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THE RESURRECTION, A PROOF OF CHRIST’S MESSIAHSHIP
THE work of reformation usually involves in difficulties those who undertake it. They who are the objects of it, however justly reproved, are sure to take offence, and to condemn the zeal which censures them. No one can doubt but that the turning of God’s House into a place of merchandize was a very shameful practice; or, that to suppress it was highly commendable: yet, when our blessed Lord exerted his authority to check this abuse, the people, instead of applauding his zeal, expressed great dissatisfaction, and demanded of him, what right he had to interfere in that matter. The very awe which was impressed on all their minds, whereby they were constrained to yield to the rebukes of a poor man unsupported by any human, authority, might have convinced them, that a power more than human existed in the person of the Lord Jesus: and, if they had taken occasion to make inquiries respecting him in a becoming spirit, he would no doubt have given them all reasonable satisfaction: but, as their demands arose from mere petulance, he declined satisfying them by any fresh miracle, and referred them to an event yet distant, which, when accomplished, should be a perfect answer to every inquiry.
To place this matter in a just point of view, we shall shew,
I. To what event our Lord referred—
The occasion on which the words were spoken, will reflect considerable light on the words themselves. It was common with our Lord to make the things which were immediately before him subservient to his purpose of conveying spiritual instruction: and this he did on the present occasion. He had purged the temple from the abuses to which it had been exposed. The act itself, all things considered, was miraculous. A miracle was required of him to prove his right to exercise such authority: but he, not choosing to gratify this unreasonable demand, told the Jews, that, as they had defiled the material temple, so they would destroy the temple of his body: and that, as he had purged the one, so he would in three days rebuild and restore the other: and that this latter miracle would abundantly vindicate his claim to the authority he used.
In this figurative prediction he intimated,
1. That his own body was typically represented by the temple—
[Both were formed, the one by man, and the other by God himself, as a residence for the Deity [Note: Heb_8:2.]; and in both God vouchsafed to dwell: in the one symbolically, by a visible cloud; in the other really, personally, bodily, even in all his fulness [Note: Col_2:9.] — — —]
2. That they would in due time destroy it—
[His words are not to be construed as a command or advice, but simply as a prediction. He knew what they would do: he knew “what his heavenly Father had determined before to be done:” he knew what he had undertaken both to do and suffer for us: and he frequently, from his very first entrance on his ministry to the close of it, foretold the precise manner of his death, together with the various circumstances which should accompany it — — —]
3. That he, by his own power, would raise it up again in three days—
[“He had power to lay down his life, and power to take it again:” and he declared that he would put forth this power to the confusion of all his enemies. He fixed the time of his resurrection, agreeably to the predictions of the prophets concerning it; a time amply sufficient for ascertaining the reality of his death, though not sufficient for his body to contract any corruption. On the accomplishment of this prophecy he rested all his pretensions to the Messiahship; and by it he would prove, that “he was indeed the very Christ” — — —]
The accomplishment of this event need not at this time to be insisted on: it is more to our purpose to shew,
II. How it proved his Divine authority—
We are told that Christ “was declared to be the Son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead.” If it be asked, How did his resurrection prove his Messiahship? we answer,
1. No impostor would rest his pretensions on such an appeal as this—
[An impostor would rather confirm his authority by an appeal to something which he might accomplish in his life-time, in order that his credit might be raised, and his hands be strengthened for the furtherance of his designs. At all events, he would not found his hopes of success on a matter so entirely out of the reach of all human power, where the failure might be so easily, so speedily, so demonstrably ascertained: to do this would be to counteract all his own wishes, and to expose himself and his adherents to utter contempt. Such conduct would be perfect madness: and therefore we cannot suppose that our blessed Lord, who on all occasions manifested such consummate wisdom, could have pursued it. Had he been an impostor, he would at least have selected some other test, more within the bounds of credibility, and less open to detection.]
2. Supposing such an appeal made in support of an imposture, God would never work a miracle to sanction and confirm it—
[That God has permitted wonderful things to be wrought by liars and impostors, is certain: but he has at the same time afforded means for discovering the imposture; or rather, he has permitted those very wonders for the purpose of manifesting his own superior power, and confirmed thereby the faith of his people, whilst his enemies were hardened in their own wilful delusions [Note: Exo_7:11-20; Exo_7:22; Exo_8:7-8; Exo_8:17-19. Act_8:9-11.]. But in raising up Jesus from the dead, he has not only given us no contrary testimony to counteract the impression, but has left us no room for doubt. This must have been done by himself alone: none but an Almighty power could effect it. On this one point the whole weight of our Lord’s pretensions rested. Our Lord was willing to be thought an impostor, if this miracle were not wrought in his favour. What shall we say then? If God knew him to be an impostor, he himself interposed to give weight and efficacy to his imposture: he interposed to deceive his own people, and to blind the eyes of those who were most desirous to serve him aright. But can this be true? Can we for a moment admit the thought? The inference then is clear and undeniable; that Jesus was indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world — — —]
But it is not in speculative truths that we should rest. We proceed therefore to inquire,
III. What practical instruction is to be gathered from it—
In this part of our subject, we shall limit our observations to the event as it stands connected with the occasion on which it was foretold. We have before seen that it was referred to in confirmation of the authority which our Lord had exerted. It shews us therefore,
1. That God is indignant with those who pollute his temple—
[It is common to imagine, that the frequenting of the house of God at certain seasons must of necessity be a service pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God. But can our bodily presence there be pleasing to him, if our hearts be altogether occupied with the world? If our farms and our merchandize, our lusts and our pleasures, fill our minds, what will it profit us to bow our knees, or to repeat our forms of prayer? It is not thus that we are to worship God: “we are to worship him in spirit and in truth;” and our external services, while destitute of spiritual affections, are gross hypocrisy: and we, in presenting such services, are no better than those whom our Lord accused of turning his Father’s House into a house of merchandize.
But it is not from the outward temple only that evil should be expelled: our hearts are “the temples of the Holy Ghost,” and are therefore, at the peril of our souls, to be preserved pure: “If any man defile the temple of God,” says the Apostle, “him shall God destroy [Note: 1Co_3:16-17.].” What reason have we all to tremble at this solemn declaration! Consider, brethren, what grievous abominations have been harboured there! what a mass of filthiness, “filthiness both of flesh and spirit,” has God seen in us! what pride, envy, malice, wrath! what worldliness! what sensuality! alas! alas! “It is indeed of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, even because his compassions fail not.” We may plead custom, and a variety of other excuses, just as they did who defiled the material temple: but if our hearts be not now purged by the grace of God, it is in vain to hope that he will ever make them his residence in a future world. Let us then beg of him to drive out every hateful disposition: and, whatever scourge he may see fit to use for this purpose, let us never wish to be delivered from the pains it may inflict, till we have fully experienced its sanctified effects.]
2. That whatever pollutes his temple shall yield to the almighty power of Christ—
[When we see the extreme depravity of our hearts, and compare it with the purity of God’s holy law, we are ready to say, that it is impossible for us ever to become what God requires. But he who exerted such power over the minds of those who “made the temple a den of thieves;” who could literally have destroyed the temple and built it again in three days; and did actually raise to life again his own “crucified body;” He, I say, can easily effect the renovation of our hearts: with him all things are possible: whatever difficulties we may have to surmount, “his grace is sufficient for us” — — — We need only look to his Apostles, “who were men of like passions with us,” and we may see what he can do for us. “It was by the grace of God that they were what they. were:” and God is still the same as in the days of old; “his arm is not shortened that it cannot save; nor is his ear heavy that it cannot hear” — — — It is to carry on his work in our hearts that Jesus is risen: “I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me.” Let us then pray that we may know him in the “power of his resurrection,” and “be sanctified wholly;” and that “our whole spirit, soul, and body, may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ [Note: 1Th_5:23.].” “Faithful is He that hath called us, who also will do it [Note: 1Th_5:24.].”]