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Subject Jesus Appears to the Apostles,
John XXX, I9-29-GOIden Text John
Xxx, 29-Memory Verses, 49, @O-Com-
mentary on the Days Lesson.
10 "The same day" 1t is still the
resurrection day, Sunday, the Lords day
''At evening" The events OF the Gay
had been many and important, but now,
at the close of the day, Jesus appears to
all the disciples. He would have appeared
to them in the morning had they been as,
sembled then Doors were shut. And
probably bolted "For fear" There IS
nothing to show that the Jews designed
to modest the disciples, but because they
had put Christ to death they had reason
to fear that they might be the next VIC
tins. 'sIn the midst" He evidently en-
tered miraculously. In verse ~ John re-
in way to leave but little doubt that ne
intends to convey the impression that
Christ entered by His own power winnie
they were shut "Peace be unto you.
His usual sautation and benediction May
every blessing of heaven and earth winch
you need be granted unto you. o,
20. ''Has so said" Luke makes men
tion of several things that took place be-
fore He showed them His hands and side
See chap. "a: 81, 80. Here we see how
terrified they were, supposing they had
seen a spirit All these references, to tho
great difficulty with which the disciples
accepted the fact of the resurrection OF
Jesus are given to strengthen our faith
in the fact There was no COLLISION among
the disciples to show that Jesus was alive,
but they themselves were convinced
against their wills, against their preJu-
dices, against their expectations. he tnen
gently reproved them by asking why they
were troubled and why they permitted
anxious reasonings and questionings to
arise in their minds. "Shewed unto them;
The wounds were probably all perfectly
healed, but the scars renamed Ills
hands and His side" Luke says hanos
and feet. This leaves no doubt that Jesus
as many were. Jesus told them to handle
did. "Glad." They were terrified at
first, but when they knew Him they were
glad There is great Joy in the resurrec-
ton for every one when they saw.
sight of Christ will gladden. the hear: OF
disciple at any time. 1t was at this time
that He gave to them another proof that
He was the same Jesus whom they had
known. He called for food Uuke "a; Al
43l and did eat before them. AtterWard
the apostles called attention to what now
occurred as proof of their LORD resur-
rection. Acts 10: Al. He ate before them,
not because He had need of food for the
body but because they had need OF faith
for the soul. There is great mystery IN
connection with Christ's resurrection body.
There are several opinions concerning IL.
|. That after His resurrection He had
spiritual body, similar to what our p sSl
will be after our resurrection. =. Ihat
He had body the same In substance as
before the crucifxion, but endowed with
new properties and powers. B. That he
had a body the same in substance and at
tributes as He had before His cruclhnon,
and that this was changed, into Ills glo-
rious resurrection body. at the ascension;
81. "Hath sent Me" AS l was sent to
proclaim the truth of the Most High, and
to convert sinners to God. send you for
the very same purpose, clothed with au-
thority and influenced by the Spirit. :.
% "Breathed on them" lntimating
by this that they were to be made, new
men; for in this act He evidently alluded
to the creation of man when God breathed
into Him the breath of lives and He be-
came living soul Receive We the Holy
Ghost" Out of His fulness their minds
and hearts were to be filled, and thus
they would be prepared to carry on the
work after He had left them,
sion. Compare Matt. 16: 49,. One thing
is certain, God only can forgive sins; to
declare anything else would be blasphe-
nous But Christ gave power and author
ity to the apostles in the establishing OF
His church that has not been transmitted
to the church. Since the church could no, not
be organized or the full gospel preached
till after the death and resurrection OF
Jesus, He must have some authoritative
representatives on earth to whom, under
the guidance of the Holy Spirit, could be
committed the decision OF all questions
and interpretations that would necessarily
arise They who believed on the Son of
God, in consequence of the preaching Of
the apostles, had their sins RENTED; and
they who would not believe were declared
to lie under condemnation.
"a. Thomas" This was His Hebrew
name, and Didymus His Greek name;
both meant "a twin IS W as not nr;rc WIFI
causes of the unbelief of this apostle. He
should have been at his post with the
rest, then he would have seen and heard
Jesus, and would have received the bless
ings and encouragement that the others
received.
would not believe the testimony of the
ten apostles. He is most unreasonable
and obstinate in his unbelief. Il will not
believe" Thomas is 90 certain that it can
not be so that he is determined not to be
convinced; he will not accept ordinary
evidence.
%. cater eight days" One week from
that time on the next Lords day night.
Again they were met for religious worship
and this time Thomas was with them;
probably encouraged to be present by
what the other apostles had told him.
'Then came Jesus" Jesus will always be
present with those who meet in His name.
81. "Reach hither." Our Lord meets
him in His own language, and this was a
rebuke to Thomas, showing him that
Jesus, though not present, knew all the
hard, unbeEeving things he had said.
"But believing" There is evidence sufi,,
Gent. 1t WIN be well for every one tt, heed
these words of Christ TO Thomas; let us
"have faith in God"
IS. "l'bomas answered" overwhhelm.edl
with the fact Of Christ's presence. he did
not hold out an instant. My God" l
and PROSTATE myself before Thee as the
great God. Thomas was the first who
gave the title of God to Jesus The, slow
ness OF Thomas to believe ought to
strengthen our faith. The disciples were
cautious and accepted nothing that they
did not know was founded on fact.
90 "And vet have believed" The faith
of Thomas would have been more pleas
ing to Christ if he had believed at once.
let us receive the testimony OF those who
haze seen Him remembering that there