Chapter XXXI: Part XIV: The Resurrection, Appearances, and Ascension of Christ (1)

_During forty days beginning with Sunday after the death of Christ. Spring of A.D. 30 (or 29). Judea and Galilee.[a] Sects. 169-184._

[Footnote a: Of this period we see that he remained at or near Jerusalem for a week. Then he probably left at once for Galilee (Matt. 28:7; Mark 16:7). In the month that followed we cannot fix the exact time of the events that occurred in Galilee, but just at the end of the forty days we find him again in Jerusalem.]

Sect. 169. THE VISIT OF THE WOMEN TO THE TOMB OF JESUS

_They watch the tomb late on the Sabbath (our Saturday afternoon); and the purchase of spices by them after the Sabbath (after 6 P.M. Saturday) on the first day of the week._

GOLGOTHA AND BETHANY

Our late Saturday afternoon and early evening

Mark 16:1 |Matt. 28:1
|
| 1 Now late on the sabbath
| day,[a] as it began to dawn
| toward the first _day_ of the
| week, came Mary Magdalene and
| the other Mary to see the
| sepulchre.
1 And when the sabbath was |
past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary |
the _mother_ of James, and |
Salome, bought spices, that |
they might come and anoint him.|

[Footnote a: This phrase once gave much trouble, but the usage of the vernacular _Koine_ Greek amply justifies the translation. The visit of the women to inspect the tomb was thus made before the sabbath was over (before 6 P.M. on Saturday). But the same Greek idiom was occasionally used in the sense of "after." See Robertson, Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research, p. 645. The distance from Bethany to Golgotha was not more than a sabbath day's journey. The spices could be purchased after sundown either in Bethany or Jerusalem. It must be borne in mind that the Jewish First Day of the Week began at 6 P.M. on our Saturday.]

Sect. 170. THE EARTHQUAKE, THE ROLLING AWAY OF THE STONE BY AN ANGEL, AND THE FRIGHT OF THE ROMAN WATCHERS

Sunday before sunrise

Matt. 28:2-4

2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the
Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and
3 sat upon it. His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white
4 as snow: and for fear of him the watchers did quake, and became as
dead men.

Sect. 171. THE VISIT OF THE WOMEN TO THE TOMB OF JESUS ABOUT SUNRISE SUNDAY MORNING AND THE MESSAGE OF THE ANGELS ABOUT THE EMPTY TOMB

Golgotha. Early Sunday morning

Mark 16:2-8 |Matt. 28:5-8 |Luke 24:1-8 |John 20:1
| | |
2 And very early| | 1 But on the | 1 Now on the
on the first | | first day of | first _day_
day of the | | the week, at | of the week
week, they | | early dawn,[a]| cometh Mary
come to the | | they came unto| Magdalene
tomb when the | | the tomb, | early, while
sun was risen.| | bringing the | it was yet
3 And they were | | spices which | dark, unto
saying among | | they had | the tomb,
themselves, | | 2 prepared. And | and seeth
Who shall roll| | they found the| the stone
us away the | | stone rolled | taken away
stone from the| | away from the | from the
door of the | | 3 tomb. And they| tomb.
4 tomb? and | | entered in, |
looking up, | | and found not |
they see that the | | the body [2]of the Lord Jesus.
stone is rolled | | 4 And it came to pass, while
back: for it was | | they were
5 exceeding great. And| 5 And the angel | perplexed
entering into the | answered and said | thereabout,
tomb, they saw a | unto the women, Fear| behold, two men
young man sitting on| not ye: for I know | stood by them in
the right side, | that ye seek Jesus, | dazzling apparel:
arrayed in a white | which hath been | 5 and as they were
robe; and they were | 6 crucified. He is not| affrighted, and
6 amazed. And he saith| here; for he is | bowed down their
unto them, Be not | risen, even as he | faces to the
amazed: ye seek | said. Come, see the | earth, they said
Jesus, the Nazarene,| place [1]where the | unto them, Why
which hath been | 7 Lord lay. And go | seek ye [3]the
crucified: he is | quickly, and tell | living among the
risen; he is not | his disciples, He is| 6 dead? [4]He is not
here: behold, the | risen from the dead;| here, but is
place where they | and lo, he goeth | risen: remember
7 laid him! But go, | before you into | how he spake unto
tell his disciples | Galilee; there shall| you when he was
and Peter, He goeth | ye see him: lo, I | yet in Galilee,
before you into | 8 have told you. And | 7 saying that the
Galilee: there shall| they departed | Son of man must be
ye see him, as he | quickly from the | delivered up into
8 said unto you. And | tomb with fear and | the hands of
they went out, and | great joy, and ran | sinful men, and be
fled from the tomb; | to bring his | crucified, and the
for trembling and | disciples word. | third day rise
astonishment had | | 8 again. And they
come upon them: and | | remembered his
they said nothing to| | words.
any one; for they | |
were afraid. | |

[Footnote 1: Many ancient authorities read _where he lay_.]

[Footnote 2: Some ancient authorities omit _of the Lord Jesus_.]

[Footnote 3: Gr. _him that liveth_.]

[Footnote 4: Some ancient authorities omit _He is not here, but is
risen._]

[Footnote a: So he had already risen at early dawn on the first day of the week. He was buried (Sect. 167) shortly before sunset on Friday, and at sunset the sabbath began. So he lay in the tomb a small part of Friday, all of Saturday, and 10 or 11 hours of Sunday. This corresponds exactly with the seven times repeated statement that he would or did rise "on the third day," which _could not possibly_ mean after 72 hours. The phrase two or three times given, "after three days," naturally denoted for Jews, as for Greeks and Romans, a whole central day and any part of a first and third, thus agreeing with "on the third day." Even the "three days and three nights" of Matt. 12:40 need not, according to known Jewish usage, mean more than we have described. So these expressions _can_ be reconciled with "on the third day," and with the facts as recorded, while "on the third day" _cannot_ mean after 72 hours. See Note 13 at end of the Harmony for full discussion of the question. There is no real appeal from the testimony of Luke, who gives the whole period. Luke states that Jesus was buried just before the sabbath "drew on" (our Friday evening); that the women rested during the sabbath (our Saturday), and that Jesus was already risen early Sunday morning when the women came to the tomb.]

Sect. 172. MARY MAGDALENE AND THE OTHER WOMEN REPORT TO THE APOSTLES AND PETER AND JOHN VISIT THE EMPTY TOMB

Luke 24:9-12 |John 20:2-10
|
9 and returned [1]from the tomb, | 2 She runneth therefore, and
and told all these things to | cometh to Simon Peter, and to
the eleven, and to all the | the other disciple, whom Jesus
10 rest. Now they were Mary | loved, and saith unto them,
Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary| They have taken away the Lord
the _mother_ of James: and the | out of the tomb, and we know
other women with them told | not where they have laid him.
these things unto the apostles.| 3 Peter therefore went forth, and
11 And these words appeared in | the other disciple, and they
their sight as idle talk; and | 4 went toward the tomb. And they
they disbelieved them. | ran both together: and the
| other disciple outran Peter,
12 [2]But Peter arose, and ran | 5 and came first to the tomb; and
into the tomb; and stooping and| stooping and looking in, he
looking in, he seeth the linen | seeth the linen cloths lying;
clothes by themselves; and he | 6 yet entered he not in. Simon
[3]departed to his home, | Peter therefore also cometh,
wondering at that which was | following him, and entered into
come to pass. | the tomb; and he beholdeth the
| 7 linen cloths lying, and the
| napkin, that was upon his head,
| not lying with the linen
| cloths, but rolled up in a
| 8 place by itself. Then entered
| in therefore the other disciple
| also, which came first to the
| tomb, and he saw, and believed.
| 9 For as yet they knew not the
| scripture, that he must rise
|10 again from the dead. So the
| disciples went away again unto
| their own home.

[Footnote 1: Some ancient authorities omit _from the tomb_.]

[Footnote 2: Some ancient authorities omit verse 12.]

[Footnote 3: Or, _departed, wondering with himself_.]

_Five appearances are given as occurring on the day of his resurrection, and five subsequently during the forty days. The five appearances on this day were (1) to Mary Magdalene (John and Mark); (2) to other women (Matthew); (3) to the two going to Emmaus; (4) to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34); (5) to ten apostles and others._

Sect. 173. THE APPEARANCE OF JESUS TO MARY MAGDALENE AND THE MESSAGE TO THE DISCIPLES

Jerusalem. The first day of the week (Sunday)

Mark 16:9-11 |John 20:11-18
|
|11 But Mary was standing without
| at the tomb weeping: so, as she
| wept, she stooped and looked
|12 into the tomb; and she
| beholdeth two angels in white
| sitting, one at the head, and
| one at the feet, where the body
|13 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
9 [1]Now when he was risen |14 have laid him. When she had
early on the first day of the | thus said, she turned herself
week, he appeared first to Mary| back, and beholdeth Jesus
Magdalene, from whom he had | standing, and knew not that it
cast out seven [2]devils. |15 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 hast borne him hence,
| tell me where thou hast laid
| him, and I will take him away.
|16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She
| turneth herself, and saith unto
| him in Hebrew, Rabboni; which
|17 is to say, [3]Master. Jesus
| saith to her, [4]Touch me not;
| for I am not yet ascended unto
| the Father: but go unto my
| brethren, and say to them, I
| ascend unto my Father and your
| Father, and my God and your
10 She went and told them that |18 God. Mary Magdalene cometh and
had been with him, as they | telleth the disciples, I have
mourned and wept. | seen the Lord; and _how that_
| he had said these things unto
11 And they, | her.
when they heard that he was |
alive, and had been seen of |
her, disbelieved. |

[Footnote 1: The two oldest Greek manuscripts, and some other
authorities, omit from ver. 9 to the end. Some other authorities
have a different ending to the Gospel.]

[Footnote 2: Gr. _demons_.]

[Footnote 3: Or, _Teacher_.]

[Footnote 4: Or, _Take hold not on me._]

Sect. 174. THE APPEARANCE OF JESUS TO THE OTHER WOMEN

Jerusalem. Sunday the first day of the week

Matt. 28:9-10

9 And behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and
10 took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then saith Jesus unto
them, Fear not: go tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee,
and there shall they see me.

Sect. 175. SOME OF THE GUARD REPORT TO THE JEWISH RULERS

Matt 28:11-15

11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into
the city, and told unto the chief priests all the things that were
12 come to pass. And when they were assembled with the elders, and
had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,
13 saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away
14 while we slept. And if this [1]come to the governor's ears, we
15 will persuade him, and rid you of care. So they took the money,
and did as they were taught: and this saying was spread abroad
among the Jews, _and continueth_ until this day.

[Footnote 1: Or, _come to a hearing before the governor_.]

Sect. 176. THE APPEARANCE TO TWO DISCIPLES (CLEOPAS AND ANOTHER) ON THE WAY TO EMMAUS

Sunday afternoon

Mark 16:12, 13 |Luke 24:13-32
|
12 And after these things he was|13 And behold, two of them were
manifested in another form unto| going that very day to a
two of them, as they walked, on| village named Emmaus, which was
13 their way into the country. And| threescore furlongs from
they went away and told it unto|14 Jerusalem. And they communed
the rest: neither believed they| with each other of all these
them. |15 things which had happened. And
| it came to pass, while they
| communed and questioned
16 together, that Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But
17 their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said
unto them, [1]What communications are these that ye have one with
18 another, as ye walk? And they stood still, looking sad. And one of
them, named Cleopas, answering said unto him, [2]Dost thou alone
sojourn in Jerusalem and not know the things which are come to
19 pass there in these days? And he said unto them, What things? And
they said unto him, The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which
was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the
20 people: and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him up
21 to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we hoped that it
was he which should redeem Israel. Yea and beside all this, it is
22 now the third day since these things came to pass. Moreover
certain women of our company amazed us, having been early at the
23 tomb; and when they found not his body, they came, saying, that
they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was
24 alive. And certain of them that were with us went to the tomb, and
25 found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. And
he said unto them, O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe
26 [3]in all that the prophets have spoken! Behoved it not the Christ
27 to suffer these things, and to enter into his glory? And beginning
from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in
28 all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And they drew
nigh unto the village, whither they were going: and he made as
29 though he would go further. And they constrained him, saying,
Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is now far
30 spent. And he went in to abide with them. And it came to pass,
when he had sat down with them to meat, he took the [4]bread, and
31 blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were
32 opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight. And
they said one to another, Was not our heart burning within us,
while he spake to us in the way, while he opened to us the
scriptures?

[Footnote 1: Gr. _What words are these that ye exchange one with
another?_]

[Footnote 2: Or, _Dost thou sojourn alone in Jerusalem, and
knowest thou not the things._]

[Footnote 3: Or, _after_.]

[Footnote 4: Or, _loaf_.]

Sect. 177. THE REPORT OF THE TWO DISCIPLES AND THE NEWS OF THE APPEARANCE TO SIMON PETER

Jerusalem. Sunday evening

Luke 24:33-35 |1 Cor. 15:5
|
33 And they rose up that very |
hour, and returned to |
Jerusalem, and found the eleven|
34 gathered together, and them |
that were with them, saying, |
The Lord is risen indeed, and |
35 hath appeared to Simon. And |5 and that he appeared to Cephas.
they rehearsed the things _that|
happened_ in the way, and how |
he was known of them in the |
breaking of the bread. |

Sect. 178. THE APPEARANCE TO THE ASTONISHED DISCIPLES (THOMAS ABSENT) WITH A COMMISSION AND THEIR FAILURE TO CONVINCE THOMAS

Jerusalem. Sunday evening

Mark 16:14 |Luke 24:36-43 |John 20:19-25
| |
| |19 When therefore it
| | was evening, on
| | that day, the
| | first _day_ of the
| | week, and when the
14 And afterward he |36 And as they spake | doors were shut
was manifested unto | these things, he | where the
the eleven | himself stood in the| disciples were,
themselves as they | midst of them, | for fear of the
sat at meat; | [1]and saith unto | Jews, Jesus came
| them, Peace _be_ | and stood in the
|37 unto you. But they | midst, and saith
| were terrified and | unto them, Peace
| affrighted, and | _be_ unto you.
| supposed that they |
| beheld a spirit. |
and he upbraided | |
them with their | |
unbelief and | |
hardness of heart, | |
because they | |
believed not them | |
which had seen him | |
after he was risen. | |
|38 And he said unto |
| them, Why are ye |
| troubled? and |
| wherefore do |
| reasonings arise in |
|39 your heart? See my |20 And when he had
| hands and my feet, | said this, he
| that it is I myself:| shewed unto them
| handle me, and see; | his hands and his
| for a spirit hath | side.
| not flesh and bones,|
| as ye behold me |
|40 having. [2]And when |
| he had said this, he|
| shewed them his |
| hands and his feet. |
|41 And while they still|
| disbelieved for joy,|
| and wondered, he |
| said unto them, Have|
| ye here anything to |
|42 eat? And they gave |
| him a piece of a |
| broiled fish.[3] And|
| he took it, and did |
| eat before them. |
| | The disciples
| | therefore were
21 glad, when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again,
Peace _be_ unto you: as the Father hath sent me, even so send I
22 you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith
23 unto them, Receive ye the [4]Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye
forgive, they are forgiven unto them; whose soever _sins_ ye
retain, they are retained.[a]
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called [5]Didymus, was not with
25 them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him,
We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see
in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the
print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not
believe.

[Footnote 1: Some ancient authorities omit _and saith unto them,
Peace_ be _unto you_.]

[Footnote 2: Some ancient authorities omit ver. 40.]

[Footnote 3: Many ancient authorities add _and a honeycomb_.]

[Footnote 4: Or, _Holy Spirit_.]

[Footnote 5: That is, _Twin_.]

[Footnote a: Of our Lord's final commissions to the apostles and others (Luke 24:33), this is the first. See a second in Sect. 181, and a third in Sect. 183.]

Sect. 179. THE APPEARANCE TO THE DISCIPLES THE NEXT SUNDAY NIGHT AND THE CONVINCING OF THOMAS

Jerusalem

John 20:26-31 |1 Cor. 15:5
|
26 And after eight days again | 5 [and that he appeared to
his disciples were within, and | Cephas;] then to the twelve;
Thomas with them. Jesus cometh,|
the doors being shut, and stood|
27 in the midst, and said, Peace _be_ unto you. Then saith he to
Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and see my hands; and reach
_hither_ thy hand, and put it into my side: and be not faithless,
28 but believing. Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my
29 God. Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, [1]thou hast
believed: blessed _are_ they that have not seen, and _yet_ have
believed.
30 Many other signs therefore did Jesus in the presence of the
31 disciples, which are not written in this book: but these are
written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of
God; and that believing ye may have life in his name.

[Footnote 1: Or, _hast thou believed?_]

Sect. 180. THE APPEARANCE TO SEVEN DISCIPLES BESIDE THE SEA OF GALILEE.[a] THE MIRACULOUS DRAUGHT OF FISHES

John 21

1 After these things Jesus manifested himself again to the
disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and he manifested _himself_ on
2 this wise. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called
[1]Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the _sons_ of
3 Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. Simon Peter saith unto
them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also come with thee.
They went forth, and entered into the boat; and that night they
4 took nothing. But when day was now breaking, Jesus stood on the
5 beach: howbeit the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus
therefore said unto them, Children, have ye aught to eat? They
6 answered him, No. And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right
side of the boat, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now
7 they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. That
disciple therefore whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the
Lord. So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his
8 coat about him (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea.
But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not
far from the land, but about two hundred cubits off), dragging the
9 net _full_ of fishes. So when they got out upon the land, they see
[2]a fire of coals there, and [3]fish laid thereon, and [4]bread.
10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now taken.
11 Simon Peter therefore went [5]up, and drew the net to land, full
of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there
12 were so many, the net was not rent. Jesus saith unto them, Come
_and_ break your fast. And none of the disciples durst inquire of
13 him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus cometh, and
14 taketh the [6]bread, and giveth them, and the fish likewise. This
is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples,
after he was risen from the dead.
15 So when they had broken their fast, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,
Simon, _son_ of [7]John, [8]lovest thou me more than these? He
saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I [9]love thee. He
16 saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again a second
time, Simon, _son_ of [7]John, [8]lovest thou me? He saith unto
him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I [9]love thee. He saith unto
17 him, Tend my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, _son_
of [7]John, [9]lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said
unto him the third time, [9]Lovest thou me? And he said unto him,
Lord, thou knowest all things; thou [10]knowest that I [9]love
18 thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and
walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou
shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and
19 carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Now this he spake,
signifying by what manner of death he should glorify God. And when
20 he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. Peter, turning
about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also
leaned back on his breast at the supper, and said, Lord, who is he
21 that betrayeth thee? Peter therefore seeing him saith to Jesus,
22 Lord, [11]and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I
will that he tarry till I come, what _is that_ to thee? follow
23 thou me. This saying therefore went forth among the brethren, that
that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, that he
should not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what _is
that_ to thee?
24 This is the disciple which beareth witness of these things, and
wrote these things: and we know that his witness is true.
25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which
if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world
itself would not contain the books that should be written.

[Footnote 1: That is, _Twin_.]

[Footnote 2: Gr. _a fire of charcoal_.]

[Footnote 3: Or, _a fish_.]

[Footnote 4: Or, _a loaf_.]

[Footnote 5: Or, _aboard_.]

[Footnote 6: Or, _loaf_.]

[Footnote 7: Gr. _Joanes_. See ch. 1:42.]

[Footnotes 8, 9: _Love_ in these places represents two different
Greek words.]

[Footnote 10: Or, _perceivest_.]

[Footnote 11: Gr. _and this man, what?_]

[Footnote a: The precise date of this seventh appearance is not known except that it was after that on the Resurrection Day and before the Ascension.]

Sect. 181. THE APPEARANCE TO ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED[a] ON AN APPOINTED MOUNTAIN IN GALILEE, AND A COMMISSION GIVEN

Mark 16:15-18 |Matt. 28:16-20 |1 Cor. 15:6
| |
|16 But the eleven |
| disciples went into |
| Galilee, unto the |
| mountain where |
| Jesus had appointed | 6 then he appeared
|17 them. And when they | to above five
| saw him, they | hundred brethren
| worshipped _him_: | at once, of whom
| but some doubted. | the greater part
|18 And Jesus came to | remain until now,
| them and spake unto | but some are
| them, saying, All | fallen asleep;
| authority hath been |
| given unto me in |
| heaven and on earth.|
15 And he said unto | |
them, Go ye into all|19 Go ye therefore, and|
the world, and | make disciples of |
preach the gospel to| all the nations, |
the whole creation. | baptizing them into |
| the name of the |
| Father and of the |
| Son and of the Holy |
|20 Ghost: teaching them|
| to observe all |
| things whatsoever I |
| commanded you: |
16 He that believeth | |
and is baptized | |
shall be saved; but | |
he that disbelieveth| |
shall be condemned. | |
17 And these signs | |
shall follow them | |
that believe: in my | |
name shall they cast| |
out [3]devils; they | |
shall speak with | |
18 [4]new tongues; they| |
shall take up | |
serpents, and if | |
they drink any | |
deadly thing, it | |
shall in no wise | |
hurt them; they | |
shall lay hands on | |
the sick, and they | |
shall recover. | |
| and lo, I am with |
| you [1]alway, even |
| unto [2]the end of |
| the world. |

[Footnote 1: Gr. _all the days_.]

[Footnote 2: Or, _the consummation of the age_.]

[Footnote 3: Gr. _demons_.]

[Footnote 4: Some ancient authorities omit _new_.]

[Footnote a: The meeting attended by so large a number as stated by Paul was most probably that which Jesus had appointed (Matt. 28:16), and it could be held on an appointed mountain without attracting the attention of unbelievers.--The Commission in Mark may perhaps be reckoned the same as Matthew's here. A third Commission is given by Luke in Sect. 183. This is what is called by many the Great Commission.]

Sect. 182. THE APPEARANCE TO JAMES THE BROTHER OF JESUS

1 Cor. 15:7
7 Then he appeared to James; then to all the apostles.

Sect. 183. THE APPEARANCE TO THE DISCIPLES WITH ANOTHER COMMISSION

Jerusalem

Luke 24:44-49 |Acts 1:3-8
|
44 And he said unto them, These | 3 to whom he also [3]shewed
are my words which I spake unto| himself alive after his passion
you, while I was yet with you, | by many proofs, appearing unto
how that all things must needs | them by the space of forty
be fulfilled, which are written| days, and speaking the things
in the law of Moses, and the | concerning the kingdom of God:
prophets, and the psalms, | 4 and, [4]being assembled together
45 concerning me. Then opened he | with them, he charged them not
their mind, that they might | to depart from Jerusalem, but
46 understand the scriptures; and | to wait for the promise of the
he said unto them, Thus it is | Father, which, _said he_, ye
written [_see Hos. 6:2_], that | 5 heard from me: for John indeed
the Christ should suffer, and | baptized with water; but ye
rise again from the dead the | shall be baptized [5]with the
47 third day; and that repentance | Holy Ghost not many days hence.
[1]and remission of sins should| 6 They therefore, when they were
be preached in his name unto | come together, asked him,
all the [2]nations, beginning | saying, Lord, dost thou at this
48 from Jerusalem. Ye are | time restore the kingdom to
49 witnesses of these things. And | 7 Israel? And he said unto them,
behold, I send forth the | It is not for you to know times
promise of my Father upon you: | or seasons, which the Father
but tarry ye in the city, until| hath [6]set within his own
ye be clothed with power from | 8 authority. But ye shall receive
on high. | power, when the Holy Ghost is
| come upon you: and ye shall be
| my witnesses both in Jerusalem,
| and in all Judea and Samaria,
| and unto the uttermost part of
| the earth.

[Footnote 1: Some ancient authorities read _unto_.]

[Footnote 2: Or, _nations. Beginning from Jerusalem, ye are
witnesses._]

[Footnote 3: Gr. _presented_.]

[Footnote 4: Or, _eating with them_.]

[Footnote 5: Or, _in_.]

[Footnote 6: Or, _appointed by_.]

Sect. 184. THE LAST APPEARANCE AND THE ASCENSION

On Olivet between Jerusalem and Bethany

Mark 16:19, 20 |Luke 24:50-53 |Acts 1:9-12
| |
|50 And he led them |
| out until _they |
| were_ over against |
| Bethany: and he |
| lifted up his hands,|
| and blessed them. |
19 So then the Lord |51 And it came to pass,|
Jesus, after he had | while he blessed | 9 And when he had
spoken unto them, | them, he parted from| said these things,
was received up into| them, [1]and was | as they were
heaven, | carried up into | looking, he was
| heaven. | taken up; and a
| | cloud received him
| | out of their
| | sight.
and sat down| |
at the right hand of| |10 And while they
God. | | were looking
| | stedfastly into
| | heaven as he went,
| | behold two men
| | stood by them in
| | white apparel;
| |11 which also said,
| | Ye men of Galilee,
| | why stand ye
| | looking into
| | heaven? this
| | Jesus, which was
| | received up from
| | you into heaven,
| | shall so come in
| | like manner as ye
| | beheld him going
| | into heaven.
|52 And they |
| [2]worshipped him, |
| and returned to |12 Then returned
| Jerusalem with great| they unto
|53 joy: and were | Jerusalem.
| continually in the |
20 And they went | temple, blessing |
forth, and preached | God. |
everywhere, the Lord| |
working with them, | |
and confirming the | |
word by the signs | |
that followed. Amen.| |

[Footnote 1: Some ancient authorities omit _and was carried up
into heaven_.]

[Footnote 2: Some ancient authorities omit _worshipped him, and_.]

EXPLANATORY NOTES ON POINTS OF SPECIAL DIFFICULTY IN THE HARMONY

_1. About Harmonies of the Gospels_

We do not know how soon an effort was made to combine in one book the several portrayals of the life of Jesus. Luke in his Gospel (1:1-4) makes a selection of the material and incorporates data from different sources, but with the stamp of his own arrangement and style. He followed, in the main, the order of Mark's Gospel, as is easily seen. But this method is not what is meant by a harmony of the Gospels, for the result is a selection from all sorts of material (oral and written), monographs and longer treatises.

The first known harmony is Tatian's Diatessaron (_dia tessaron_, by four) in the second century (about 160 A.D.) in the Syriac tongue. It was long lost, but an Arabic translation has been found and an English rendering appeared in 1894 by J. Hamlyn Hill. It is plain that Tatian has blended into one narrative our Four Gospels with a certain amount of freedom as is shown by Hobson's _The Diatessaron of Tatian and the Synoptic Problem_ (1904). There have been modern attempts also to combine into one story the records of the Four Gospels. There is a superficial advantage in such an effort in the freedom from variations in the accounts, but the loss is too great for such an arbitrary gain. The word harmony calls for such an arrangement, but it is not the method of the best modern harmonies which preserve the differences in material and style just as they are in the Four Gospels.

In the third century Ammonius arranged the Gospels in four parallel columns (the _Sections_ of Ammonius). This was an attempt to give a conspectus of the material in the Gospels side by side. In the fourth century Eusebius with his _Canons_ and _Sections_ enabled the reader to see at a glance the parallel passages in the Gospels. The ancients took a keen interest in this form of study of the Gospels, as Augustine shows.

Of modern harmonies that by Edward Robinson has had the most influence. The edition in English appeared in 1845, that in Greek in 1846. Riddle revised Robinson's Harmony in 1889. There were many others that employed the Authorized Version, like Clark's, and that divided the life of Christ according to the feasts.

Broadus (June, 1893) followed Waddy (1887) in the use of the Canterbury Revision, but was the first to break away from the division by feasts and to show the historical development in the life of Jesus. Stevens and Burton followed (December, 1893) Broadus within six months and, like him, used the Canterbury Revision and had an independent division of the life of Christ to show the historical unfolding of the events. These two harmonies have held the field for nearly thirty years for students of the English Gospels. In 1903 Kerr issued one in the American Standard Version and James one in the Canterbury Revision (1901).

Harmonies of the Gospels in the Greek continued to appear, like Tischendorf's (1851, new edition 1891), Wright's _A Synopsis of the Gospels in Greek_ (1903), Huck's _Synopse der drei ersten Evangelien_ (1892, English translation in 1907), Campbell's _First Three Gospels in Greek_ (1899), _A Harmony of the Synoptic Gospels in Greek_ by Burton and Goodspeed (1920).

The progress in synoptic criticism emphasized the difference in subject matter and style between the Synoptic Gospels and the Fourth Gospel as appears in the works of Huck, Campbell, and Burton and Goodspeed that give only the Synoptic Gospels. Burton and Goodspeed have also an English work, _A Harmony of the Synoptic Gospels for Historical and Critical Study_ (1917). In 1917 Sharman (_Records of the Life of Jesus_) gives first a harmony of the Synoptic Gospels with references to the Fourth Gospel and then an outline of the Fourth Gospel with references to the Synoptic Gospels.

Once more in 1919 Van Kirk produced _The Source Book of the Life of Christ_ which is only a partial harmony, for the parables and speeches of Jesus are only referred to, not quoted. But he endeavored to show the results of Gospel criticism in the text of the book. There is much useful material here for a harmony, but it is not a real harmony that can be used for the full story of the life of Jesus. Van Kirk, however, is the first writer to place Mark in the first column instead of Matthew. I had already done it in my outline before I saw Van Kirk's book, but his was published first. It is an immense improvement to put Mark first. The student thus sees that the arrangement of the material is not arbitrary and whimsical, but orderly and natural. Both Matthew and Luke follow Mark's order except in the first part of Matthew where he is topical in the main. John supplements the Synoptic Gospels, particularly in the Judean (Jerusalem) Ministry.

Slowly, therefore, progress has been made in the harmonies of the Gospels. But the modern student is able to reproduce the life and words of Jesus as has not been possible since the first century. It is a fourfold portrait of Christ that we get, but the whole is infinitely richer than the picture given by any one of the Four Gospels. The present Harmony aims to put the student in touch with the results of modern scholarly research and to focus attention on the actual story in the Gospels themselves. One may have his own opinion of the Fourth Gospel, but it is needed in a harmony for completeness.

_2. Synoptic Criticism_

The criticism of the synoptic gospels has been able to reach a broad general conclusion that is likely to stand the test of time. The reason for this happy solution lies in the fact that the processes and results can be tested. It is not mere subjective speculation. Any one who knows how to weigh evidence can compare Mark, Matthew, and Luke in the English, and still better in the Greek. The pages of the present harmony offer proof enough. It is plain as a pikestaff that both our Matthew and Luke used practically all of Mark and followed his general order of events. For this reason Mark has been placed first on the pages where this Gospel appears at all. But another thing is equally clear and that is that both Matthew and Luke had another source in common because they each give practically identical matter for much that is not in Mark at all. This second common source for Matthew and Luke has been called Logia because it is chiefly discourses. It is sometimes referred to as "Q", the first letter of the German word _Quelle_ (source). Unfortunately we do not have the whole of the Logia (Q) before us as in the case of Mark, though we probably do not possess the original ending of Mark in 16:9-20. But we can at least reproduce what is preserved. Still, just as sometimes either Matthew or Luke made use of Mark, so in the case of the Logia that is probably true. Hence we cannot tell the precise limits of the Logia. Besides, a small part of Mark is not employed by either Matthew or Luke and that may be true of the Logia. But the fact of these two sources for Matthew and Luke seems to be proven.

But there are various other points to be observed. One is that both Matthew and Luke may have had various other sources. Luke tells us (Luke 1:1-4) that he made use of "many" such sources, both oral and written. And a large part of Luke does not appear in the other gospels or at least similar events and sayings occur in different environments and times. Hence our solid conclusion must allow freedom and flexibility to the writers in various ways. We can see for ourselves how Matthew and Luke handled both Mark and the Logia, each in his own way and with individual touches of style and purpose.

One other matter calls for attention. Papias is quoted by Eusebius as saying that Matthew wrote in Hebrew (or Aramaic) whereas our present Matthew is in Greek. It is now commonly held that the real Matthew (Levi) wrote the Logia first in Aramaic and that either he or some one else used that with Mark and other sources for our present Gospel of Matthew.

It should be added also that there is a considerable body of evidence for the view that Mark wrote under the influence of Simon Peter and preserves the vividness and freshness of Peter's own style as an eyewitness.

One other result has come. It is increasingly admitted that the Logia was very early, before 50 A.D., and Mark likewise if Luke wrote the Acts while Paul was still alive. Luke's Gospel comes (Acts 1:1) before the Acts. The date of Acts is still in dispute, but the early date (about A.D. 63) is gaining support constantly. The upshot of these centuries of synoptic criticism has brought into sharp outline the facts that now stand out with reasonable clearness. There are many points in dispute still, but we at least know how the synoptic gospels were written, and are reasonably certain of the dates and the authors.

There are many good books on the subject, like Hawkin's _Horae Synopticae_ (second edition), Sanday's _Oxford Studies in the Synoptic Problem_, Harnack's _Sayings of Jesus_ and his _Date of the Synoptic Gospels and Acts_. My own views appear in my _Commentary on Matthew_ (Bible for Home and School), _Studies in Mark's Gospel_, and _Luke the Historian in the Light of Research_.

_3. The Authorship of the Fourth Gospel_

It has come to pass that one has to defend the use of the Fourth Gospel on a par with the Synoptic Gospels. The Johannine problem is an old one and a difficult one. It cannot be said that modern scholarship has come to a clear result here, as is true of the Synoptic Gospels. As a matter of fact, the battle still rages vigorously. There are powerful arguments on both sides. A mere sketch of the real situation is all that can be attempted here.

The Gospel and the Epistles are in the same style and can be confidently affirmed to be by the same author. The Apocalypse has some striking peculiarities of its own. There are likenesses in vocabulary and idiom beyond a doubt of a subtle nature, but the grammatical irregularities in the Book of Revelation have long been a puzzle to those who hold to the Johannine authorship. A full discussion of these grammatical details can be found in the leading commentaries on the Apocalypse. A brief survey is given in my _Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research_. The facts are undisputed and have a most interesting parallel in the papyri fragments of some of the less educated writers of the _Koine_ as one can see for himself in Milligan's _Greek Papyri_ or in any other collection.

There are two solutions of the problem with two alternatives in each instance. There are those who roundly assert that the same man could not have written both the Gospel and the Apocalypse. Some of these affirm that the Apostle John wrote the Apocalypse but not the Gospel. Certainly a "John" wrote the Revelation or claimed it at any rate. Others of this group hold that an inferential Presbyter John (not "the elder" in 2 and 3 John) supposed to be meant by Papias wrote the Apocalypse while some one else wrote the Gospel whether the Apostle John or not.

But a considerable body of scholars still hold that the same man wrote both the Gospel and the Apocalypse, but a different explanation is offered by two groups. One class of writers affirm that John wrote the Apocalypse first before he had come to be at home in the Greek idiom as we see it in the Gospel and the Epistles. We know that John and Peter were fishermen and were not considered men of literary training by the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:14). This explanation is sufficient but for the further fact that the early date of the Apocalypse (about 70 A.D.) is not now so generally held to be true. The later or Domitianic date as given by Irenaeus seems pretty clearly to be correct. So the other group suggest that the books may belong substantially to the same period (the Domitianic date) and that the explanation of the grammatical infelicities in the Apocalypse may be due to the fact that John being on the Isle of Patmos when he wrote did not have the benefit of friends in Ephesus who apparently read the Gospel (John 21:24-25). Besides, the excited state of John's mind because of the visions may have added to the number of the solecisms in the Apocalypse. This view I personally hold as probable. The unity of both Gospel and Apocalypse is denied by some.

So the matter stands as between the Gospel and the Apocalypse. But the Fourth Gospel has difficulties of its own. These relate in part to the book in itself. It is true there is a great similarity in language and style between the narrative parts of the book and the discourses of Jesus. It is affirmed that the writer has colored the speeches of Jesus with his own style or even made up the dialogues so that they are without historical value or at least on a much lower plane than the Synoptic Gospels as objective history. There is something in this point, but one must remember that the Synoptic Gospels vary in their manner of reporting the speeches of Jesus and aim to give the substance rather than the precise words of the Master in all instances. It is at most a matter of degree. There is a Johannine type of thought and phrase beyond a doubt, but curiously enough we have a paragraph in Matthew 11:24-31 and Luke 10:21-23 that is precisely like the Johannine specimens, written long before the Fourth Gospel. One must remember the versatility of Jesus, who could not be retained in any one style or mold. But there are those who admit the Johannine authorship of the Gospel and yet who refuse to put it on the same plane as the Synoptic Gospels. Every one must decide for himself on this point. For myself I see too much of Christ in the Fourth Gospel in the most realistic and dramatic form to be mere invention. We can enlarge our conception of Christ to make room for the Fourth Gospel.

But even so it is urged that the Beloved Disciple cannot be the Apostle John. If not, then the Fourth Gospel ignores the Apostle John,--a very curious situation. It is a long story for which one must go to the able books in defense of the Johannine authorship by Ezra Abbott, James Drummond, W. Sanday, Luthardt, Watkins and many others. The ablest modern attacks are made by Bacon and Wendt and Schmiedel. My own view is given in my _The Divinity of Christ in the Gospel of John_.

_4. The Jesus of History_

It is not long since the cry of "Back to Christ" was raised and away from Paul and John. Soon this cry was changed to an appeal to the Jesus of History in opposition to the Christ of Theology. So we had the "Jesus or Christ" controversy (see the Hibbert Journal Supplement for 1909). It was gravely affirmed by some that Paul had created the Christ of Christianity and had permanently altered the simple program of Jesus for a social Kingdom and had turned it into a great ecclesiastical system with speculative Christological interpretations quite beyond the range of the vision of the Jesus of the Synoptic Gospels. It was admitted that the Fourth Gospel, the Apocalypse, and the Epistles all gave the Pauline view.

To the Synoptic Gospels, therefore, we all went. But the Christ of Paul and of John is in the Synoptic Gospels. In all essentials the picture is the same in Luke as in John and Paul. The shading is different, but Jesus in Luke is the Son of God as well as the Son of Man (see my _Luke the Historian in the Light of Research_). It was admitted that Matthew gives the picture of Jesus as the Jewish Messiah. Mark reflects Peter's conception of Jesus and gives Jesus as Lord and Christ (see my _Studies in Mark's Gospel_). And Q (the Logia), the earliest document that we have for the life of Christ and almost contemporary with the time of Christ, gives the same essential features of Jesus as the Son of Man and Son of God (see my article _The Christ of the Logia_ in the Contemporary Review for August, 1919). The sober results of modern critical research show the same figure in the very earliest documents that we possess (Q and Mark's Gospel). The Christ of Paul and of John walks as the Jesus of History in the Synoptic Gospels. We do know the earthly life of Jesus much more distinctly and the research of centuries has had a blessed outcome in the enrichment of our knowledge. Matthew and Luke are the first critics of the sources for the life of Jesus. We see how they made use of Mark, the Logia, and other documents. The Fourth Gospel comes last with knowledge of the Synoptic Gospels.

There are, to be sure, a few men who even deny that Jesus ever lived at all. That was the next step; but this absurdity has met complete refutation. The Christ of faith is the Christ of fact. There is no getting away from the fact of Christ, the chief fact of all the ages, the centre of all history, the hope of the ages. Jesus Christ we can still call him, our Lord and Saviour, and he never made such an appeal to men as he does today in the full blaze of modern historical research. Men are just beginning to take his words to heart in all the spheres of human life. The one hope of a new world of righteousness lies precisely in the program of Jesus Christ for the life of the individual in his private affairs, in his family relations, in his business and social dealings, in his political ideals and conduct. And nations must also follow the leadership of Jesus the supreme Teacher of the race.

The purpose of a harmony is not to teach theology, but to make available for men of any faith the facts in the Gospels concerning Jesus of Nazareth. Each interprets these facts and teachings as he sees the light. We can all acknowledge our debt to modern scholarship for the tremendous contributions made to a richer understanding of the environment into which Jesus came and to a juster appreciation of the real significance of his person and his message. The Gospels are still the most fascinating books in the world for sheer simplicity and beauty. One can first trace the picture of Jesus in the Logia, then in Mark, in Matthew, in Luke, in John. To these he can add the pictures of Christ in the Acts, the Epistles, the Apocalypse.

_6. The Two Genealogies of Christ_

Sceptics of all ages, from Porphyry and Celsus to Strauss, have urged the impossibility of reconciling the difficulties in the two accounts of the descent of Jesus. Even Alford says it is impossible to reconcile them. But certainly several possible explanations have been suggested. The chief difficulties will be discussed.

1. In Matthew's list several discrepancies are pointed out.