V. Resurrection of One of the fundamental facts of Christianity is the resur rection of Christ; without this fact, the whole fabric of our apologetic falls to the ground and there is no hope of any life after death. "If Christ is not risen, vain is your faith, ye are still in your sins; yea, and they, that have passed to their rest in union with Christ, are lost. Why, if we have hoped in the mystic union with Christ for this life alone, then are we the most to be pitied of all mankind° (1 Cor. xv, 16-19). Hence it is of prime import ance to establish the resurrection of Christ as an historical fact. We do so from the four Gospels and the letters of Saint Paul, taken as historical documents, the substantial his toricity of which no prudent man has any right to deny.
First, Jesus appealed to His future resur rection in proof of the truth of His claim that He was the Ambassador of God the Father and that he had from God the Father a message for the world. This fact is clear to any reader of the historical documents called Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Witness the sign of Jonas: as Jonas was in the belly of the sea-monster three days and three nights, so shall the Son of Man be in the earth three days and three nights° (Matt xii, 39-41). Wit ness the sign of the Temple: this temple, and in three days I will raise it . . . He was speaking of the temple of His (John ii, 18-22). Witness, finally, the repeated and detailed prophecy of the oncom ing death and resurrection of Jesus: shall be delivered to the Gentiles ; and shall be mocked, and scourged, and spat upon. And after they shall have scourged Him, they shall kill Him. And the third day He shall rise again.° This prophecy is given, in substantially the same form, three times by Matthew (xvi, 21; xvii, 12 and 22, 23; xx, 18, 19) • three times by Mark (viii, 31; ix, 11-13 and 30; x, 33, 34), and twice by Luke (ix, 22; xviii, 31-34). There can be absolutely no doubt about this fact. Jesus clearly appealed to His future resurrection in proof of the truth of His claim that He had from the Father a message for the world.
Secondly, Jesus arose from the dead to ful fill His prophecy in proof of the truth of His claim to divine ambassadorship, to the message from the Father and to the right to give that message to the world. This fact is denied only by those who start by throwing out of court miracles, prophecies and all supernatural ele ments of religion. Their theories are summed up under (q.v.). Against these theories are the subjoined, clear facts of our documents. The chronological order of these facts is matter of dispute ; of the facts them selves there is no doubt. They bear conclusive witness to the physical resurrection of Jesus. 1. The leaders of the priestly party and the Pharisees called to the attention of Pilate the prophecy of Jesus: (After three days I shall rise again.5 They demanded a guard, lest the
disciples might steal the body of the dead Teacher and then say: is risen from the dead.° The tomb was dosed with a rolling stone; the stone was sealed with the official seal; a guard was set to prevent stealth (Matt. xxvu, 62-66). 2. Saturday evening, after sun set, the holy women visited the tomb, returned, bought spices and ointments (Matt. xxviii, 1; Mark xvi, 1; Luke xxiii, 56). 3. Christ arose early Sunday, the earth quaked, the angel rolled back the stone from the entrance to the tomb, the guards were terror stricken and lost con sciousness (Matt, xxviii, 2-4). 4. While it was yet dark, Sunday morning (John xx, 1), the women started for the tomb; they arrived at daybreak (Mark xvi, 2) and found the stone rolled back (Mark xvi, 3, 4; Luke xxiv, 1, 2) straightway Mary Magdalen returned to tell the apostles (John xx, 2). 5. The rest of the holy women entered the tomb and saw two angels standing (Luke xxiv, 3, 4) and one sitting (Mark xvi, 5) ; they were told that Jesus had risen, and were sent back to inform the apostles (Matt xxviii, 5-8; Mark xvi, 6, 7; Luke xxiv, 5-11) •, but were so frightened as to say nothing (Mark xvi, 8). 6. After hearing the story of Mary, Peter and John ran to the tomb and found it empty (Luke xxiv, 12; John xx, 3-10). 7. Mary Magdalen returned to the tomb; Jesus appeared to her (Mark xvi, 9-11; John xx, 11-18). 8. Jesus appeared to the holy women, who had been affrighted by the vision of angels (Matt. xxviii, 9, 10) ; meantime the guards were bribed to say that the body of Jesus had been stolen by the disciples, while the soldiers were asleep (Matt. Jamul, 11-15). 9. Jesus appeared to the two disciples going to Emmaus (Mark xvi, 12, 13; Luke xxiv, 13 33). 10. The fourth appartion of Christ was to Peter (Luke xxiv, 34, 35). 11. Jesus appeared to 10 apostles at Jerusalem, in the absence of Thomas (Mark xvi, 14; Luke xxiv, 36-49; John xx, 19-25). 12. Eight days after these five apparitions of the first Easter Sunday, Jesus again appeared to the apostles, and this time Thomas was present (John xx, 26-31). 13. The seventh apparition was by the Sea of Gali lee, to seven apostles; the Saviour then en trusted Peter with the primacy in shepherding His flock (John xxi). 14. On a mountain in Galilee, at the eighth apparition of the risen Saviour, He gave His Own world-mission to the apostles (Matt. xxviii, 16-20). 15. On Mount Olivet, Jesus repeated to His apostles the com mand to preach the Father's message to the world, and He then ascended into heaven (Mark xvi, 15-19; Luke xxiv, 50, 51).