The Tupelo journal., 1908-06-05
JESUS APPEARS
TO THE APOSTLES
Sunday School Lesson for June7, 1908
Specially Prepared for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-John 2o:ls-s1. Memory
verses 10. 20.
GOLDEN TExT.-"Thomas answered
and said unto him: My Lord n my
God."-John 2O:2S.
RECORDED APPEARANCES OF
JE~SUS.-First appearance of Jesus after
the resurrection. to Mary Magdalene:
Mark 1911: John 20:11-18. Second ap-
perance. to the other women: Matt. %:
3. 10. Third appearance, to Peter: Luke
Z4:S4. Fourth appearance, to two disciples
on the way to Emmaus: Luke 24:13-31;
Mark 1912, 10. Fifth appearance, to ten
disciples. Thomas absent: Mark 1914:
Luke ~24:s6-43; John 2o:19-25. Sixth ap-
p~earance. to the Eleven. including
Thomas: John 2O:26-29. Seventh appear
ance after his resurrection, to seven
disciples by the Sea of Galilee: John 81:
LIS. Eighth appearance. to the Eleven on
a mountain in Galilee: Matt. ~2S:16-20:
Mark 16:15-18. Ninth appearance, to SOC
at once: 1 Cor. 1876 ~Cperhaps the same
as I'D. Tenth appearance. to James: ]
Cor. ISL. Eleventh appearance, to the
Eleven, on the Mount of Olives; the as'
cension: Luke ~24:44-53; Mark 1913, 20;
Acts It'll.
TlME.-The appearance to the ten dis
clpies and others was on Sunday evening.
April 3, A. d. so. The appearance when
Thomas was present was on the following
Sunday, April 16.
PLACE.-In Jerusalem, probably the
upper room of the Last Supper. Emmaus.
a village seven and a half miles from
Jerusalem.
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
We have seen how poorly prepared
were the disciples for Christ's resurrec.
ton, how slowly they believed, how
little they understood the meaning of
h great event. THE resurrection Of
Jesus Christ is the turning point in
human time, changing it may be the
trend OF divine eternity itself. 1t gives
us, first, a certified Christianity, an &C.
credited salvation; and, secondly, it
gives us a present, living, communing
Saviour" -Boardman It was the main
purpose OF Christ's appearances
through the 40 days between the resur-
rection on April 9 and the ascension
on May Is to teach his disciples what
this resurrection meant to them and
to the world, that it might become the
power OF their preaching in all lands.
The risen Lord first appeared to his
assembled disciples on the evening of
N1SN g. AAiC lOoul CCIIOu ouIludy
For a time the Christians observed
both h Jewish Sabbath and this
first day of the week." but when
obliged to choose between the two,
they naturally settled upon the day
when Christ roes from the dead, rath.
er than that when he lay in the grave.
Our Sunday is therefore a standing
evidence of the reality of Christ's res.
direction.
The disciples were perhaps in the
same upper room in Jerusalem where
they had eaten the Lords Supper.
They were brave, for in spite of the
Jews they dared to assemble; they
were timid, for they barred themselves
in for fear of the Jews "-Alexander
M%aclaren, D.. D. They were eating
their evening meal together MARK,
with what sad thoughts Of the meal
eaten with their Lord only two days
before!
The clever disciples were there,
except Thomas, who had ZAP
parently thrown away all hope"
Cambridge Bible. Other disciples
were also present duke 24:33),
and the two from Emmaus were tell
ing their joyful story when the risen
Lord appeared in the room and was
at once recognized by the company.
Christs risen body was different from
the body he had before death. Il. 1t could
not have been no body, since 1t was
handled and ate food. 2. 1t was, in
some respects, the same body that had
been %crucified, since it carried the
wounds of the cross, while the cruel
fed body had disappeared. 8. 1t was,
in some respects, a changed body, for
it manifested powers which it had
never before manifested."-J. M.
Wilton, Ph.D. 1t appears and disap-
pears suddenly and mysteriously, and
a quickly move from one place 20
another. 1T can eat; but it no longer
needs to eat; it can reveal itself in
n place, but is not bound to this one
place."-Van Oosterzee.
Thomas doubt was met by our
Lords sixth appearance-one week
later (the eight days" including both
Sundays, according to the Jewish
mode Of r%eckoning), in the same upper
room, and under quite the same cir
cumstances. The closed doors, the
mysterious entrance, the quiet opening
address, repeat the first occurrence
Thomas alone is addressed this time,
and hidden to test in his own way the
reality of Chrst's body; land be not
%faithless, but believing"
Christ's reply to Thomas confession
has been called the last B%eatitude."
Thomas believed, but only because he
had seer with his eyes,: Blessed are
they that have not seen, and yet have
believed"
The first conclusion of the Gospel is
with verses 80, 81. John might go on
indefinitely, recording the wonderful
deeds and words of his Lord John 81:
25). He had written enough, however,
to complete his purpose, the proof Of
the opening declaration of the book,
that "the Word was God" and ''the
Word became flesh"
Practical Points.
The resurrection story teaches us
how ready is Christ to adapt himself
to varying human needs and condi-
tons.
The resurrection is food for our
faith.
The resurrection is an assurance of
more glorious things to come for
| every child of God.
Let us keep in mind that the Lord