184 OBLIGATION OF THE SABBATH. 



Assembly of the disciples on the first day of the -week. 



hard to prove that our Lord ^^ broke the Sabbath," and 

 "taught men so." Earlj on Sunday morning, '^while it was 

 yet dark/' they hastened to complete their intended task, 

 and were overwhelmed with astonishment to learn from attend- 

 ing angels the glorious fact of His Resurrection — a fact which, 

 though foretold in Prophecy, and often by Christ himself, 

 they had never (such is the blinding power of prejudice) till 

 that moment understood. (John xx. 9.) No wonder then that 

 they did not yet understand the change of the Sabbath 

 day. Hence two of them, "that same day/' walked out to 

 Emmaus (about eight miles west of Jerusalem), and were 

 joined by Jesus. (Luke xxiv. 13 — 32.) Their testimony on 

 their return was scarcely credited by the Eleven. (^Mark xvi. 

 13.) Then '' tlie same day, at evening," says John (xx. 19 — 

 23), "being the first day of the week (notice the em- 

 phasis), when the doors were shut where the disciples were as- 

 semhled, for fear of the Jews, came Jesus, and stood in the 

 midst, and saith unto them, — Peace be unto you. And 

 when he had so said, he showed them his hands and his side. 

 Then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord." Up 

 to this moment " they believed not for joy and wonder." 

 {Luke xxiv. 41.) Nbiv every doubt and fear was dispelled ; 

 their Apostolic commission was renewed, and the Holy Ghost 

 breathed on them, in anticipation of the mightier miracle of 

 Pentecost. Now therefore for the first time did they under- 

 stand the full import of the words in Ps. cxviii. 14 — 26, espe- 

 cially of verse 24, which I have so fully explained in my last. 

 Now, of this FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK they could sing with 

 understanding, " This is the day which the Lord hath 



MADE ; WE WILL REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT." 



That they did then understand that the first day of the 

 WEEK was henceforth to be the " Lord's day," and to be ob- 

 served by Christians as such, is evident from the fact next 

 recorded. (John xx. 26 — 29.) " And after eight days, ac/ain 

 his disciples were within, and Thomas [who was before absent] 



