, who shook the very earth with the terror of his appearance, and therefore might be easily supposed to take away all power of resistance from them. And thus these ignorant and stupid heathens became in effect the first preachers of Christ's resurrection, and were witnesses of the truth of it to the most inveterate of his enemies a.

12

the elders, and had

This report could not but strike the chief 12 And when they priests into some amazement and confusion: were assembled with and therefore they immediately convened the taken counsel, they sanhedrim; and having met together with the gave large money un elders of the people, they deliberated upon it, to the soldiers, and consulted among themselves what they should do in so perplexing an emergency; and particularly whether they should dismiss the guards with a charge to conceal the story they had told them, or should accuse them to the governor, and attempt to punish them for neglecting their duty but, considering the manner in which the governor had appeared affected towards Jesus, and the many prodigies which had attended his death, by which Pilate's conscience must have been in some degree awakened; and also knowing they had no positive proof of any negligence or treachery in the soldiers, they resolved to commence no prosecution against them, and to pass it over without any complaint; but, apprehending that the most effectual method they could take would be to endeavour to pervert their evidence, they gave a large [sum of] 13 money to the soldiers. Saying, Since this

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a These ignorant and stupid heathens became in effect the first preachers, &c.] Such news, coming from such persons, must undoubtedly throw the priests into inexpressible confusion; but it is remarkable, that neither the soldiers nor the priests were converted by what the one saw or the other heard. Perhaps the soldiers might think that Jesus was, like some of their fabulous heroes, the son of some deity, who brought him to life again; but, instead of imagining themselves concerned in the purposes of his resurrection, they might perhaps abuse their knowledge of it, to Confirm their belief of some superstitious

strange

13 Saying, Say ye,

his

tales of their own priests, which bore some little resemblance to it; as those of Alcestis, Hippolytus, Hercules, and many others did. See Valer. Max. lib. i. cap. viii. § 12. and Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. vii. cap. 52.

b They gave a large sum of money to the soldiers.] Mr. Ditton very well observes (in his unanswerable Demonstration of Christ's Resurrection, p. 296.) that had they not been afraid to put them to death, as they were Romans, it is very probable that Caiaphas's maxim, (John xi. 50.) That it was better one man shoulddie than all the people perish, would have cost some of them their lives; at least the commanding officer, had

he

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