the desire of ages-第169节

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eek　Jesus；　which　was　crucified。　He　is　not　here：　for　He　is　risen；　as　He　said。　Come；　see　the　place　where　the　Lord　lay。　And　go　quickly；　and　tell　His　disciples　that　He　is　risen　from　the　dead。〃　Again　they　look　into　the　tomb；　and　again　they　hear　the　wonderful　news。　Another　angel　in　human　form　is　there；　and　he　says；　〃Why　seek　ye　the　living　among　the　dead？　He　is　not　here；　but　is　risen：　remember　how　He　spake　unto　you　when　He　was　yet　in　Galilee；　saying；　The　Son　of　man　must　be　delivered　into　the　hands　of　sinful　men；　and　be　crucified；　and　the　third　day　rise　again。〃

He　is　risen；　He　is　risen！　The　women　repeat　the　words　again　and　again。　No　need　now　for　the　anointing　spices。　The　Saviour　is　living；　and　not　dead。　They　remember　now　that　when　speaking　of　His　death　He　said　that　He　would　rise　again。　What　a　day　is　this　to　the　world！　Quickly　the　women　departed　from　the　sepulcher　〃with　fear　and　great　joy；　and　did　run　to　bring　His　disciples　word。〃

Mary　had　not　heard　the　good　news。　She　went　to　Peter　and　John　with　the　sorrowful　message；　〃They　have　taken　away　the　Lord　out　of　the　sepulcher；　and　we　know　not　where　they　have　laid　Him。〃　The　disciples　hurried　to　the　tomb；　and　found　it　as　Mary　had　said。　They　saw　the　shroud　and　the　napkin；　but　they　did　not　find　their　Lord。　Yet　even　here　was　testimony　that　He　had　risen。　The　graveclothes　were　not　thrown　heedlessly　aside；　but　carefully　folded；　each　in　a　place　by　itself。　John　〃saw；　and　believed。〃　He　did　not　yet　understand　the　scripture　that　Christ　must　rise　from　the　dead；　but　he　now　remembered　the　Saviour's　words　foretelling　His　resurrection。

It　was　Christ　Himself　who　had　placed　those　graveclothes　with　such　care。　When　the　mighty　angel　came　down　to　the　tomb；　he　was　joined　by　another；　who　with　his　company　had　been　keeping　guard　over　the　Lord's　body。　As　the　angel　from　heaven　rolled　away　the　stone；　the　other　entered　the　tomb；　and　unbound　the　wrappings　from　the　body　of　Jesus。　But　it　was　the　Saviour's　hand　that　folded　each；　and　laid　it　in　its　place。　In　His　sight　who　guides　alike　the　star　and　the　atom；　there　is　nothing　unimportant。　Order　and　perfection　are　seen　in　all　His　work。

Mary　had　followed　John　and　Peter　to　the　tomb；　when　they　returned　to　Jerusalem；　she　remained。　As　she　looked　into　the　empty　tomb；　grief　filled　her　heart。　Looking　in；　she　saw　the　two　angels；　one　at　the　head　and

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the　other　at　the　foot　where　Jesus　had　lain。　〃Woman；　why　weepest　thou？〃　they　asked　her。　〃Because　they　have　taken　away　my　Lord；〃　she　answered；　〃and　I　know　not　where　they　have　laid　Him。〃

Then　she　turned　away；　even　from　the　angels；　thinking　that　she　must　find　someone　who　could　tell　her　what　had　been　done　with　the　body　of　Jesus。　Another　voice　addressed　her；　〃Woman；　why　weepest　thou？　whom　seekest　thou？〃　Through　her　tear…dimmed　eyes；　Mary　saw　the　form　of　a　man；　and　thinking　that　it　was　the　gardener；　she　said；　〃Sir；　if　thou　have　borne　Him　hence；　tell　me　where　thou　hast　laid　Him；　and　I　will　take　Him　away。〃　If　this　rich　man's　tomb　was　thought　too　honorable　a　burial　place　for　Jesus；　she　herself　would　provide　a　place　for　Him。　There　was　a　grave　that　Christ's　own　voice　had　made　vacant；　the　grave　where　Lazarus　had　lain。　Might　she　not　there　find　a　burial　place　for　her　Lord？　She　felt　that　to　care　for　His　precious　crucified　body　would　be　a　great　consolation　to　her　in　her　grief。

But　now　in　His　own　familiar　voice　Jesus　said　to　her；　〃Mary。〃　Now　she　knew　that　it　was　not　a　stranger　who　was　addressing　her；　and　turning　she　saw　before　her　the　living　Christ。　In　her　joy　she　forgot　that　He　had　been　crucified。　Springing　toward　Him；　as　if　to　embrace　His　feet；　she　said；　〃Rabboni。〃　But　Christ　raised　His　hand；　saying；　Detain　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。〃　And　Mary　went　her　way　to　the　disciples　with　the　joyful　message。

Jesus　refused　to　receive　the　homage　of　His　people　until　He　had　the　assurance　that　His　sacrifice　was　accepted　by　the　Father。　He　ascended　to　the　heavenly　courts；　and　from　God　Himself　heard　the　assurance　that　His　atonement　for　the　sins　of　men　had　been　ample；　that　through　His　blood　all　might　gain　eternal　life。　The　Father　ratified　the　covenant　made　with　Christ；　that　He　would　receive　repentant　and　obedient　men；　and　would　love　them　even　as　He　loves　His　Son。　Christ　was　to　complete　His　work；　and　fulfill　His　pledge　to　〃make　a　man　more　precious　than　fine　gold；　even　a　man　than　the　golden　wedge　of　Ophir。〃　Isa。　13：12。　All　power　in　heaven　and　on　earth　was　given　to　the　Prince　of　Life；　and　He　returned　to　His　followers　in　a　world　of　sin；　that　He　might　impart　to　them　of　His　power　and　glory。

While　the　Saviour　was　in　God's　presence；　receiving　gifts　for　His　church；　the　disciples　thought　upon　His　empty　tomb；　and　mourned　and　wept。　The　day　that　was　a　day　of　rejoicing　to　all　heaven　was　to　the　disciples　a　day　of　uncertainty；　confusion；　and　perplexity。　Their　unbelief

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in　the　testimony　of　the　women　gives　evidence　of　how　low　their　faith　had　sunk。　The　news　of　Christ's　resurrection　was　so　different　from　what　they　had　anticipated　that　they　could　not　believe　it。　It　was　too　good　to　be　true；　they　thought。　They　had　heard　so　much　of　the　doctrines　and　the　so…called　scientific　theories　of　the　Sadducees　that　the　impression　made　on　their　minds　in　regard　to　the　resurrection　was　vague。　They　scarcely　knew　what　the　resurrection　from　the　dead　could　mean。　They　were　unable　to　take　in　the　great　subject。

〃Go　your　way；〃　the　angels　had　said　to　the　women；　〃tell　His　disciples　and　Peter　that　He　goeth　before　you　into　Galilee：　there　shall　ye　see　Him；　as　He　said　unto　you。〃　These　angels　had　been　with　Christ　as　guardian　angels　throughout　His　life　on　earth。　They　had　witnessed　His　trial　and　crucifixion。　They　had　heard　His　words　to　His　disciples。　This　was　shown　by　their　message　to　the　disciples；　and　should　have　convinced　them　of　its　truth。　Such　words　could　have　come　only　from　the　messengers　of　their　risen　Lord。

〃Tell　His　disciples　and　Peter；〃　the　angels　said。　Since　the　death　of　Christ；　Peter　had　been　bowed　down　with　remorse。　His　shameful　denial　of　the　Lord；　and　the　Saviour's　look　of　love　and　anguish；　were　ever　before　him。　Of　all　the　disciples　he　had　suffered　most　bitterly。　To　him　the　assurance　is　given　that　his　repentance　is　accepted　and　his　sin　forgiven。　He　is　mentioned　by　name。

〃Tell　His　disciples　and　Peter　that　He　goeth　before　you　into　Galilee：　there　shall　ye　see　Him。〃　All　the　disciples　had　forsaken　Jesus；　and　the　call　to　meet　Him　again　includes　them　all。　He　has　not　cast　them　off。　When　Mary　Magdalene　told　them　she　had　seen　the　Lord；　she　repeated　the　call　to　the　meeting　in　Galilee。　And　a　third　time　the　message　was　sent　to　them。　After　He　had　ascended　to　the　Father；　Jesus　appeared　to　the　other　women；　saying；　〃All　hail。　And　they　came　and　held　Him　by　the　feet；　and　worshiped　Him。　Then　said　Jesus　unto　them；　Be　not　afraid：　go　tell　My　brethren　that　they　go　into　Galilee；　and　there　shall　they　see　Me。〃

Christ's　first　work　on　earth　after　His　resurrection　was　to　convince　His　disciples　of　His　undiminished　love　and　tender　regard　for　them。　To　give　them　proof　that　He　was　their　living　Saviour；　that　He　had　broken　the　fetters　of　the　tomb；　and　could　no　longer　be　held　by　the　enemy　death；　to　reveal　that　He　had　the　same　heart　of　love　as　when　He　was　with　them　as　their　beloved　Teacher；　He　appeared　to　them　again　and　again。　He　would　draw　the　bonds　of　love　still　closer　around　them。　Go　tell　My　brethren；　He　said；　that　they　meet　Me　in　Galilee。

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As　they　heard　this　appointment；　so　definitely　given；　the　disciples　began　to　think　of　Christ's　words　to　them　foretelling　His　resurrection。　But　even　now　they　did　not　rejoice。　They　could　not　cast　off　their　doubt　and　perplexity。　Even　when　the　women　declared　that　they　had　seen　the　Lord；　the　disciples　would　not　believe。　They　thought　them　under　an　illusion。

Trouble　seemed　crowding　upon　trouble。　On　the　sixth　day　of　the　week　they　had　seen　their　Master　die；　on　the　first　day　of　the　next　week　they　found　themselves　deprived　of　His　body；　and　they　were　accused　of　having　stolen　it　away　for　the　sake　of　deceiving　the　people。　They　despaired　of　ever　correcting　the　false　impressions　that　were　gaining　ground　against　them。　They　feared　the　enmity　of　the　priests　and　the　wrath　of　the　people。　They　longed　for　the　presence　of　Jesus；　who　had　helped　them　in　every　perplexity。

Often　they　repeated　the　words；　〃We　trusted　that　it　had　been　He　which　should　have　redeemed　Israel。〃　Lonely　and　sick　at　heart　they　remembered　His　words；　〃If　they　do　these　things　in　a　green　tree；　what　shall　be　done　in　the　dry？〃　Luke　24：21；　23：31。　They　met　together　in　the　upper　chamber；　and　closed　and　fastened　the　doors；　knowing　that　the　fate　of　their　beloved　Teacher　might　at　any　time　be　theirs。

And　all　the　time　they　might　have　been　rejoicing　in　the　knowledge　of　a　risen　Saviour。　In　the　garden；　Mary　had　stood　weeping；　when　Jesus　was　close　beside　her。　Her　eyes　were　so　blinded　by　tears　that　she　did　not　discern　Him。　And　the　hearts　of　the　disciples　were　so　full　of　grief　that　they　did　not　believe　the　angels'　message　or　the　words　of　Christ　Himself。

How　many　are　still　doing　what　these　disciples　did！　How　many　echo　Mary's　despai