The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-09-14


~ ~ MWMA body of Jesus had
wa been stolen, would
they not have sought out the thieves?
Or, If they thought, with some mod
erns, that Jesus had not died on the
cross but had only swooned, and that
of the tomb and gone forth, would
they not have searched for Him and
ministered to His needs? The fact
that they went home shows that they
accepted neither explanation Of the
disappearance Of Christs body.
The verses preceding the text sug-
gest their reason for coming to some
other conclusion. They seem to have
been greatly impressed by "the linen
cloths lying" in the sepulchre. Was it
not strange that these cloths were left
behind? Usually, If corpse were
moved we should expect its coverings
to be moved with it. Again, the cloths,
which had encased the body, were "
ing by themselves and the napkin,
which had been about the head, was
lying in place by itself. There were
no evidences of haste, as might have
been expected if the body had been
taken away by either friends or foes.
Finally, the cloths do not seem to have
been unwound, but merely to have
sunken down in their place, for we
read nothing Of the hundred pounds of
spices being scattered about the tomb.
The situation was such that when
John went into the tomb "he saw and
believed" He. evidently believed that
Jesus had left the tomb without the
assistance of human hands, but by ris,
ing from the. dead and escaping super
naturally from the linen cloths, just
as he later appeared in the midst of
His disciples when the door was shut.
Peter was filled with wonder. at least.
and so together they went home.
"But Mary stood without at the
sepulchre weeping" She had returned
to the sepulchre, and had not yet ar
rived at the conviction of John. She
would at least stay where the body Of
Jesus had lain. The language implies
that she wept with audible sobs. And
to "the patient watching of love" the
risen Lord first manifested Himself
Mary stopped and looked into the
sepulchre and saw two angels, sitting
as sentinels where the body of her
Lord had lain. Most of us would have
been much excited and awed by such
a vision. But Mary did not seem to
have been greatly impressed by it.
When the angels asked the cause for
her weeping 3he answered: "They
have taken away my Lord" No heav-
emily visitant could satisfy this woman
who sought her Lord" Some would
discount Mary as witness of the res
direction on the ground that she was
an excitable woman, subject to hallu-
cinations, but no such tendency ap-
peared here.
For some reason Mary turned, and
saw Jesus standing, but her, eyes were
holden and she knew Him not. Sup
posing Him to be friendly gardener
she said, "Sir, If thou hast borne Him
hence, tell me where thou hast laid
Him, and I will take Him away" Five
times she said Him" without telling
to whom she referred She supposed
everybody would know Him" whom
her soul loved. And this woman who
wondered who would roll the stone
away, thought that in her arms of love
she could support the weight Of the
body of Him" "He's not heavy
said the child, carrying baby in her
arms, hes not heavy; he's my
brother"
Then Jesus spoke, saying, MARY"
Since the voice of every human being
in healthy condition is the expression
of the man within him, we can infer
the impressiveness of Jesus voice
Mary had heard that voice before,
when it uttered word of power which
cast out seven demons from her. How
1t must have thrilled her as she heard
it, calling her again by name, on that
morning in Joseph's garden! And what
joy and devotion must have sounded
forth in her cry of "Rabboni Master"
The caution of Jesus, Touch me
not, for l am not yet assembled" has
been misunderstood. The word implies
she is not to cling to Christ, in her
desire to retain Him. The old earthly
intimacy, often interrupted, is not to
be renewed, but better relations are to
be entered upon. Christ will soon
ascend to His Father and then Mary
may touch Him, but with the spiritual
touch of living faith. How wonder
full that since His resurrection He calls
us His brethren"
We too shall hear that wondrous
voice. On the morning OF earth's final
Sabbath, in the Paradise of God, the
Chief Shepherd will call His own
sheep 'by name" How joyously we
shall respond, in an eternal surrender.
Rabboni. Masterl"