Page images
PDF
EPUB

APPENDIX.

Having now gone through the four Gospels, with occasional attempts to harmonize apparent incongruities, the writer begs leave here to present a short Harmony of the last and most important event, our Lord's resurrection, which he borrows from a former work written by himself about forty years ago. See "The Age of Infidelity," Part II., page 86, 87.

MATTHEW XXVIII.

MARK XVI.

LUKE XXIV.

JOHN XX.

Fact No. I. Verse 1. In , Fact No. I. Ver. 1. When Fact No. I. Ver. 1. Very Fact No. 1. Ver. 1. The the end of the sabbath, as the sabbath was past, Mary early the first day of the first day of the week Mary the first day of the week Magdalen, and other wo-week Mary Magdalen and Magdalen came to the se began to dawn, came Mary men, brought spices to the other women came to the pulchre while it was yet Magdalen, and the other sepulchre, just as the sun sepulchre, and (somewhat) dark, and she Mary, to the sepulchre, was rising, and Ver. 2. Found the stone seeth the stone rolled away and found the stone rolled Ver. 4. Found the stone rolled away from its mouth. from its mouth. from the mouth of the se-rolled from the mouth of pulchre. the sepulchre. II. (Omitted.)

II. (Omitted.)

II. (Omitted.)

II. Ver. 2-10. She runs immediately to the apos tles Peter and John, both whom run to the sepulchre: John gets there first, and looks in; Peter comes up and goes first in, and thea John follows; both see nothing but the tomb and grave-clothes, and both return home.

III. Ver. 11-13. Mary having this while stood weeping with out, now looks in, and sees

III. Ver. 4-8, Enter-
ing the sepulchre, they see Magdalen
two angels, who comfort
the women, assuring them

III. Ver.5-7. They see III. Ver. 5. Entering the an angel, who comforts sepulchre she sees an anthem, that Jesus was risen, gel, who, and gone to Galilee, where Ver. 6, 7. Comforts the his disciples should meet women, and assures them that Jesus would meet his two angels, who endea with him. Jesus would meet his dis-disciples in Galilee. ciples in Galilee.

IV. They run, with a IV. Ver. 8, 9. They run mixture of fear and joy, to away trembling to the disthe disciples; but meet ciples, but by the way he Jesus by the way. appears to Mary.

[blocks in formation]

vour to comfort her; but

IV. Ver.9, 10. They reIV. Ver. 14-18.Turning turn to tell the rest of the back, she sees Jesus, whom disciples, who believe not, she takes for the gardener, till he discovers himself. Then Mary goes to tell the other disciples that she had seen the Lord. V. (Omitted.)

V. Ver. 12. But Peter Ver. 10, 11. Mary goes runs (a second time) to and tells the rest of the the sepulchre, sees only disciples, but they believe the clothes, and returns wondering.

not.

VI. Ver. 12. He appears to two disciples going into the country.

Ver. 13. They report it to the rest of the disciples, who still believe not.

VII. Ver. 16-17. The VII. Ver. 14, 15. He apdisciples go to Galilee, pears to the apostles and where they see him, as was disciples at supper, and appointed, and he com-commissions them to go missions them to preach. and preach.

VI. Ver. 13-32. Jesus appears to two disciples going to Emmaus, and stops to sup with them.

Ver. 33-35. They return to Jerusalem, and acquaint the rest.

VI. (Omitted.)

VII. Ver. 36. Jesus ap- VII. Ver. 19. The same pears to the apostles and evening Jesus appears to others, and commissions his apostles, &c. aud par them to preach the Gospel, cularly addresses Peter. beginning at Jerusalem.

The leading facts are here reduced to seven, which are marked with numerical letters, J. II., &c. Оп No. I. it may be proper to remark, that, on comparing the different Evangelists, it seems evident that the women did not come all to the sepulchre at one time, but some at day-break, and the other women (probably their servants, who were loaded with the spices), not till sun-rise. None of them seem to have been aware, that Nicodemus had brought spices on the night before, or that the sepulchre had been sealed and guarded.

On Fact III, we may remark, that Matthew and Mark mention the appearance of one angel only-Luke and John, two. Perhaps one only spoke, and appeared the principal.-See Note on Mark x. 46–52.

P. S. Should the reader wish to pursue the present subject farther, he will find a most learned and candid statement of all the facts, with the opinions of the ablest critics and commentators, in Mr. Prebendary Townsend's elaborate Harmony of the Resurrection in his "Arranged N. Test, vol. i. p. 520 et seq.

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.

INTRODUCTION.

THIS is the last of the historical books of the New Testament, and forms a link of connexion between the Gospels and Apostolical Epistles. The Acts or transactions of the Apostles, is the title given to this book in the Codex Beza, and in all the modern versions or editions; but in the Alexandrine, and many other manuscripts and editions, and by most of the Christian Fathers, it is called "The Acts of the Holy Apostles."

his

......

That St. Luke was the author of this Book, as well as of the Gospel which bears name, "is evident," as Mr. Hartwell Horne remarks, "both from the introduction, and from the unanimous testimonies of the early Christians. Both are inscribed to Theophilus, and, in the very first verse of the Acts, there is a reference made to his Gospel, which he calls the former Treatise. From the frequent use of the first person plural, it is clear that he was present at most of the transactions he relates. He appears to have accompanied St. Paul to Philippi; he also attended him to Jerusalem, and afterwards to Rome, where he remained two years during that Apostle's first confinement. Accordingly we find St. Luke particularly mentioned in two of the Epistles written by St. Paul, from Rome, during that confinement. And as the Book of Acts is continued to the end of the second year of St. Paul's imprisonment, it could not have been written before the year 63; and as the death of that Apostle is not mentioned, it is probable that the book was composed before that event, which is supposed to have happened A.D. 65." Michaelis, Dr. Lardner, Dr. Benson, Rosenmuller, Bp. Tomline, and the generality of critics, therefore, assign the date of this book to the year 63 (or 64).

This Book of the Acts has been divided into three principal parts.—Part I. including the first seven chapters and four verses of the eighth, contains "the rise and progress of the Mother Church at Jerusalem, from our Saviour's ascension to the first Jewish persecution."-Part II. ch. viii. 5 to the end of ch. xii. relates the dispersion of the disciples by persecution-the propagation of the Gospel among the Samaritans-the conversion of St. Paul, and the foundation of a Christian Church at Antioch.-Part III. from chap. xiii. to the end, "describes the conversion of the more remote Gentiles, by Barnabas and Paul; and, after their separation, by Paul and his associates, among whom was Luke himself during the latter part of Paul's labours."

The style, though not entirely free from Hebraisms, especially in the parts addressed to Jews, is considered "much purer than that of most other Books of the New Testament, particularly in he speeches delivered by Paul at Athens, and before the Roman Governors." The history, as it gives the only credible account of the rise and spread of Christianity, furnishes, at the same time, abundant evidence of its truth, and of its happy effects wherever it was received, in raising and improving the character of man. (See Mr. Horne's judicious Analysis of the New Test. in his Critical Introd. vol. iv. Part ii. ch. ii. § 7.)

1

[ocr errors]

The ascension]

THE

CHAP. I.

THE ACTS.

HE former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,

2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen :

3 To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God:

4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.

5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

6.When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying,

CHAP, I

[of Christ. Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel?

7 And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seas sons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you? and ye shall be witnesses unto me, both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.

9 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.

10 And while they looked stead fastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;

11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. (A)

EXPOSITION.

(A) Ver. 1-11. Our Lord's ascension. -The excellent M. Claude remarks, that here "the Evangelist [Luke] speaks of the things that Jesus began both to do and 1 to teach." Now he says the same of Moses: "He was mighty in words and in deeds (Acts vii. 22). ... These two things joined together, doing and teaching, are distinguishing characters of a true prophet, who never separates practice from doctrine." We may remark, however, that there was a great difference between Moses and Jesus, both in their teaching and doing. "One taught justice, the other mercy; one abased, the other exalted; one terrified, the other comforted. There was also a great difference between the deeds of the one and of the other. Most of the miracles of Moses

were miracles of destruction, with which he chastised the Egyptians: but the mira cles of Jesus Christ were always miracles of benevolence, raising the dead, giving sight to the blind," &c. (Claude's Essayı vol. ii. p. 174.)

This practice of teaching and working miracles our Lord continued through the whole course of his ministry, "going about" preaching and "doing good, "until the day that he was taken up" to heaven; which, however, was not until "after that he, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apos tles whom he had chosen," relative to their conduct after his departure. “To whom also (says St. Luke) he showed him self alive, after his passion, by many in fallible proofs; being seen of them" at

NOTES.

CHAP. I. Ver. 1. The former treatise.-See Luke i. 3.

Ver. 4. Being assembled together.-Marg. "Eating together with them," and we know that our Lord did eat with his disciples, even after his resurrection (Luke xxiv. 42). But the original word seems applicable to any friendly or social meeting.

"Saith he:" these words, though not in the original, are evidently implied, See Doddr.

Ver. 6. Wilt thou at this time restore.- From our Lord's promise, that the Holy Spirit should convince the world of sin, &c. (John xvi. 8), it is possible that the apostles expected that this effect would im mediately follow the gift of the Holy Ghost. See Doddridge.

Ver. 7. Put in his own power. Compare Mark xiii. 32, and Note.

[graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][ocr errors][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed]
« PreviousContinue »