BOOK 7. THE RESURRECTION.
CHAPTER 1.
7.1.2. Of the Reasons of Christ's Resurrection.
Of the Reasons of Christ's Resurrection.
Why he arose. We have these reasons: --
1. That he might powerfully convince or confound his adversaries, they that crucified him were mightily afraid of his resurrection, they could tell Pilate, "Sir, we remember, this deceiver said while he was yet alive, after three days I will rise again," Mattii. xxvii. 63, 64. And therefore they desire him of all loves "to command the sepulchre to be made sure until the third day;" if ever he rise again whom they have killed, then they knew they were all ashamed, then "the last error (as they said) would be worse than the first:" all the world would look on them as a cursed generation, to kill the Messiah, to crucify such a one, as after his death and burial should rise again: now then, that he might either convince them, or confound them, notwithstanding their care, their watch, their seal, their making all sure as possibly they could; at the very same time he had told them before, he broke open the gates of death, and made the gates of brass to flee asunder.
2. That he might confirm the faith of all his followers, "If Christ be not risen, your faith is vain" (saith the apostle,) 1 Cor. xv. 14. Christ's resurrection both confirms our faith, as to his person and to his office; for his person, this speaks him to be "the eternal Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead," Rom. i. 4. And for his office, this speaks him to be the promised Messiah, the great Prophet, the chief high Priest, the King and Saviour of his church: when the Jews saw Christ purging the temple, and Messiah like, reforming what he saw amiss in the house of God: "What sign (say they) showest thou unto us, seeing that thou dost these things; And he Said unto them, destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them, and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said," John ii. 18, 19, 22. As the resurrection of Christ argues his Mediatorship, so it confirms their faith, as it is said, "They believed the scriptures, and they believed Jesus Christ." And thus John writing of his resurrection, tells us, "These things are written that ye might believe, and that believing," etc. John xx. 31.
3. That it might clearly appear, that he had fully satisfied the justice of God for sin; so it was, that God laid the forfeiture of the bond on Christ, he arrested him, brought him to the jail of the grave, and there he was till the debt was paid to the utmost farthing: and then, that it might clearly appear that the bond was cancelled, the prisoner discharged, God's justice satisfied, he rose again from the dead. Some make a question when this bond was cancelled; and they say, as the debt was paid, so the bond was cancelled ere he stirred off the cross (only by the cross I suppose they mean the utmost degree of Christ's humiliation, viz. his being held in captivity and bondage under death) and so, "the hand-writing of the law that was against us," was there delivered him; and there he "blotted it out, cancelled it, took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross," Col. ii. 14. Others think, that as to the full discharge of a debt, and freeing the debtor, two things are requisite. First, The payment of the debt. Secondly, The tearing or cancelling of the bond; so the payment was wrought by Christ's death, and the cancelling of the bond was at his resurrection; I shall not disprove either of these, I am sure this is without all controversy, that Christ rose, that it might fully appear, that now the bond was cancelled, and God's justice satisfied.
4. That he might overcome and conquer sin, death, and the devil; and hence the apostle cries, victory upon the occasion of Christ's resurrection, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" 1 Cor. xv. 55. Now was the day that he broke the prison, and carried the keys of death and hell at his own girdle: now was the day that he spoiled principalities and powers, that he trode on the serpent's head, and all to bruise it; that he came upon him, took from him his armour wherein he trusted, and divided his spoils: now was the day that the Jew lost his rage, and death his sting, and the grave his corruption, and hell his purchase: now was the day of his victory over all his enemies? Now was the day that the Phoenix sprung up out of its own ashes, that Jonas came safe out of the belly of the whale, that the tabernacle of David that was fallen was raised again, that the sun of righteousness, covered with a cloud, appeared and shone with greater lustre than before; that Samson took the gates of the city, and carried them away; he rose even up on that account.
5. That he might "become the first-fruits of them that slept," 1 Cor. xv. 20. Christ is called the first-fruits in a double respect.
(a). In respect of the day whereon he rose; Paul was an excellent critic, the very feast carried him to the word; as the day of his passion was the day of the Passover, and the apostle thence could say "Christ is our passover," 1 Cor. xv. 7, so the day of Christ's rising, was the day of the first-fruits: and the apostle thence could say, "Christ is our first-fruits," 1 Cor. xv. 20. Concerning this feast of the first-fruits; we read, Lev. xxii. 10, 11. It was their harvest of their basest grain barley, but the full harvest of their best grain of wheat, was not till Pentecost. Now, upon this day, the morrow after the Sabbath, the beginning of their first harvest, when the sheaf of their first-fruits was brought unto the priest, and waved before the Lord; Christ arose from the dead, and in this respect, Paul calls him the "first-fruits of them that slept," 1 Cor. xv. 20. of all the saints. He rose first as on this day, for the full harvest is not till doom's-day, the general resurrection day.
(b). He is called the first-fruits, in respect of them whom he thereby sanctified; for as an handful of the first-fruits sanctified the whole field of corn that was growing, so Jesus Christ, the first-fruits of the dead, sanctifies all those who are lying in the grave to rise again by his power, even when they are in the dust of death. "If Christ be not risen, (saith the apostle) ye are yet in your sins." -- "but now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept," 1 Cor. xv. 17, 20.
6. That being formerly abased as a servant, and crucified as a sinner, he might thus be declared to he the Son of God, and exalted to be a Prince and Saviour of men; and so his name might be glorified of all the world. "He was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead," Rom. i. 3, 4. It was of necessary consequence, that he that was so humbled, must be thus exalted; "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death," Isa. liii. 12, agreeable to which is that of Christ, "Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day," Luke xxiv. 46. When Peter was preaching Christ to the high priest and council, that condemned him to death, he told them. That "the God of our fathers hath raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree; him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour," Acts v. 30, 31. And suitable to this is that of Paul, "he humbled himself, and became obedient to the death, even to the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name," Phil, if 8, 9. It was for his own glory and his Father's glory that he should rise again from the dead, "God raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory," 1 Peter i. 21. and he was therefore exalted, "That every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father," Phil. ii. 11. Of all the reasons of Christ's resurrection we must look upon this as the main, for as he hath made all things for himself, so he hath done all things for his own glory, "Christ was raised up from the dead (saith the apostle,) by the glory of the Father," Rom. vi. 4. By the glory, or to the glory, or for the glory, of himself, and of his Father.