THE CENTURION CONFESSES CHRIST.

and gave up the ghost, they feared

311

greatly; and "he glorified God, saying, 78Lk. xxiii. 47. Certainly this was a righteous man ; "truly this man was the Son of God. "And all the people that came together ”Lk.xxiii. 48. to that sight, beholding the things which

were done, smote their breasts, and re

turned.

80There were also women look- 80Mark xv. 40.

ing on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome

81the mother of Zebedee's children; 81 Mt. xxvii. 56. 82 (who also, when he was in Galilee, 82Mark xv. 41. followed him, and ministered unto him ;)

and many other women which came up

with 83Jesus from Galilee, unto Jerusa- 83Mt. xxvii.55. lem, ministering unto him. And all 84Lk. xxiii. 49. his acquaintance stood afar off, behold

ing these things.

85The Jews therefore, because it was Jn.xix.31-38 the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: but one of the

312 THE SOLDIERS PIERCE THE SIDE OF JESUS.

86 Mark xv 42.

soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came thereout blood and water. And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe. For these things were done, that the Scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken. And again, another Scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.

86

And after this, when the even was come, because it was the preparation, that is, the day before the sabbath, 87Lk. xxiii. 50. 87behold, there was a 88rich 87man named 89 Mark xv. 43. Joseph, an honourable counsellor ;

88 Mt. xxvii.57.

87and he was a good man, and a just: 90Lk. xxiii. 51, 52.90(the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them ;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of 91 John xix. 38. God:-this man, "(being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews,)

88

"came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and "besought that he might take away 92Mk.xv.44-46 the body of Jesus. 92And Pilate marvelled if he were already dead and calling unto him the centurion, he asked him whether he had been any while dead. And when he knew it of the centurion,

93 Mt. xxvii. 58. 91Pilate gave him leave. 93Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered

THE BODY OF JESUS IS EMBALMED AND BURIED. 313

92to Joseph. He came therefore, and bought fine linen, and took down "the

94

body of Jesus. And there came also Jn. xix.39,40 Nicodemus, (which at the first came to

Jesus by night,) and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about an hundred pound weight. Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in the 95 clean linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury.

95 Mt. xxvii. 59, 60.

96 Now in the place where he was cru- 6Jn.xix. 41, 42 cified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus therefore in his (Joseph's) own new tomb, which he had hewn out in

:

the rock because "that day was the "Lk. xxiii, 54. 96 Jews' preparation day, "and the sabbath drew on; for the sepulchre was nigh at hand. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.

95

Mt.xxvii. 61.

98 And there was Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary (the mother of Joses,) "Mark xv. 47. 98sitting over against the sepulchre :

99and they beheld where he was laid.

100

And the women also, which came with 100Lk. xxiii.55, 56. him from Galilee, followed after, and

beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested

Rr

314 THE SEPULCHRE IS SEALED AND WATCHED.

1 Mat. xxvii.62-66.

the sabbath day according to the commandment.

'Now the next day, that followed the day of the preparation, the chief priests and pharisees came together unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again. Command therefore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest his disciples come by night, and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead so the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.

SECTION X.

The Resurrection, Reappearances, and Ascension

of Jesus.

1AND when the sabbath was past, Mary 'Mark xvi. 1,2. Magdalene, and Mary the mother of

James, and Salome, had bought sweet

spices, that they might come and anoint him. And very early in the morning,

3Mt.xxviii. 1-4

2when it was yet dark, as it began to John xx. 1. dawn toward the first day of the week, they came to see the sepulchre.

(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. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.)

"They came unto the sepulchre at the Mk. xvi. 2-4. rising of the sun. And they said among

themselves, Who shall roll us away the