Looking Unto Jesus, Book 7 · Chapter 1 · Section 6
SECT. VI. Of Christ's Apparition to his ten Diſciples.
ON this day ſome reckon five apparitions; but of them five, as we have ſeen the firſt, ſo I ſhall now only take notice of the laſt. Then the ſame day at evening, being the firſt day of the week, when the doors were ſhut, Joh. 20.19, 20.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; and when he had ſo ſaid, he ſhewed unto them his hands and his feet. In theſe words we have the apparition of Chriſt, with all its circumſtances.
As, 1. When he appeared. 2. Where he appeared. 3. To whom he appeared. 4. How he appeared. So neceſſary was it to confirm this point, that not a needfull circumſtance muſt be wanting. And firſt is layd down the time; then the ſame day at evening, being the firſt day of the week.
How exact is the Evangeliſt in this circumſtance of time? it was the ſame day, the ſame day at evening; and yet leſt the day might be miſtaken, it was the ſame day at evening, being the firſt day of the week. 1. It was the ſame day (i.e.) the very day of riſing; he could not endure to keep them in long ſuſpence; the Sun muſt not down, before the Sun of Righteouſneſs would appear. The ſame day that he appeared to Peter, to the two Diſciples going to Emmaus, to the woman coming to the ſepulchre, and to Mary Magdalen, as we have heard; the very ſame day he appears to the ten. Oh what a bleſſed day was this? it was the day of his reſurrection, and the day of theſe ſeveral apparitions.
2. It was the ſame day at evening. Both at morn, noon, and evening Chriſt ſhewed himſelf alive by many infallible proofs. Early in the morning he appeared to Mary, and preſently after to the three Maries, who touched his feet, and worſhiped him. About noon he appeared to Simon Peter; in the afternoon he travelled with two of his Diſciples almoſt eight miles, to the Caſtle of Emmaus; and in the evening of the ſame day he returned inviſible from Emmans to Jeruſalem. At all times of the day Chriſt is prepared, and preparing grace for his people.
3. It was the ſame day at evening, being the firſt day of the week. foreign, that is, in one of the Sabbaths; but the Greek words are an Hebraiſm, and the Hebrews uſe often by one to ſignifie the firſt, as in Gen. 1.5. the evening and the morning were one day (i.e.) the firſt day. And whereas the Greeks found one of the Sabbaths, foreign, muſt be underſtood either properly, for Sabbaths; or elſe figuratively ſignifying the whole week; and this acception was uſually with the Jews; ſo the Evangeliſt brings in the Phariſee ſpeaking,Luke 18.12. foreign, I faſt twice in the Sabbath (i.e.) in the week; for it is impoſſible to faſt twice in one day; and hence the tranſlatour renders it thus, primo die h…bdomadis, on the firſt day of the week. In which is a diſcovery of his mercy; Chriſt took no long day to ſhew himſelf to his Apoſtles, nay he took no day at all, but the very firſt day. When Joſeph ſhewed himſelf unto his brethren, he would not do it at firſt, and yet he dealt kindly, and very kindly with them; O but Chriſt's kindneſs is far above Joſeph's; for on the firſt day of the week, the very ſame day that he aroſe from the dead he appears unto them. Thus for the time.
2. For the place, it is laid down in this paſſage, where the Diſciples were aſſembled. Now if we would know where that was, the Evangeliſt Luke ſpeaks expreſly, it was in Jeruſalem; Luke 24.33.but in what houſe of Jeruſalem it is unknown; only ſome conjecture that it was in the houſe of ſome Diſciple, wherein was an upper room. This upper room, according to the manner of their buildings at that time, was the moſt large and capacious of any other,Mede Churches and the moſt retired and free from diſturbance, and next to heaven, as having no room above it. Mede tells us expreſly, this was the ſame room wherein Chriſt celebrated the paſſover, and inſtituted the Lords ſupper, and whereon the day of his reſurrection he came, and ſtood in the midſt of his Diſciples, the doors being ſhut; and where eight dayes after, the Diſciples being within, he appeared again to ſatisfie the incredulity of Thomas; Joh. 20.26. Act. 1.12, 13.and where the Apoſtles met after Chriſt was aſcended. Then returned they unto Jeruſalem from the Mount called Olivet, —and when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and the reſt. If this be true, it ſhould ſeem that this foreign this upper room firſt conſecrated by Chriſt at his inſtitution, and celebration of the Lords ſupper,Nicephor. l. 8. Et. hiſt. cap 30 Pſal. 87.2. Jeron. in Epitaphio Paulae Epiſt. 27. was thenceforth devoted to be a place of prayer, and holy aſſemblies; and for certain the place of this foreign was afterwards incloſed with a goodly Church, known by the name of the Church of Syon; to which Jerome made bold to apply that of the Pſalm, The Lord loveth the gates of Syon, more than all the dwellings of Jacob.
Now of this upper room the doors are ſaid to be ſhut, and the reaſon, by way of adjunct, is for fear of the Jews; they were ſhut up as men invironed and beleaguered with enemies; and here a queſtion is raiſed, whether Chriſt could enter, the doors being ſhut? the text is plain, that he came in ſuddenly, and becauſe of his ſudden preſence (the doors being ſhut) they were terrifyed, Luke 24.37. Aug. Serm. 59.and afrighted, and ſuppoſed that they had ſeen a ſpirit. The ancients ſpeaking of it, tell us, that he entered while the doors were ſhut, and yet he was no phantaſme, but he had a true body conſiſting of fleſh and bones. Now,Aug. in Serm. Paſch. Just queſt 17. Qui intravit per oſtia clauſa non erat phantaſma, &c. Cryſt. how ſuch a body conſiſting of craſs parts ſhould enter into the room, and no place at all open, is a great queſtion; but 'tis generally anſwered, that it was by miracle. As by miracle he walked on the ſea, Mat. 10.25. and as by miracle he vaniſhed out of their ſight, Luke. 24.31. ſo by miracle he came in, the doors being ſhut. I know it is againſt the nature of a body, that one ſhould paſs through another, both bodies remaining entire; and it is an axiome in Phyloſophy, that penetration of bodyes is meerly impoſſible; yet for my part, I ſhall not diſpute the power of the Allmighty; this anſwer is enough for me to all the objections either of Papiſt or Lutherans, that the creature might yield to the Creator, and the Creator needed not to paſs through the Creature; Chriſt came in when the doors were ſhut, either cauſing the doors to give place, the Diſciples not knowing how; or elſe altering the very ſubſtance of the doors, that his body might paſs through them without deſtru…tion, I know not but he that thickened the waters to carry his body, might alſo attenuate the doors to make way for his Body.
3. For the perſons to whom he appeared, they were his Diſciples; they that were ſhut up in a conclave, not daring to ſtep out of doors for fear of the Jews, to them now Chriſt appeared. It is Chriſt's uſual courſe to appear to them who are full of fears, and griefs, and moſt in dangers;Iſa 43.2. Pſal. 23 4. when thou paſſeſt through the wate…s I will be with thee, and through the Rivers they ſhall not overſlow thee; yea though I walk through the valley of the ſhadow of death, I will fear no evil (ſaith David) for thou art with me. He was with Joſeph in priſon, with Jonas in the deep, with Daniel in the Lions den, with the three Children in the fiery furnace: Lo I ſee four men (ſaid Nebuchadnezzar) walking in the midſt of the fire, and the form of the fourth is lik… the Son of God. Dan. 3.24And thus he was with Paul when he ſtood before Nero, though all men f…ſake me, yet Chriſt the Lord ſtood by me, & ſtrengthned me. And do not his apparitions th… day ſpeak thus much? when Mary was full of grief, then Chriſt appeared to her; when the two diſciples travelling towards Emmans, talked together of all thoſe things which had happened, and w r… ſad, then Chriſt appeared to them. And when all the Apoſtles were afraid of the Jews, 2 Tim. 4.16, 17.and therefore ſhut the doors that none might enter, then Chriſt appeared to them, they were his Diſciples, his ſad, diſtracted, timerous Diſciples, to whom Chriſt appeared.
4. For the manner how he appeared; it appears in theſe paſſages: 1. He ſtood in the midſt. 2. He ſaid peace be unto you. 3. He ſhewed unto them his hands and his ſide.
1. He ſtood in the midſt. Herein he repreſents himſelf as a common good;Luke 24.17. things placed in the midſt are common; and he ſtands in the midſt as a common Saviour: and hence it is that our faith is called a common faith,Tit. 1.4. to Tytus my ſon after the common faith: Ju…. 3.and our ſalvation is called a common ſalvation I gave all diligence to write unto you of the Common ſalvation. And in that way as ſalvation is common, Chriſt Jeſus is called a common Saviour; behold I bring you glad tidings of great joy which ſhall be to all people; for unto you, (unto all you) is born in the City of David a Saviour, Luk. 2.10, 11which is Chriſt the Lord. This poſture of Chriſt (ſtanding in the midſt) decla…es that he deſpiſeth none, but that he takes care of them all. Some obſerve, that all the while Chriſt was on earth, he moſt-what ſtood in this poſture; at his birth he was found in a ſtable in the midſt of beaſts;Luk. 2.49. John 1.26. Luke 22.27. in his Childhood he was found in the Temple in the midſt of the Doctors; in his manhood, John the Baptiſt told them, there ſtandeth one in the midſt of you, whom ye know not; and he ſaid of himſelf, I am in the midſt of you as one that ſeveth; at his death that very place fell to his turn: for they crucified him in the midſt betwixt two theeve…, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Luke 23.33.And now at his riſing there we find him again, the Diſciples in the midſt of the Jews, and he in the midſt of his Diſciples. After this in Patmos, John ſaw him in heaven in the midſt of the throne; Rev. 7.17.1.13.and in earth he ſaw him in the midſt of the ſeven golden candleſticks; Mat. 25.33.and in the laſt day he ſhall be in the midſt too, of the ſheep on his right hand, and of the goats on his left.
But I find there is yet more in it, that he ſtood in the midſt: for the midſt is Chriſt's place by nature, he is the ſecond Perſon in the Trinity; and the midſt is Chriſt's place by office, he dealeth betwixt God and man; and the midſt is Chriſt's place in reſpect of his Perſon, he is God-man, one that hath intereſt in both parties; it was the middle Perſon who was to be the midle one, that undertook this mediation betwixt God and us. We read in the Roman hiſtory, that the Romans and Sabines joyning battle together, the women being daughters to the one ſide, and wives to the other, interpoſed themſelves and took up the quarrel; and by their mediation, who had a peculiar intereſt in either ſide, they who before ſtood upon higheſt terms of hoſtility, did now joyn themſelves together into one body and ſtate. God and we were enemies, but Chriſt ſtood in the midſt to reconcile us unto God, and to ſlay this enmity; and to this purpoſe Chriſt is called foreign, a Mediator, a tearm peculiar to the Scriptures, not to be found amongſt prophane Authors. O what comfort is here to ſee Jeſus Chriſt ſtand in the midſt; now may the Diſciples behold him as their bleſſed peace maker, their Mediator, as one that hath ſlain the enmity; Eph. 2.16not only that enmity betwixt men and men, J…ws and Gentiles, but alſo betwixt God and men. This he did by his death, and now he declares it at his reſurrection; for ſo the Apoſtle there goes on, having ſlain the enmity, by his Croſs, he came and preached peace; ver. 17.and ſo the evangeliſt here goes on, after his reſurrection, Jeſus came and ſtood in the midſt, and ſaid unto them, peace be unto you. You ſee how he ſtood.—
2. What he ſaid, this is the next paſſage, he ſaid peace be unto you, a ſeaſonable ſalutation; for now were the Diſciples in fear and trouble; they had no peace with God, or man, or with their own conſciences; and therefore a more welcome news could not have come; I ſuppoſe this refers to all theſe. As,—
1. It ſpeakes their peace with God: ſin was it that brought a difference betwixt God & man,John 1.29. now this difference Jeſus Chriſt had taken away by his death, Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the ſins of the World; he had taken it away in its condemning power, or as …o it's ſeparating power betwixt God and them; this was the great deſign of Chriſts coming to make peace betwixt God and man; his Father impoſed this office upon him, and Jeſus Chriſt undertook it, and diſcharged it, and he proclaims it, in the firſt place to his Diſciples, Peace be unto you.
2. It ſpakes their Peace with man: I know no reaſon why we ſhould exclude civil peace out of Chriſt's wiſh; many, & many a promiſe and precept we have in the Word ſcattered here and there to this purpoſe,Lev. 26.6. Job. 5.23.24. And I will give peace in the land, and ye ſhall lye down, and none ſhall make you afraid.—and thou ſhalt be in league with the ſtones of the field, and thou ſhalt know that thy Tabernacle ſhall be in peace, Ier. 29.7. Heb. 12.14.and ſeek the peace of the City—and pray unto the Lord for it, for in the peace thereof ſhall ye have peace. And follow peace, and holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee God. Orbem pecatum was ever a clauſe in the prayers of the primitive Church,Rom. 12.13. that the world might be quiet; I am ſure it is Chriſt's command, if it be poſſible as much as lyeth in you, live peaceably with all men.
3. It ſpeaks there peace among themſelves, peace one with another; ſuch is, or ſhould be the condition of the Church, Jeruſalem is builded as a City that is compact together, Pſal. 122.3.or unity within it ſelf, the Apoſtle dwells in this unity, there is one body, Eph. 4.4, 5, 6.and one Spirit, and one hope, and one Lord, and one faith, and one baptiſm, and one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. The Church is a Court, whoſe very pillars are peace; the building of Chriſtianity knows no other material to work upon; if we look upon the Church it ſelf, there is one body; if upon the very ſoul of it, there is one Spirit; if upon the endowment of it, there is one hope; if upon the head of it, there is one Lord: if upon the life of it, there is one faith: if upon the door of it, there is one Baptiſm; if upon the Father ſo it, there is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Mark. 9.50.It was ſometimes Chriſt's commands unto his Apoſtles, have ſalt in your ſelves, and have peace one with another; and as a bleſſed effect of this ſalutation, (for I look upon them as words full of vertue) the Apoſtles and Churches of Chriſt in primitive times kept a moſt ſweet harmony, the multitude of them that believed, were of one heart, Acts. 4.32.and of one ſoul.
4. It ſpeaks peace within, peace of conſcience; the Apoſtles had exceedingly fallen from Chriſt; one betrayed him, and another denyed him, but all run away, and left him alone in the midſt of all his enemies; and yet to them he ſpeaks this ſalutation, peace be unto you; I know not a better ground for comfort of poor humbled ſinners than this is, it may be you have dealt very unkindly with Jeſus Chriſt, you have forſook him, denyed him, forſworn him; O but conſider, all this hindred not Chriſt's apparition to his Apoſtles; he comes unexpected, and quiets their ſpirits; he ſtayes not till they had ſued to him for mercy, or pardon, but of his meer love, and free grace, he ſpeaks kindly to them all, he ſtills the waves, and becalmes their troubled Spirits, working in them according to his words, peace be unto you.
O the ſweet of peace! it is all wiſhes in one; this little word is a breviary of all that is good; what can they more, than to have peace with God, and peace with men, and peace within?Luke 2.14. ſure there is much in it, becauſe Chriſt… is ſo much upon it; at his birth the Angels ſung, Glory to God in the higheſt, and on earth peace; at his baptiſm the form of a dove lighted upon him, and what meant this but peace? in his life the ſort of integrity was his court, and what was here but peace? near his death he gives peace as a legacy to his Church,Iohn 14.27. peace I leave with you, my peace I give you; at his reſurrection his firſt ſalutation to his Apoſtles is a wiſh of peace, peace be unto you: what can I ſay more to make us in love with peace;Ioh. 17.2021. why all Chriſt did, and all Chriſt ſuffered was for peace;Luke 19.42. he prayed for it; neither pray I for theſe alone, but for them alſo which ſhall believe on me,—that they all may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they alſo may be one in us. And he wept for it, if thou hadſt known even thou at leaſt in this thy day, the things which do belong unto thy peace. And he dyed to … but ye who ſometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Chriſt, for he is our peace. Eph. 2, 13, 14.Of this we need no other proof or ſign, but that of the Prophet Jonah, when the ſea wrought and was tempeſtuous, what ſhall we do unto thee (ſaid the Mariners) that the ſea may be calm unto us? and he ſaid, take me up and caſt me into the ſea, ſo ſhall the ſea be calm; Jona. 1.11, 12.when that great enmity was betwixt God and us, what ſhall I do (ſaid God) that my juſtice may be ſatisfied, and my wrath appeaſed, and that there may be a calm? why, take me (ſaid Chriſt) and caſt me forth into the ſea, let all thy waves and thy billows go over me, make me a peace off…ring and kill me, that when I am dead there may be a calm, and when I am riſen I may proclame it, ſaying, peace be unto you. You hear what he ſaid.
3. What he ſhewed; this is the next paſſage, he ſhewed unto them his hands, and his ſide. I look upon this as a true and real manifeſtation of his reſurrection: And we find that without this, Thomas profeſſed he would never have believed, except I ſhall ſee in his hands the print of the nayls, and put my finger into the print of the nayls, John 20.25.and thruſt my hand into his ſide, I will not believe. But a queſtion or two is here raiſed, as whether theſe wounds and prints of the nayls & ſpear, can poſſibly agree with a glorified body? and why Chriſt retained thoſe wounds and prints? for the firſt, whether thoſe prints could agree with a glorified bo…y? ſome affirm it with much boldneſs; and they ſay that Chriſt not only retained thoſe prints whileſt he abode upon earth, but now that he is aſcended into heaven he ſtill retains them; for my part I dare not go ſo far, becauſe Scripture is ſilent; but the day is a coming when we ſhall ſee Chriſt face to face, and then we ſhall know the truth of this: only I conceive that Chriſt's body yet remaining on earth was not entred into that fulneſs of glory, as it is now in heaven; and therefore he might then retain ſome skars, or blemiſhes, to manifeſt the truth of his reſurrection unto his Diſciples, which are not agreeable to his ſtate in heaven. But this I deliver, not as matter of Faith; reaſons are produced both wayes by the antient writers, and I refer you to them.
For the ſecond, why Chriſt retained theſe wounds and prints? many reaſons are rendred, though I ſhall not cloſe with all.
1. Some think thoſe skars or prints were as the trophies of his victory; nothing is more delightfull to a lover, than to bear about the wounds undergone for his beloved; and nothing is more honourable for a Souldier than to ſhew his wounds undergone for his countries good; what are they but as ſo many arguments of his valour, and trophies of his victory; this was Bedes ſenſe, Chriſt reſerved his skars, Beda. in Luc.not from any impotency of curing them, but to ſet out the glory and triumph of his victory over death and hell.
2. Others think thoſe skars or prints were for the ſetting out of Chriſts ſplendor and beauty, as in cut or pinck garments the inward ſilks do appear more ſplended, ſo in Chriſt's wounds there appears inwardly far more beauty. Aquinas affirms, that in the very place of the wounds, there is a certain ſpecial comelineſs in Chriſt. And Auguſtine thinks,Thom. 3. part. q 53. a cert. Aug. 22. de civit. Dei. that the very martyrs may retain ſome skarrs of their wounds in glory, becauſe there is no deformity, but dignity in them; and beſides, a certain beauty may ſhine in their bodies anſwerable to their vertues wherein they excelled.
3. Others think that Chriſt retains thoſe skars that he might by them interceed for us: upon theſe very words, we have an advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous: 1 John. 2.2.they comment thus; that God is appeaſed by Chriſt, Thom. in. 1.repreſenting to him the prints and skars of his humane nature. Chriſt's wounds are as ſo many open mouths,Jona. l. 2. which cry at the tribunal of his Father for mercy, as Abels blood cryed for revenge.
4 Others think that Chriſt retains thoſe skars, that thereby in the day of judgment he might confound the Jews, and all the wicked in the world. It is Auguſtine's judgment, that as Chriſt ſhewed Thomas his hands and ſide, becauſe otherwiſe he would not believe; ſo at the laſt day will he ſhew thoſe wounds to all his enemies, ſaying, Come, behold the man whom ye have crucified; come, ſee the prints of the nayls, and the print of the ſpear; Aug. l. 2. de ſymb. 6.8.theſe be the hands and feet that you nailed and clenched to a piece of wood: this is the ſide you pierced; by you, and for you was it opened, but you would not enter in that ye might be ſaved. And for this opinion they alledg this text,Rev. 1.7. Behold, he cometh with clouds, and every eye ſhall ſee him, and they alſo which pierced him, and all kindreds of the earth ſhall wail becauſe of him, even ſo Amen.
5. All think that Chriſt retained his skarrs, that he might convince the unbelieving Diſciples of his reſurrection; hereby they are aſſured that Chriſt is raiſed, and that the ſame body of Chriſt is raiſed that before was crucified; and to this we cannot but ſubſcribe, the skars of his wounds were for the healing of their doubts. Luke brings in Chriſt,Aug. tract. 121. in Johan. Luke 24.39. he beſpeaking his Diſciples thus; Behold my hands and my feet, that 'tis I my ſelf, handle me and ſee: q. d. Come, let your Fingers enter into theſe prints of the Nails, and let your hands he thruſt into the depths of this wound; come, and open theſe holes in my hands, open this wound in my ſide; I will not deny that to my Diſciples for their faith, which I denyed not to mine enemies in their rage; open, and feel till you come to the very bone, that ſo both bones and wounds may witneſs, that I am he that liveth, and was dead, and behold I am alive for ever more. Rev. 1.18. Ʋſe.Amen.
What teſtimonies are here to convince the world of Chriſt's reſurrection; ſurely this argues the goodneſs of God, that ſtrives thus wonderfully with the weak ſaith of thoſe that are his. At firſt he appeared to one, even to Mary Magdalen; and after he appeared to two,Mat 28.1. Mark. 16.1. ſaith Matthew, to Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary; or to three, ſaith Mark, to Mary Magdalen, Mary the mother of James, and Salome; but of this apparition he is ſeen of ten at leaſt; and to confirm their faith, not a conſiderable circumſtance muſt be wanting; here is time, and place, and perſons to whom he appears, and the manner how he appears, he ſtands in the midſt to be ſeen of all, he ſpeaks to them, breaths on them, eats with them, and ſhews them his hands, and his ſide; O the wonderful condeſcentions of Chriſt! what helps doth he continually afford to beget in us faith? if we are ignorant he inſtructs us, if we err, he reduceth us, if we ſin he corrrects us, if we ſtand he holds us up, if we fall down he lifts us up again, if we go he leads us, if we come to him he is ready to recieve us; there's not a paſſage of Chriſt betwixt him and his, but 'tis an argument of love, and a means either of begetting, or of increaſing Faith; O then believe in Chriſt, yea believe thy part in the death and reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt; conſidering that theſe apparitions were not only for the Apoſtles ſakes, but if Chriſt be thine, they were for thy ſake, that thou mighteſt believe, and be ſaved. But I ſhall have occaſion to ſpeak more of this in the Chapter following. So much of the ſecond apparition as it is recorded by the Evangeliſt John.