The Power of CHRIST’s Resurrection.
PHILIPPIANS iii. 10.
_That I may know Him, and the Power of his Resurrection._
THE apostle, in the verses before the text, had been cautioning the
_Philippians_ to “beware of the concision,” _Judaizing teachers_,
who endeavoured to subvert them from the simplicity of the gospel, by
telling them, they still ought to be subject to circumcision, and all
the other ordinances of _Moses_. And that they might not think he spoke
out of prejudice, and condemned their tenets, because he himself was a
stranger to the _Jewish_ dispensation, he acquaints them, that if any
other man thought he had whereof he might trust in the flesh, or seek
to be justified by the outward privileges of the _Jews_, he had more:
For he was “circumcised the eighth day; of the stock of _Israel_ (not
a proselyte, but a native _Israelite_); of the tribe of _Benjamin_ (the
tribe which adhered to _Judah_ when the others revolted); an _Hebrew_
of the _Hebrews_ (a _Jew_ both on the father’s and mother’s side);
and as touching the law, a _Pharisee_,” the strictest sect amongst
all _Israel_. To shew that he was no _Gallio_ in religion, through
his great, though misguided zeal, he had persecuted the church of
CHRIST; and “as touching the righteousness of the law (as far as the
_Pharisees_ exposition of it went, he was) blameless,” and had kept
it from his youth. But, when it pleased GOD, who separated him from
his mother’s womb, to reveal his Son in him, “What things were gain
to me,” (he says) those privileges I boasted myself in, and fought to
be justified by, “I counted loss for CHRIST.” And that they might not
think he repented that he had done so, he tells them, he was now more
confirmed than ever in his judgment. For, says he, “yea doubtless (the
expression in the original rises with a holy triumph) and I do count
all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of CHRIST
JESUS my LORD.” And that they might not object that he said, and did
not, he acquaints them, he had given proofs of the sincerity of these
professions, because for the sake of them, he had suffered the loss of
all his worldly things, and still was willing to do more; for, “I count
them but dung (no more than offals thrown out to dogs) so that I may
win, (or have a saving interest in) CHRIST, and be found in him (as the
manslayer in the city of refuge) not having my own righteousness which
is of the law, (not depending on having _Abraham_ for my father, or on
any works of righteousness which I have done, either to atone or serve
as a balance for my evil deeds) but that which is through the faith of
CHRIST, the righteousness which is of GOD by faith,” a righteousness
of GOD’s appointing, and which will be imputed to me, if I believe
in CHRIST, “that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection;”
that I may have an experimental knowledge of the efficacy of his
resurrection, by feeling the influences of his blessed Spirit on my
soul. In which words two things are implied.
_First_, That JESUS CHRIST did rise from the dead.
_Secondly_, That it highly concerns us to know the power of his
rising again.
Accordingly, in the following discourse I shall endeavour to shew,
_First_, That CHRIST is risen indeed from the dead; and that it
was necessary for him so to do; and,
_Secondly_, That it highly concerns us to know and experience
the power of his resurrection.
_First_, CHRIST is indeed risen.
That JESUS should rise from the dead was absolutely necessary;
1. _First_, On his own account. He had often appealed to this as the
last and most convincing proof he would give them that he was the true
Messiah, “There shall no other sign be given you, than the sign of the
prophet _Jonas_.” And again, “Destroy this temple of my body, and in
three days I will build it up.” Which words his enemies remembered, and
urged it as an argument, to induce _Pilate_ to grant them a watch, to
prevent his being stolen out of the grave. “We know that deceiver said,
whilst he was yet alive, after three days I will rise again.” So that
had he not risen again, they might have justly said, we know that this
man was an impostor.
2. _Secondly_, It was necessary on our account. (says the apostle) for
our justification;” or that the debt we owed to GOD for our sins, might
be fully satisfied and discharged.
It had pleased the Father (for ever adored be his infinite love and
free grace) to wound his only Son for our transgressions, and to arrest
and confine him in the prison of the grave, as our surety for the guilt
we had contracted by setting at nought his commandments. Now had CHRIST
continued always in the grave, we could have had no more assurance
that our sins were satisfied for, than any common debtor can have of
his creditor’s being satisfied, whilst his surety is kept confined.
But he being released from the power of death, we are thereby assured,
that with his sacrifice GOD was well pleased, that our atonement was
finished on the cross, and that he hath made a full, perfect, and
sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction for the sins of the
world.
3. _Thirdly_, It was necessary that our LORD JESUS should rise again
from the dead, to assure us of the certainty of the resurrection of our
own bodies.
The doctrine of the resurrection of the body was entirely exploded and
set at nought among the _Gentiles_, as appears from the _Athenians_
mocking at, and calling St. _Paul_ “a babbler and a setter forth
of strange doctrines,” when he preached to them JESUS, and the
resurrection. And though it was believed by most of the _Jews_, as is
evident from many passages of scripture, yet not by all; the whole sect
of the Sadducees denied it. But the resurrection of JESUS CHRIST put it
out of dispute. For as he acted as our representative, if he our head
be risen, then must we also, who are his members, rise with him. And
as in the first _Adam_ we all died, even so in him our second _Adam_ we
must all, in this sense, be made alive.
As it was necessary, upon these accounts, that our blessed LORD
should rise from the dead; so it is plain beyond contradiction, that
he did. Never was any matter of fact better attested; never were
more precautions made use of to prevent a cheat. He was buried in a
sepulchre, hewn out of a rock, so that it could not be said that any
digged under, and conveyed him away. It was a sepulchre also wherein
never man before was laid; so that if any body did rise from thence,
it must be the body of JESUS of _Nazareth_. Besides, the sepulchre
was sealed; a great stone rolled over the mouth of it; and a band of
soldiers (consisting not of friends, but of his professed enemies) was
set to guard it. And as for his disciples coming by night and stealing
him away, it was altogether improbable: For it was not long since, that
they had all forsaken him, and they were the most backward in believing
his resurrection. And supposing it was true, that they came whilst the
soldiers slept; yet the soldiers must be cast into a deep sleep indeed,
that the rolling away so great a stone did not awake some of them.
And our blessed LORD’s afterwards appearing at sundry times, and in
divers manners, to his disciples, as when they were assembled together,
when they were walking to _Emmaus_, when they were fishing; nay, and
condescending to shew them his hands and feet, and his appearing to
above five hundred brethren at once, put the truth of his resurrection
out of all dispute.
Indeed, there is one objection that may be made against what has been
said, that the books wherein these facts are recorded were written by
his disciples.
And who more proper persons than those who were eye-witnesses of
what they related, and eat and drank with him after his resurrection?
“But they were illiterate and ignorant men.” Yet as good witnesses
of a plain matter of fact, as the most learned masters in _Israel_.
Nay, this rendered them more proper witnesses. For being plain men,
they were therefore less to be suspected of telling or making a lye,
particularly, since they laid down their lives for a testimony of the
truth of it. We read indeed of _Jacob_’s telling a lie, though he was
a plain man, in order to get his father’s blessing. But it was never
heard since the world began, that any man, much less a whole set of men,
died martyrs, for the sake of an untruth, when they themselves were to
reap no advantage from it.
No, this single circumstance proves them to be _Israelites_ indeed, in
whom was no guile. And the wonderful success GOD gave to their ministry
afterwards, when three thousand were converted by one sermon; and
twelve poor fishermen, in a very short time enabled to be more than
conquerors over all the opposition men or devils could make, was as
plain a demonstration, that CHRIST was risen, according to their gospel,
as that a divine power, at the sound of a few ram’s horns, caused the
walls of _Jericho_ to fall down.
But what need we any farther witnesses? Believe you the resurrection
of our blessed LORD? I know that you believe it, as your gathering
together on this first day of the week in the courts of the LORD’s
house abundantly testifies.