U1. THe sToNz ROLLED AWAY MAY ALSO BE REGARDED BY US AS A REMINDER OF EXPECTED DIFFIOULTIES UNEXPECTEDLY REMOVED. It was natural enough that these feeble women should say among themselves, “ Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” For a moment it appeared as if all their labour of love, in the preparation of spices, would be thrown away—that the last tender ministry must be given up. But as they went forward, trembling yet hoping, they discovered that the difficulty they had dreaded was gone. God had done for them what they could not have done for themselves. Too often we discourage ourselves by thinking of future difficulties, until they loom so large in our imagination that we turn back from the path of duty. 1. It is so with our anwieties about temporal things. But whatever lies in the future, let us ‘go on steadfastly and trustfully, and by-and-by we shall make the conquered difficulty an Ebenezer, which shall witness to others of the fact, “ Hitherto hath the Lord helped me.” 2. Similarly we must deal with some difficulties respecting Christian doctrine. ‘“ Whosoever shall do the will of God shall know the doctrine.” 3. So let us go on also to attempt our appointed work for God; and the difficulties which are insurmountable by us will be removed by hands mightier than our own.—A. BR.
Vers. 1—18.— The Resurrection. In the early dawn—“ at the rising of the sun ”— on the morning after the sabbath—that one most wondrous sabbath, the last of the old series—hasty feet were hurrying to the sepulchre. They were those of Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James, and Salome. Love drew them thus early to the sacred tomb. But they were bringing “spices that they might come and anoint him,” so far were they from expecting what had taken place. It does not appear that any of the disciples were looking for the Resurrection, As they neared the place a difficulty suggested itself to them: “‘ Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb?” ‘To their astonishment, it was rolled away. “ Entering into the tomb,” they found not the body as they expected; but “they saw a young man [an angel] sitting at the right side, arrayed in a white robe.” Calming their affrighted spirits, he declared for the first time, “He is risen; he is not here.” ‘The few details of the excited doings of that first morning of the week—that first Lord’s day—have a deep interest, which their meagreness cannot destroy, if indeed it abates it. Again and again Jesus appears to the disciples, now in smaller, now in larger companies, and gives them as true and deeply settled an assurance of his resurrection as was before given of his death. ‘To that resurrection we turn as to the signal incident in the life of the world’s Redeemer—the central fact in all human history. Nothing abates the signifi- cance of the Incarnation; but the raising up of the dead body into life is supreme in its bearing on the history of the human race.
I, The resurrection of Christ is THE CRUCIAL TEST OF THE WORLD'S REDEMPTION. “Tf Christ hath not been raised, your faith is vain.” Then the whole structure of Christianity is shaken to its foundations. It has no longer its present significance, It has wrought only imaginary changes. “ Ye are yet in your sins.” It has deluded its most devoted adherents. Itself aiming at truth, exalting, glorifying it, it has deceived and disappointed the hopes of its faithful ones. “They also which have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” The Christian Church has never shrunk from the alternative, exulting in its jubilant assurance, “ But now hath Christ been raised from the dead.” Herein the completeness of the atcning work of Christ is demonstrated, the warraat of faith in that atonement is presented, and the end oF all is attained in the righteous- ness of men. With a divinely attested atonement, of which, to avail themselves, men are warranted in appropriating by faith the justification—the righteousness
360 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. (ca. xvi. 1—20.
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which they need. He “was delivered up for our offences, and was raised for out justification.”
Il. The resurrection of Christ is THE FIRM GROUND OF HUMAN HOPE. “As in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” Back to this event the eye of the believer has turned to see the assuring sign. Our friends lie still in the grave; but the Church has never since that early morning looked to a Christ in a tomb. It is easy to see how the horizon of the human life would be overclouded had we to think of the Redeemer as still in the grave.
Ill. THE BRIGHTEST ASPECT OF HUMAN LIFE is seen in the resurrection of Christ. Life with or without a future suggests the two utmost extremes. The barest glimmer of a possibility of a future life beyond the grave would be the greatest enrichment of that life had there not been a previous assurance of it. This fact added to human life transforms it at once. It is an inestimable possession. What possibilities does it not open before our eyes! What an encouragement to patience! “The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward,” The resurrection of Christ throws an altogether new light upon all humen history ; but its brightest light is thrown upon the gloom of the future.
IV. The resurrection of Christ is THE ILLUSTRIOUS EXAMPLE OF THE UNIVERSAL RESURRECTION. “Christ the Firstfruits.” The ingathering and presentation of the firat- fruits must be taken as the pledge of the ingathering and presentation of the entire harvest. The inspired teaching on this lofty subject is such as to give the utmost assurance and comfort. The “ weakness,” the “dishonour,” the “corruption,” with which we are made familiar by death, stand in contrast with the “incorruption,” the “ glory,” the “ power,” which we learn shall characterize the resurrection. While the casting off the “natural body,” to be clothed with “a spiritual body,” the exchange of “the earthy ” for * the heavenly,” is exemplified in the one Example which is for every believer the most comfortable assurance.