d development, but the disciples of
Jesus set the Resurrection in the forefront from the very first. On the
day of Pentecost Peter sounded the keynote of Apostolic preaching when
he declared, "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are
witnesses." And so from this time forward, "with great power gave the
Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus." The historical
fact not only rests upon the most irresistible evidence; it is the very
corner-stone of the whole fabric of Gospel teaching.

Another view of the testimony for the Resurrection has found advocates
who claim that it explains, without having recourse to supernaturalism,
the belief of the disciples and others in the doctrine. With some minor
differences of detail, they agree in attributing the persistency of
those who said that they had seen Jesus alive, to the impression
produced on them by His wonderful personality. This, they hold, was so
strong that the effect continued after His death, and the disciples saw
visions of Him so vivid that they believed them to be real appearances.
He had filled so much of their lives while He was with them, that they
were unable to realise His departure, and retained His image in their
hearts continually. Exalted and excited feeling projected His figure so
that they saw Him apparently restored to life.

A theory such as this will not stand, in the face of the evidence for
the Resurrection. It was no subjective impression, but the Saviour
Himself, that brought conviction to the minds of the numerous witnesses.
It was no apparition, it was a body that they saw and handled and tested
and proved to be of flesh and blood. They heard their Master speak, and
saw Him eat; and at frequent intervals for forty days He showed Himself
to them. Sometimes He was seen by one, sometimes by many; and before His
ascension He charged them to carry on the work He had committed to them:
to feed His sheep, to feed His lambs, to go into all the world and
preach the Gospel to every creature. "Him," said Peter, "God raised up
on the third day, and showed him openly; not to all the people, but unto
witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with
him after he rose from the dead."[139]

What they saw was the true body of their Lord, the same that had been
crucified, dead, and buried, but a marvellous change had passed over it.
It was now possessed of spiritual qualities, suddenly appearing,
suddenly vanishing; now