The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-06
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
The Resurrection of Jesus-Luke
xiv. Up.


! Prepared for The Republic by ]. E. Gilbert. D.
q Religious Education.
INTRODUCTION-Our lesson has refer
ence to the great church festival CActs xxi,
q, which is observed by hundreds of mil
lions OF believers. 1t is a comforting reflec-
ton that Oriental, Catholic, Lutheran, An
glican and Reformed. divided on many mat
nevertheless unite in concentrating the
resurrection Of Jesus. Around the globe may
anthem, proof of that spiritual unity which
is in him, prophecy of that kingdom which
he came to establish. At each succeeding
anniversary new interest is awakened in
the narrtive. because from a thousand
sources increasing light has been shed up
on It, until its every, incident Is respondent
ture combined have enlisted the highest
genius of all the centuries TO render vivid
the scenes at the speulcher of Joseph of
so inspired painter and sculptor. poet and
musician. may be soon told. Guided by the
outline of Luke and weaving in the utter
cupy but little space.
ETENTS-Jesus was crucifed on Friday
afternoon. The Sabbath of the Jews. begin
ming at 6 O'Clock of that same solar day.
ended at 6 o'clock on Saturday. During all
this time while the ritual services were be-
ing rendered in Jersualem. according to law.
the body Of Jesus rested in the embrace of
death. The night of Saturday came on,
reckoned by the Jews as the beginning Of
the first day of their week. and the Roman
soldiers continued their watch over the
sepuicher. Finally, the tumult of the great
metropolis ceased. and its inhabitants sank
into siuTber. So far as mortal could Judge
and his enemies had ~t-iumphed. But the
events of that night changed the, prospect.
The record has been. made by a single
hand, guided by inspiration Matt. xviii.
30. ana that the hand of the publican
apostle. There was an earthquake. The
angel of the Lord descended from heaven.
IT, opr,ot1r,oyca r-.c lilo Ifuhfriny bic
raiInent white as snow. For fear of him the
keepers of the serulchre tremb!ed and be-
came as dead men. The angel, rolled back
open door Jesus walked. beheld by no hu-
man eye. the mighty conqueror of death.
(PSasm l5Rt.i, n9 rrsc,ss bo,r in which The
foregoing events occurred Is unknown, but
it is recorded that the soldiers, recovering
from their fright, fed to the city and re-
ported. Matt. XXvvii, III After they left, a
company of women came to the sepulcher.
Among them were Mary Magdalene. Joanna,
Mary, the mother of James. and others.
mendable purpose to anoint the body CT
their loved master, whose death they sup
posed to be absolute and final. They
brought sweet spices. which had been pur-
chased och. xiii. 5 and O.. probably on Fri
day evening after the burial. They were
ignorant of the watch and seal which had
been set after their departure from the Sc
pulcher Matt. xvii, 65l; also of the occur
FENCES just described. They therefore only
knew enc hindrance to the easy perform
ance Of their service OF love; namely: the
had placed at the mouth of the sepulchcr.
They drew near IN the early morning. while
IL was yet quite dark, just as the first rays
Of the sun began to appear in the. East.
Naturally. they Gueried among themselves
concerning the stone, whether their COM
hined. strength was sufficient for Its re-
moval, whether assistance could be had.
whether. possibly, the gardener himself
might be found at that hour. a matter
which. in their haste. they had overlooked.
PERPLEXITY-On coming nearer, the
women discovered that the stone was al
ready removed. One of the apostles John
Xxx. l and p. informs US that Mary Magda-
sepulcher. inferred that 1t had been robbed,
and she hastened into the city to report to
the disciples; 1t was the impulse of ardent
love that led her TO turn without knowing,
10 break the tidings and seek sympathy and
help, an interesting instance in which the
heart controlled the head. The other women
it may be, sharing Mary's fears and quite
thereby. tarried at the Sepulcher.
As the increasing light Of the morning SUI
ticiently disclosed the situation; calmer
thoughts possessed the minds of the wom-
en-. and they entered into the sepulcher. But
the body was not found. Conflicting opln- !
it be. as Mary thought. that enemies have
invaded the resting place of the dead? After
the ignominious treatment at the trial and
the cross, could the Jews be SO wicked?
vi haFV AiASila- opSSihs an 4
sepulcher. or some other. removed the body
to another place for safekeeping? There
was much perpiexity in consequence.
ANGELS-While these questions were agi-
tating tho minds of the women, the scene
changed. Messengers from the
heavenly world, two men. Luke calls them
Verse ~ angels in human form, stood by
them. in dazzling apparel" Mark XVI. -
In this passage we md that Mark says
the tomb. This agrees substantially with
statement. (Ch. xviii, .5) The
evangelists do not contradict the third.
Evidently they refer to the one angel who
had been seated on the stone. The differ
emit accounts harraonize, II we suppose that
he removed to the interior Of the sepulchre:
hat he concealed himself. as the women en-.
tered, after being seen by one or two Of
them; that with another angel he reap
peared when the women were consulting.
supernatural features of the gospel mar
-ative are very numerous and startling.
are many accounts Of strange. phe-
aomena and Of the appearance Of heavenly
beings. related, with such simplicity and
,vident sincerity. as to awaken the conf,
The two visitors affrighted the women, who,
n such a place, would be sensitive. and
lfter the custom Of Orientalists in the pres
snce Of superiors Gen. XVII. p, they bowed