SECTION VII. The Appearances and the Ascension of the Risen Christ. Ch. 16:9-20

9 Now when he was risen early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And they, when they heard that he w^as alive, and had been seen of her, disbelieved.

12 And after these things he was manifested in another form unto two of them, as they walked, on their way into the country. 13 And they went away and told it unto the rest: neither believed they them.

14 And afterward he was manifested unto the eleven themselves as they sat at meat; and he upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen. 15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation. 16 He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. 17 And these signs shall accompany them that believe: in my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; 18 they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall in no wise hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

19 So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken unto them, was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed. Amen.

The closing verses of this Gospel are commonly regarded as an appendix, added by a later hand. Whether written by Mark or not, the statements are unquestionably true, and form a fitting conclusion to the inspired story. They record certain appearances of Christ, his final command, his ascension, and the subsequent work of the apostles.

Of the ten or more of these appearances of Christ, after his resurrection, Mark selects but three; they are narrated both to attest the event and to show how the disciples slowly accepted its reality.

First of all, Jesus appears to Mary of Magdala. It is a cruel and unfounded tradition which suggests that she had been a woman of evil character. She had been a great sufferer, indeed, to whom Jesus had brought relief, and her gratitude had deepened into a devoted love. She is the first, with her companions, to approach the empty tomb, and her supreme love receives a full recompense. She had run to tell Peter and John that the grave was empty, and now returning, she, the first of all his followers, meets the risen Lord. Love strengthens faith, and to faith come visions of Christ; so it is always. However, when she tells the disciples, they refuse to trust even so credible a witness: "And they, when they heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, disbelieved." Vs. 9-11.

The next appearance mentioned by Mark was to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus; their experience Luke tells us in detail. They had walked and talked with the risen Lord. Surely they were qualified to testify; but "neither believed they them." Vs. 12, 13.

Afterwards Jesus appears to the eleven disciples and reproves them for their unbelief, "because they believed not them that had seen him after he was risen." Their stubborn doubt should strengthen our faith. The fact of the resurrection, to which they became witnesses, and for which they were ready to lay down their lives, is a truth which they accepted only when convinced by the most unanswerable testimony. No valid excuse now exists for modern unbelief. When they have been persuaded of his resurrection Jesus gives the disciples his Great Commission: "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to the whole creation." The fulfillment of that command is the supreme duty of the Church to-day. The supernatural signs, which in the days of the apostles were the credentials of a new revelation, may not now be manifested or needed; but the gospel message has the same solemn sanctions to-day; they that believe and are baptized are saved, they that disbelieve are condemned. Vs. 14-18.

The ascension of Christ follows naturally upon his resurrection, but it is a distinct and significant event. Then Jesus assumes his form of divine glory, then he withdraws into the sphere of the unseen, then he is given universal power in heaven and on earth, as he "sat down at the right hand of God." No wonder that the apostles "went forth, and preached everywhere," for this divine Lord was "working with them, and confirming the word by the signs that followed." To-day, in every land, his disciples are called to faithful witness and sacrificial service; but they go forth with trust in the limitless power and with confidence in the ultimate triumph of him whom Mark has pictured as the mighty Servant, the divine, wonder-working, Son of God.