The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-12-10

details respecting the death OF Jesus
and His burial In Joseph's new tomb.
wherein none had previously been
buried and respecting the sealing OF
the tomb and the setting OF q guard
lest the body should be stolen at
night. But while these matters are
interesting to us, they probably do
not now have the same Importance
that they had when they were writ
ten From this distance We feel IN
clinsd TO ask about the general char
acter Of Jesus disciples who declar-
ed His resurrection, rather than TO
inquire particularly respecting all
the details which they enumerated.
In broad terms We say. II the char
acters Of the Apostles prove them
selves satisfactory to us, We are
ready TO take their word respecting
the resurrection of Jesus and His
subsequent appearances to them. On
the other hand, II they were bad men
or otherwise unworthy to be believed,
no amount OF details respecting the
tomb, the watch, the seals, etc,
would be satisfactory to US, because
cunning and designing men could
make up the story TO suit their de-
sires.
But II was not so at the time Of
our Lords death and resurrection. 1t
was then very necessary that every
little detail should be explicitly speci-
fed. The parts of three days and
nights, for instance, were unimport-
ant to them because of Jesus words,
which they remembered He likened
10 period In death to the period in
which Jonah was In the whales bel.
ly. There are some today disposed
to bubble owe rthe matter and to
claim that Jesus died on Thursday
and not on Friday. Surely, however,
all can concede that II matters moth
ing to us on which day Of the week
he died, nor the number OF hours he
was In the tomb, whether seventy
two hours to the minute or less
exact time. With us the important
question IL, Did He die? Did He arise
from the dead Was there a value in
His sacrifcial death, from the Divine
standpoint, and no wis that value or
merit made applicable to mankind
and have We obtained our interest
therein according to the Divine
terms?
"He Rose gain On the Third Day"
With the majority of Christians
for these many centuries we agree
that Jesus was In the tomb parts of
three days and nights; that died on
Friday afternoon, and that he arose
on Sunday morning. But We are not
contentious. Let who likes believe
that He died on Thursday or We'd
nesday or Tuesday or another day;
this is a matter OF no Importance.
The all.important matter is, "He
ever hveth to make intercession for
u.s." from. S:34) Thi stone at the
mouth Of the sepulchre was not a
large boulder, as many suppose, but
was shaped like a wheel-like q large
grindstone. II rolled In q groove, bur
being heavy, would be cumbersome
and difficult for the women, as sug-
gested.
The sorrowing friends of Jesus
did not realize at the time what he
had taught them respecting his cruel
fixion and subsequent resurrection.
Hence they were surprised with
every incident of their experience on
that eventful Sunday morning The
angel appeared In dazzling bright
ness, that He might not be mistaken
for man. He told the women who
brought spices for the embalming of
the Lords body that their Master
was risen fro mthe dead-that He
was no longer dead: that they would
see Him In Galilee; and to 80 tell
His disciples. On the way Jesus met
them and revealed Himself to them.
Another account tells us that Mary,
separated from the others, met Jesus
alone and, mistaking Him for the
gardener, asked whittier the corpse
had been removed. Then Jesus re-
vealed Himself to her. Recognizing
her Master she clasped Him by the
feet as though afraid that He would
leave her; but, different from His
previous course, he declared. Touch
Me not. for I have not yet assembled
to My Father and your Father, TO
My God and oyour Cod" Instead of
delaying to commune with me, hasten
at once to tell Peter and the others Of
My resurrection. How careful was
the Master that Peter should be men
toned by name, lest he should feel
that he was forever rejected because
OF having denied Him!
For forty days Jesus was with his
disciples and during that time he ap-
peared some seven or eight times,
according to all the different &C
counts. Once He appeared as a
gardener Once He appeared as a
traveller to two OF the disciples going
to Emmaus. Again He appeared on
the shore Of the Sea OF Gaililee to
some OF the disciples who were re.
turning to the fishing business. They
knew IL was Jesus, yet He was diff
ferent from formerly. But we read
that they did not dare ask Him re-
specting the matter He appeared
again TO above Ave hundred believers
In the mountains of Galilee, and
finally, by appointments, He met the
eleven at the top OF the Mount OF
Alives and ascended out OF their
sight--a cloud receiving him. Only
on two occasions are we informed
that He appeared with nailprints In
His hands and the spear wound In
His side. And on these two occasions
we are distinctly told that He appear.
ed In their midst. the doors being
shut, and that He vanished again
from their sight.
Thus did Jesus demonstrate to His
disciples the fact that He was no
longer dead, but alice, and addition.
ally. the other fact equally important,
namely, that He was no longer alive
, az a man, but as a spirit being. As
st. Paul declares, "He was put to
death I'm flesh, but made alive In
spirit" But every precaution was
taken to permit their natural powers