only the time of it and the manner of it, but
the fact of it was of His own choosing. The record never suggests that
death overcame Him. He yielded to it of His own strong accord. He was not
overcome by death. He could not be, for sin having no hold within His
being, death could have none. Physical death is one of the logical results
of the sin within. Jesus yielded up His spirit. It was a free, voluntary
act. He had explained months before that so it would be. "I lay down My
life that I may take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down
of Myself. I have the power to lay it down, and I have the power to take
it again. This commandment I received from My Father." This being so, the
return to life followed the same voluntary course. Having accomplished the
purpose in dying, He now recalled His spirit into the body and rises by
His own choice.

Man's true gravity is toward a center upward. Sin's gravity is toward a
center downward. When an ordinary man, a sinful man, dies, he is overcome
by the logical result of the sin in himself. He is overcome by the moral
gravity downward of His sin. He has no choice. His own moral gravity apart
from sin is upward. But that is overbalanced by the downward pull of the
sin ingrained in his very being. And this quite apart from his attitude
toward the sin.

In Jesus there was no sin. Being free of it, He rose at will. "It was not
possible that He should be held by death," for it had no hold upon Him.
His gravity was upward. For a purpose, a great strong purpose, He yielded
to death's embrace. Now that purpose being achieved, He quietly lets
Himself up toward the natural center of gravity of His life.

<u>The Life Side of Death.</u>

Clearly Jesus' body had undergone changes through death and resurrection.
It is the same to outer appearance, so far as _personal identity_ is
concerned. The doubting, questioning disciples handle His person, they
know His face, they recognize His voice. He eats with them and talks with
them and moves in their midst as before. Even the doubter, stubborn in his
demand for tangible, physical evidence, is convinced by the feel of his
hands that this is indeed Jesus back again. Further, He moves about among
them unrecognized till He chooses to be known. Yet this may have been His
power over them rather than any changed quality in His person.

But mark that the limitations of space and of material obstructions are
gone after the resurrection