Bible Commentaries

Cometh Mary Magdalene. It would seem that she came before the party mentioned in Luke 24:1-10; or else, if she came with them, that she left them, and went back to call Peter and John, before the events took place which Luke records.

To Simon Peter; to his house in the city.

And came to the sepulchre; after the party mentioned by Luke had gone away.

Turned herself back; to go home.

As has already been remarked, several hypotheses have been framed, by ingenious scholars, to combine the various incidents related by the different evangelists, as having occurred in the vicinity of the sepulchre on the morning of the resurrection, into one harmonious narrative. These hypotheses are all framed on the supposition that the scene was one of great excitement; that many persons must have been going and returning in different groups and parties,--some, perhaps visiting the sepulchre several times,--and that, consequently, a considerable number and variety of incidents would occur there; and that each of the evangelists, instead of describing fully what took place, has only related such incidents as were particularly reported to him. On this view of the subject, it has not been found difficult to frame hypotheses by which the various incidents related are combined into one connected narrative, the seeming omissions and connecting links being supplied by conjecture. These hypotheses are, however, of little value, except to show that the accounts can be reconciled, and so are not inconsistent. Farther than this, there can be no valuable end attained by framing hypotheses, which rest, of course, wholly on conjecture.

Came Jesus. Just before he appeared, however, the disciples from Emmaus came into the assembly, giving an account of what they had seen. (Luke 24:33.)

Again; after supping with them. (Luke 24:41.)

My Lord and my God. It cannot be doubted that these terms were both applied by Thomas personally to the Savior. The attempts to give some other construction to such expressions are now generally abandoned by those who are unwilling to admit, on any evidence, the inference which flows from them. They find it to be easier to take the ground that the apostles themselves were in error, than to force unnatural constructions upon language so unequivocal as that which they often used.

Signs; proofs of the reality of his resurrection.