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He Is Risen
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The First Resurrection Day and After
 
Matthew 28    1 In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.   2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.   3 His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:   4 And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.   5 And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.   6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.   7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.   8 And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.   9 And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.   10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.  11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.   12 And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers,   13 Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.   14 And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and secure you.   15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.   17 And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.   18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.   19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:   20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ;  Mark 16 1 And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.   2 And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.   3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?   4 And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.   5 And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.   6 And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.   7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.   8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. 9 Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.   10 And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.   11 And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.   12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.   13 And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them. 14 Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.   15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.   16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.   17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;   18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.  19 So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.   20 And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.  ;  Luke 24 1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.   2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.   3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.   4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:   5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?   6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,   7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.   8 And they remembered his words,   9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.   10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.   11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.   12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.  13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.   14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.   15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.   16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.   17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?   18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?   19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:   20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.   21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.   22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;   23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.   24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.   25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:   26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?   27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.   28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.   29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.   30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.   31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.   32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?   33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,   34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.   35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread. 36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.   37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.   38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?   39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.   40 And when he had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet.   41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?   42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.   43 And he took it, and did eat before them.   44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.   45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,   46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:   47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.   48 And ye are witnesses of these things.   49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. 50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.   51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.   52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:   53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.; John 20 1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.   2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.   3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.   4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.   5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.   6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,   7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.   8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.   9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.   10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.  11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,   12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.   13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.   14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.   15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.   16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.   17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.   18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.   20 And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.   21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.   22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:   23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.   24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.   25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.  26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.   27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.   28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.   29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.   30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:   31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. , 21  1 After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise showed he himself.   2 There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples.   3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.   4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.   5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.   6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.   7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher's coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.   8 And the other disciples came in a little ship; (for they were not far from land, but as it were two hundred cubits,) dragging the net with fishes.   9 As soon then as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread.   10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.   11 Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.   12 Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord.   13 Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise.   14 This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. 15 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.   16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.   17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.   18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.   19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.  20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?   21 Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do?   22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.   23 Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?   24 This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true.   25 And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.  
 
       All that weary night and the next day and the night following, the guard kept watch.  According to Jewish reckoning, Sunday would be the third day from the crucifixion.  There long vigil was nearly over.
     At about five o'clock, when the first light broke over the horizon, there was an earth tremor which shook the guards fully awake.  Before there startled eyes a figure dazziling as lightening, white as snow, rolled back the stone from the tomb where Jesus lay. For a few moments they were paralyzed with fear.  Then they fled and told the Sanhedrin what had happened.  The high priests gave them money. "Say, His disciples stole his body while we were asleep,"  they said, "If Pilate hears of it, we shall see that nothing happens to you."
     About an our later, six or seven women, friends of Jesus, including Mary Magdalene, went to the tomb carrying spices to embalm his body.  On the way, they worried that they might not be strong enough to move the stone, but on approaching the tomb they were surprised to see that the stone had already been rolled away.  There was room for only one or two of them at a time to enter the tomb.  Those who did were startled fo find that the body of Jesus was gone.  While they were puzzling over this, there suddenly flashed before their eyes two men clothed in dazzling white. "Do not be afraid," they said.  "Why do you look for the living among the dead?  Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified is not here.  He has risen.  Remember that he told you when he was still in Galilee that the Son of Man had to be betrayed and crucified and would rise on the third day."
     Those of the back of the group of women, among them Mary Magdalene, saw and heard very little of the vision, but when those in front turned in panic and pushed their way out of the tomb in terror, their fear infected the other women, and they all fled.
     Mary Magdalene gathered only that Christ's body had disappeared.  She ran to where Peter and John were lodging.  "They have taken the Lord away and we do not know where that have lain him!" she wept.  The two men ran to the garden.
     Meanwhile, in the path of the other women, hurrying home together, there appeared in the still dim light of the dawn, the figure of a man.  "Greetings," said the voice they knew.  Unable to believe their ears an eyes, for they saw it was Jesus standing there, they fell in worship to the ground.  "Do not be afraid," said Jesus.  "Go and tell my disciples to go into Galilee and there they shall see me."
     Joyfully the women told the remaining disciples how they had met with Jesus.  But this all seemed nonsense to them, and they did not believe it.
     While this was happening, John and Peter ran to the tomb.  John, who was younger than Peter, arrived first.  But he was afraid to enter the tomb and only peered in.  In the gloom he could make out the linen cloths which had been wrapped around the body.
     While he was hesitating, Peter arrived and shouldered his way past into the tomb..  He saw that the body was indeed gone and that the cloth that has been wrapped around Jesus' head was rolled up in a place by itself.
     John followed Peter into the tomb.  Neither of them understood what had happened.  They knew only that Jesus was not there.
     They left before Mary, following them with the slowness of sorrow, arrived at the grave.  She stood outside the tomb weeping, and them was suddenly aware of a man  standing by her.  Her head was bowed in grief and her eyes filled with tears so that she did not see his face.
     "Why are you weeping?" he asked.  "Who are you looking for?"
     Mary thinking he was the gardener said, "Sir, if you have removed him, please tell me where you have taken him and I will take him away."
     This man replied with one word, "Mary."  But hearing her name and the way he said it, Mary knew at once who he was.
     "Master!" she cried and fell to her knees.  She wanted to embrace him, but gently he stopped her.
     "Do not cling to me now," he said.  "Go and tell my  friends that I have risen and that I am going to return to my Father and your Father, my God and your God."
     She did not want to leave him, yet longed to show her love by doing all he asked.  Full of joy she ran back to Jerusalem.  "I have seen the Lord." she told the disciples.  "He is alive."
     As the day went on, the disciples' excitement grew.  It seemed that the unbelievable was true.  Peter, the broken-hearted  coward who had denied his Lord three times, returned in the evening a new man, full of courage and confidence.  Mary Magadelen and the women were right.  Jesus was alive.  They had met him and talked to him.  There was no doubt at all.
      He had barely finished talking when two disciples who had walked late that afternoon to Emmaus, a village outside Jerusalem, burst in panting.  They had ran all the way back because Jesus had joined them, showing them from the Scriptures why the Messiah had had to die.  They had not recognized him in the twilight, though their hearts had flamed within  them as he talked, nor in the dimly lit inn, until  he had blessed and broken bread in the way they knew so well. He had then vanished from their sight.
     They finiashed their story.  And suddenly Jesus was there among the disciples, saying, "Peace to you all." and proving that he was not a ghost by eating before them and allowing them to touch him.  No one could doubt any longer.
     Thomas Didymus was not present.  When the disciples told him they has seen the Lord, he said, "Unless I see and feel the nail-marks in his hands and the wound in his side, I will not believe."  A week later, when Thomas was with the disciples, Jesus appeared, and greeting them, stretched out his hands to Thomas.  "Look," he said,put your finger into the nail-prints in my hands.  Place your hand here in the wound in my side.  Do not be unbelieving any longer."
     There was no need for Thomas to touch him.  He knelt before him.  "My Lord and my God," he said.
     "You believe because you have seen me,: said Jesus.  "Blessed are those who believe without having seen."
    Besides these appearances, Jesus showed himself to his own half-brother James, who had not been his follower  while he lived, and he became a believer.  By the Sea of Galilee where Jesus had spent so much of his life, he made almost his last appearance.
     Peter and the other ex-fishermen had gone back to their old work of fishing.  All one night the worked but caught nothing.  In the early morning gloom they saw a man standing on the beach, and did not recognize him or realize that he was Jesus.
     "Have you caught anything he asked?"  "No."  "Try thowing the net to starboard."  They did so, and immediately the net filled with fish.   Peter remembering how, long ago, after a similar great haul, Jesus had told them they would catch men for him. "It is the Lord! he said.
     After they had brought the net to land, they found a fire burning and breakfast already cooking.  It was still too dark to see clearly.   None of the disciples dared ask Jesus if it were he; but they knew it was, especially when he blessed  and broke bread and gave it to them with fish to eat.
     After breakfast, Jesus asked three times,  "Simon, do you love me?"  Each time Peter answered, "Lord you know I do."  He was hurt at being asked three times, but each time wiped out one of the denials in the High Priests courtyard.  "Shepherd my people." said Jesus, "and follow me."
     So Jesus showed himself to his friends for many days until it was time for him to ascend to his Father.

King James Bible, Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary

Odis C. Alexander, D.D., Ev.D., Th.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Odis C. Alexander
Hawthorne, CA  90250
Phone: 310-710-1652