1.
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
2.
And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.
3.
And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
4.
And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
5.
And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.
6.
And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.
7.
But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
8.
And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
9.
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils.
10.
And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept.
11.
And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.
12.
After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.
13.
And they went and told it unto the residue: neither believed they them.
14.
Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen.
This most probably is the appearance mentioned Luke 24:36; John 20:19. See Poole on "Luke 24:36". See Poole on "John 20:19".
15.
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
16.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
17.
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18.
They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
19.
So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.
Matthew saith nothing of our Saviour’s ascension. Mark speaketh of it very shortly. Luke saith, And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And again gives us this part of this history most fully, Acts 1:1-12. We shall in our notes on Luke 24:51-53 speak more fully to this. We are told, Acts 1:3, that Christ was forty days upon the earth after his resurrection, and, Acts 1:9, that a cloud did receive him. He is said to sit on the right hand of God, to distinguish him from angels, whose places are but places of ministration.
20.
And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Here is now the history of a great deal of following time, shortly epitomized in one verse. The first motion of the eleven was to Jerusalem, Luke 24:52, and this was according to the express command of Christ, Luke 24:49. There they were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God, Luke 24:53. At Jerusalem they went into an upper room, Acts 1:12,Acts 1:13. There they continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, Acts 1:14, and chose Matthias for the twelfth apostle. The Holy Ghost came upon them, Acts 2:4. Still they continued preaching to the Jews, till the Jews, by their unbelief and persecution, judging themselves unworthy of eternal life, they turned to the Gentiles, Acts 13:46. Of God
confirming their word, that is, his word spoken by them,
with signs following, the whole history of the Acts of the Apostles is an abundant proof.