_And when the Sabbath was past._ THE SABBATH BEFORE THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST There never was such a Sabbath on earth as that described here. 1. To Jesus, our Divine Master, it was a Sabbath of silence. His ministry had closed His public career had ended. Love and hate, and want and weakness, we... [ Continue Reading ]
_They came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun._ THE SEDULITY OF THE DEVOUT WOMEN Consider their sedulity-sedulity that admits no intermission, no interruption, no discontinuance, no indifference in religious offices. Consider we therefore their sedulity, if we can. I say, if we can; becaus... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who shall roll us away the stone?_ THE DEATH UNTO SIN So said the women who came to see Christ, who had died upon the cross. Are they the last who have had the like fears on a like occasion? Has not every Christian who has set himself in earnest to the work of following Christ in His death been a... [ Continue Reading ]
_They saw a young man sitting on the right side._ PERPETUAL YOUTH Very remarkable that this super-human being should be described as a “young man.” Immortal youth, with buoyant energy and fresh power, belongs to angelic beings, and to the children of the resurrection, who are to be “equal unto the... [ Continue Reading ]
_He is risen; He is not here._ THE WORDS OF AN ANGEL Here we have the first gospel sermon preached after the gospel had been finished on the cross, and sealed by the fact of the resurrection. Not a sentence that dropped from the speaker’s lips by accident; nor are its words mere words that came up... [ Continue Reading ]
_Tell His disciples and Peter._ LOVE’S TRIUMPH OVER SIN Matthew, who also reports the angel’s words, has only “tell His disciples.” Mark (the “interpreter” of Peter) adds words which must have come like wine and oil to the bruised heart of the denier, “and Peter.” To the others, it was of less imp... [ Continue Reading ]
_Now when Jesus was risen._ EVIDENCE OF THE FACT OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION The empty tomb of Jesus recalls an event which is as well attested as any in history. It is so attested as to put the idea of what is called “illusion” out of the question. The main purpose, the first duty, of the apostolic m... [ Continue Reading ]
_And she went and told them._ A SAD INTERIOR AND A CHEERY MESSENGER Mark is graphic: he paints an interior like a Dutch artist. We see a choice company-“Them that had been with Him.” We know many of the individuals, and are interested to note what they are doing, and how they bear their bereavemen... [ Continue Reading ]
_After that He appeared in another form._ THE CHANGING FORM OF THE UNCHANGING SAVIOUR I. Christ has a form. Eliphaz said (Job 4:15). Not thus is the Lord Jesus presented to us in the New Testament. Throughout His earthly life He appears, not in uncertain and wavering lines, but in all the distinctn... [ Continue Reading ]
_And upbraided them with their unbelief._ THE DEPARTING SAVIOUR It cannot be a matter of indifference to the pious to know in what manner the blessed Saviour took final leave of His earthly Church. If we really love Him it cannot but interest us to understand how He conducted Himself, how He looke... [ Continue Reading ]
_Go ye into an the world and preach the gospel._ CHRIST’S COMMISSION TO HIS APOSTLES I. The work. Preaching the gospel. 1. Speaking. Much of the real and useful work of life is wrought by words. They are the tools of almost every worker in some department of his toil. In preaching the gospel they... [ Continue Reading ]
_He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved._ ON THAT BELIEF WHICH IS NECESSARY TO BAPTISM The text is an abridgement of our Lord’s last instructions to His apostles before His ascension. Other parts of the same discourse are to be found in Matthew 28:18; John 20:21. See also Luke 24:45. By c... [ Continue Reading ]
_And these signs shall follow._ NEW TONGUES New, because strange to the natural man, because acquired not by nature, but by grace. As the world of old was divided by the confusion of tongues, so by the renewing of our nature, and by the oneness of our speech, shall all be united into one people, h... [ Continue Reading ]
_They shall take up serpents._ THE PRIVILEGES OF BELIEVERS It is to men who believe, through their belief, that privileges such as these are to be given. The essence and ground of the promised power is faith. That old word, Faith! That old thing, Faith! How men have stumbled over its definition, an... [ Continue Reading ]
_He was received up into heaven._ THE ASCENSION AND ITS EFFECTS The hidden source of the Christian’s spiritual life is with Christ in God. To Him he looks as his treasure-his treasure in heaven; thither does he endeavour in heart and mind to ascend; he sets his affections on things above; he seeks... [ Continue Reading ]
_And preached everywhere._ THE PUBLICATION OF THE GOSPEL BY THE APOSTLES I. The general publication of the Gospel by the apostles. Their industry in this work was almost incredible. What pains did they take! What hazard did they run! What difficulties and discouragements did they contend with! And... [ Continue Reading ]