the desire of ages-第170节

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of　Christ　Himself。

How　many　are　still　doing　what　these　disciples　did！　How　many　echo　Mary's　despairing　cry；　〃They　have　taken　away　the　Lord；　。　。　。　and　we　know　not　where　they　have　laid　Him〃！　To　how　many　might　the　Saviour's　words　be　spoken；　〃Why　weepest　thou？　whom　seekest　thou？〃　He　is　close　beside　them；　but　their　tear…blinded　eyes　do　not　discern　Him。　He　speaks　to　them；　but　they　do　not　understand。

Oh　that　the　bowed　head　might　be　lifted；　that　the　eyes　might　be　opened　to　behold　Him；　that　the　ears　might　listen　to　His　voice！　〃Go　quickly；　and　tell　His　disciples　that　He　is　risen。〃　Bid　them　look　not　to　Joseph's　new　tomb；　that　was　closed　with　a　great　stone；　and　sealed　with　the　Roman　seal。　Christ　is　not　there。　Look　not　to　the　empty　sepulcher。　Mourn　not　as　those　who　are　hopeless　and　helpless。　Jesus　lives；　and　because　He　lives；　we　shall　live　also。　From　grateful　hearts；　from　lips　touched　with　holy　fire；　let　the　glad　song　ring　out；　Christ　is　risen！　He　lives　to　make　intercession　for　us。　Grasp　this　hope；　and　it　will　hold　the　soul　like　a　sure；　tried　anchor。　Believe；　and　thou　shalt　see　the　glory　of　God。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　83

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　Walk　to　Emmaus


Late　in　the　afternoon　of　the　day　of　the　resurrection；　two　of　the　disciples　were　on　their　way　to　Emmaus；　a　little　town　eight　miles　from　Jerusalem。　These　disciples　had　had　no　prominent　place　in　Christ's　work；　but　they　were　earnest　believers　in　Him。　They　had　come　to　the　city　to　keep　the　Passover；　and　were　greatly　perplexed　by　the　events　that　had　recently　taken　place。　They　had　heard　the　news　of　the　morning　in　regard　to　the　removal　of　Christ's　body　from　the　tomb；　and　also　the　report　of　the　women　who　had　seen　the　angels　and　had　met　Jesus。　They　were　now　returning　to　their　homes　to　meditate　and　pray。　Sadly　they　pursued　their　evening　walk；　talking　over　the　scenes　of　the　trial　and　the　crucifixion。　Never　before　had　they　been　so　utterly　disheartened。　Hopeless　and　faithless；　they　were　walking　in　the　shadow　of　the　cross。

They　had　not　advanced　far　on　their　journey　when　they　were　joined　by　a　stranger；　but　they　were　so　absorbed　in　their　gloom　and　disappointment　that　they　did　not　observe　him　closely。　They　continued　their　conversation；　expressing　the　thoughts　of　their　hearts。　They　were　reasoning　in　regard　to　the　lessons　that　Christ　had　given；　which　they　seemed　unable　to　comprehend。　As　they　talked　of　the　events　that　had　taken　place；　Jesus　longed　to　comfort　them。　He　had　seen　their　grief；　He　understood　the　conflicting；　perplexing　ideas　that　brought　to　their　minds　the　thought；

796

Can　this　Man；　who　suffered　Himself　to　be　so　humiliated；　be　the　Christ？　Their　grief　could　not　be　restrained；　and　they　wept。　Jesus　knew　that　their　hearts　were　bound　up　with　Him　in　love；　and　He　longed　to　wipe　away　their　tears；　and　fill　them　with　joy　and　gladness。　But　He　must　first　give　them　lessons　they　would　never　forget。

〃He　said　unto　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？〃　They　told　Him　of　their　disappointment　in　regard　to　their　Master；　〃which　was　a　prophet　mighty　in　deed　and　word　before　God　and　all　the　people；〃　but　〃the　chief　priests　and　our　rulers；〃　they　said；　〃delivered　Him　to　be　condemned　to　death；　and　have　crucified　Him。〃　With　hearts　sore　with　disappointment；　and　with　quivering　lips；　they　added；　〃We　trusted　that　it　had　been　He　which　should　have　redeemed　Israel：　and　beside　all　this；　today　is　the　third　day　since　these　things　were　done。〃

Strange　that　the　disciples　did　not　remember　Christ's　words；　and　realize　that　He　had　foretold　the　events　which　had　come　to　pass！　They　did　not　realize　that　the　last　part　of　His　disclosure　would　be　just　as　verily　fulfilled　as　the　first　part；　that　the　third　day　He　would　rise　again。　This　was　the　part　they　should　have　remembered。　The　priests　and　rulers　did　not　forget　this。　On　the　day　〃that　followed　the　day　of　the　preparation；　the　chief　priests　and　Pharisees　came　together　unto　Pilate；　saying；　Sir；　we　remember　that　that　deceiver　said；　while　He　was　yet　alive；　After　three　days　I　will　rise　again。〃　Matt。　27：62；　63。　But　the　disciples　did　not　remember　these　words。

〃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　glory？〃　The　disciples　wondered　who　this　stranger　could　be；　that　He　should　penetrate　to　their　very　souls；　and　speak　with　such　earnestness；　tenderness；　and　sympathy；　and　with　such　hopefulness。　For　the　first　time　since　Christ's　betrayal；　they　began　to　feel　hopeful。　Often　they　looked　earnestly　at　their　companion；　and　thought　that　His　words　were　just　the　words　that　Christ　would　have　spoken。　They　were　filled　with　amazement；　and　their　hearts　began　to　throb　with　joyful　expectation。

Beginning　at　Moses；　the　very　Alpha　of　Bible　history；　Christ　expounded　in　all　the　Scriptures　the　things　concerning　Himself。　Had　He

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first　made　Himself　known　to　them；　their　hearts　would　have　been　satisfied。　In　the　fullness　of　their　joy　they　would　have　hungered　for　nothing　more。　But　it　was　necessary　for　them　to　understand　the　witness　borne　to　Him　by　the　types　and　prophecies　of　the　Old　Testament。　Upon　these　their　faith　must　be　established。　Christ　performed　no　miracle　to　convince　them；　but　it　was　His　first　work　to　explain　the　Scriptures。　They　had　looked　upon　His　death　as　the　destruction　of　all　their　hopes。　Now　He　showed　from　the　prophets　that　this　was　the　very　strongest　evidence　for　their　faith。

In　teaching　these　disciples；　Jesus　showed　the　importance　of　the　Old　Testament　as　a　witness　to　His　mission。　Many　professed　Christians　now　discard　the　Old　Testament；　claiming　that　it　is　no　longer　of　any　use。　But　such　is　not　Christ's　teaching。　So　highly　did　He　value　it　that　at　one　time　He　said；　〃If　they　hear　not　Moses　and　the　prophets；　neither　will　they　be　persuaded；　though　one　rose　from　the　dead。〃　Luke　16：31。

It　is　the　voice　of　Christ　that　speaks　through　patriarchs　and　prophets；　from　the　days　of　Adam　even　to　the　closing　scenes　of　time。　The　Saviour　is　revealed　in　the　Old　Testament　as　clearly　as　in　the　New。　It　is　the　light　from　the　prophetic　past　that　brings　out　the　life　of　Christ　and　the　teachings　of　the　New　Testament　with　clearness　and　beauty。　The　miracles　of　Christ　are　a　proof　of　His　divinity；　but　a　stronger　proof　that　He　is　the　world's　Redeemer　is　found　in　comparing　the　prophecies　of　the　Old　Testament　with　the　history　of　the　New。

Reasoning　from　prophecy；　Christ　gave　His　disciples　a　correct　idea　of　what　He　was　to　be　in　humanity。　Their　expectation　of　a　Messiah　who　was　to　take　His　throne　and　kingly　power　in　accordance　with　the　desires　of　men　had　been　misleading。　It　would　interfere　with　a　correct　apprehension　of　His　descent　from　the　highest　to　the　lowest　position　that　could　be　occupied。　Christ　desired　that　the　ideas　of　His　disciples　might　be　pure　and　true　in　every　specification。　They　must　understand　as　far　as　possible　in　regard　to　the　cup　of　suffering　that　had　been　apportioned　to　Him。　He　showed　them　that　the　awful　conflict　which　they　could　not　yet　comprehend　was　the　fulfillment　of　the　covenant　made　before　the　foundation　of　the　world　was　laid。　Christ　must　die；　as　every　transgressor　of　the　law　must　die　if　he　continues　in　sin。　All　this　was　to　be；　but　it　was　not　to　end　in　defeat；　but　in　glorious；　eternal　victory。　Jesus　told　them　that　every　effort　must　be　made　to　save　the　world　from　sin。　His　followers　must　live　as　He　lived；　and　work　as　He　worked；　with　intense；　persevering　effort。

800


Thus　Christ　discoursed　to　His　disciples；　opening　their　minds　that　they　might　understand　the　Scriptures。　The　disciples　were　weary；　but　the　conversation　did　not　flag。　Words　of　life　and　assurance　fell　from　the　Saviour's　lips。　But　still　their　eyes　were　holden。　As　He　told　them　of　the　overthrow　of　Jerusalem；　they　looked　upon　the　doomed　city　with　weeping。　But　little　did　they　yet　suspect　who　their　traveling　companion　was。　They　did　not　think　that　the　subject　of　their　conversation　was　walking　by　their　side；　for　Christ　referred　to　Himself　as　though　He　were　another　person。　They　thought　that　He　was　one　of　those　who　had　been　in　attendance　at　the　great　feast；　and　who　was　now　returning　to　his　home。　He　walked　as　carefully　as　they　over　the　rough　stones；　now　and　then　halting　with　them　for　a　little　rest。　Thus　they　proceeded　along　the　mountainous　road；　while　the　One　who　was　soon　to　take　His　position　at　God's　right　hand；　and　who　could　say；　〃All　power　is　given　unto　Me　in　heaven　and　in　earth；〃　walked　beside　them。　Matt。　28：18。

During　the　journey　the　sun　had　gone　down；　and　before　the　travelers　reached　their　place　of　rest；　the　laborers　in　the　fields　had　left　their　work。　As　the　disciples　were　about　to　enter　their　home；　the　stranger　appeared　as　though　He　would　continue　His　journey。　But　the　disciples　felt　drawn　to　Him。　Their　souls　hungered　to　hear　more　from　Him。　〃Abide　with　us；〃　they　said。　He　did　not　seem　to　accept　the