With the two disciples. 463 cxcvii. Israel in the most glorious and effectual manner, by those very SECT. sufferings which gave them such distress. Verily thou art the God of Israel, and the Saviour, when thou art a God that hidest thyself Ver. from us. (Isa. xlv. 15.) In faithful friendship, and with a plainness well becoming his 25 office, the compassionate Redeemer upbraids them with their slowness of heart to believe these things, when they had recived line upon line, precept upon precept, concerning them. How justly do we fall under such a rebuke in many instances! Let us then humbly say, Lord, increase our faith! (Luke xvii. 5.) We should reasonably have thought ourselves happy in an op- 26, 27 portunity of hearing or reading this discourse of Jesus, in which he threw such lustre on the prophecies of the Old Testament, and proved that, according to the tenor of them, it was necessary that the Messiah should thus suffer, and so enter into his glory. As Providence has denied us this satisfaction, let us however improve this general and very important hint, that Moses and all the prophets speak of these things. Let us delight to trace the heavenly beam from its earliest dawn, and to observe how it grew brighter and brighter unto the perfect day. May the blessed Spirit, by whom those mysterious predictions were inspired, so direct our inquiries, that every veil may be taken off from our eyes, that we may see Jesus in the Old Testament as well as in the New; and see him in both with that lively fervour of holy affection which may cause our hearts to burn within us! And oh, that we may especially find that, when we surround his table, he makes himself known to us in 30, 31 the breaking of bread, in such a manner, as to fill our souls with all joy, as well as peace in believing! (Rom. xv. 13.) SECT. CXCVIII. The two disciples return to make their report to the apostles; and while they are together, Jesus appears to them the evening after Mark XVI. 14. Luke XXIV. 33-43. John his resurrection. XX. 19-23. LUKE XXIV.-33. AND [they] found ed together, and them LUKE XXIV.-33. SECT. excviii. T was observed before, concerning Cleopas and the other disciple, to whom Jesus discothat were with them, vered himself at Emmaus, that they immedi- Luke ately arose and returned to Jerusalem, to com- XXIV. municate the joyful news to their brethren there. 33 And now when they came thither, they found the eleven apostles assembled, and others with them, who, They found the eleven apostles assembled.] of the apostles the twelve, though Judas, As Paul (1 Cor. xv. 5) calls the company the twelfth person, was dead; so Luke here 464 excviii. Luke The two disciples tell the apostles what they had seen. SECT. who, before these two could begin their story, were eager on their part to inform the travellers of the satisfaction they had received since they XXIV. went out: So that, as soon as they appeared, 34 they heard several of the company saying, as with one voice, O brethren, here are good tidings, which will make your hearts leap within you; for the Lord is risen indeed, and has himself appeared to Simon Peter, who is here present to testify the truth of it". 35 Mark 34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared toSimon. And the two travellers declared how easily 35 And they told they could believe it, and recounted the things what things were done [which had happened] to them in the way to Em- he was known of theru in the way, and how maus; and how, after many wise and affectionate in breaking of bread. discourses, he was at last known by them in the breaking of bread, as they were sitting down to supper. But notwithstanding these repeated testimonies of the resurrection of Christ, yet there were some in the company whose prejudices were so strong, and their faith so weak, that they did not believe either Peter or them (compare Mark xvi. 13, p. 455), though most of them were convinced (as they had just declared) that the Lord was risen indeed. MARK XVI. 14. appeared unto the And quickly afterwards, as they were speaking XVI. 14 of these things among themselves, while they were [And] afterwards, [as sitting at supper, [Jesus] himself appeared to the they thus spake,] he eleven, who were then all together, except one of eleven as they sat at them. And this appearance was attended with meat. [LUK XXIV. 36.-] some remarkable circumstances, which shall be now related. John It was then on the evening of the same day on XX. 19 which he rose from the dead, [which was], as we have before observed, the first day of the week, here calls them the eleven, though Thomas, next section. And has appeared to Simon Peter.] None of the evangelists mention any thing of the circumstances of this appearance to Peter; but it has been observed before (note f, sect. cxcvi. p. 454), that the postle Paul expressly refers to it, 1 Cor. xv. 5.-The same apostle likewise mentions an appearance of Christ to James; (ibid. ver. 7.) Yet, as nothing is said of his having seen him that day, it much diminishes the credit of the story which Jerom gives us from the gospel of the Nazarenes, that James had vowed to eat nothing after the paschal supper, till Jesus arose; on which account our Lord appeared first to him. even None of the apostles seem to have had such a firm expectation of Christ's resurrection as must have been the foundation of such a vow; and the order in which Paul mentions his appearance to James does very ill suit with this story.-Prebably Peter was the first man, as Mary Magdalene was the first woman, that was favoured with the view of our risen Saviour. e Some-did not believe, &c.] Mark expresses it in a general way (chap. xvi. 1s) that they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them: but we are undoubtedly to understand these words with such a limitation as in the paraphrase. See note g on Majk xvi. 12, p. 454; and note a on Mat. xxviii. 17, sect. ceil. d Jesus Jesus appears to the apostles when the doors were shut. and saith unto them, Peace be unto 465 doors were shut, where even when the doors of the room, where the disci- SECT. the disciples were assembled for fear of the ples were gathered together, were shut, and fas- cxcviii. Jews, came Jesus tened on the inside, for fear of the Jews; as John [himself], and stood in they did not know but some officers of the high- XX. 19. the midst [of them], priest might come to apprehend them, on the you. scandalous pretence that they had stolen away [LUKE XXIV.-36.] the body, which was now publicly laid to their charge: it was, I say, at this time and place that Jesus himself on a sudden came in, opening the locks or bolts by a miraculous power; and he stood in the midst of them in his usual form, and said to them, with a mild voice and a gracious aspect, All peace and happiness be unto you; thereby graciously intimating that he forgave their former cowardice, and would still continue to treat them as his friends, though they knew in their own consciences they had of late behaved themselves in a manner unworthy of that character and relation. LUKE XXIV. 37. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. 38 And he said unto troubled, and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? XXIV. But they were greatly amazed and terrified at Luke this sudden unexpected appearance; and as they 37 knew the doors of the room were shut, and in the present hurry of their thoughts did not immediately reflect upon the proofs he had so often given of his Divine power, or on the evidences they had but just before received of his resurrection, some of them suspected that what they saw was only a spirit, or a mere airy phantom, and not a real body. And he said to them, Why are you thus per- 38 them, Why are ye plexed and troubled at the sight of me, and why do these doubtful and unreasonable suspicions arise in your hearts, as if it only were the appearance of a spirit that you have here before you? Behold my hands and my feet, which for 39 and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, your satisfaction still retain the scars of those and wounds which I received on the cross, to convince you that it is I myself, and no other: handle 39 Behold my hands d Jesus himself came in, opening the locks or bolts by a miraculous power.] Dr. Wallis (on the Sabbath, p. 25) thinks the expression of the doors being shut intends no more, than that what follows happened in the evening, when the doors are used to be shut up. But, as the doors are said to have been shut for fear of the Jews, it strongly implies they were fastened within; and all that was herein miraculous was the causing them, as of themselves, to fly open, and shut again very suddenly.-Elsner has shewn (Observ. Vol. I. p. 351) that this is sometimes me, spoken of by some of the pagan writers, e He 466 He eats with them, and upbraids them with their unbelief. SECT. cxcviii. me, if you please, and see whether this be not and see: for a spirit really a solid and substantial body: for you hath not flesh and bones know Luke that a mere spirit or phantom hath not flesh and as ye see me have. XXIV. bones as you see me have, but is only an empty 39 form presenting itself to the eye, yet eluding 40 40 And when he had thus spoken, he And saying this, he shewed them his hands and his feet, and even the mark which the spear had shewed them his hands left in his side, which appeared like a large wound, and his feet [and his newly, though perfectly, healed: and several side.] [JOHN XX. 20.-] of them, and among the rest John the beloved apostle, who records this circumstance, had the curiosity particularly to examine it. (Compare John 1 John i. 1). And the disciples therefore were XX. 20. exceeding glad, as it might reasonably be expected they should be, when they thus saw the Lord, and learnt by such infallible tokens that he was really alive. Luke JOHN XX.-20. Then when they saw the were the disciples glad Lord. LUKE XXIV. 41. believed not for joy, 42 And they gave And for their further satisfaction, when [some XXIV. of them] were so transported, that they as yet be- And while they yet 41 lieved not their own eyes for joy, and were so and wondered, he said astonished that they hardly knew where they unto them, Have ye were, he said to them, Iave ye any food here left, here any meat? 42 that I may eat with you? And they gave him such as they had, even part of a broiled fish, and him a piece of a broilof an honey-comb, on which they had been sup- ney-comb. ping just before. And taking [it], he cat before them, that thus they might be fully satisfied that and did eat before he was actually alive, and had a true and real body. (Compare Acts x. 41.) 43 Mark ed fish, and of an ho 43 And he took it them. MARK XVI.-14. them with their un believed not them JOHN XX. 21. Then And when he had for a while gently upbraidXVI. 14 ed and reproved them for their unbelief, and for And [he] upbraid-d the hardness of their hearts, that they had not be- belief, and hardness lieved the repeated testimony of those who had of heart, because they already seen him since he was risen from the dead, which had seen him and that, even after his own appearance to them, after he was risen. they should be capable of entertaining any furJohn ther doubts; Then, that they might be satisXX. 21 fied that he had graciously forgiven them, Jesus said Jesus to them said to them again, Peace be unto you: may all prosperity and happiness attend you! As [my Father sent me, and gave me authority to act in his name, so also I send you to act as my apostles, under the important character of my ambassadors to the children of men. e He shewed them his hands and his feet, &c.] Probably these marks were retained in his body when raised from the dead, on purpose to give the greater satisfaction And to the disciples of the truth of his resura rection; though indeed without that additional circumstance the evidence might have been very satisfactory. Reflections on Christ's first appearance to the apostles. 22 And when he And saying this, he in a solemn manner breath 467 SECT. had said this, he breath-ed upon [them], and said to them as one that had cxcviii. unto them, Receive ye Divine authority, Receive ye the Holy Spirit, and ed on them, and saith the Holy Ghost. 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins retained. shall John take this as an earnest of what you shall further XX. 22. receive not many days hence: for thus will I shortly breathe out the miraculous influences of my Spirit upon you, in a greater abundance than you have ever yet received them, to qualify and furnish you for this important office. In con- 23 sequence of which, whose soever sins you remit, or shall declare to be forgiven, they are ye retain, they are remitted and forgiven to them; [and] whose soever [sins] you shall retain, or shall pronounce to be unpardoned, they are assuredly retained, and their guilt lies upon them for you shall have a power, not only of declaring what is lawful or unlawful under the gospel-dispensation, but also of sending or removing miraculous punishments, and of discerning the spirits of men in such perfection, as to be able with certainty to declare to particular persons in question, whether they be, or be not, in a state of pardon and acceptance with God. (See note h on Mat. xvi. 19. Vol. VI. p. 463.) And after this discourse with his disciples, at his first appearance to them, Jesus departed from them for that time, and left them to spend the rest of the evening in those delightful exercises of devotion which this great occasion had so natural a tendency to inspire. IMPROVEMENT. Luke xxiv. WITH pleasure let us echo back the words of the apostles, and join in that glad anthem which so well suits a resurrection-day, 34 The Lord is risen; he is risen indeed. We owe our daily praises to God for the abundant demonstration he has given us of so important a fact, for every appearance of Christ to his disciples, and for all the infallible tokens by which he shewed himself to be alive after his passion. (Acts i. 3.) He came with peace and blessings in his mouth; he came to Ver. disperse their fears, and to assure them of his forgiving love. 36—41. How strong were those prejudices which so hardly yielded to such convincing proofs ? And how rich was that grace which condescended to overcome them! Christ breathed on the apostles, that they might receive the Holy John Spirit. May he also breathe on our souls, and fill us with that XX.2%. glorious and Divine gift, which, if it qualified the apostles for their extraordinary office, may much more furnish us for the VOL. 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