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THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: so the last error shall be worse than the first." Pilate said unto them, "Ye

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have a watch go your way, make it as sure as ye So they went, and made the sepulchre sure,

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sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

39. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

ON the day after the great sabbath, (that is, on the first day of the week, called afterwards the Lord's day,) there was early in the morning a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door of the sepulchre, and sat upon it.

Matt. xxvii. 62-66.

His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.

Some pious women who had followed Jesus out of Galilee, had already, on the Friday evening, bought spices and ointments; for they intended, as soon as the sabbath was over, to embalm the body of Jesus in his sepulchre. Then early in the morning they went to the sepulchre. Mary Magdalene went first, probably by a shorter way, and came to the sepulchre before the sun was risen. Finding that the stone is away from the sepulchre, she runs back quickly the same way, and says to Peter and John, "They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him." Then Peter and John arose to go and see with their own eyes; and Mary Magdalene followed them. In the

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mean time the other women also had come to the sepulchre, and found it empty. And as they were much perplexed about this, behold, there appeared to them two shining angels; and they feared greatly. And one of the angels said to them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Go your way; tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him, as he said unto you." And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed.

While they were going back to the city the longer way, Peter and John came to the sepulchre, and saw the linen clothes lying there in which Jesus had been wrapped. But him they found not. They also thought that some one had taken him

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.

away. For it never occurred to them that he could have risen from the dead. Then they went back again to their own home.

But Mary Magdalene stood without the sepulchre weeping; and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, and seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. And they say unto her, ❝ Woman, why weepest thou?" She saith unto them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him." And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith unto her, "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, "Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away." Jesus saith unto her, "Mary!" Then she knew him, and cried out, 66 Rabboni;" which is to say, "Master;' and fell at his feet. Jesus saith unto her, "Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God."a

And while she was hastening home, Jesus met the other women also who were on their way to Jerusalem, and said to them, "All hail." And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him. Then they, together with Mary Magdalene, told all these things to the apostles; but they would not believe them.

a John xx. 1-17.

40.

THE JOURNEY TO EMMAUS.

ON the same day Jesus appeared to Peter, who, on account of his fall, stood in need of peculiar consolation. Two other of his disciples were going on the same day to a village called Emmaus, which was about eight miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking together of all these things. And as they went on their way they were joined by one who said to them, "What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?" And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, "Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?" And he said unto them, "What things?" And they said unto him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to-day is the third day since these things were done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not." Then he said unto them, "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his

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THE JOURNEY TO EMMAUS.

glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scrip

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tures the things concerning himself. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went : and he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, "Abide with us for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, "Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?"

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