Resurrection
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stone at the door of the sepulcher was removed, and they arose in
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consternation to find the body of Jesus gone and the tomb empty. They
turned from the sepulcher, overwhelmed by what they had seen and
heard, and made their way with all haste to the city, relating to those
whom they met the marvelous scenes they had witnessed. Some of the
disciples, who had passed a sleepless night, heard the wonderful story
with mingled hope and fear. Meanwhile a messenger was dispatched
to the priests and rulers, announcing to them: Christ whom ye crucified
is risen from the dead!
A servant was immediately sent with a private message summon-
ing the Roman guard to the palace of the high priest. There they
were closely questioned; they gave a full statement of what they had
witnessed at the sepulcher: That an awful messenger had come from
Heaven with face like the lightning for brightness, and with garments
white as snow; that the earth shook and trembled, and they were
stricken powerless; that the angel had laid hold of the immense stone
at the door of the sepulcher, and had rolled it away as if it had been
a pebble; that a form of great glory had emerged from the sepulcher;
that a chorus of voices had made the heavens and earth vocal with
songs of victory and joy; that when the light had faded out, and the
music had ceased, they had recovered their strength, found the tomb
empty, and the body of Jesus nowhere to be found.
When the priests, scribes, and rulers heard this account, their
faces were blanched to a deadly pallor. They could not utter a word.
With horror they perceived that two-thirds of the prophecy concerning
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Messiah had now been fulfilled, and their hearts failed them with fear
of what might be about to take place. They could not question the
evidence of the witnesses before them. Jesus of Nazareth, the crucified
one, had indeed risen from the dead.
When they had recovered from their first shock at hearing this
news, they began to consider what course they would best pursue, and
Satan was present to suggest ways and means. They felt that they had
placed themselves where they had no alternative but to brave it out, and
deny Christ to the very last. They reasoned that if this report should
be circulated among the people, they would not only be stripped of
their honor and authority, but would probably lose their lives. Jesus
had said that he would rise from the dead and ascend to Heaven; they
determined to keep the people in ignorance of the fulfillment of his