219 



The second day of the week indicated ; and not the first day. 



Saturday evening at sunset (3Iark i. 32 ; Luke iv. 40), and 

 terminated at the sunset of Sunday, when the " second day'' 

 commenced. The '* evening" spoken of in John xx. 19 was 

 therefore the beginning of the second day. And even allow- 

 ing my friend the latitude of construction, that would under- 

 stand the word " evening" as not being here used in its strictest 

 sense, but as merely expressing that ^'it was toward even- 

 ing, and the day was far spent" [Luke xxiv. 29), when the 

 disciples came together, still the important fact remains incon- 

 trovertible, that the great mcident of the assembly took place 

 some time after dark.* It was already late in the afternoon, 

 when Jesus went in with the two disciples at Emmaus '' to 

 tarri/ with them :" — with them he there partook his evening 

 meal (^Luke xxiv. 29 — 31) ; after which the two disciples re- 

 turned to Jerusalem (a tico Jiours' journey), in order to com- 

 municate the joyful tidings to the apostles. (ih. 33 — 43.) And 

 not till after their arrival — not till after a full interchange of 

 news, did Jesus himself come ^^ and stand in the midst." (John 

 XX. 19 — 23.) It is certain, therefore, that this appearance — so 

 important to the theory of J. N. B. in his own estimation — ac- 

 tually occurred on Monday, instead of Sunday. 



* I have met with a pamphlet which attempts to evade this con- 

 sideration by urging that, as the word *< evening had two meanings 

 among the Jews," the time here spoken of might have been the early 

 evening commencing at three o'clock. The suggestion is entirely gra- 

 tuitous. That the true *' evening" is intended, is apparent from all the 

 circumstances ; especially from the evening meal at the distant village 

 of Emmaus. 



I find it stated in Horxe's '■'■ Introduction to the Holy Scrijitures," 

 that " the Jews reckoned two evenings : the former began at the ninth 

 hour of the natura! day, or three o'clock in the afternoon ; and the 

 latter at the eleventh." (Introduct. vol. iii. part ii. chap. 4, sec. 2.) 

 In this last particular. Horne is contradicted by all reliable authority. 

 (See JosEPHUS, Jetvish War, Book iv. ch. ix. sec. 12. See also Wil- 

 60n's ^^ Archæological Dictionary," art. "Day.") The second or true 

 evening did not begin at five o'clock, but at sunset. [Mark i. 32 ; 

 Xehem, xiii, 19.) 



