The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-10-23
The Sunday gehool.
BY REV. G. L. DEMAREST, DID.
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 81, 1885.
JESUS RISEN.
The VACANT TOMB.
John Xxx. 1-18. ]

JESUS died upon the cross towards the
evening of the day of preparation for the
Sabbath friday. The bodies of the cruel
fed were usually left upon the cross to be
devoured by the elements, or birds, but an
exception was made in favor of the Jews be-
cause of their law (Deut. Xxx. %, 23). On ac-
count of the approaching Passover Sabbath,
and the ceremonial uncleanness that would
be incurred by exposure to dead body,
there was no time for the usual preparations
and ceremonies for q permanent entomb-
ment of the body of JESUS. rich, right
eous, and highly reputable, though timid dis
ciple of JESUS had garden near the place of
cruciixion, in which was new tomb. This
man-Joseph of Arimathea- obtained per-
mission of PLATE to take down the body of
JESUS from the cross, and having bound the
body, with spices provided by Nicodemus. in
clean linen cloths, he placed it In his new
tomb, and rolled a great stone against the
door. Mary Magdalene, and Mary the moth
or of Joseph, the wife of Clopas mentioned
in our last lesson, and the women that had
come with him out of Galilee. among whom
was Salome, the mother of John, who had
contributed to his support during his public
ministry, witnessed the placing of the body
in the tomb, and then went away, and pre-
pared spices and ointments for the custom
airy preparation of the body when the Sab
bath was over. They may not have known
of Nicodemus's generous contribution, or
may have wished TO add their own testimo-
The chief priests and Pharisees, as pre-
caution against the robbery OF the tomb by
his disciples for the purpose of falsely claim
ing that he rose from the dead, had the stone
"sealed," and guard placed.
TThe tomb was probably an excavation cut
horizontally in the face of the rock. The
senLiu0 was by means of cord fastened at
either end with wax or clay impressed with
seal, and passing across the stone used Tor
door. 1t may have been high crime to
break the royal SEAL
Very early, while it was yet dark, on the
morning after the Sabbath Sunday, the
women went to the tomb with their prepare
tions for embalming and pertaining the
body of their Lord. AS they approached
they were considering among themselves
how they should get the great stone rolled
away from the entrance to the tomb, and
looking up they saw that it was already
rolled back. They did not once think of JE-
sus rising from the dead. That the body OF
their Master had been taken away was their
hasty conclusion. His cruel enemies, not
satisfied with having procured his torturous
death, would not even permit his shocklngly
mutiiated remains to rest in peace where
friendly hands had laid them, that loving
hands might adorn and preserve them, they
doubtless thought Mary Magdalene ran
hastily back to where were Peter and John,
and said to them, "They have taken away
the Master out of the tomb, and we do not
know where they have laid him." Peter and
John ran together to the tomb. John arriving
first, stopped over and looked in and saw the
linen cloth with which the body of JESUS had
been wrapped. Peter entered the tomb, and
saw not only the bandages, but the napkin
that had been placed on his head. John fol-
lowed, and was convinced that what Mary
had told them was true. The body was surely
not there. The tomb was empty. They then
went away to their home wondering at what
had occurred. That JESUS had risen did not
once occur to their wondering minds. John
says in explanation, "They did not then
know the Scriptures, that he must rise again
from the dead" But lately, when on the
way to the feast, he had plainly told them
that he should rise MARK K. 34). They had
forgotten his words or inexperienced their
meaning. so engrossed were they with their
thought of temporal kingdom, and the
places of honor and emolument they should
occupy in it as a reward for having left all
to follow him, their king. They still main
tanned their affection for their Master, and
believed that he was 'prophet mighty in
deed and word" but had lost their faith in
him as the Messiah 'who was about to re-
deem Israel"