(10) to James only (1 Cor, xv. 7) ; (11) to all the Apostles, and probably some others, on Mount Olivet, at His ascension.
Most of these eleven appearances require little or no expla- nation. The ninth and tenth in the list are only recorded by St. Paul ; and some think that the appearance to five hundred at once, is the same as that to the eleven in Galilee, though I doubt it. The appearance to Peter is one of which we know nothing except the fact ; and, in my judgment, it certainly is not the same as the appearance to the two who were walking to Emmaus. The only appearances, after all, about which there is any difficulty, are the two first in the list, and to my own mind the difficulty is by no means insuperable. The knot to be untied is this. St. Mark expressly says that our Lord ap- peared first to Mary Magdalene. (Mark xvi. 9.) St. John also describes this appearance ; and it is quite plain from his ac- count that Mary Magdalene was alone. (John xx. 11 — 13.) Yet St. Matthew says that Mary Magdalene and the other Ma- ry came to the sepulchre together, — saw an angel, and heard that our Lord had risen, — ran to bring the tidings to the disci- ples, and were met on the way by Jesus, and both saw Him at the same time. Now how is this to be explained ? How can the account of these three witnesses be made to harmonize and agree ? I will try to show.
(1) I believe that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary did not go alone to the sepulclire, on the morning of the resurrec- tion. By comparing Mark xvi. 1, and Luke xxiii. 55, and xxiv. 1, with Matt, xxviii. 1, it is quite evident that several " other women " accompanied them.
(3) I believe that, on drawing nigh the sepulchre, the com- pany of women saw the stone rolled away from its mouth. At once, on seeing this, it flashed on the mind of Mary Magdalene that the body of Jesus had been removed from the tomb, and, without waiting a moment, she ran off to Peter and John, and told them, as recorded in John xx. 1, 2. This is the view of Chrysostom and Cyril.
(3) I believe that, while Mary Magdalene ran off to tell Peter and John, the other women went up to the sepulchre, found the body gone, saw a vision of angels, were told that Jesus had risen, and were commanded to go and tell the disciples. They departed to tell the news. Some went in one direction and gome in another ; Mary and Salome with one party ; Joanna with another.
(4) I believe that while this was going on, Mary Magdalene, who had run off alone to tell Peter and John, had found them, and that they all three came to the sepulchre shortly after the other women went away. Whether Mary got there so soon aa Peter and John, perhaps admits of doubt.
(5) I believe that Peter and John saw the empty sepulchre, and went away, leaving Mary Magdalene weeping there.