THE RESURRECTION
[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.] SIR,—I picked up the Spectator of April 26th in the hotel reading room this afternoon and read the letter on the Resurrection by " Layman." To him the empty tomb appears to be a difficulty. I wonder if it would help him if he could realize that if the disciples were to be convinced of the Resurrection and able to convince others, they would have to be absolutely certain of two facts : First, that the Person they saw was the same Person who was crucified and was buried. Second, that that same Person's body was endowed with new heavenly or spiritual properties.
Our Lord seems* to have taken pains to convince them of both facts. He bade them touch Him, see and handle the wounds, watch Him. eat. " It is I Myself," He said, " handle Me and see ; a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have." They must be able to say : "We know for a fact that -the one we saw was Christ Hhriself after death and burial."
If the tomb had not been empty this risen body might
have been doubted by others and scarcely believed by the disciples. But here was no doubt. The tomb was empty—
left it. and they had seen and handled the risen body that had On the other hand, they had to be equally convinced of its spiritual reality, otherwise men would have said : _ "He was only resuscitated ; _ He came alive but He is nothing more than a revived man."
No, the disciples had to be eqnally sure that this risen body, was risen tOV a higher condition ; He appeared and vanished ; He came through V closed doors ; VHe concealed and revealed His identity ; He finally vanished in clouds.
Our Lord seems to Vhave taken equal pains to prove His spiritual as to prove His bodily reality. Both the empty tomb and the new spiritual properties of the risen body were required to make the Apostles "to all the nations" absolutely sure
of their ground.—I am, Sir, &c., G. C. M. The Cockburn Hotel, Edinburgh..
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