The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1899-06-09

Cor. Nv, 20-COmmentary Prepared
by the Rev. d. NJ. Stearns.
copyright, 1892 by D. M. Stearns.I
IL. but Mary stood without at the
sepulcher weeping and as she wept she
stopped down and looked into the sepul
cher. The women who remained neal
the cross watched until they saw where
His body was laid, then went away and
bought sweet spices that after the Sabbath
was past they might anoint His body
Mark XIV, AZ; xvi y. 1t would seem
that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb
first on that eventful morning and saw
the stone rolled away, and ran to tell
Peter and John that His body had been
removed. They poUn ran TO the tomb,
John arriving first, and saw the linen
clothes lying, perhaps as when His body
had been in them, but the napkin from
His head WI wrapped together in place
by itself, an d then they believed that He
was risen, for as yet they knew not the
Scripture that He must rise again from
the dead. They then returned home, but
Mary remained.
IL. And seeth two angels in white,
sitting, the one at the head, and the other
at the feet, where the body of Jesus had
lain. /" There is no contradiction or dis
crepancy between this and the other ac-
counts. Some saw one angel within and
one without, but that only shows that
angels move about. They were always
ministering unto Him, and they are
always ministering unto us; we may be
as sure of it as if we saw them (I1eb. i,
IA; Ps. xxxiv, 4 Elk. xiii, 20).
13. And they say unto her, Woman,
why weepest thou?' Her answer shows
that she was thinking only of dead
Christ, the body in which He had lived,
not the living Christ whom she had
known. We need not wonder, for is it
not very common to see those who have
lost friends clinging to the place where
the body lies instead of looking up to the
happy place where our friends really are
if they have died in Christ? While death
is in no sense a resurrection, yet we know
that absent from the body means present
with the Lord; that to die is gain and
to depart and be with Christ is very fan
better (II Cor. V, 8; Phil. i, 21, 23).
a. "And when she had thus said she
turned herself back and saw Jesus stand
ing and knew not that it was Jesus" So
In chapter xxi, 4, the disciples knew not
that it was Jesus; also in Luke xiv,
is, the eyes of the two who walked to En-
maus We're holden that they should not
know Him. Nothing blinds our eyes like
unbelief and occupation with ourselves
and our affairs 1t is possible to be occu-
pied with God as was Enoch and Elijal
and Elisha and John the Baptist and
Paul If filled with the Spirit, we will
see Jesus only and be increasingly occu-
pied with Him and learn to recognize His
hand in all the events of life
10. Jesus saith unto her; Woman, why
weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?"
She did not recognize His voice, and her
cry was as to the angels for the body of
her dead Saviour He often asks us,
why are We troubled, and why do
thoughts arise in your heartsY" duke
xiv, $50 Or as to Hagar, What aileth
theeS' (Gen, xxi, ~ He would have us
without troubled thoughts or fears, for all
His thoughts to us are thoughts of peace
and not of evil (Jer. xxx, III.
49, Jesus saith unto her Mary. She
turned herself and saith unto Him, Rab-
boni, which is to say Master" just one
word from EACH but it is enough; heart
meets heart and there is joy How full
Mary's heart must have beenl What a
tumult of emotionl She thought Him
dead, but He is alive and talking to her
Her eyes behold Him. Yes, it is her
Lord and Master. She had craved His
dead body. 1t was all she looked for, but
here He is Himself, the same Jesus
Some day all the dead in Christ shall as
really and literally appear in their resur-
rection bodies. What tears shall then be
wiped awayl
II. "Jesus saith unto her, Touch Me
not; for 1 am not yet assembled to My
Father; but go to My brethren and say
unto them, | ascend unto My Father and
your Father, and to My God and your
God. - While His body lay in Joseph's
tomb He had Himself been, l have no
doubt, With the Father but now in His
resurrection body He was on His way to
His Father as the risen one, our great High
Priest. AS such Mary was forbidden to
touch Him until He had assembled. A little
later the other women met Him. held Him
by the feet and worshiped Him So that be-
tween the time of these two meetings with
Mary and the other women He must have
assembled and returned (Math xviii, 81.
Is. Mary Magdalene came and told
the disciples that she had seen the Lord,
and that He had spoken these things unto
her. These words seemed to them as
idle tales and they believed them not
(Iuke xiv, ID. Jesus afterward up
braided them with their unbelief and
hardness of heart because they believed
not Mark xvi, IA What an honor He
conferred upon Mary Magdalene that she
should be the first TO see Him and to re-
ceiye His first resurrection message
Lydia was, as far as we know, the first
convert in Europe under Paul's teaching.
Let us who are believers, whether men or
women, be obedient to His command,
4 Go and tell (Isa vi, o; Mark xvi, y.
10. Then the same day at evening
came Jesus and stood in the midst, and
saith unto them, Peace be unto you" 1t
was the first day of the week, the disciples |
were gathered together, and the doors
were shut for fear; they must therefore
have been securely fastened But without
being admitted Jesus Is suddenly in their
midst This was probably the fifth APP
pearance that day. After the two already
mentioned He appeared to Peter and to
thest wo who walked to Emmaus. He APP
peared also ON five or seven other occa-
sions. A week later He appeared to the
disciples again. Thomas being present,
with the same greeting, Peace be unto
you Verse 26)
go "And when He had so said, He
Showed unto them His hands and His
side. Then were the disciples glad when
they saw the Lord +" The marks Of nails
and spear in His hand and side are the
reminder OF His great love, and say unto
us among other things If / so loved
7 1. 4