190 Thomas's unbelief and repentance. A. D. THIRTY-THREE (THE EVENING OF THE THIRD DAY, AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION).—JERUSALEM. § 6*. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts? 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. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet. And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat. And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb. And he took it, and did eat before them. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and you. saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. I § 7. Thomas, one of the twelve called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 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. 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. 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. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord, and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because * Luke xxiv. 36 to 43. + John xx. 21 to 23. John xx. 24 to 29. The miraculous Draught of Fishes. 191 A. D. THIRTY-THREE (BETWEEN THE EIGHTH AND THE FORTIETH DAY, AFTER THE RESURRECTION).-GALILEE. blessed are they that *Afterward he apmeat, and upbraided thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; have not seen, and yet have believed. peared unto the eleven as they sat at them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. §8+. Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. After these things Jesus shewed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and on this wise shewed he himself. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples. 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. But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No. 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. 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. 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. As soon then as they were come to land, they + Matt. xxviii, 16 to 18. John xxi. 1 to 24. * Mark xvi. 14. And 192 Christ's Charge to Peter. A. D. THIRTY-THREE (BETWEEN THE EIGHTH AND THE FORTIETH DAY AFTER THE RESURRECTION).-GALILEE. : saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid thereon, and bread. Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Jesus saith unto them, Come and dine. And none of the disciples durst ask him, Who art thou? knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus then cometh, and taketh bread, and giveth them, and fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. 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. 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. 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. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdest 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. God. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. 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? Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what Christ's final Charge to the Apostles. 193 A. D. THIRTY-THREE (BETWEEN THE EIGHTH AND THE FORTIETH DAY AFTER THE RESURRECTION).—GALILEE. is that to thee? follow thou me. 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? This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. § 9*. 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. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. + Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. || And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: T And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; and they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall re**But tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until cover. ye be A. D. THIRTY-THREE (PENTECOST).— -BETHANY. endued with power from on high. * And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. § 10t. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them; ‡ he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. **And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. *Matt. xxviii 20. Mark xvi. 19. + Mark xvi. 19. Luke xxiv. 50 and 51. ** Mark xvi. 20. CONCLUSION. * And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: † 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. 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. || AMEN. * John xx. 30. † John xxi. 25. John xx. 31. THE END. Darling & Son, Printers, 31, Leadenhall Street. |