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Which story is still reported among the Jews.

away while we slept.

453

his disciples came by strange thing has happened, whether there real. SECT. night, and stole him ly was any sorcery in it, or whether it was cxcvi. merely your dream, it must for the public Mat. safety be concealed, or the whole nation will xxXVIII be deluded and undone we must therefore 13 insist upon it, that neither you, nor your companions, say any thing of what you imagine you saw; but if any should question you about it, and pretend that this Jesus is risen, say ye only in the general, We were weary with so long a watch, and dropped asleep; and we conclude, that his disciples came by night, and stole 14 And if this come him away while we slept. And you have no to the governor's ears, need to be afraid of being punished for your we will persuade him, negligence; for if this should come to be heard

and secure you.

15 So they took the money and did as they

were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

by the governor, and he should blame you for
sleeping on your guard, we will persuade him
to make no farther inquiry about it, and by our
interest with him will make you easy and secure.

14

And they took the money that was offered them, 15 and did as they were taught; and, according to their instructions, they concealed what they had seen, and pretended that some of the disciples must have taken the advantage of their weariness and neglect, and so have carried off the body while they were fallen asleep. And such are the prejudices of that unhappy people, that this story, wild and senseless as it was, is commonly reported among the Jews even to this day:

he been fully in their power, would have been in imminent danger, Could they have proved any neglect, no doubt these soldiers would have been prosecuted to the utmost (as Peter's guards were afterwards, Acts xii. 19.) But, as they were destitute of all proof, it was prudence not to prosecute them at all; for, had Pilate acquitted them, it would have been in effect a public declaration, that he was convinced Jesus was indeed risen.

c Whether there really was any sorcery in it, &c.] They must, to be sure, be puzzled to account for this strange event: and, laying it down as a first principle, "that Jesus must be an impostor" they would, of course, incline to impute his resurrection, as they had ascribed his miracles to some diabolical operation. It is however probable, that such artful men might speak of it in such loose terms as the paraphrase represents, though they could not seriously endeavour to persuade the guards they were in a dream.

d And stole him away while we slept.] It was ridiculous to pretend to say with any

3 L2

and

certainty what passed while they were asleep;
so that this was in effect only hiring them
to say, that they knew nothing of the matter,
and did not (bserve any thing more than
ordinary had passed that night. How ab-
surd this pretence was, a thousand circum-
stances concur to shew; as most writers
in def'nce of Christianity have demonstrat-
ed, and perhaps none, in few words, better
than Bishop Burnet on the Articles, p. 64.

e Reported among the Jews even to this
day.] This seems to intimate, that Mat-
thew wrote his gospel several years after
our Lord's resurrection.-As to the indus-
try of the Jews in propagating this report,
it is very observable that Justin Martyr,
(Dialog. cum. Tryph. p. 368. Edit. Thirlb.)
expressly asserts, "that the Jews sent
chosen men of considerable rank over all
the world, not only in the general to re-
present Christianity as an impious sect, but
to assert that the body of Jesus was stolen
out of his tomb by night, and that the
persons who thus fraudently conveyed him
away, took occasion from thence to re-
port that he rose from the dead, and ascend-

ed

454

cxcvi.

Jesus appears to two disciples.

SECT. and they still choose, in opposition to the most certain evidence, to believe this extravagant Mat. suggestion, rather than yield to the truth of XXVIII Christ's resurrection, though solemnly attested 15 to them, by many who saw and conversed familiarly with him after he was risen from the dead; of which number "Peter was one, who was early distinguished by the favour of seeing him, and to whom indeed he appeared first of all the apostles f." (See 1 Cor. xv. 5.)

Mark

Now this account that Jesus was risen, was XVI.12. brought to the disciples by the women soon after his resurrection, on the first day of the week; and after this, on the same day, he appeared to two of them, though in another form, or in a different habit from what he ordinarily wore 8, as they were walking on the way, and going into the country to Emmaus, a neighbouring village.

ed into heaven." And this message is spoken of, as having been sent before the destruction of Jerusalem. Compare note a on Acts xxviii. 22. Vol. VIII. sect. lx.

f Peter was one,--to whom he appeared first of all the apostles.] Though the evangelists have not recorded the particular circumstances of our Lord's appearance to Peter, yet it is evident that he appeared first to Peter, before he was seen by the rest of the apostles. (Compare 1 Cor. xv. 5. and Luke xxiv. 34.) Dr. Lightfoot therefore supposes, that Peter was one of the two disciples to whom Christ appeared as they were going to Emmaus; and imagines, he was so earnestly desirous to obtain a sight of Christ, that upon hearing from the women, (Mat. xxviii. 7, 8.) that he would go before them into Galilee, where they should see him, he presently set out with Cleopas for Galilee; but, having seen him in their way to Emmaus, they hastened back to Jerusalem to acquaint the disciples with it; upon which the rest of the eleven, as they knew of Peter's journey, when they saw him return so suddenly and unexpectedly, cried out, Certainly the Lord has appeared to Simon, else he could never have come back so soon. (Sce Lightfoot, Hor. Hebr. on Mark xvi. 13. and Luke xxiv. 34.) But, had Peter been one of these two disciples, it is no way probable that, in the large account which Luke has given of this matter, (chap. xxiv. 13, & seq.) his name would not have been mentioned as well as that of Cleopas; or that a person of his forwardness would have continued silent, and have left Cleopas to carry on the conversation as the chief speaker; nor does it suit with the circumstances of

And

MARK XVI. 12. After that, he appear

ed in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went

into the country.

the story, that after Peter's going to the sepulchre had been related just before, it should be only spoken of in this conversation, (ver. 24.) as what was done, not by one of themselves, but by certain of them that were with them; or that it should be said, when they returned to Jerusalem, (ver. 38.) that they found the eleven gathered together, if one of those that returned belonged to that number, and was one of these eleven. (Compare note b Luke xxiv. 34. sect. cxcviii.)

He appeared to two of them, &c.] The only season which Masius has for suspecting (Supplem. Critic. Vol. II. p. 1788.) that this appearance was different from that which Luke describes as made to the two disciples that were on their journey to Emmaus (chap. xxiv. 13. & seq.) is this: the companions of these two disciples are represented here by Mark as not believing the resurrection of Christ when attested by them: whereas when the two disciples from Emmaus came to make this report, the rest, before they could tell their story, saluted them with that joyful declaration, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. (Luke xxiv. 34.) But I apprebend these seemingly different accounts may be reconciled, by observing, that various persons in the same company were variously impressed: and that some of those to whom the travellers from Emmaus came, had even after their story was told, some remaining doubts, appears from Luke himself. See Luke xxiv. 37, 41. sect. cxcviii. and note a on Mat. xxviii. 17. sect. ccii.

h Into the country to Emmaus, &c.] Emmaus was a village about sixty furlongs dis

tant

Reflections on the disbelief of Christ's resurrection.

13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.

455

cxcvi.

And they went back directly, and told it to the SECT. rest of their companions; yet they did not all immediately believe them, till at length he ap- Mark peared to all his apostles together once and XVI. 13. again, and gave them such convincing evidence as they could not withstand. But these facts are of so great importance, that we shall give a particular narration of each, and first of that which happened on the way to Emmaus, in the

next section.

IMPROVEMENT.

SURELY there is nothing in the whole sacred story which does in a more affecting manner illustrate the deplorable hardness of the human heart in this degenerate state, than the portion of it which is now before us. What but the testimony of an apostle could have been sufficient to persuade us, that men who had been but a few hours before the witnesses of such an awful scene, who had beheld the angel descending, had felt the earth trembling, and had seen the sepulchre bursting open by a Divine power, and had fallen down in helpless astonishment and confusion, perhaps expecting every moment to be themselves destroyed, should that very day, yea, that very morning, suffer themselves to be hired by a sum of money to do their utmost to asperse the character of Christ, and to invalidate the evidence of his resurrection, of which they were in effect eye-witnesses?

Mat.

xxviii.

11-15.

Nay, how astonishing is it, that the chief priests themselves, 12 the public ministers of the Lord of hosts, could act such a part as this! They hear this full evidence that he, that Jesus whom they had murdered, was risen from the dead; and they well knew and remembered that he had himself put the proof of his mission on this very fact; a fact to which the prodigies at his death, which they themselves had seen and felt, added an inexpressible weight of probability. Who would not have expected that they should have been alarmed, convinced, and humbled; that they should have turned the remaining days of the passover into a public fast, and have solicitously sought out him who was so powerfully declared to be the Son of God, to cast themselves at his feet, and entreat his pardon and grace? But instead of this, with invincible and growing malice, they set themselves to oppose him, and bribe the

tant from Jerusalem, as we are told by Luke (chap. xxiv. 13.) and Josephus gives the same account of its situation, Bell. Jud. lib. 7. cap. 6. (al. 26.) § 6. And therefore, though they have been frequently confounded, this must have been a different

place from that which was afterwards call-
ed Nicopolis, which lay near the Lake of
Gennesareth, at a much greater distance
from Jerusalem. See Reland Palestin. lib.
ii. cap. vi. p. 427. & seq.

456

excvi.

13

Jesus appears to two disciples as they go to Emmaus,

SECT the soldiers to testify a lie, the most to his dishononr of any that hell could invent. And surely, had not Christ been kept out of Mat. their sight and power, they would, notwithstanding all this, have xxviii. endeavoured to bring him down to the tomb again, on the very same principles on which they would have slain Lazarus after his resurrection. (John xii. 10.) So true does it appear, in this renewed and unequalled instance, that if men hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. (Luke xvi. 31.)

But

No question but these very men, when pressed with the evidences of Christ's resurrection, answered, as succeeding infidels have presumptuously done," that he should have appeared to them, if he expected they should believe he was risen." what assurance can we have that the same prejudices which overbore the testimony of the soldiers, might not also have resisted even the appearance of Christ himself? Or, rather, that the obstinacy which led them to overbear conscience in one instance, might not have done it in the other? Justly therefore did God deny what wantonness, and not reason, might lead them to demand: justly did he give them up to dishonour their own understandings, as well as their moral character, by this mean and ridi15 culous tale, which brought men to testify what was done while they were asleep.

SECT. cxcvii.

Luke

xxiv. 13.

The most that common sense could make of their report, had they deserved the character of honest men, would have been, that they knew nothing of the matter. And we have a thousand times more reason to admire the condescension of God, in sending his apostles to these wicked rulers with such additional proofs and messages, than to censure his providence in preventing Christ's public appearance. May he deliver us from the treachery and corruption of our own hearts! May he give us a holy tenderness and integrity of soul, that we may see truth wheresoever it is, and may follow it whithersoever it leads us; lest God should choose our delusions, and give us up in his righteous judgment to believe a lie, and to think ourselves wise in that credulous infidelity which is destroying its ten thousands amongst us!

SECT. CXCVII.

Christ appears to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus, and, having opened the scriptures to them, makes himself known in breaking of bread. Luke XXIV. 13—33.—

LUKE XXIV. 13.

LUKE XXIV. 13.

E are now to give some farther account of AND behold, two that fact which was hinted at in the close

WE

of

of them went that same

And enters into conversation with them as a stranger.

called Emmaus, which

same day to a village of the preceding section, of our Lord's appearfrom Jerusalem ing to two of his disciples on a journey: and the about threescore fur- case was this. Behold (for it is a very observable

was

longs.

14 And they talk ed together of all these

things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that whie they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and

went with them.

should not know him.

457

SECT.

cxcvii.

Luke

story), two of them were travelling that very day XXIV.
on which Jesus rose from the dead to a village 13
called Emmaus, which was about sixty furlongs,
or somewhat more than seven miles, from Je-
rusalem. And as they walked along, they dis- 14
coursed together of all these wonderful and im-
portant things which had lately happened, and
which could not but lie with great weight on
their spirits. And it came to pass, that as they 15
talked about the sufferings and death of their
beloved Lord, and the report which bad been
spread that morning of his resurrection, and ar-
gued the point together with visible marks of
the greatest concern, Jesus also himself drew
near, as one come from Jerusalem who was go-
ing the same way, and travelled on with them.

16 But their eyes But that they might not presently discover 16 were holden, that they who he was, and be prevented by this means from expressing their own thoughts with freedom, he appeared to them in something of a different form and habit from what he usually wore (compare Mark xvi. 12, p. 454); and besides what there might be of an uncommon vigour and majesty in his countenance, their eyes were so affected and restrained by a secret but powerful influence on them, that they did not look upon him with that attention and recollection which might have been expected; so that, on the whole, though they were some considerable time in his company, yet they did not know him ".

a Argued the point together.] The word l (as Mr. West observes) signifies to discuss, examine, or inquire together; and it appears from the connection, that as they were discoursing on the sufferings, and death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Scope of their inquiry was how to reconcile these events with what had been foretold concerning the Messiah, which, by the message that the women had but just before brought from the angels, they were particularly called to remember. (Compare Luke xxiv. 6, 7, p. 447, and xviii. 31-33, p. 132.) Accordingly when Jesus had inquired, ver. 17, What arguments are these that ye are debating one with another? (for so Mr. West would render it) this is the point he took occasion to illustrate and explain (ver. 26, 27.) by shewing them it was necessary, in accomplishment of

And

what was foretold, that the Messiah should
suffer these things, and so should enter into
his glory, and with this view he expounded
to them in all the scriptures the things
concerning himself. (See West's Observ.
p. 69–73.)

b They did not know him.] A different
habit, and their having no expectation of
seeing him, might, in part, prevent their
knowing him; yet, as it is said their eyes
were restrained from knowing him, I am
ready to think there was something more
than this, even some particular agency
of God, to divert their eyes from looking
stedfastly upon him, or so to affect their
memories as to render them incapable of
recollecting who he was. Compare Gen.
xxi. 19. Numb. xxii. 31. and 2 Kings
vi. 17, 18.

c One

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