effective than accusations which could not be sustained. Let us hear, however, St. Luke. He tells us, and he only, that when the blow had been struck, Jesus said, "Suffer ye thus far and he touched his ear and healed him." (xxii. 51.) The miracle satisfactorily explains the suppression of the charge-to have advanced it would naturally have led to an investigation that would have more than frustrated the malicious purpose it was meant to serve. It would have proved too much. It might have furnished, indeed, an argument against the peaceable professions of Christ's party; but, at the same time, it would have made manifest his own compassionate nature, submission to the laws, and extraordinary powers. Pilate who sought occasion to release him, might have readily found it in a circumstance so well calculated to convince him of the innocence of the prisoner, and of his being (what he evidently suspected and feared) something more than human. XX. JOHN, XX. 4.-" So they ran both together; and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5." And he, stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6. Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7.-" And the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8.-" Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulchre." How express and circumstantial is this narrative! How difficult it is to read it, and doubt for a moment of its perfect truth! My more immediate concern, however, with the passage is this, that it affords two coincidences, certainly very trifling in themselves, but still signs of veracity :-1. St. John outran St. Peter. It is universally agreed by ecclesiastical writers of antiquity, that John was the youngest of all the Apostles. That Peter was at this time past the vigor of his age, may. perhaps be inferred from an expression in the twenty-first chapter of St. John-" Verily, verily, I say unto thee," says Jesus to Peter, "when thou wast young, thou girdedst 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."v. 18. Or, (what may be more satisfactory) there being every reason to believe that St. John survived St. Peter six or seven and thirty years,* it almost necessarily follows that he must have been much the younger man of the two, since the term of St. Peter's natural life was probably not very much forestalled by his martyrdom. Accordingly, when they ran both together to the sepulchre, it was to be expected that John should outrun his more aged companion, and come there first. I do not propose this as a new light: but I am not aware that it has been brought so prominently forward as it deserves. An incident thus trivial and minute, disarms suspicion. The most skeptical cannot see cunning or con * See Lardner's History of the Apostles and Evangelists, ch. ix. sect. 6, and ch. xviii. sect. 5. † Consult 2 Ep. Peter, i. 14, and John, xxi. 18. trivance in it-and it is no small point gained over such persons, to lead them to distrust and re-examine their bold conclusions. This little fact may be the sharp end of the wedge that shall by degrees cleave their doubts asunder.— Seeing this, they may by and by "see greater things than these." But this is not all ;—for, 2dly, though John came first to the sepulchre, he did not venture to go in till Peter set him the example. Peter did not pause "to stoop down" and "look in," but boldly entered at once. He was not troubled for fear of seeing a spirit, which was probably the feeling that withheld St. John from entering, as it was the feeling which, on a former occasion, caused the disciples (Matt. xiv. 26) to cry out. Peter was anxiously impatient to satisfy himself of the truth of the women's report, and to meet once more his crucified Master: all other considerations were with him absorbed in this one. Now, such is precisely the conduct we should have expected from a man who seldom or never is offered to our notice in the course of the New Testament, (and it is very often that our attention is directed to him,) without some indication being given of his possessing a fearless, spirited, and impetuous character. Slight as this trait is, it marks the same indi vidual who ventured to commit himself to the deep, and "walk upon the water," whilst the other disciples remained in the boat; who "drew his sword, and smote the high priest's servant," whilst they were confounded and dismayed; who "girt his fisher's coat about him, and cast himself into the sea" to greet his Master when he appeared again, whilst his companions came in a little ship, dragging the net with fishes; who was ever most obnoxious to the civil power, so that when any of the disciples are cast into prison, there are we sure to find St. Peter. (See Acts v. 18, 29, xii. 3, xvi. 25.) Again, I say, I cannot imagine that designing persons, however wary they might have been, however much upon their guard, could possibly have given their fictitious narrative this singular air of truth, by the introduction of circumstances so unimportant, yet so consistent and harmonious. XXI. ACTs, iv. 36.-" And Joses, who by the Apostles was surnamed Barnabas, a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus, having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles' feet." |