Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-10-28
JESUS RISEN.
DR.. JOHN HALLS NOTES ON THE
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.

Lord Is Risen IRdeed, and Hath APP
peared Unto simon"-Lesson Text, John
II, lis.
II the report Of any startling occurrence
goes to the parties concerned by those who
"happen to know,h and not by one special
messenger, thcyget their information at vari-
GUS times and in various ways Some hear
soon, some late, some from one party, some
from another, some one portion of it, some
another. Sc It was here. Hence four writ
ers, each having his own object in his selec-
ton Of facts, may easily seem to vary one
from the other. Their seeming variations
prove that there was no colluSion or con-
spiracy. John is here bent OH showing how
Mary Magdalcn came to be the messenger to
confirm the faith of the disciples Hence the
beginning of his narrative.
V. l. So early in the morning that it was
yet dark Mary Magdalen was at the sepul-
cher, not alone, as the other gospels show,
though she speaks only for herself in v. 13
She had been at the cross John xix, 25) She
noticed the stone rolled away by an angel, as
Matt. xviii, 2, describes. But she did not
know how it was done, and unpreparcd like
the rest for the resurrection-plainly, as Jesus
had foretold it-she felt as the disciples did. So
". p in her eager haste she runs to Peter
and John, and in words characteristic of her
states the case. He is still her Lord; she has
not changed her view of Him from His hav-
ing died on the cross. She does not feel it
necessary to define the doer of this second
wrong. "They have" his enemies who cruel
fed him. She Matt. xviii, s. had others
with her, but she is singled out, hence,
perhaps, "toe know not" etc. So in sorrow,
helplessness and bereavement the human
heart Graves sympathy.
V. 3. Peter and John at once went to tho
sepulchre, accepting her view so far, yet nat
uraly wishing to see for themselves John
was the younger, Peter was the more impul-
sive. John was first at the door, Peter was
first to go into the sepulchre ". 4). Little
things show character.
V. 5. Hence John only stopped down into
the opening cut into the rock and saw tho
linen clothes lying. Yes, there were the gar
ments; the body was not there. So far
Mary's account is confirmed.
V. G. Now Simon Peter comes up, passes
on, sees the same thing and more The nap
kin ". 2, which it was the custom, Gs we see
from Lazarus case John xi, ~, to bind
about the head, was not thrown with the
linen clothes, but wrapped together iii place
by itself. This implied order, perhaps rever-
ence for all connected with the buried Master,
and certainly the feeling of right and time to
make all decent. Who had loosed Him and
let Him go?
V. s. One believer gives courage to an
other. John now enters and sees the same
facts and reaches the same conviction. Yes;
Jesus body has been somehow taken away.
He believed this, or that Jesus had risen in
the true sense
". 81, for as yet they know not, did rot un-
derstand, his meaning and its fultiilnent of
Scripture when he spoke of rising from the
dead. "Yes," they probably thought, che
when he has founded the kingdom, like David
and Solomon, will fall asleep and like others
rise again" But he had defined the time
the third day, This they did not take in;
they did not have the preparation of mind for
it which the Scriptures understood would
have given them (Ps. xvi, 10y. So it is that
the Bible, rightly understood, prepares us to
realize the meaning of the facts and state
ments otherwise dark.
V. 10. There seemed no more to be done
The disciples turned homeward. Not SO
Mary. Women 10 this day visit and linger
around graves when men are otherwise occu
pied. She fingered at the tomb weeping.
She, too, was moved to look ill., To her
what the disciples were not per-
mitted to see. The honor was for her. She
stopped down, and there were two angels
sitting, the one where had been the head and
the other where had been the feet of tho
sacred body ". 12). Their look and bearing
showed what they were according to the tra-
ditional and Bible view of the ministering
spirits. But she is so absorbed with the
thought of Christ that she does not linger
upon them. They are calm, at their posts
for the time. They have been serving the
Lord of angels. They have been permitted
to look into the mysteries of redemption.
They can report to "principalities and powers
in heavenly places" what took place.
V. 13. There is nothing we see disrespectful
in woman" They SO address her. They
speak in sympathy. Angels have much in
common with human believers. We shall be
with, and equal to, the angels. They put the
question to draw out her mind and to prepare
her for the answer. Her reply is as she had
spoken to the two disciples. The Gospel of
Matt xviii, rs having given all this-dwell-
ng on the angel who acted as spokesman
John does not dwell on it, but hastens on to
he interview with Jesus himself.
V. IA. Still absorbed in the thought of |
Jesus, she noticed man standing, and the |
gardener being the natural person to look for
n the place, and the natural person to do |
in the garden, she set down tho
words even of Jesus to him ". 49,, and re-
olied accordingly-"Sir,i if thou have" etc. |
Here it is that Jesus speaks her name
". l6. The voice is familiar; she remembers |
is tones. She turns. 1t is Jesus, her Lord; |
md "Master!" she calls him, i'll glad surprise, |
md probably with movement toward him, |
IS would be natural in the circumstances.
VI This would imply a heightened in |
erview, questions, answers, ETC., and he tells |
Ter that it is not needful or wise to linger
'ver them now for he is not Immediately |
Ioing. The immediate thing is to relieve
he minds of, as he tenderly puts it, "my
rethren," and to tell them that the new
orm Of his work, the triumphant part, and
he part which also looked to them-namely
be giving of the comforter-is close at hand.
again he puts the utmost tenderness into his
Eords-"my Father and your Father" ets
lie indicates even here the closeness of union
etween him and them. How wonderful!
ot word of their weakness not reproach,
ot hint of injured feelings! All is forgiven
nd forgotten: my God and your God"
v. is. Mary Magdalen, warned against
ny show of feeling or delay so produced, i'm
lediately does as she is directed. She told
ne disciples she had seen the Lord, and that
had spoken these things unto her. On the
'elings thus called out he does not linger.
Zee john xxi, 25).
In summing up the practical truth taught