-
https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/25778/archive/files/88d032db333efcd79d4697f29729d7d5.pdf?Expires=1712793600&Signature=e-Lsl%7ENiAOda%7E%7ETGEQGJvh82yfxozCIwUo%7ElyJdrOzvXA2asCFlsUjKaJZpkn5Mi53UO2o2Pjt9jtPIyjg00cwFE8cneahQbaXfQPXdD%7E8ViXs8uXI-IKFYoZiWfQinh3uLpsL4P1UqDzzVyZpiz5Ht6dfeliGdZBeN7RbWADc-bq6yr0pe3P6s9eDiZBwOYIllmpRBmvkC%7EdvxTSlhMnS1E313mst2Se0VPwQzWEtzH1HnWHqsh0YxkMky2O7N06RGDMeOixItqjO3tGlGk5YV7zEnFxM0w6EQdyuZZOwj%7ENkLCNEboKViKMlGTUCRErkumP-NNEXx51xXQVvfV%7EQ__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM
df5aba88fc549cf1b5def8a739235154
PDF Text
Text
THE< RESURRECTION.
\
"4'’^
Jr (Sasier
. ,..
-«»
gtonxmg Snmwn;
AT THE
>
FREE CHRISTIAN CHURCH, CROYDON,
LONDON.
•-* '
*' v *
t.
•
'
.
’ \
BY THE
REV. ROBERT RODOLPH SUFFIELD.
PUBLISHED BY THOMAS SCOTT,
NO. 11, THE TERRACE, FARQUHAR ROAD,
UPPER NORWOOD, LONDON, S.E.
Price Threepence.
��THE RESURRECTION.
Did the Evangelists believe in the bodily resurrection
of Jesus ?
Undoubtedly. But they did not connect it,with
the immortality of the soul or with the conscious
ness of the soul after death; for they attribute to Jesus
the words to the dying thief, “ This day thou shalt be
with me in Paradise,” i.e., on Friday evening, on the day
of my death; and no one supposes the body of the
thief to have shared in the miraculous resurrection at
tributed to the body of Jesus. But as a miracle, un
doubtedly the first disciples believed it.
Did the Evangelists attach special importance to that
miracle 1
Obviously not: their transparent sincerity, their en
tire truthfulness surpassed even their credulity.
We have every reason for concluding the existing
Gospels to be compilations founded upon earlier records
which have perished. Biographies of uncertain author
ship, translated by unknown persons in a disputable
period—biographies not asserting either authorship, or
infallibility, or inspiration, handed down to us through
many varying MSS., cannot be allowed to settle ques
tions of fact, however precious they may justly be to us
as the earliest records of the origin of Christianity.
The very circumstances which exalt the truthful inten
tions of the authors, serve to weaken belief in the in
cidents recorded. The Evangelists agree in certain
general statements, though differing in important de
�4
The Resurrection.
tails j they agree in recording that the body of Jesus
was buried as soon as ever it had been taken down
from the Cross; that the body was privately interred
in a new grave erected in the secluded garden of a
friend ; that “before the break of day the body had dis
appeared ; that no one had witnessed the mode of its
disappearance, or could testify to anything but the fact
that, whereas the body had been laid in the cave serv- '
ing as a tomb, after a few hours it had disappeared,
nothing remaining excepting the winding sheets, folded
and placed on one side; Jesus was seen afterwards,
walking about the garden.
If the Disciples had anticipated the resurrection, and
attached importance to it, they would have taken some
means to secure knowledge of so interesting a prodigy,
whereas none of his apostles see the body of Jesus
buried, or appear at all at the tomb till it is empty.
Joseph of Arimathsea, Nicodemus, Mary Magdalene,
and Mary the mother of Joses, are alone cognisant of
any of the details as to his burial—alone present;
indeed, the gospel limits to the two women the behold
ing where the body of Jesus was laid. His mother
does not appear—only one female relative and one
female friend. But the gospel tells us that even they
left the tomb ; and from Friday evening until Sunday
morning no disciple is described as approaching the
grave. This was not the result of want of affection,
but in consequence of the strictness of the Judaic law
as to the Sabbath. The Paschal solemnities lasted
through an octave. On Thursday this octave had
commenced ; and, according to the first three Evan
gelists, Jesus celebrated the Paschal supper with his
disciples on Thursday evening, imitating the example
of all households. The author of the fourth gospel
contradicts their statements. He wrote many years
after, when a complicated theology had commenced,
and Jewish credulity wished to imagine that Jesus had
died on the day of the sacrifice of the Paschal lamb:
�The Resurrection.--
5
therefore he drops entirely all allusion to the last
supper, which has been called in later times the insti
tution of the Eucharist. The beauty and spirituality of
what is called John’s Gospel must not make us forget
that its lateness of date excuses its insuperable varia
tions as to facts ; and we must prefer the statement
of three books to that of one.
Thus Jesus followed the national custom and cele
brated the Paschal Supper on the usual evening with
his friends, using wine, according to the Rabbinical
practice; on Friday he was put to death—his burial
was hastened because the Saturday being the Sabbath
Day, the Jews, who had legally murdered Jesus, could
not be guilty of the greater crime of touching a dead
body on the Sabbath, and the Sabbath falling within
the octave of the passover was a great Sabbath. His
friends and relations dared not, therefore, offend the
popular prejudice or violate the sabbatical law by
walking on the Sabbath Day • and what would have
been worse, walking to visit a grave. But at the
earliest convenient hour after the close of the great
Sabbath • three women according to one Evangelist,
two according to another, Mary Magdalene alone ac
cording to another, went to visit the grave. The
Evangelists again disagree as to the details, whether two
angels or one appeared—whether the angelic vision
was within the tomb or outside ; whether the stone
was rolled away in presence of the women, or found
rolled away. But amidst these discrepancies, the
narratives agree in showing that no one whatsoever saw,
or professed to have seen, Jesus rise from the tomb.
If the disciples had anticipated the resurrection,
they would naturally have watched night and day
awaiting such a miracle; whereas the two women
came expecting to find the corpse of Jesus, and brought
sweet spices to anoint it, and their only anxiety was
how, on their arrival, they should open the stone gate
of the vault.
�6
The Resurrection.
So little importance had the Apostles attached to
certain figurative words attributed to Jesus, and sup
posed afterwards to have been prophetical of his
resurrection—that when the women go and tell them
that they met Jesus in the garden—that the tomb was
empty—they accuse the women of telling idle tales.
Peter hastening to the tomb, and finding it empty,
is at once satisfied. John follows and also sees the
sepulchre empty, and “he saw and he believed,”—
namely, he saw an empty grave and the winding sheet
lying folded up there. They saw nothing else—they
did not even see the angel or angels, but what they did
see they believed. Afterwards they and others are
described as having seen Jesus, and spoken and eaten
with him. The Evangelist tells us distinctly what
was the common opinion of the inhabitants up to the
time he wrote, viz., that the statement of the soldiers
was true, “ rhe disciples came by night and stole
away the body while we slept.”
Another rumour also existed, the origin of which we
recognise in the surprise of Pilate when Joseph of
Arimathsea asked for the body of Jesus; Pilate
“marvelled if he were already dead,” and sent and
asked the centurion whether he were really dead;
whereupon the governor, on his sole and friendly
testimony, permitted the Arimathaean to take the body.
A rumour spread that Jesus had not quite died on the
cross, but revived under the care of his mother, and
lingered on for some days amongst her friends, and
then sunk beneath his wounds and sufferings.
To meet that rumour, the author of the last Gospel
states that a soldier wounded the side of Jesus with
his lance, causing blood and water to flow, which the
writer unscientifically supposes to afford certain proof
of his death.
Generally when a criminal was crucified, the body
was fastened with ropes to the cross and allowed to
remain for weeks suspended till death ensued as the
�The Resurrection.
7
result of starvation and exposure. The Evangelists
tell us that an additional suffering was inflicted on
Jesus in the piercing his hands. The mental and
bodily torture thus endured by Jesus might be sup
posed likely to cause him at length to swoon away and
become insensible j but hanging thus on the cross for
a few hours would not in itself cause his death, al
though we know that sometimes men of fine organiza
tion and acute sensibility die under some sudden shock
of pain, of fear, or of grief.
As time advanced, belief in the bodily resurrection
of Jesus intensified, amongst Christians, though the
event obtained no credence amongst Jews, Romans, or
Greeks. But after all, the first witnesses can be alone
taken as the establishes of the fact. Some will deem
the evidence sufficient, and will feel a pleasure in
considering that an exceptional portent happened to
one so holy in his character, so exceptional in his
influence.
I appreciate and respect such a feeling, but I do not
share it. To my own mind, a strange portent needing,
to be worth anything, a juridical proof, would rather
confuse my mind, and cause me less to advert to the
simple human grandeur of the moral and spiritual
character of Jesus, as surrounded with myths it floats
down to us amidst the traditions, the love, and the
reverence of millions. If Jesus had not been what he
was, his resurrection would not have made him any
thing. There are many who believe that, as recorded
in 2 Kings xiii., a man was raised from the grave—
but no one reveres or loves him on that account.
We feel an interest in Lazarus because he and his
sisters were loved by Jesus, but those who only believe
in the moral resurrection of Lazarus, and think that
rumour materialised that into a miracle, would gain no
higher thought if they were induced to believe the
portent.
The Evangelist tells us that a great many persons
�8
The Resurrection.
were raised from the dead at the time of the death of
Jesus, and appeared to many in the streets of Jeru
salem. Those persons have never obtained from any
one either love or reverence, but only wonder what
became of them, and why they said nothing about the
death land they had left. The prodigies attributed to
the death of Moses and of Elias, only excite wonder in
the minds of those who believe them; and other
people recognise the resemblance existing between the
legendary mythology and hero worship of all nations
and of all religions. Cultured and reverent minds do
not despise or ridicule the portents which may seem
merely legendary, so long as they are interwoven with
great ideas, and represent in a material form some
lofty thought, some sublime virtue, some external
verity; they only direct attention to the fallacy of a
legend when it is being perverted to mischief.
Has the resurrection of the body of Jesus any
connection whatever with the doctrine of the im
mortality of the soul ? None. Lazarus might have
been miraculously restored to life, and then died and
come to naught, and the same as to Jesus.
Moreover, when Jesus thought he was dying and
said, “ This day thou shalt be with me in paradise,” he
testified his belief in the existence of the soul separate
from the earthly body. His coming from that future
abode to take up his body again would prove nothing,
especially as no word is attributed to him regarding
that state which he is supposed to have left.
If it were necessary for the action of the soul of
Jesus that he should resume his body, and if the
same necessity lies upon us ; Where are souls now 1
unconscious in the graves, or in non-consciousness
where ? and if Jesus thought that, how could he say
“ This day, &c.” If Paul thought that, how could he
say that he longed to depart that he might be with
Jesus.
If the author of the Revelations thought that, how
�The Resurrection.
9
could lie describe the white robed band of saints in
the spirit world.
Undoubtedly Paul attached great importance to the
dogma of the bodily resurrection ; and the unfortunate
adoption of the 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians into
the Church of England burial service has accustomed
thoughtless people, f.e., most people, to connect some
how the resurrection of the body with the immortality
of the soul. So sadly has that error possessed minds,
that we often meet with persons who have privately
come to doubt the immortality of the soul, because
they have doubted the resurrection of the body. Such
persons will quote, almost hopelessly, the words of
Paul, 11 If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching
vain, and your faith is also vain.” Your faith in
what ? In the immortality of the soul 1 No !—in the
speedy approach of the glorified reign of the Messiah
over the elect; i.e., faith in an event then universally
looked for by Christians, but which time has proved
erroneous. Before that generation had passed away
the world was to have been devastated with fire, the
Messiah to have come on the clouds of heaven to
gather and protect his chosen people ; i.e., those living
awaiting him and practising righteousness, and those
who had, to the surprise of the other Christians, died.
The death of any of the disciples amazed and dis
couraged all ; it seemed as if the Christian hope
of speedy redemption was failing. The fears of the
living were calmed by telling them that those who had
recently died should be restored to life, (just as Jesus
had been), and be numbered with the rest of the elect,
sharing with them the reign and triumph of the
Messiah. That hope enabled them to bear with pati
ence the miseries and insults to which they were
exposed.
The sublime spiritual teaching of Jesus had already
got lowered, Judaised, carnalised, materialised. His
simple-hearted disciples could not rise up to the
�IO
The Resurrection.
grandeur of his ideal. Their more sophistical suc
cessors adopted all their half-errors, and perpetuated
such by forming them into a theology, and gradually
petrifying it into creeds and formularies. It was
impossible for the Messiah and his saints to reign on
the earth, and to restore an Israel enlarged and
spiritualised, unless they possessed their bodies. ihe
saints who had died without witnessing the accom
plishment of the expectation which was to be realised
ere that generation had passed away must be placed on
an equality with the saints still in the flesh, and,
recovering their bodies, be caught up in the air to
meet the Lord at his second advent.
.
All that Pauline doctrine had nothing to do with
Christianity ; it was simply the Rabbinical fancy intro
duced and cultured for 150 years B.o. During that
period had arisen these ideas as to a Messiah, as also
the dogma of a bodily resurrection. Amidst those
dogmas Jesus had been reared—probably amongst the
ascetics of the Essenes ; possibly he accepted them ;
more probably he spiritualised them. The more we
advance in a critical study of the Gospels, the more are
we enabled to feel out our way, and to apprehend
what Jesus really said and really meant ; and the
further we advance in that reverent and cautious
criticism, the more do we discover the grandeur ot
his ideal.
,
The solemnity of to-day has borrowed and has ma
terialized that which was the. very essence of his
teaching—of a teaching so sublime, and yet so simp e,
we cannot surpass it, and yet it seems that every one
ought to have thought it. Turn from Jewish legends
about triumphant Messiahs—turn from Pauline and
Roman and Anglican legends about resurrections ot the
flesh, and let us contemplate e’er we part that resurrec
tion of the spirit which formed the essence ot the
teaching of Jesus. I speak not of the immortality ot
the soul—Jesus believed it but he did not expound 1,
�The Resurrection.
11
he added nothing to our knowledge or ideas concerning
it ; if he spoke of Hell, it was only in words like those
already used by Plato and by Rabbis ; if he spoke of
Heaven, it was only in the language of Ecclesiasticus
and Zoroaster, chastened by his love of humanity, but
he had his speciality, he had his revelation—to Jesus
the egotistic, self-seeking life was death—the earnest
loving thought and action was, life, the passing from
one to the other, resurrection. That was the essence of
his teaching, “ I am the Resurrection and the Life.”
Receive my great idea, and pass upwards from the
egotism of self, from the valley of the shadow of death,
into the light and the beauty of life, into the sweet
service of humanity. Arise from the grave of the past,
and walk in the light of great ideas, let the dead past
bury its dead, arise and live a life pure, noble, refined,
and gentle. It is only such as those, who live for ever,
borne upwards by the spirit of God. Thus the great
Master, only lowered when they surround him with
fables, stands in tears of charity by the grave of the
heart corrupt stinking amidst the rottenness of the
passions, and to the soul dead in egotism he says “Come
forth,” receive the inspiration of a noble desire : in the
name of God and of humanity arise and live. May that
thought, may that word, be to you and to me, my
brethren, a resurrection and a life—he who believeth
that word can never die.
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
Victorian Blogging
Description
An account of the resource
A collection of digitised nineteenth-century pamphlets from Conway Hall Library & Archives. This includes the Conway Tracts, Moncure Conway's personal pamphlet library; the Morris Tracts, donated to the library by Miss Morris in 1904; the National Secular Society's pamphlet library and others. The Conway Tracts were bound with additional ephemera, such as lecture programmes and handwritten notes.<br /><br />Please note that these digitised pamphlets have been edited to maximise the accuracy of the OCR, ensuring they are text searchable. If you would like to view un-edited, full-colour versions of any of our pamphlets, please email librarian@conwayhall.org.uk.<br /><br /><span><img src="http://www.heritagefund.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/attachments/TNLHLF_Colour_Logo_English_RGB_0_0.jpg" width="238" height="91" alt="TNLHLF_Colour_Logo_English_RGB_0_0.jpg" /></span>
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Conway Hall Library & Archives
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
2018
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Conway Hall Ethical Society
Text
A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text.
Original Format
The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data
Pamphlet
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
A name given to the resource
The resurrection: an Easter morning sermon at the Free Christian Church, Croydon, London
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
Suffield, Robert Rodolph
Description
An account of the resource
Place of publication: London
Collation: 43 p. ; 18 cm.
Notes: From the library of Dr Moncure Conway. Date of publication from KVK.
Publisher
An entity responsible for making the resource available
Thomas Scott
Date
A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource
[1873]
Identifier
An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context
G5490
Subject
The topic of the resource
Sermons
Jesus Christ
Rights
Information about rights held in and over the resource
<a href="http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/"><img src="http://i.creativecommons.org/p/mark/1.0/88x31.png" alt="Public Domain Mark" /></a><span> </span><br /><span>This work (The resurrection: an Easter morning sermon at the Free Christian Church, Croydon, London), identified by </span><a href="https://conwayhallcollections.omeka.net/items/show/www.conwayhall.org.uk"><span>Humanist Library and Archives</span></a><span>, is free of known copyright restrictions.</span>
Format
The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource
application/pdf
Type
The nature or genre of the resource
Text
Language
A language of the resource
English
Conway Tracts
Jesus Christ- Resurrection