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The strength of Christian evidence consists in this — that its leading truths rest on facts, and that those facts rest chiefly on sonic form of sensible demonstration. The resurrection respects a fact of which the witnesses must have been competent to speak if they were but honest; and dishonesty in the first Christians is out of the question. If it were so, it was a dishonesty which sought everyone's good but their own. And as far from all rational probability is the alternative supposition that the witnesses were incompetent to testify concerning this fact. "In the mouth of two witnesses shall every word be established," it is declared. What, then, shall it he in the mouth of five hundred? Why should it he thought incredible?

I. IT SUPPOSES NO GREATER AMOUNT OF MIRACULOUS POWER THAN IS REQUIRED FOR THE ORDINARY OPERATIONS OF NATURE. It is no greater miracle that a body should have a second existence, than that it should have a first; that dry bones should, at God's bidding, put on holy and bright forms, than that a dead seed should have power to fill the air with perfume, or a torpid chrysalis burst forth into new activity and life. The only difference is that the one is a familiar miracle, the other we have yet to see.

II. IT PUTS HONOUR ON THAT HUMAN NATURE WHICH THE SON OF GOD CONDESCENDED TO ASSUME. The work of redemption throughout may be called a work of substitution and interchange of relations between Christ and His people. He took the form of a servant that we might receive the adoption of sons; He is made sin for us that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him; He is humbled by assuming the fashion of our bodies; we are to be exalted by being fashioned into His. Noble therefore as our body is by the original designation of its Author, nobler still as it has become by association with incarnate Godhead, it is, until it has put on its resurrection form.

III. THE DELIVERANCE OF THE BODY FROM DEATH IS NECESSARY TO THE COMPLETENESS OF CHRIST'S VICTORY. The redemption of man may be considered either as virtual or as actual. We are virtually redeemed when the covenanted price has been paid, but actual redemption takes place only on the complete liberation of the captive. The former of these describes our present condition. We are bought with a price; we are the freedmen of Christ; but actually liberated we are not, because we are "waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body"; when the spoils of death shall be given up, and the captive of the grave shall be set free, and, with the rising of saints that sleep, shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory." Indeed we cannot conceive of Christ's taking away sin without taking away also the death that came by sin. The enemy must have nothing — not even man's dust.

IV. IT IS NECESSARY TO THE CONFIRMATION OF OUR HOPES OF A BLESSED IMMORTALITY. I mean not to say that there could have been no immortality to the soul without the body rising, but that the body being raised is to be to us an assurance that the soul should live also. I much doubt whether ignorance on the part of the ancients of this doctrine did not lie at the foundation of all that troubledness, and obscurity, and myth which we see connected with all merely philosophical views of a life to come. Their conscious, intelligent life was connected with a visible substance, and that substance they saw went to decay, and had received no intimation that that decay could ever pass away? How, then, was this snapped thread of personal identity to be joined again? Can we, then, marvel to find in every page of the New Testament traces of the godly jealousy entertained by the apostles about this one doctrine? They felt it was the very keystone of the Christian arch — the life, and power, and strength of our revealed system — the one visible door opening into immortality. Matthias might be a great man and a good, but he must not be of the number of the apostles unless he had been a witness of the resurrection. The Corinthians might have strong faith and good preachers, but faith and preaching were alike vain if Christ were not risen.

(Daniel Moore, M. A.)

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KJV: Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?

WEB: Why is it judged incredible with you, if God does raise the dead?