IN a grand symphony of praise a multitude of angels, in the hearing of the shepherds of Bethlehem, celebrated the birth of our Lord. Assuredly not less interested in His glorious resurrection, certain angels rendered true and acceptable service in announcing before the women at the sepulcher its accomplishment. From that moment when from the vision of angels Mary Magdalene “turned herself back,” these heavenly messengers were lost to sight, to appear again no more until after our Lord's ascension (Acts 1:10, 1110And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; 11Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (Acts 1:10‑11)).
When first our Lord foretold to His disciples His own resurrection from the dead, these questioned one with another what the rising from the dead should mean (Matt. 9:99And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. (Matthew 9:9)). And, when we consider it, how much was involved in that glorious bringing again from the dead our. Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep! For upon it depended our justification; also by it the Mighty Victor put all His enemies to open shame. The very glories attendant upon His victory make the riches of His grace all the more apparent as we perceive the manner in which our glorious Deliverer made Himself known to His weeping and sorrowing disciple (John 20).
“Jesus saith unto her, Mary.” That one word, uttered by Himself, instantly turned all her overwhelming grief into overflowing joy. It was Himself indeed, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and forever.” Many waters had not quenched that love which His calling her by name abundantly proved to be, as ever, perfect. She had sorrowed much for His sake; He had endured infinitely more in accomplishing her salvation and ours; and now He was found of her whom He called by name.
“She turned herself, and saith unto Him, Rabboni.” The writer on one occasion, having been hastily called to the bedside of a loved and dying sister, was quietly sitting near and watching the dear sick one, when she presently opened her eyes, gazed upwards very intently, and said, “Lord Jesus!” Those two words were uttered in a tone at once expressive of complete satisfaction of heart, of ecstatic spiritual joy, and of deepest reverence, as became a true worshipper. By that one word “Rabboni,” Mary Magdalene expressed what this dying sister also felt when she too recognized her Lord.
Her natural impulses are instantly checked and restrained by the Lord's authoritative injunction— “Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father.” The Son of God stood before her, soon to ascend up to where He was before; so that, if before her in infinite and condescending grace, Christ shall henceforth be known after the flesh no more. Yet is. Mary very highly privileged in being commissioned to bear His message to those whom He is not ashamed to call His brethren, to announce the glorious fact that His ascension is now imminent, in language no less clear in its expression of the full reality of our unalterable relationship now existing between the risen Son of God and those who believed: His Father and God is theirs also.
OUR LORD'S SECOND APPEARANCE.
The omission from the ninth verse of Matt. 28 in the R. V. of what forms the first clause of the verse in the A. V. is a decided improvement. We quote the Revised, “And behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and took hold of His feet, and worshipped Him.”
The manner of our Lord's salutation “All hail!” leaves no room for a doubt that quite a number of women, saw Him at His second appearance. Mary had gone and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and she had faithfully delivered His first message to them. Yet Mary's only companions on her again returning to the sepulcher appear to be believing women, whom our Lord meets on their way, and so salutes them all. These are now privileged to hold Him by the feet, which Mary at His first appearance was strictly forbidden to do. Why that restriction then? And this liberty of action now? Evidently the Lord would have His “brethren” to be instant partakers with Mary in the joy of the full assurance that He was actually risen from the dead. There must be no delay in the delivery of the all-important message He sent at the first by her to them. Had they at once accepted the truth from her lips, they had doubtless all returned with her at once to the sepulcher. We believe that those thus returning with her believed because of her word, and that the favor of holding their risen Lord by the feet was specially conferred on those who readily received Mary's testimony. The message they jointly receive to deliver to His “brethren” treats not of His ascension, but of His presently meeting them in Galilee.
THE LORD APPEARS TO TWO GOING TO EMMAUS.
It has become quite the habit with some, whose sole standpoint in viewing the whole matter appears to be Psa. 133:33As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Psalm 133:3), to reflect strongly upon those two disciples, who, on that eventful resurrection day, turned their backs upon and left Jerusalem to go to a comparatively obscure village. These Mentors seem to quite overlook the very significant fact that our Lord Himself does not in the least reflect upon, them for their action, which exactly reversed that of the Queen of Sheba. The city of solemnities had an all-absorbing attraction for her, because there reigned Solomon, and there the Lord God of Israel was glorified in Israel's accepted king. Therefore in her day it was a profitable employment to
“Walk about Zion, and go round about her:
Tell the towers thereof,
Mark well her bulwarks,
Consider her palaces.”
That they might have the privilege of worshipping a greater than Solomon the wise men came from the east to Jerusalem. Not finding Him there, Zion's “towers, bulwarks, palaces,” have no attractions for them compared with Bethlehem, where He then was. The culpable indifference displayed by the inhabitants of Jerusalem with reference to His birth, had since given place to the open manifestation of their murderous hatred of Him, Whom they cast out of that city which He had Himself chosen to put His name there, and crucified on Calvary.
The entire narrative shows that Cleopas and his companion were thinking more about the treatment the Lord had received at the hands of its inhabitants than about the city itself. For all this their turning of their backs upon it was a testimony against Jerusalem, in which they had no heart any longer to abide, since He has been so shamelessly maltreated therein, and led out only to be crucified.
His crucifixion, death, and burial is their all-absorbing theme of conversation as they walk and are sad. Their affections are strong, and as deep as they were real; but faith is lacking, so that they are very depressed and sorrowful: chafed in their minds and wounded in their spirits because of what He had suffered at the hands of sinful men. Jesus draws near and goes with them, His every footstep betokening unweakened affection.
In infinite wisdom their eyes are holden that they do not know Him. He encourages them to tell out all their sorrows. Hiding nothing from Him whose full sympathies are with them, they tell of all that has so deeply wounded them. He answers them by the instant application of that word which is sharper than any two-edged sword. His sharp rebuke went deeper than all that had wounded before, and fully exposed a slowness of heart in believers, of the existence of which they had hitherto not been aware. As they now were deeply wounded and thoroughly humbled, their risen Lord forsakes them not; but instantly brings forward the testimony of the written word concerning Christ's sufferings, and His glory that should certainly follow.
Jerusalem now is no longer in their thoughts; they fret no more over the wicked action of “the chief priests and our rulers;” they forget even their own sorrows. For their hearts are now burning within them, as He talks with them, and opens to them the scriptures.
They draw near unto Emmaus; He makes as though He would go farther. But they constrain Him to abide with them. Most gladly they do their best and utmost in their genuine desire to minister to the refreshment of their unknown Guest, Who has so fully refreshed their spirits by His ministration of the Christ to them through the written word.
He is known of them in breaking of bread, and vanishes. This is now indeed an overflowing cup; they must make others partakers with themselves of joys so full and deep and real. They rise up the same hour, and return to that very city upon which they have so recently turned their backs. Why is it become to them the city of desire, in which their feet now gladly tread? Christ's own are there assembled; they are mourning and weeping, while Cleopas and his companion are filled with comfort. They hasten forward in their eagerness to tell good news, to find that the Lord has been graciously pleased to give another proof of His own resurrection. Certain anticipate them, “saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.” “And they told what things were done in the way, and how He was known of them in breaking of bread.”