Ill. There is a step further. THE CoNDUCT OF THOSE WHO REJECT OHRIST AWAITS VINDICATION. Where shall it be found? Given the facts of Jesus’ life, his death, his resurrection, and ascension on high, where can any justify their repudiation of him ? Precisely as faith and obedience are vindicated, so is unbelief and neglect condemned. The bearing of Christ’s ascension on the universal life is of go great significance, that its rejection imposes the heaviest penalties on the disobedient, Not only is their own life debarred the beneficent influences of so great a fact, and the long train of facts of which it is the completion, but the life of others surrounding is proportionately injured. He who has faith in a great truth throws the influence of his encouragement over the faith of all amongst whom he moves, while he who abides in unbelief tends to wither the confidence of those around him, His example is contagious, and his life is impaired in its character. It cannot, therefore, exert the same beneficial influence upon others thad it might do if under the control of great truths. Men must sooner or later vindicate to their fellows their conduct towards them. If it be good, the world’s testimony will be joined to the Divine testimony. If evil, the world’s condemnation must be added to that of the eternal Judge. Man’s highest wisdom is to place himself near to great truths, that he may feel their power and elevation ; and, by a thorough sympathy with them, be prepared to extend their influence far and wide. How greatly the world to-day needs men having faith! Such only can move the mountains which stand in the way of human progress and blessing. No truths have equal power for the uplifting, the ennobling, the appeasement, the satisfaction, the glorification of the human life, as have those which, beginning with the Incarnation, end with the ascension into heaven of the Lord Jesus Christ ; “to whom be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”—G,
Vers. 1—8.— The sepulchre. I. SELF-REWARDING LovE. The women obey the longing to serve, though they know not how. Of love it is said, “ All other pleasures are not worth its pains.” In lavisling care upon the remains of ane beloved, we show that the
362 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. |cu. xvi. 1—20
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proper objects of love are persons. It is not to the love of an abstraction, but to the love — of himself, that Christ calls us. The suffering in this world are to us as the body of Jesus.
IL Ancetio ministry. “ Angels minister to the followers of Christ, and share their joy.’ The chain of sympathy is electric between earth and heaven; and all that we
now in sorrow and joy has its immediate reflection and response above.
Ill. THe eMpry Toms. The contents have escaped, as some ethereal vapour eluder its bonds. He could not be holden of the tomb. It bore witness to his resurrection and earth is no more a sepulchre, but a portico to heaven.—J.
Vers. 9—14.— Appearances of the risen One. I. THEY WERE REPEATED AKD VARIED. So in the history of the Church and the world ; there are epochs of the manifestation of Christ and of apparent concealment. Though history in one sense repeats itself, in another it does not. Christianity is the exhibition of the new in the old, the old in the new. And so in the individual.
IL THRY WERE MET BY PREJUDIOg. New truth finds in us something ever to over- come. The victory over a prejudice gives us cause for thanks; what we really possess of truth we possess because we have resisted it. We do not understand it till we have contended against it. ‘‘ We may believe more surely in the Resurrection, because they were so slow to believe.”
III. THE SPIRITUAL EVIDENCE OF CHRISTIANITY I8 THE BEAL EVIDENCE. Unless we see that Christ’s resurrection coincides with spiritual truth and needs, we shall not see it at all. Mediate knowledge can never be free from doubt; certainty lies in that which is immediate.—J.
Vers. 15—18.— Final ewtterances. I, CHRISTIANITY IS A GOOD MESSAGE FOR ALL MANKIND.
I. ALL WHO HAVE AFFIANOCE IN CHRIST ARE MEN CONSECRATED AND SAVED.
IIL Ir FAITH BE POSSESSED, ALL NECESSARY CONFIRMATIONS OF FAITH WILL BE GRANTED.
IV. In THE KINGDOM oF CHRIST, THE OUTWARD IS ONLY OF VALUE AS SIGNIFIOANT OF THE INWARD AND SPIRITUAL.—J.
Vers. 19, 20.—The Ascension. I. THe asceNT or CHRIST FOLLOWS FROM HI& DESCENT. His glory was conditioned and prepared for by his self-humiliation for our sakes.
IL Hx 18 Now IN THE SEAT OF SPIRITUAL POWER AND GLORY. The right hand of God is a figure of omnipotence. This power is felt in and through all the thought and development of the world,
III. Tu1s powkR IS FELT IN HUMAN WORKS OF LOVE. Good signs ever are following the course of the good message. Faith working by love in us corresponds to power working by love in God. For us there is Divine encouragement to work for humanity in this last page—
“Tn dens of passion and pits of woe, To see God’s love still struggling through, To sun the dark and solve the curse, And beam to the bounds of the universe.”
Vers, 1—18. Parallel passages: Matt. xxviii. 1—15; Luke xxiv. 1—49; John xx, 1—23.— An eventful day. 1. ‘THe RESURRECTION oF Curist. 1. The morning of ow Lord’s resurrection. ‘The first day of the week on which the events recorded in this section of the chapter took place was an eventful one. On the morning of that day we are placed side by side with some weeping women. ‘hey are Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome the wife of Zebedee. They had loved their Lord in life; they had stood by him in death; they had cleaved to him
. on the cross; and now his lifeless corpse is to them an object of affectionate concern. In the grey dawn of the morning twilight they quit their couch, they leave their cottage, and, setting out, come to the tomb (&pxovra, present, “come,” so St. Mark.
oH, xvi 1—20.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MARK. 863
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