The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-12-03
SUNDAY ,MEDITATION.


pointed for Dec. I3, 1891. st. JGhn. 30; l.
l8.
lone reading these notes should frs. carefully
study the PARAGRAPH from the Holy Scriptures a.
indicated above.
SUBJECTS: ]. WOMEN GONG To AND ARRIv-
ING AT THE SEPULcHER. III. Srs. PETER
AND john At SEPVLCHER. III. MARY
MAGDALESE MEETING CHRIST.
!. THE WoNES GoING To THE sEPULcHEE
AND ARRIVAL THEREAT.
I. Data
st. Matt, 2sl1; St Mark. 16: Q. 4 (; st. Luke,
o.: >; st. John, 20: !, . "Then she run
meth and eometh to Simon Peter and to the
other Disciple whom Jesus loved"
. Time.
We find ourselves in the year A. n. %, month
Of March, Goth day, Sunday, very early in tho
morning. The Jewish day began at o'clock
of the evening. When st. Matthew rs: H. says
las il began to dawn toward day." it cannot be
that he refers to the early part OF Saturday even
inc, as the Jews reckoned. The time was, on
the contrary, somewhat near sunTising. See
st. Mark, Is: 2 The dawn certainly refers 70
tho beginning of the light part Of the day.
Gen, I - All tho accounts teach that the
women went early in the morning OF the first
day OF the week. Sunday. st. Matt, 2S: l, has
as 10 began TO dawn; st. Mark, l6: 2, very
early in the morning" st. Luke corresponds
with ST. Mark aud the language Of st. John,
20: ], does not contradict the other accounts
"Wheu il was yet dark" While day was
tually coming, Il was day succeeding night;
night and day mingled; light combating with
darkness. The very verse ST. John. 90: !, which
states that il was dark, says "seeth the stone
taken away" Hence it was light enough to
see. The expression in st. Mark, 10 2, is more
troublesome, A" at the rising Of the sun" But
the sun rises till noon. The idea OF st. Mark
Is this, at the first indication Of sunrsing. This
Is evident, since in the same verse be says
very early in the morning" We may look
over the eastern hills and declare for a long
time before tho actual orb heaves in sight, while
only points Of rays are visible. that tho sun is
rising. Ono looking toward the west would
notice mostly the darkness while 10 one gazing
ia tho eastward direction light would DO IN
thought The sun Of Righteousness preceded
by little the natural sun in rising. Christ is
the Morning Star REV. p: I6.l BY the laws
OF publication among the Jews n dead body
could not DO touched on the Sabbath SItur-
day but the women ayailed themselves Of
the very first chance next morning Sunday.
And yet Jesus rose from the grave even before
their arrival. The exact time Of the resurrcc-
tiOu is not known.
3 Where
The scpulcher was not far from the place Of
the execution of Christ. (St John, 10: IL, AZ
d
tomb-were but little way from each other
A church building-the Church Of the Holy
Scpulcher--has been constructed over the spot.
What was a groitO in hillside is now hillOck
elevated between one and two STEPS from the
floor OF the room into which the visitor is taken
A structure OF yellow aud white marble, 26 by
Is feet, Is now built over the scpulchcr. IL Is
called The Chapel OF the Angel" The 5epul-
cher proper is entered by low, narrow door,
ncccssitating one 70 stOOp nearly TO the floor 10
gain entrance. Once in there is much Of in
terest to the Christian. The floor and ceilings
are lined with beautiful white marble. Forty
two lamps Of gold aud silver are suspended in
that little grotto. AZ the right. about two feet
high. is a horizontal marble slab, on which IL Is
said the body Of Christ reclined.
The tomb in which Christ's body was de-
posted was kindly proiIered for the purpose by
Joseph Of Aramathes, who had il built for him
self. tSt. Mt. q 5T-GO) It's dimensions ad-
mitted an ADULT 20 stand erect within il. (St.
Luke, 81: A. Such sepulehers were generally
dug out from the solid elevated rock. The en-
trance 10 this Kind Of tomb was usually quite
small and covered by a large stone rolled up
against IT,
l. Tie Women.
The three women were those mentioned in
ST. Mark. 10 MARY Magdalene, Mary,
mother OF St. James the Less, and SalOme,
mother Of SITS. James aud John. But there
were other Womcu. See ST. Luke, 81: 1. JO-
anna is named ia Y. 10 Of st. Luke, "a
5. The Women on Way 10 ScpuicLer
We do not know the number OF the women.
Early Sunday morning they left jerusalem,
bearing spices. going 10 the tomb OF Christ IL
is clear they had no intelligent conception Of a
, possible resurrection on the third day. They
, set out more fully TO embaIm the body Of Jesus.
, OF a sudden IL occurred 10 one that there would
be difficulty about gaining entrance 20 the
tomb. The enemies Of Christ seemed 10 have
, had n clearer idea Of this contingency of the
|, resurrection than had the followers Of Christ.
, Fear sees further than hope. Ono charge
, brought against Jesus was his declaration 10
the effect practically that he would rise again
the third day. They remembered that, and
hence requested Plate to make sure the scpul-
cher The women knew that it was customary
, 10 have a huge stone rolled against the mouth
Of the grotto. While discussing the possible
! difficulty Of entering the sepulcher, they ap-
preached nearer TO the spot, when at length
: they discovered that the stOne had been re-
r moved aud the entry to the sopueher was open
aud exposed. Mary Magdalene was immedi-
ately filed with terrible apprehensions lest
something had happened to the body OF Christ.
She turned right about retracing her way with
greatest haste to tell Sts Peter aud John.
,, C. Suggestions
/. See the folly of anticipating evils which
are never realized. (St. Mark. 1873. A.
2 Attentions to tho dead are becoming. (St.
! Luke. %: ID
3. Women can be Of great service to Christ
aud the Church. St Matt, %: H.
4. Rejoice 10 carry good. Run with it in
your eagerness. st. John, 2O:2)
III. SIS. PETER And JOHN YfsrT THE
, SEPULCHER
l. Data.
st. L.. "a: -; St. John, 20: 2. "And saith
unto them, they have taken away the Lord
out Of the sepulcher. and we know not where
they have laid him."
, 2 Tine and Place.
The place Is the same as in the paragraph
above. The time is moved on for, say, 10 min
utes.
5 3. The Facts.
The Apostles left their lodging place at once
! and hastened to the tomb The knew how
. strict the Roman law was as to breaking gov
: ornamental seal, aud could not imagine who
could have been bold enough TO commit such 8
/. crime. They seemed TO have little idea OF
Christ's resurrection being possible and pre-
dicted fact. st. John being probably younger
: than St. Peter Ontrnn him aud reached the
= | sepulcher first lie saw ChTists body was re-
y moved and noticed the grave clothes lying
: within the tomb. lie did not however, ven.
!. ture 10 go inside. 10 remained for ST. Peter
: gO-a-head- a tive rs lie was TO investigate the
, interior Of the sepulcher. Soon st. John fol