Section 902
II. It was so, with respect to what was done unto it, and done with it
This was, as has already been observed, first reaped, then brought to the court, and then, after a variety of ceremonies, it was waved before the Lord. First it was reaped. And this was done in a very solemn and pompous manner, according to the account the Jews give of it, which is this; the messengers of the Sanhedrim went out (from Jerusalem, over the brook Kidron, to the fields near it), on the evening of the feast, and bound the standing corn in bundles, that so it might be more easily reaped; and the inhabitants of all the neighbouring villages gathered together there, that it might he reaped in great pomp; and when it was dark, one said to them, Is the sun set? They said, Yes. With this sickle shall I reap it? They said, Yes. In this basket shall I put it? They said, Yes. If on a sabbath-day, he said to them, On this sabbath-day shall I do it? They said, Yes. These questions were put and answered three times: then they reaped it, and put it into the basket, and brought it to the court.
Now this reaping of the sheaf of first-fruits was an emblem of the apprehending of our Lord Jesus Christ by the Jews, or by officers which they sent to take him. They attempted this once and again, before they accomplished it. We are told in the seventh chapter of John, that at the feast of tabernacles they sought to lay hold of him; but his time was not yet come. The very officers were dispirited; and when they were called to an account by the chief priests and pharisees, for not bringing him, they said, Never man spake like this man. They could not take him. But when the set time was come, he was easily apprehended by them. And as we are told they bound the ears of corn, that they might be the more easily reaped; so they bound Christ, and brought him to the high Priest. (John 18:12) This was done at night, when it was dark. One of the questions asked at the reaping of the sheaf of the first-fruits, was, Is the sun set? It was answered, Yes: then the sickle was put in. So it was after sun was set, the Lord Jesus Christ was apprehended. After he had eaten the passover with his disciples, he entered into discourse with them, and said, All ye shall he offended, because of me, this night. Simon Peter, very bold in the cause of his master, says, Though, all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never he offended. To whom our Lord answers, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, that this night, before the cock crow thou shalt deny me thrice. (Mark 14:30) And that it was night when he was apprehended, is clear from the account given of Judas, who, with his band of soldiers went into the garden with lanthorns and torches to take him. And the account of the Lord's Supper, given by the apostle, confirms it, who says, "That our Lord Jesus Christ, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread." (1 Corinthians 11:23)
And as the sheaf was reaped by a deputation of men, sent by the grand Sanhedrim at Jerusalem; so our Lord was apprehended by officers, sent by chief priests and pharisees, who were assembled together in council, as the great Sanhedrin of the nation. They met together just before the time of our Lord's apprehension and sufferings, as they had done in vain many times before, but now with success. They met together to contrive ways and means to put him to death. An opportunity presented. Judas came and offered to betray him for such a sum of money; and he, with a band of men, went into the garden, where he knew our Lord used to resort; and there they apprehended him. And this was done in the sight and presence of a multitude of persons, just as the sheaf of the first-fruits was reaped in the presence of multitudes from all towns round about.
That this was true of Christ is certain from what is recorded by the evangelists; for we are told, that Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude, went in order to apprehend him. (Mark 14:43) Besides the hand of soldiers, he had of the scribes and pharisees, the chief priests and elders, there were a multitude of the common people that attended to see the issue of things: to whom our Lord said, Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and staves for to take me. (Mark 14:48)
Likewise, the circumstance of the sheaf of first-fruits being reaped near the brook Kidron, exactly agrees with the apprehending of Christ near that brook. It was over this same book our Lord went, and entered into the garden where he was taken. (And in this he appeared to be the antitype of David, who when he fled from Absalom went over the brook Kidron. Cedron, or Kidron, signifies black: so that brook had its name from the blackness of the water, through the soil that run into it; being a kind of common sewer, into which the Jews cast every thing that was unclean and defiling. And perhaps it is in allusion to this that the Psalmist prophetically said, He shall drink, of the brook in the way). (Psalm 110:7) Now it is remarkable, that in these minute circumstances, as some of them seem to be, there should be such an agreement.
When this sheaf was reaped, then it was brought to the court; so Christ, when he was first apprehended was brought to Annas, then to Caiaphas, then to the court where, after his arraignment and trial, he was condemned to death. This sheaf being brought to court, was threshed, winnowed, dried, and parched by the fire, and ground in a mill; all which set forth, in a lively manner, the dolorous sufferings of our Lord. The sheaf being threshed, was expressive of his being smitten by men; of his being buffeted and scourged, by the order of the Roman Governor, by the soldiers; all in perfect agreement with the prophecy, that they should smite the Judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek. (Micah 5:1) That he should give his back to the smiters, and his cheeks to them which plucked off the hair. (Isaiah 50:6)
This sheaf of the first-fruits, as it was beaten out, so it was dried and parched by the fire; which may he considered as expressive of the wrath of God which Christ endured; which is compared to fire, and by which (as it is expressed in the Psalm concerning him) his strength was dried up like a potsherd. It was ground also in a mill (as was the manna, another type of Christ): (Numbers 11:8) which was another circumstance that pointed out the sufferings of the Redeemer, who was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities.
Upon I he omer of flour that was taken, oil and frankincense were poured: which may denote, the acceptableness of Christ in his sufferings, death, and sacrifice to his divine Father. He gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice unto God for a sweet smelling savour. And then the waving of this by the priest before the Lord, seems to denote his resurrection from the dead. This action, indeed, literally understood, was expressive of an acknowledgment to the Lord of heaven and earth; that the fruits of the earth, and the plentiful harvest were of him, and to give him the praise and the glory of it. But typically considered, it represented the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead. (And remarkable it is, he rose from the dead on the very day the sheaf of the first-fruits was waved). That which confirms this, is what I have already observed from the great apostle of the Gentiles, who tells us, Christ is risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept: this makes me conclude, that this waving the sheaf, denotes, the resurrection of Christ. He is the first-fruits of them that slept; the earnest of the resurrection from the dead to his people: he insures that to them, being the representative of them. He is the first that rose front the dead to an immortal life: for though there were others that were raised before him, as the son of the widow of Sarepta, the Shunamite's son, and the man that was let down into the grave of the prophet Elisha: all which took place before the coming of Christ. And after his coming, before his resurrection, there were many raised from the dead and raised by himself, which was one proof he gave of being the Messiah. The dead are raised; (Luke 7:22) how many we cannot say; but instances we have upon record, as Jairus's daughter, Lazarus, the favorite of our Lord, and others. But then he was the first that rose by his own power into an immortal life. He arose by his own power. Destroy this temple (said he, meaning his body) and in three days I will raise it up; (John 2:19)and accordingly he being put to death, raised himself the third day; for he had power (which no mere man had) to lay down his life, and takes it up again, And by doing this, especially the latter, he declared himself to be the Son of God with power. (Romans 1:4)
He was the first that arose to an immortal life. All the rest rose from the dead, but died again; but he, being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. He was dead, but is alive, and lives for evermore, and hath the keys of hell and of death. Jehovah the Father shewed him the path of life; and he was the first that trod therein. There were some indeed raised at the time of his resurrection, as it is written, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves, after his resurrection. (Matthew 27:52, 53) And in all probability these rose to immortal life, and went triumphantly to heaven with our risen Lord; but then this was after his resurrection; so that he was the first that arose to an immortal life.
And as Christ rose first in order of time, so he rose the first in dignity. He rose as the head of the body, as the first born, the beginning, that in all things he might appear to have, as he ought to have, the pre-eminence. He did not rise again as a mere individual, as a single person, but as a public head and representative of all his people. He also is the first in causality. He is the procuring cause of the resurrection from the dead. He not only by the gospel brought life and immortality to light; but, by his obedience, sufferings, and death, has opened the way of life. He came to this end; that we might have life, spiritual and eternal; so true is that saying of the apostle, that as by man came death, by man came also the resurrection from the dead. And he is the pattern and exemplar, according to which the saints will be raised; as my dead body shall they arise. (Isaiah 26:19) Just as his dead body arose, so shall the dead bodies of all the saints arise in the resurrection morn: they shall be fashioned like unto his glorious body. Was he raised incorruptible? so shall they. So saith the apostle, the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (1 Corinthians 15:52, 53) As his body was raised a powerful body, so shall theirs. He was crucified through weakness; but being raised by the power of God, it became a powerful body. So saints shall be raised in power, no more subject to weaknesses and infirmities, as now; no more liable to disorders and diseases, or to death itself: neither of them shall have any power over them. As his body was raised a glorious one so shall theirs also. It is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; fashioned like unto the glorious body of Christ: (Philippians 3:21) shining not only as stars, but as the sun in the firmament of heaven. As his was raised a spiritual body, so shall theirs too. Not a new aerial and celestial body, as some have dreamed; no, but a spiritual one. Not as to substance, but as to quality; that shall be supported without eating and drinking. The organs thereof will he fitted for spiritual exercises, and he wholly under the influence of the Spirit of God; and be no more an incumbrance to the spirit or soul of man.
And, as Christ's risen body was the same body that was crucified and slain; (which appears from the marks upon it. Except, says Thomas, I shall see the prints of the nails in his hands, I will not believe: and these were shewn him. And our Lord, to convince his disciples that it was the same body, said, Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I, myself. Handle me, and see: for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have; (Luke 24:39)) so the same body of the saints that dies, shall he raised from the dead. Job himself firmly believed this, In my flesh shall I see God; whom mine eyes shall behold, and not another. (Job 19:25, 27) So the apostle, this corruptible (pointing to his body) must put on incorruption. (1 Corinthians 15:53)
Christ is the efficient cause of the resurrection. The procuring cause as Mediator; the exemplar, as man; the efficient cause, as God; for as the Father quickens whom he will, so the Son. It will be by his voice the dead will arise; some to everlasting life, and some to everlasting shame and contempt. And herein will he a display both of his Omnipotence and Omniscience. Of his Omnipotence, that he has the keys of hell and death; and can open the graves, and set the prisoners free. The raising the dead is a work of Omnipotence; as the raising of Christ's body was, so the raising of the bodies of the saints will be. Our Lord will by this shew himself to he the mighty God. There will also he a display of his Omniscience. He must needs be omniscient, that knows where the dust of his saints lies. Though dispersed here and there; yet has he undertaken (and it was an obligation laid upon him) to raise it up at the last day; and so he will. Thus we have seen the waving of the sheaf pointed out the resurrection of Christ from the dead: but this is not all.
It is also expressive of his connection with his people, whom he represented: and whose resurrection is the pledge, earnest, and security of theirs. For, as the first-fruits sanctified the rest of their harvest, represented the whole, gave a right to the in-gathering of it, and insured it; so our Lord's resurrection from the dead, sanctified and secured the resurrection of his people. Because he lives, they shall live also: or as sure as his dead body arose, so sure shall theirs rise also. But then he is only the first-fruits of his own. Christ the first-fruits, afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming. Who are the fruits of hit sufferings and death; who have the first-fruits of his Spirit and grace in them: the fruits of righteousness upon them; who are his, by virtue of the Father's gift unto him, as also by the purchase of his blood, the efficacy of his grace upon them, and through a voluntary dedication of themselves unto him, under the influence of his Spirit and grace. The first-fruits of these and these only. Not but that there will he a resurrection both of the just and the unjust; the sea and the grave will give up all the dead, and among these will be some whose names are not written in the Lamb's book of life. These will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to receive the things done in the body; but the saints, whom Christ is the representative of, will arise by virtue of the union to their living Lord and head. Not so the wicked; only by virtue of his power exerted upon them they will arise, and that to everlasting shame anal confusion—Thus we have seen, this sheaf was a type of Christ, with respect to what was done to it. Now it remains only to observe,