Reference: Resurrection Of Christ
Easton
one of the cardinal facts and doctrines of the gospel. If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain (1Co 15:14). The whole of the New Testament revelation rests on this as an historical fact. On the day of Pentecost Peter argued the necessity of Christ's resurrection from the prediction in Ps 16 (Ac 2:24-28). In his own discourses, also, our Lord clearly intimates his resurrection (Mt 20:19; Mr 9:9; 14:28; Lu 18:33; Joh 2:19-22).
The evangelists give circumstantial accounts of the facts connected with that event, and the apostles, also, in their public teaching largely insist upon it. Ten different appearances of our risen Lord are recorded in the New Testament. They may be arranged as follows:
(1.) To Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre alone. This is recorded at length only by John (Joh 20:11-18), and alluded to by Mark (Mr 16:9-11).
(2.) To certain women, "the other Mary," Salome, Joanna, and others, as they returned from the sepulchre. Matthew (Mt 28:1-10) alone gives an account of this. (Comp. Mr 16:1-8; Lu 24:1-11.)
(3.) To Simon Peter alone on the day of the resurrection. (See Lu 24:34; 1Co 15:5.)
(4.) To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection, recorded fully only by Luke (Lu 24:13-35. Comp. Mr 16:12-13).
(5.) To the ten disciples (Thomas being absent) and others "with them," at Jerusalem on the evening of the resurrection day. One of the evangelists gives an account of this appearance, John (Joh 20:19-24).
(6.) To the disciples again (Thomas being present) at Jerusalem (Mr 16:14-18; Lu 24:33-40; Joh 20:26-28. See also 1Co 15:5).
(7.) To the disciples when fishing at the Sea of Galilee. Of this appearance also John (Joh 21:1-23) alone gives an account.
(8.) To the eleven, and above 500 brethren at once, at an appointed place in Galilee (1Co 15:6; comp. Mt 28:16-20).
(9.) To James, but under what circumstances we are not informed (1Co 15:7).
(10.) To the apostles immediately before the ascension. They accompanied him from Jerusalem to Mount Olivet, and there they saw him ascend "till a cloud received him out of their sight" (Mr 16:19; Lu 24:50-52; Ac 1:4-10).
It is worthy of note that it is distinctly related that on most of these occasions our Lord afforded his disciples the amplest opportunity of testing the fact of his resurrection. He conversed with them face to face. They touched him (Mt 28:9; Lu 24:39; Joh 20:27), and he ate bread with them (Lu 24:42-43; Joh 21:12-13).
(11.) In addition to the above, mention might be made of Christ's manifestation of himself to Paul at Damascus, who speaks of it as an appearance of the risen Saviour (Ac 9:3-9,17; 1Co 15:8; 9:1).
It is implied in the words of Luke (Ac 1:3) that there may have been other appearances of which we have no record.
The resurrection is spoken of as the act (1) of God the Father (Ps 16:10; Ac 2:24; 3:15; Ro 8:11; Eph 1:20; Col 2:12; Heb 13:20); (2) of Christ himself (Joh 2:19; 10:18); and (3) of the Holy Spirit (1Pe 3:18).
The resurrection is a public testimony of Christ's release from his undertaking as surety, and an evidence of the Father's acceptance of his work of redemption. It is a victory over death and the grave for all his followers.
The importance of Christ's resurrection will be seen when we consider that if he rose the gospel is true, and if he rose not it is false. His resurrection from the dead makes it manifest that his sacrifice was accepted. Our justification was secured by his obedience to the death, and therefore he was raised from the dead (Ro 4:25). His resurrection is a proof that he made a full atonement for our sins, that his sacrifice was accepted as a satisfaction to divine justice, and his blood a ransom for sinners. It is also a pledge and an earnest of the resurrection of all believers (Ro 8:11; 1Co 6:14; 15:47-49; Php 3:21; 1Jo 3:2). As he lives, they shall live also.
It proved him to be the Son of God, inasmuch as it authenticated all his claims (Joh 2:19; 10:17). "If Christ did not rise, the whole scheme of redemption is a failure, and all the predictions and anticipations of its glorious results for time and for eternity, for men and for angels of every rank and order, are proved to be chimeras. 'But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.' Therefore the Bible is true from Genesis to Revelation. The kingdom of darkness has been overthrown, Satan has fallen as lightning from heaven, and the triumph of truth over error, of good over evil, of happiness over misery is for ever secured." Hodge.
With reference to the report which the Roman soldiers were bribed (Mt 28:12-14) to circulate concerning Christ's resurrection, "his disciples came by night and stole him away while we slept," Matthew Henry in his "Commentary," under John 20:1-10, fittingly remarks, "The grave-clothes in which Christ had been buried were found in very good order, which serves for an evidence that his body was not 'stolen away while men slept.' Robbers of tombs have been known to take away 'the clothes' and leave the body; but none ever took away 'the body' and left the clothes, especially when they were 'fine linen' and new (Mr 15:46). Any one would rather choose to carry a dead body in its clothes than naked. Or if they that were supposed to have stolen it would have left the grave-clothes behind, yet it cannot be supposed they would find leisure to 'fold up the linen.'"
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and will deliver Him up to the gentiles, to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify; and, on the third day, He will be raised up "
Now, in the end of sabbaths at the dawning toward the first day of sabbaths, came Mary Magdelene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there occurred a great commotion; for an angel of the Lord, descending out of Heaven, and coming near, rolled away the stone, and was sitting upon it. read more. And his appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow; and, from fear of him, those keeping watch were shaken, and became as dead. And the angel, answering, said to the women, "Fear not; for I know that ye are seeking Jesus Who hath been crucified. He is not here; for He arose, as He said. Come! see the place where the Lord was lying; and, going quickly, say to His disciples, 'He arose from the dead;' and, behold, He is going before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him; behold, I told you." And, departing quickly from the sepulchre, with fear and great joy, they ran to announce it to His disciples. And, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" And they, coming to Him, held His feet, and worshiped Him.
And, behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" And they, coming to Him, held His feet, and worshiped Him. Then Jesus saith to them, "Fear not, go your way, announce to My brethren that they go away into Galilee, and there shall they see Me."
And, having gathered together with the elders, and having taken counsel, they gave a large sum of silver to the soldiers, saying, "Say ye that His disciples, coming by night, stole Him, while we were sleeping. read more. And, if this be heard by the governor, we will persuade him, and make you devoid of care,"
And the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus appointed them; and seeing Him, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. read more. And Jesus, coming near, spake to them, saying, "All authority was given to Me in Heaven and on earth: going, therefore, disciple ye all the nations, immersing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you; and, behold, I am with you all the days, even to the end of the age."
And, as they were coming down from the mountain, He charged them that they should tell no one what they saw, until the Son of Man should arise from the dead.
And he, having brought linen cloth, and having taken Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out of a rock; and he rolled a stone against the door of the tomb.
And, the sabbath having past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that, coming, they might anoint Him. And, very early on the first day of the sabbaths, they come to the tomb, the sun having risen. read more. And they were saying among themselves, "Who will roll away the stone for us out of the door of the tomb?" And, looking up, they see that the stone has been rolled back; for it was exceedingly great. And, entering into the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a white robe; and they were amazed. But he says to them; "Be not amazed. Ye are seeking Jesus the Nazarene, the crucified. He arose; He is not here; behold, the place where they laid Him! But go, say to his disciples, and to Peter, that He is going before you into Galilee; there shall ye see Him, as He said to you." And, going out, they fled from the tomb; for trembling and astonishment seized them. And they said nothing to any one; for they were afraid. And, having risen early on the first day of a sabbath, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene from whom He had cast out seven demons. She, going, told it to those who had been with Him, as they were mourning and weeping. And they, having heard that he was alive, and was seen by her, disbelieved. And after these things He appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking, going into the country; and they, going away, told it to the rest; neither did they believe them. And afterward He was manifested to the eleven themselves, as they were reclining at table, and upbraided them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not those who saw Him after He had risen. And He said to them, "Going into all the world, preach the Gospel to the whole creation. He that believes and is immersed shall be saved; but he that disbelieves shall be condemned. And these signs shall accompany those having believed: in My name will they cast out demons: they will speak with tongues; they will take up serpents; and, if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover." The Lord Jesus, therefore, after He spake to them, was caught up into Heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
and they will scourge Him, and kill Him; and, on the third day, He will rise again."
But, on the first day of the sabbaths, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb; read more. and, entering, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, while they were perplexed about this, behold, also two men stood near them in dazzling apparel. And, as they became afraid, and were bowing their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why are ye seeking the Living among the dead? He is not here, but was raised. Remember how He spake to you, being yet in Galilee, saying, "The Son of Man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again," And they remembered His words; and, returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now they were Mary Magdalene, and Joana, and Mary the mother of James; and the rest of the women with them were telling these things to the apostles. And these words appeared in their view as idle talk; and they were disbelieving them.
And, behold, two of them that very day were journeying to a village, the name of which was Emmaus, distant sixty furlongs from Jerusalem. And they were conversing with each other concerning all these things that had happened. read more. And it came to pass, while they were conversing and reasoning together, that Jesus Himself, drawing near, was journeying with them; but their eyes were holden that they should not recognize Him. And He said to them, "What words are these which ye are exchanging one with another, as ye walk?" And they stood still, with sad faces. And one of them, Cleopas by name, said to Him, "Art Thou only a Stranger in Jerusalem, and knowest not the things that came to pass there in these days?" And He said to them, "What things?" And they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a Prophet, mighty in deed and word, before God and all the people: and how the high priests and our rulers delivered Him up to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He Who was about to redeem Israel; yea, indeed, and besides all these things, it is now the third day since these things came to pass. Moreover, also, certain women of our company astonished us, having been early at the tomb; and, not finding His body, they came, saying that they had seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive! And some of those with us went away to the tomb, and found it even so as the women said; but Him they saw not." And He said to them, "O inconsiderate and slow in heart to believe in all that the prophets spake! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things, and enter into His glory?" And, beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, He thoroughly interpreted to them, in all the Scriptures, the things concerning Himself. And they drew near to the village whither they were going; and He acted as if He would go further. And they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us; because it is toward evening, and the day has already declined." And He went in to abide with them. And it came to pass, as He was reclining at table with them, that, taking the bread, He blessed it; and, breaking, He was giving to them; and their eyes were opened, and they clearly recognized Him; and He vanished from them. And they said one to another, "Was not our heart burning within us, as He was talking with us in the way, as He was opening the Scriptures to us!" And, rising up that same hour, they returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together, and those with them,
And, rising up that same hour, they returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven gathered together, and those with them, saying, "Truly the Lord arose, and appeared to Simon."
saying, "Truly the Lord arose, and appeared to Simon."
saying, "Truly the Lord arose, and appeared to Simon." And they were narrating the things that transpired in the way, and how He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread.
And they were narrating the things that transpired in the way, and how He was made known to them in the breaking of the bread. Now, as they were telling these things, He Himself stood in the midst of them, and saith to them, "Peace be to you!" read more. But, being terrified and frightened, they were supposing that they were beholding a spirit. And He said to them, "Why are ye troubled? and wherefore do questionings arise in your heart? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me, and see; because a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as ye behold Me having."
See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; handle Me, and see; because a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as ye behold Me having." And, saying this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
And they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and, taking it, He ate before them.
And He led them as far as to Bethany; and, lifting up His hands, He blessed them. And it came to pass that, while He was blessing them, He parted from them, and was borne up into Heaven. read more. And they, worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy;
Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."
Jesus answered and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." The Jews, therefore, said, "In forty-six years this temple was built, and wilt Thou raise it up in three days?" read more. But He was speaking about the temple of His body. When, therefore, He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He said this; and they believed the Scripture, and the word that Jesus spake.
On this account My Father loveth Me, because I lay down My soul, that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. This commandment I received from My Father.
But Mary was standing without by the tomb, weeping. So, as she was weeping, she stooped to look into the tomb; and she beholds two angels in white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. read more. And they say to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She says to them, "Because they took away my Lord, and I know not where they laid Him!" Having said these things, she turned back, and beholds Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus saith to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" She, supposing Him to be the gardener, says to Him, "Sir, if thou didst bear Him away, tell me where thou didst lay Him, and I will take Him away!" Jesus saith to her, "Mary!" Turning, she says to Him, in Hebrew, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher). Jesus saith to her, "Touch Me not; for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, "I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God." Mary Magdalene comes, proclaiming to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord," and that He spake these things to her. When, therefore, it was evening, on that day, the first day of sabbaths; and, when, through fear of the Jews, the doors were shut, where the disciples were; Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith to them, "Peace be to you!" And, having said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples, therefore, rejoiced, when they saw the Lord. Jesus, therefore, said to them again, "Peace be to you! As the Father hath sent Me, I also send you." And, having said this, He breathed upon them, and said to them, "Receive ye the Holy Spirit. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted to them; whosesoever sins ye retain, they are retained." But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
And, after eight days, again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them. Jesus cometh, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be to you!" Then He saith to Thomas, "Reach hither your finger, and see My hands; and reach hither your hand, and press it into My side; and be not faithless, but believing."
Then He saith to Thomas, "Reach hither your finger, and see My hands; and reach hither your hand, and press it into My side; and be not faithless, but believing." Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"
After these things Jesus manifested Himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias; and He manifested Himself in this manner. There were together Simon Peter, and Thomas called Didymus, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples. read more. Simon Peter says to them, "I am going away to fish." They say to him, We also are coming with you." They went forth, and entered into a boat; and in that night they caught nothing. But, morning now coming on, Jesus stood on the beach; yet the disciples knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus, therefore, saith to them, "Little children, have ye anything to eat?" They answered Him, "No." And He said to there, "Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and ye shall find." They cast it, therefore; and no longer were they able to draw it, for the multitude of the fishes. That disciple, therefore, whom Jesus loved, says to Peter, "It is the Lord!" Simon Peter, therefore, having heard that it was the Lord, girded his outer garment (for he was naked), and cast himself into the sea. But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from the land, but about two hundred cubits distant), dragging the net full of fishes. When, therefore, they went out upon the land, they see a fire of coals there, and fish lying thereon, and bread. Jesus saith to them, "Bring of the fishes which ye just now caught." Simon Peter, therefore, went aboard, and drew the net to the land, full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three; and, though there were so many, the net was not rent. Jesus saith to them, "Come, take breakfast." And not one of the disciples was daring to inquire of Him," Who art Thou?" knowing that it was the Lord.
Jesus saith to them, "Come, take breakfast." And not one of the disciples was daring to inquire of Him," Who art Thou?" knowing that it was the Lord. Jesus cometh, and taketh the bread, and giveth to them, and the fish likewise.
Jesus cometh, and taketh the bread, and giveth to them, and the fish likewise. This is now the third time that Jesus was manifested to the disciples, after He was raised from the dead. read more. So, when they breakfasted, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He says to Him, "Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I fondly love Thee." He saith to him, "Feed My lambs." He saith to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" He says to Him, "Yea, Lord, Thou knowest that I fondly love Thee." He saith to him, "Feed My sheep." He saith to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you fondly love Me?" Peter was grieved, because He said to him the third time "Do you fondly love Me?" and he said to Him, "Lord, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I do fondly love Thee." Jesus saith to him, "Feed My sheep. Verily, verily, I say to you, when you were young, you were wont to gird yourself, and to walk wheresoever you wished; but, when you become old, you will stretch forth your hands, and another will gird you, and carry you whither you wish not." Now this He spake, signifying by what manner of death he would glorify God. And, having spoken this, He saith to him, "Follow Me." Peter, turning about, sees the disciple whom Jesus loved following; who also at the Supper leaned back on Jesus' breast, and said, "Lord, who is he that betrays Thee?" Peter therefore, seeing him, says to Jesus, "Lord, and what will this man do?" Jesus saith to him, "If I wish him to remain till I come, what is it to you? follow Me." This saying, therefore, went forth among the brethren, that that disciple should not die; yet Jesus did not say to him, that he should not die, but, "If I wish him to remain till I come, what is it to you?"
to whom He also presented Himself alive, after He suffered, by many proofs; being seen by them during forty days, and speaking the things concerning the Kingdom of God. And, being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which said He, "Ye heard from Me; read more. because John, indeed, immersed in water, but ye shall be immersed in the Holy Spirit, not many days hence." They, therefore, having come together, were asking Him, saying, "Lord, dost Thou at this time restore the Kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not yours to know times or seasons, which the Father placed in His own authority; but ye shall receive power, the Holy Spirit having come upon you, and ye shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and Samaria, and to the utmost limit of the earth." And, having said these things, while they were beholding, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him from their sight. And, as they were gazing intently into the heaven, while He was ascending, behold, also two men stood by them in white apparel,
Whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death; because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
Whom God raised up, having loosed the pangs of death; because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him, 'I beheld the Lord in my presence continually; because He is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. read more. Therefore, my heart was glad, and my tongue greatly rejoiced; moreover my flesh also shall abide in hope: because Thou wilt not leave My soul behind unto Hades; neither wilt Thou give Thy Holy One to see corruption. Thou didst make known to Me the ways of life; Thou wilt make Me full of gladness with Thy presence.'
and the Prince of life ye killed; Whom God raised from the dead??f which fact we are witnesses.
And, as he was journeying, it came to pass, that he was drawing nigh to Damascus; and suddenly there flashed around him a light from Heaven; and, having fallen upon the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" read more. And he said, "Who art Thou, Lord?" And He said, "I am Jesus Whom you are persecuting. But arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told you what you must do." And the men who were journeying with him were standing speechless; hearing, indeed, the voice, but beholding no one. And Saul arose from the earth; and, his eyes being opened, he beheld nothing; but, taking him by the hand, they led him into Damascus. And he was three days without seeing; and he neither ate, nor drank.
And Ananias went away, and entered into the house; and, laying his hands on him, said, "Brother Saul, the Lord hath sent me??ven Jesus, Who appeared to you in the way in which you were coming, sent me, that you may receive sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."
Who was delivered up for our trespasses, and raised for our justification.
And, if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will make alive your mortal bodies through His Spirit dwelling in you.
And, if the Spirit of Him Who raised up Jesus from the dead dwelleth in you, He Who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will make alive your mortal bodies through His Spirit dwelling in you.
and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, after that He appeared to above five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain until now, but some fell asleep. read more. After that He appeared to James, then to all the apostles;
and, if Christ hath not been raised, then is our preaching vain, and vain is your faith;
which He wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the Heavenly places,
Who will transform the body of our humiliation into conformity to the body of His glory, according to the working whereby He is able also to subject all things to Himself.
having been buried with Him in your immersion, in which ye were also raised with Him through faith in the working of God, Who raised Him from the dead;
Now the God of peace, Who brought up from the dead the Great Shepherd of the sheep, in virtue of the blood of an eternal covenant, even our Lord Jesus,
because Christ also suffered for sins once, a Righteous One in behalf of the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in flesh, but made alive in the Spirit,
Morish
This is the great central fact on the testimony of which the structure of Christianity has been reared. If Christ be not risen, there is no salvation, since sin would still be reigning by death in universal sway. But Christ, who was made sin, is risen and is at God's right hand, a manifest proof that atonement has been made, and that God's righteousness has been vindicated. The result has been the sending of the Spirit from the Father. Abundant evidence was given to the disciples that Christ was risen from the dead. He appeared again and again, ate in their presence, and gave opportunity for identification. Evidence of the fact was also borne to the Jews by the apostles in the power and by the gifts of the Spirit, Ac 4:10, confirming what they had themselves seen and heard and the testimony of the scriptures. The resurrection of Christ is the keystone of the faith of the Christian; at the same time it is the assurance on the part of God that He has appointed a day when He is going to judge the world in righteousness. Hence it has a voice to all.
It has been asserted that the accounts given of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus in the gospels are discordant and irreconcilable. This is not the case: it has been overlooked that Lu 23:54-56 refers to Friday evening, before the Sabbath, and Mt 28:1 refers to Saturday evening, after the Sabbath: the women return after viewing the sepulchre and finish their preparations, according to Mr 16:1.
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Now, in the end of sabbaths at the dawning toward the first day of sabbaths, came Mary Magdelene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
And, the sabbath having past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that, coming, they might anoint Him.
And it was a day of Preparation, and a sabbath was approaching. And the women who had accompanied Him out of Galilee, following after, beheld the tomb, and how His body was laid. read more. And, returning, they prepared spices and perfumes; and, on the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that in the Name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene, Whom ye crucified, Whom God raised from the dead, in Him does this man stand here before you well!