when told about it; and they were chided by the Lord, now present among them,
SERMON 229F
PREACHED ON THE MONDAY AFTER EASTER
Date: after 4181
We have believed in the resurrection of Christ, though we never saw it, on hearing the writings of those who didn't believe, even when they saw
1. Some people saw the resurrection of the Lord,2 others did not believe it when told about it; and they were chided by the Lord, now present among them, because they had not believed those who saw it and brought them the news.3 What a stupendous favor done to the nations, and to those bom long afterward! What has God granted those who now fill the churches of Christ? The holy apostles had gone round with the Lord, heard the word of truth from his mouth, seen him raise the dead; and they didn't believe that the Lord had risen. We though, bom long afterward, have never seen his bodily presence, never heard a word from the mouth of his flesh, never observed with these eyes any miracle performed by him; and yet we have come to believe, on hearing what was written by those who at the time refused to believe. They didn't believe a most recent event when news of it was brought them; they wrote something for us to read, we heard it, and we believe.
That the Lord Jesus, though, declined to appear to the Jews is because he did not judge them worthy to see the Lord Christ after the resurrection; he showed himself to his own people, not to strangers. And while his own people were preaching, strangers came to believe;4 and those who had been strangers became his own. I mean, many of those, as you can read in the Acts of the Apostles; many of those who crucified the Lord, who defiled themselves by shedding his blood; many of those who said, His blood be upon us and upon our children (Mt 27:25), later on came to believe the apostles bringing them the good news of the resurrection. His blood was indeed upon them, but it was to wash them, not to destroy them; well, upon some to destroy them, upon others to cleanse them; upon those to be destroyed, injustice; upon those to be cleansed, in mercy.
And now too, do all have faith?5 Just as at that time some of the Jews themselves believed, others did not, so too now with the nations; some have come to believe, others don't believe. Not everyone has faith (2 Thes 3:2). Those who do have faith, though, believe by God's grace; they mustn't pride them-