blood and Christ's death, but seem to know nothing of Christ's resurrection, and hardly give it a place in their religion, except as a fact.
It is very noteworthy, that while Peter and John and their companions seem to have overlooked and forgotten our Lord's predictions that He would rise again the third day, there were certain Jews who did not forget them at all. And who were they ? The very last men that we might have expected, — the chief priests and Pharisees ! It is written in Matthew (ch. xxvii. 63 — 64), that they went to Pilate, and said, " We remember that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, after three days I will rise again." What a curious fact is that ! Peter and John for- got their Lord's predictions, while Caiaphas and his wicked companions remembered them !
Burgon quotes from Ainsworth, a saying of a Jew, comment- ing on Gen. xxii. 4 : " There are many a three things in the Holy Scripture, of which one is the resurrection of the Mes- siah."— I add to this, that any one who examines Ainsworth's commentary on this verse will find, that he gathers together as many as fifteen places in the Old Testament where " three " is spoken of as a mystical number.
10. — {^Then the disciples iDent...their own hoiise.] This verse de- scribes the end of the visit which Peter and John made to the grave. They had seen with their own eyes proofs positive that Mary Magdalene's report was true. The grave was empty, and their Master's body was gone. They both felt that there was no need for tarrying at au empty sepulchre, and resolved to re- turn to their lodging. They could do no good by staying longer. They might do good by going away. They therefore went home : Peter confounded and perplexed, and unable to account for what he had seen ; John convinced and persuaded by what he had seen, that his Master had risen from the dead. Doubtless he could not prove it yet, had not seen Him alive, and could not convince Peter of it. But for all that he be- lieved it.
The Greek words which we render, " To their own home," mean literally, " To themselves." It can only signify, in my judgment, the lodging which they occupied in Jerusalem. Though John was acquainted with the high priest, and may have occasionally visited Jerusalem on the business of his fish- erman's calling, there is not the least likelihood that he had a house there. Wherever John was in Jerusalem it is interest- ing to remember, in looking at the events of this wonderful morning, that Mary, the mother of our Lord, Avas probably un- der his roof, in accordance with our Lord's last command. May we not fairly suppose that one reason why the disciples did not linger at the tomb, like Mary Magdalene, was their earnest de- v3ire to return home, and tell the mother of our Lord what they had . seen ? I see nothing fanciful or unreasonable in the thought.