Today’s Reflection:
Because Jesus is miracle, we too become miracles, living in God’s realm that Jesus called the kingdom. We do not have to die to enter God’s kingdom; it is already at work on earth — unfolding, expanding, healing, bringing new life. God’s kingdom is the realm in which daily miracles on all levels are a natural occurrence. (Flora Slosson Wuellner, Miracle: When Christ Touches Our Deepest Need)
From page 92 of Miracle by Flora Slosson Wuellner. Copyright © 2008 by the author. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question: As you enter Holy Week, look for miracles.
Today’s Scripture: They shouted back, “Crucify him!” (Mark 15:13, NRSV)
This Week: Pray for those affected by gun violence.
Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.This week we remember: Sister Thea Bowman (March 30).
Sister Thea Bowman
March 30
The granddaughter of slaves, Bertha Bowman (1937-1990) was born in rural Mississippi, raised Methodist, but baptized Catholic at age ten. When she was sixteen, Bertha entered the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration community and became the only African-American in the white order. Sister Thea Bowman said, "I bring my whole history, my traditions, my experience, my culture, my African-American song and dance and gesture and movement and teaching, and preaching and healing and responsibility as a gift to the Church."
Thea received Master's and doctorate degrees and taught in elementary schools through university classes. After sixteen years of teaching, a bishop asked Thea to serve as a consultant for intercultural awareness. She made over one hundred public appearances each year, encouraging appreciation for and cooperation between all racial/ethnic groups. She inspired countless African-Americans to share their gifts and leadership with a wide faith community. Some called her "Mother Teresa with soul."
In 1984 Sister Thea was diagnosed with breast cancer. Even as she battled the disease, Thea continued to speak with vitality and passion until she died on March 30, 1990.
Sister Thea Bowman is currently being considered for official sainthood.
If Sister Thea Bowman had taken the Spiritual Types Test, she probably would have been a Prophet. Sister Thea Bowman is remembered on March 30.
Image is Thea Bowman pictured in 1985 photo. (CNS photo/Beatrice Njemanze, Mississippi Catholic)
Lectionary Readings
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Acts 10:34-43
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
John 20:1-18Scripture Reading:
Acts 10:34 Then Kefa addressed them: “I now understand that God does not play favorites, 35 but that whoever fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him, no matter what people he belongs to.
36 “Here is the message that he sent to the sons of Isra’el announcing shalom through Yeshua the Messiah, who is Lord of everything. 37 You know what has been going on throughout Y’hudah, starting from the Galil after the immersion that Yochanan proclaimed; 38 how God anointed Yeshua from Natzeret with the Ruach HaKodesh and with power; how Yeshua went about doing good and healing all the people oppressed by the Adversary, because God was with him.
39 “As for us, we are witnesses of everything he did, both in the Judean countryside and in Yerushalayim. They did away with him by hanging him on a stake;[Acts 10:39 Deuteronomy 21:23] 40 but God raised him up on the third day and let him be seen, 41 not by all the people, but by witnesses God had previously chosen, that is, by us, who ate and drank with him after he had risen again from the dead.
42 “Then he commanded us to proclaim and attest to the Jewish people that this man has been appointed by God to judge the living and the dead. 43 All the prophets bear witness to him, that everyone who puts his trust in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Psalm 118:1 Give thanks to Adonai; for he is good,
for his grace continues forever.
2 Now let Isra’el say,
“His grace continues forever.”
14 Yah is my strength and my song,
and he has become my salvation.
15 The sound of rejoicing and victory
is heard in the tents of the righteous:
“Adonai’s right hand struck powerfully!
16 Adonai’s right hand is raised in triumph!
Adonai’s right hand struck powerfully!”
17 I will not die; no, I will live
and proclaim the great deeds of Yah!
18 Yah disciplined me severely,
but did not hand me over to death.
19 Open the gates of righteousness for me;
I will enter them and thank Yah.
20 This is the gate of Adonai;
the righteous can enter it.
21 I am thanking you because you answered me;
you became my salvation.
22 The very rock that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone!
23 This has come from Adonai,
and in our eyes it is amazing.
24 This is the day Adonai has made,
a day for us to rejoice and be glad.
1 Corinthians 15:1 Now, brothers, I must remind you of the Good News which I proclaimed to you, and which you received, and on which you have taken your stand, 2 and by which you are being saved — provided you keep holding fast to the message I proclaimed to you. For if you don’t, your trust will have been in vain. 3 For among the first things I passed on to you was what I also received, namely this: the Messiah died for our sins, in accordance with what the Tanakh says; 4 and he was buried; and he was raised on the third day, in accordance with what the Tanakh says; 5 and he was seen by Kefa, then by the Twelve; 6 and afterwards he was seen by more than five hundred brothers at one time, the majority of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Later he was seen by Ya‘akov, then by all the emissaries; 8 and last of all he was seen by me, even though I was born at the wrong time. 9 For I am the least of all the emissaries, unfit to be called an emissary, because I persecuted the Messianic Community of God. 10 But by God’s grace I am what I am, and his grace towards me was not in vain; on the contrary, I have worked harder than all of them, although it was not I but the grace of God with me. 11 Anyhow, whether I or they, this is what we proclaim, and this is what you believed.
John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Miryam from Magdala went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she came running to Shim‘on Kefa and the other talmid, the one Yeshua loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”
3 Then Kefa and the other talmid started for the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other talmid outran Kefa and reached the tomb first. 5 Stooping down, he saw the linen burial-sheets lying there but did not go in. 6 Then, following him, Shim‘on Kefa arrived, entered the tomb and saw the burial-sheets lying there, 7 also the cloth that had been around his head, lying not with the sheets but in a separate place and still folded up. 8 Then the other talmid, who had arrived at the tomb first, also went in; he saw, and he trusted. 9 (They had not yet come to understand that the Tanakh teaches that the Messiah has to rise from the dead.)
10 So the talmidim returned home, 11 but Miryam stood outside crying. As she cried, she bent down, peered into the tomb, 12 and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Yeshua had been, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 “Why are you crying?” they asked her. “They took my Lord,” she said to them, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14 As she said this, she turned around and saw Yeshua standing there, but she didn’t know it was he. 15 Yeshua said to her, “Lady, why are you crying? Whom are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you’re the one who carried him away, just tell me where you put him; and I’ll go and get him myself.” 16 Yeshua said to her, “Miryam!” Turning, she cried out to him in Hebrew, “Rabbani!” (that is, “Teacher!”) 17 “Stop holding onto me,” Yeshua said to her, “because I haven’t yet gone back to the Father. But go to my brothers, and tell them that I am going back to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”18 Miryam of Magdala went to the talmidim with the news that she had seen the Lord and that he had told her this. (Complete Jewish Bible)John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes:
Acts 10:34-43
Verse 34
[34] Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
I perceive of a truth — More clearly than ever, from such a concurrence of circumstances.
That God is not a respecter of persons — Is not partial in his love. The words mean, in a particular sense, that he does not confine his love to one nation; in a general, that he is loving to every man, and willeth all men should be saved.
Verse 35
[35] But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
But in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness — He that, first, reverences God, as great, wise, good, the cause, end, and governor of all things; and secondly, from this awful regard to him, not only avoids all known evil, but endeavours, according to the best light he has, to do all things well; is accepted of him - Through Christ, though he knows him not. The assertion is express, and admits of no exception. He is in the favour of God, whether enjoying his written word and ordinances or not. Nevertheless the addition of these is an unspeakable blessing to those who were before in some measure accepted. Otherwise God would never have sent an angel from heaven to direct Cornelius to St. Peter.
Verse 36
[36] The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
This is the word which God sent — When he sent his Son into the world, preaching - Proclaiming by him-peace between God and man, whether Jew or Gentile, by the God-man. He is Lord of both; yea, Lord of and over all.
Verse 37
[37] That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
Ye know the word which was published — You know the facts in general, the meaning of which I shall now more particularly explain and confirm to you.
The baptism which John preached — To which he invited them by his preaching, in token of their repentance. This began in Galilee, which is near Cesarea.
Verse 38
[38] How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
How God anointed Jesus — Particularly at his baptism, thereby inaugurating him to his office: with the Holy Ghost and with power - It is worthy our remark, that frequently when the Holy Ghost is mentioned there is added a word particularly adapted to the present circumstance. So the deacons were to be full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, Acts 6:3. Barnabas was full of the Holy Ghost and faith, Acts 11:24. The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost, Acts 13:52. And here, where his mighty works are mentioned, Christ himself is said to be anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. For God was with him-He speaks sparingly here of the majesty of Christ, as considering the state of his hearers.
Verse 41
[41] Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
Not now to all the people — As before his death; to us who did eat and drink with him - That is, conversed familiarly and continually with him, in the time of his ministry.
Verse 42
[42] And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
It is he who is ordained by God the Judge of the living and the dead — Of all men, whether they are alive at his coming, or had died before it. This was declaring to them, in the strongest terms, how entirely their happiness depended on a timely and humble subjection to him who was to be their final Judge.
Verse 43
[43] To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
To him give all the prophets witness — Speaking to heathens he does not quote any in particular; that every one who believeth in him - Whether he be Jew or Gentile; receiveth remission of sins - Though he had not before either feared God, or worked righteousness.
3 Then Kefa and the other talmid started for the tomb. 4 They both ran, but the other talmid outran Kefa and reached the tomb first. 5 Stooping down, he saw the linen burial-sheets lying there but did not go in. 6 Then, following him, Shim‘on Kefa arrived, entered the tomb and saw the burial-sheets lying there, 7 also the cloth that had been around his head, lying not with the sheets but in a separate place and still folded up. 8 Then the other talmid, who had arrived at the tomb first, also went in; he saw, and he trusted. 9 (They had not yet come to understand that the Tanakh teaches that the Messiah has to rise from the dead.)
10 So the talmidim returned home, 11 but Miryam stood outside crying. As she cried, she bent down, peered into the tomb, 12 and saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Yeshua had been, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 “Why are you crying?” they asked her. “They took my Lord,” she said to them, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
14 As she said this, she turned around and saw Yeshua standing there, but she didn’t know it was he. 15 Yeshua said to her, “Lady, why are you crying? Whom are you looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you’re the one who carried him away, just tell me where you put him; and I’ll go and get him myself.” 16 Yeshua said to her, “Miryam!” Turning, she cried out to him in Hebrew, “Rabbani!” (that is, “Teacher!”) 17 “Stop holding onto me,” Yeshua said to her, “because I haven’t yet gone back to the Father. But go to my brothers, and tell them that I am going back to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”18 Miryam of Magdala went to the talmidim with the news that she had seen the Lord and that he had told her this. (Complete Jewish Bible)John Wesley’s Explanatory Notes:
Acts 10:34-43
Verse 34
[34] Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:
I perceive of a truth — More clearly than ever, from such a concurrence of circumstances.
That God is not a respecter of persons — Is not partial in his love. The words mean, in a particular sense, that he does not confine his love to one nation; in a general, that he is loving to every man, and willeth all men should be saved.
Verse 35
[35] But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
But in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness — He that, first, reverences God, as great, wise, good, the cause, end, and governor of all things; and secondly, from this awful regard to him, not only avoids all known evil, but endeavours, according to the best light he has, to do all things well; is accepted of him - Through Christ, though he knows him not. The assertion is express, and admits of no exception. He is in the favour of God, whether enjoying his written word and ordinances or not. Nevertheless the addition of these is an unspeakable blessing to those who were before in some measure accepted. Otherwise God would never have sent an angel from heaven to direct Cornelius to St. Peter.
Verse 36
[36] The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)
This is the word which God sent — When he sent his Son into the world, preaching - Proclaiming by him-peace between God and man, whether Jew or Gentile, by the God-man. He is Lord of both; yea, Lord of and over all.
Verse 37
[37] That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;
Ye know the word which was published — You know the facts in general, the meaning of which I shall now more particularly explain and confirm to you.
The baptism which John preached — To which he invited them by his preaching, in token of their repentance. This began in Galilee, which is near Cesarea.
Verse 38
[38] How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
How God anointed Jesus — Particularly at his baptism, thereby inaugurating him to his office: with the Holy Ghost and with power - It is worthy our remark, that frequently when the Holy Ghost is mentioned there is added a word particularly adapted to the present circumstance. So the deacons were to be full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, Acts 6:3. Barnabas was full of the Holy Ghost and faith, Acts 11:24. The disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost, Acts 13:52. And here, where his mighty works are mentioned, Christ himself is said to be anointed with the Holy Ghost and with power. For God was with him-He speaks sparingly here of the majesty of Christ, as considering the state of his hearers.
Verse 41
[41] Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
Not now to all the people — As before his death; to us who did eat and drink with him - That is, conversed familiarly and continually with him, in the time of his ministry.
Verse 42
[42] And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.
It is he who is ordained by God the Judge of the living and the dead — Of all men, whether they are alive at his coming, or had died before it. This was declaring to them, in the strongest terms, how entirely their happiness depended on a timely and humble subjection to him who was to be their final Judge.
Verse 43
[43] To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
To him give all the prophets witness — Speaking to heathens he does not quote any in particular; that every one who believeth in him - Whether he be Jew or Gentile; receiveth remission of sins - Though he had not before either feared God, or worked righteousness.
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
Verse 14
[14] The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
Verse 14
[14] The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation.
Salvation — My Saviour.
Verse 15
[15] The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Doth valiantly — These are the words of that song of praise now mentioned.
Verse 16
[16] The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Exalted — Hath appeared evidently, and wrought powerfully and gloriously.
Verse 19
[19] Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Open — O ye porters, appointed by God for this work.
The gates — Of the Lord's tabernacle: where the rule of righteousness was kept and taught, and the sacrifices of righteousness were offered.
Verse 20
[20] This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
The righteous — As David was a type of Christ and the temple of heaven, so this place hath a farther prospect than David, and relates to Christ's ascending into heaven, and opening the gates of that blessed temple, both for himself and for all believers.
Verse 22
[22] The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
The builders — The commonwealth of Israel and the church of God are here and elsewhere compared to a building, wherein, as the people are the stones, so the princes and rulers are the builders. And as these master-builders rejected David, so their successors rejected Christ.
Head stone — The chief stone in the whole building, by which the several parts of the building are upheld and firmly united together. Thus David united all the tribes and families of Israel: and thus Christ united Jews and Gentiles together. And therefore this place is justly expounded of Christ, Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:32; Ephesians 2:20. And to him the words agree more properly than to David.
Verse 24
[24] This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Made — Or sanctified as a season never to be forgotten.
Verse 15
[15] The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Doth valiantly — These are the words of that song of praise now mentioned.
Verse 16
[16] The right hand of the LORD is exalted: the right hand of the LORD doeth valiantly.
Exalted — Hath appeared evidently, and wrought powerfully and gloriously.
Verse 19
[19] Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the LORD:
Open — O ye porters, appointed by God for this work.
The gates — Of the Lord's tabernacle: where the rule of righteousness was kept and taught, and the sacrifices of righteousness were offered.
Verse 20
[20] This gate of the LORD, into which the righteous shall enter.
The righteous — As David was a type of Christ and the temple of heaven, so this place hath a farther prospect than David, and relates to Christ's ascending into heaven, and opening the gates of that blessed temple, both for himself and for all believers.
Verse 22
[22] The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.
The builders — The commonwealth of Israel and the church of God are here and elsewhere compared to a building, wherein, as the people are the stones, so the princes and rulers are the builders. And as these master-builders rejected David, so their successors rejected Christ.
Head stone — The chief stone in the whole building, by which the several parts of the building are upheld and firmly united together. Thus David united all the tribes and families of Israel: and thus Christ united Jews and Gentiles together. And therefore this place is justly expounded of Christ, Mark 12:10; Acts 4:11; Romans 9:32; Ephesians 2:20. And to him the words agree more properly than to David.
Verse 24
[24] This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Made — Or sanctified as a season never to be forgotten.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Verse 2
[2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.Ye are saved, if ye hold fast — Your salvation is begun, and will be perfected, if ye continue in the faith.
Verse 2
[2] By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.Ye are saved, if ye hold fast — Your salvation is begun, and will be perfected, if ye continue in the faith.
Unless ye have believed in vain — Unless indeed your faith was only a delusion.
Verse 3
[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
I received — From Christ himself. It was not a fiction of my own. Isaiah 53:8,9.
Verse 4
[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
According to the scriptures — He proves it first from scripture, then from the testimony of a cloud of witnesses. Psalms 16:10.
Verse 5
[5] And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
By the twelve — This was their standing appellation; but their full number was not then present.
Verse 6
[6] After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
Above five hundred — Probably in Galilee. A glorious and incontestable proof! The greater part remain - Alive.
Verse 7
[7] After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
Then by all the apostles — The twelve were mentioned 1 Corinthians 15:5. This title here, therefore, seems to include the seventy; if not all those, likewise, whom God afterwards sent to plant the gospel in heathen nations.
Verse 8
[8] And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
An untimely birth — It was impossible to abase himself more than he does by this single appellation. As an abortion is not worthy the name of a man, so he affirms himself to be not worthy the name of an apostle.
Verse 9
[9] For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
I persecuted the church — True believers are humbled all their lives, even for the sins they committed before they believed.
Verse 10
[10] But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
I laboured more than they all — That is, more than any of them, from a deep sense of the peculiar love God had shown me. Yet, to speak more properly, it is not I, but the grace of God that is with me - This it is which at first qualified me for the work, and still excites me to zeal and diligence in it.
Verse 11
[11] Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Whether I or they, so we preach — All of us speak the same thing.
Verse 3
[3] For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
I received — From Christ himself. It was not a fiction of my own. Isaiah 53:8,9.
Verse 4
[4] And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
According to the scriptures — He proves it first from scripture, then from the testimony of a cloud of witnesses. Psalms 16:10.
Verse 5
[5] And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
By the twelve — This was their standing appellation; but their full number was not then present.
Verse 6
[6] After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
Above five hundred — Probably in Galilee. A glorious and incontestable proof! The greater part remain - Alive.
Verse 7
[7] After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
Then by all the apostles — The twelve were mentioned 1 Corinthians 15:5. This title here, therefore, seems to include the seventy; if not all those, likewise, whom God afterwards sent to plant the gospel in heathen nations.
Verse 8
[8] And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
An untimely birth — It was impossible to abase himself more than he does by this single appellation. As an abortion is not worthy the name of a man, so he affirms himself to be not worthy the name of an apostle.
Verse 9
[9] For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
I persecuted the church — True believers are humbled all their lives, even for the sins they committed before they believed.
Verse 10
[10] But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.
I laboured more than they all — That is, more than any of them, from a deep sense of the peculiar love God had shown me. Yet, to speak more properly, it is not I, but the grace of God that is with me - This it is which at first qualified me for the work, and still excites me to zeal and diligence in it.
Verse 11
[11] Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Whether I or they, so we preach — All of us speak the same thing.
John 20:1-18
Verse 3
[3] Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
Peter went out — Of the city.
Verse 6
[6] Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
Peter seeth the linen clothes lie — and the napkin folded up - The angels who ministered to him when he rose, undoubtedly folded up the napkin and linen clothes.
Verse 8
[8] Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
He saw — That the body was not there, and believed - That they had taken it away as Mary said.
Verse 9
[9] For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
For as yet — They had no thought of his rising again.
Verse 10
[10] Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
They went home — Not seeing what they could do farther.
Verse 11
[11] But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
But Mary stood — With more constancy. Mark 16:9.
Verse 16
[16] Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Jesus saith to her, Mary — With his usual voice and accent.
Verse 17
[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.
Touch me not — Or rather, Do not cling to me (for she held him by the feet,) Matthew 28:9. Detain me not now. You will have other opportunities of conversing with me. For I am not ascended to my Father - I have not yet left the world. But go immediately to my brethren - Thus does he intimate in the strongest manner the forgiveness of their fault, even without ever mentioning it. These exquisite touches, which every where abound in the evangelical writings, show how perfectly Christ knew our frame.
I ascend — He anticipates it in his thoughts, and so speaks of it as a thing already present. To my Father and your Father, to my God and your God - This uncommon expression shows that the only - begotten Son has all kind of fellowship with God. And a fellowship with God the Father, some way resembling his own, he bestows upon his brethren. Yet he does not say, Our God: for no creature can be raised to an equality with him: but my God and your God: intimating that the Father is his in a singular and incommunicable manner; and ours through him, in such a kind as a creature is capable of.
Verse 3
[3] Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
Peter went out — Of the city.
Verse 6
[6] Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
Peter seeth the linen clothes lie — and the napkin folded up - The angels who ministered to him when he rose, undoubtedly folded up the napkin and linen clothes.
Verse 8
[8] Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
He saw — That the body was not there, and believed - That they had taken it away as Mary said.
Verse 9
[9] For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
For as yet — They had no thought of his rising again.
Verse 10
[10] Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
They went home — Not seeing what they could do farther.
Verse 11
[11] But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
But Mary stood — With more constancy. Mark 16:9.
Verse 16
[16] Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
Jesus saith to her, Mary — With his usual voice and accent.
Verse 17
[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.
Touch me not — Or rather, Do not cling to me (for she held him by the feet,) Matthew 28:9. Detain me not now. You will have other opportunities of conversing with me. For I am not ascended to my Father - I have not yet left the world. But go immediately to my brethren - Thus does he intimate in the strongest manner the forgiveness of their fault, even without ever mentioning it. These exquisite touches, which every where abound in the evangelical writings, show how perfectly Christ knew our frame.
I ascend — He anticipates it in his thoughts, and so speaks of it as a thing already present. To my Father and your Father, to my God and your God - This uncommon expression shows that the only - begotten Son has all kind of fellowship with God. And a fellowship with God the Father, some way resembling his own, he bestows upon his brethren. Yet he does not say, Our God: for no creature can be raised to an equality with him: but my God and your God: intimating that the Father is his in a singular and incommunicable manner; and ours through him, in such a kind as a creature is capable of.
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