IV. =The Traits of the Risen Christ.= There were some respects in which Jesus after his resurrection was the same as he had been before; but there were also some essential differences.
1. =He was the very same Jesus.= It was not a spirit, a disembodied ghost, which appeared to the disciples. He possessed personal ident.i.ty, and was the living one whom the disciples had known before. See Luke 24.
39, 40; John 20. 27.
2. =He appeared only occasionally.= He did not come to remain with his people, for it was better for them that he should go away (John 16. 7).
He manifested himself after his resurrection often enough to strengthen faith, but not enough to lead his disciples to lean upon his presence.
3. =He appeared to his disciples only= (Acts 10. 40, 41). Why he did not appear to unbelievers (Luke 16. 31). His personal ministry was ended, and henceforth he was to speak to men through his messengers (2 Cor. 5.
19, 20).
4. =He possessed a spiritual body.= There is a spiritual body (1 Cor.
15. 40-44). Christ possessed such a body, uncontrolled by physical law, but dominated by the spirit. He came and went at will (Luke 24. 36; John 20. 19). He withheld himself from recognition or permitted it as he chose (Luke 24. 15, 16; 24. 30, 31; John 20. 14-16; 21. 4-7). With us the body limits the spirit; with him the spirit controlled the body.
5. =He recognized individuals= after his resurrection. The grave had not blotted out his memory of the past nor of his personal regard for people. He called his friends by name after his resurrection (Matt. 28.
10; John 20. 16; 20. 26; 21. 15). He showed the same spirit of affection, of tenderness, and of patience with the mistakes of his followers as he had shown during his earthly life. His gentleness toward a sorrowing woman (John 20. 11-15). His kindness toward a doubting disciple (John 20. 24-29). His forgiveness of a denying disciple (John 21. 15-19). Such were the traits which he bore away from earth, and such are the traits which he bears still on his throne.
Blackboard Outline
THE FORTY DAYS OF RESURRECTION
I. =Nec. Chr. Res.= 1. Nat. Ch. 2. Ful. pro. 3. Wo. red. 4. Fai.
dis. 5. Att. Chr. auth. 6. Pl. ou. res.
II. =Fac. Chr. Res.= 1. Pro. tes. wit. 2. Eff. pow. G. 3. Fir. da.
we. 4. Th. d. af. de.
III. =Ten. App. Je. af. Res.= 1. Ma. Mag. [Sep.] 2. Oth. wom. [Sep.]
3. Tw. dis. [Emm.] 4. Pet. [Jer.] 5. Ten dis. [Jer.] 6. Elev.
dis. [Jer.] 7. Sev. dis. [Sea Gal.] 8. Fiv. hun. dis.
[Mt. Gal.] 9. Jas. [Jer.] 10. Asc. [Beth.]
IV. =Tra. Ris. Chr.= 1. Ver. sa. Jes. 2. Ap. on occ. 3. To dis.
on. 4. Pos. spir. bod. 5. Rec. ind.
Questions for Review
Why was the resurrection of Jesus Christ a necessity?
What proves the fact of the resurrection? How was the resurrection effected? When did it take place? How long after the death of Jesus was his resurrection?
How many times did Jesus appear after his resurrection? To whom did he appear first? What were the circ.u.mstances of this appearance? What were the five appearances on the day of resurrection? Name the instances when Jesus appeared during the forty days after the resurrection day. What were the traits of the risen Christ? What was the nature of his body after his resurrection?
ELEVENTH STUDY
The New Testament World
We have seen that the life of Jesus Christ while on earth was limited to the land of Palestine. But in a few years the church founded by his apostles overstepped the boundaries of that land; and its scope became world-wide. Therefore as we begin the history of the Early Church it becomes necessary for us to study =the New Testament World=.
Comparing the maps before us with that of the Old Testament World we find that in the four centuries between the events of the Old and New Testaments the dominion of the world pa.s.sed from Asia to Europe, and Jerusalem, which had been in the center, became one of the cities upon the extreme east. Hence our map moves with the course of the empire westward a thousand miles.
I. We draw the outlines of the most important =Seas=. These are:
1. The =Mediterranean Sea=, from its eastern limits as far west as Italy. Voyages on it are referred to in Acts 9. 30; 13. 4; 21. 1, 2; 27.
3.
2. The =Sea of Galilee=, a.s.sociated with the life of Christ. Find its three different names in Matt. 15. 29; John 6. 1; Luke 5. 1.
3. The =Dead Sea=, not named in the New Testament.
4. The =Black Sea=, north of Asia Minor.
5. The =aegean Sea=, between Asia Minor and Greece. Voyages upon it (Acts 16. 11; 18. 18; 20. 13-15).
6. The =Adriatic Sea=, between Greece and Italy (Acts 27. 27).
II. In these seas are many =Islands=, of which we name five of the most noteworthy in New Testament history:
1. =Cyprus=, in the northeast corner of the Mediterranean (Acts 4. 36; 13. 4).
2. =Crete=, south of the aegean Sea, between Asia Minor and Greece (Acts 27. 7; t.i.tus 1. 5).
3. =Patmos=, in the aegean Sea, not far from Ephesus (Rev. 1. 9).
4. =Sicily=, southwest of Italy (Acts 28. 12).
5. =Melita=, now Malta, south of Sicily (Acts 28. 1).
III. We locate the different =Provinces=, arranging them in four groups.
[Ill.u.s.tration: MAP OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WORLD]
1. Those on the continent of =Europe= are: 1.) =Thrace.= 2.) =Macedonia= (Acts 14. 9, 10; 20. 1-3). 3.) =Greece=, also called =Achaia= (Acts 18.
12; 20. 3). 4.) =Illyric.u.m= (Rom. 15. 19). 5.) =Italy= (Acts 27. 1).
2. Those on the continent of =Africa= are: 1.) =Africa Proper.= 2.) =Libya= (Acts 2. 10) 3.) =Egypt= (Matt. 2. 13).
3. Those on the continent of =Asia=, exclusive of Asia Minor, are: 1.) =Arabia=, perhaps referring to the desert region southeast of Palestine (Gal. 1. 17). 2.) =Judea=, the Jewish name for all Palestine, in the New Testament period (Luke 1. 5). 3.) =Phoenicia= (Mark 7. 24; Acts 15. 3; 21. 2). 4.) =Syria=, north of Palestine (Acts 15. 41; 20. 3).
4. The provinces in =Asia Minor= are so frequently mentioned in the Acts and Epistles that it is necessary for the student to learn their names and locations. We divide the fourteen provinces into four groups.
(_a_) Three on the Black Sea, beginning on the east.
1.) =Pontus= (Acts 18. 2). 2.) =Paphlagonia.= 3.) =Bithynia= (Peter 1. 1).
(_b_) Three on the aegean Sea, beginning on the north.