The Pulpit Commentary — Romans — Section 172

doubt.. Ewald, who dMl.s destructively with most of the gospel inoidents, "regarding 110me III mythic&l, some 11.S admitting of a rationalistic interpretation, e.nd some 11.8 combining the elements of both," is unable to destroy or explain away tho Resurreotion. "Rejecting all attempts to explain it, he accepts the great fact of the Resurrection on the e'l"idence of history, and declares that DOthilllg am be more historical." The testimony of De Wette is even more remarkable. He was more sceptical than Ewald; so much so that he was called "The Univel'l&l Doubter." Nevertheless, such is the force of the evidence, that this great rationalistic critic, in his last work, published in 1848, said that the fact of the Resurrection, although a darkness which cannot be dissipated rests on the way and manner of it, cannot itself be called in question any more than the historical certainty of the &SS&SSination of Julius Cmsar. 1. The/act of CM ~ is attest.ea by the four evangelists. The four Gospels were written by men widely separated both in time and place. Their very variations are a proof of their substantial truth. They give varying accounts of the Resurrection, as would naturally be expected from men whom so great an event impressed in different ways, but they all agree in testifying that the event occurred. 2. The narrative of the Besurrecti,on was accepted by the e.arly Christians who lived at the time when the event took place. It is spoken of constantly in the Epistles to the various Churches as an event with which they were all familiar, and about which there was not the slightest doubt. When Peter is proposing the appointment of a successor to Judas, he speaks of the Resurrection as one of the great subjects of apostolic preaching. Indeed, it would appear that he regarded the preaching of the Resurrection as the great subject for which the apostle should be chosen. His words were, " Wherefor-e of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out amon,,"'St us, mnst one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection." 3. The cunflerS'ion of St. Patd, and his subsequent advocacy of the doctrine of the Resurrection, are perhaps ,he strongest proofs of its truth. Paul was a persecutor and a bigoted Pharisee. He suddenly became a member of the sect that was so hated and despised. The explanation that he himself gave of this change was that Jesus Christ had appeared unto him. It was not likely that Paul, a clear-headed man, accustomed to weigh evidence, would be deceived as to Christ's appearance. He could not be lightly led to take a step of such immense importance to his whole life. Something more than a mere dream or hallucination must be found to account for his whole subsequent career. He was not likely to undertake those missionary journeys through Asia Minor, through llacedonia., and through Greece, and to persevere in them, in the face of much opposition, ridicule, persecution, and many hardships and dangers, for the sake of a mere fancy. He was not a mere visionary or fanatic. His Epistles show him to have been a man of robust mind, great reasoning power, and soberness of judgm.ent. And yet, in every instance in which a public speech of his is recorded in the Acts of the Apostles; in his address at Antioch in Pisidia, in hie address at Athens, in his address to the multitude when he w-as ta.ken prisoner at Jerusalem; whether he is in the presence of the high priest, of Ft:l.i.x, or of Festus and .Agrippa, he most distinctly proclaims the fact of the resurrection of Christ. 4-. .AB the life of the Apostle Paul was changed, so the lives of all the apostles were changed from the moment that the risen Ghrist appe.ared to them. Before that they were timid and frightened. The boldest of them became so cowardly as to deny that he knew Christ at all. They had all forsaken him and fled when the time of crucifixion drew near. After the crucifixion they became disheartened and depreued. We can easily see what would have become of Christianity had there been no resurrection, as we study the conduct and worda of the disciples when they knew that their Mast.er was so soon to be t.aken from them, and when they thought he was Btill in the grave. But the Resurrection altered everything. The change that occurred can only be explained by the actnal reappearance of Christ to them. The timid became brave again. '!'hey cannot but Bpeak the things which they have seen and heard. They endure persecu1ion and suffering and martyrdom now, for the grave is no longer dark, and the crown of life is beyond the struggle and the pa.In, IL TaE D0<7l"Blli'EB wmoa JT ~ 1. 'l'hat there slwll lie a general 'ftJBUrrection of tl~ dead. "Because he bath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in rigLtoou.ene1111 by that Man whom he hath ordained; whereof be hath given assurnnce 11.111.;, all IDbll, ill t.bat he bath r&iied him from the dead" (Acts xvii. 31), 2. Thal clll, vt. 1-28.] THE EPISTLE OF PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 169