all should be offended in Thee, yet will I never fall away; though I should die with Thee, I will never deny Thee in any wise!"—that Peter who, Matt. xxvi. 69–74. the very night he had uttered these burning protestations, nevertheless had thrice denied his Master with oaths and curses-that Peter who, even now, is weeping bitterly over a lost discipleship and a dead Saviour. Yes, go quickly, and tell that same poor, distressed, conscience-smitten, sinful, despairing Peter, that his dear Lord has risen from the dead, and will meet him in his own loved Galilee, in whose Bethsaida he had been born, and on whose Gennesaret-strand he had left his net to follow the Christ and Son of the living God. "Lo, He is going before you into Galilee! there ye will see Him, as He said unto you." Not to Gentile governor, nor to Jewish high priest, will the Son of man vouchsafe the glorious glimpses of His risen body; but to lowly Galileans who had ministered to Him of their substance, and continued steadfastly with Him in His temptations, and followed Him whithersoever He went. Neither as a conqueror with laureled brow and triumphal chariot will He ride; but as a shepherd, with crook and pipe, putting forth his own flock and going before them. Neither will He go to Bethlehem, where there had been no room for Him in the inn, nor yet to Jerusalem, where the only gift they had offered Him was a cross; but He will go to humble, despised Galilee, the land where He had spent His childhood and youth, where He had gathered His apostles, where He had spent whole nights in prayer, and had been transfigured; the land which had been the scene of parable and miracle and lowly grace. “Lo, He goeth before you into Galilee; there will ye see Him, as He said unto you." And they remembered His words. All the memories of the glorious past came flashing in on them. So suddenly and thrillingly was their hope revived that their very ecstasy filled them with nervous bewilderment. Fleeing from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, some of them ran with might and main to tell His disciples, becoming in their turn angels of good news, while others fled, trembling and amazed, saying nothing to any one, for they were afraid. And now occurs one of those blessed instances of our God's being able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think; for, on their way to the city, lo, Jesus Himself meets them, saying, "All hail!" It is Heaven's salutation to Earth. To this day the Risen Lord, whenever meeting one of His little ones, whether journeying to banquet or to funeral, joyously exclaims, All hail! No wonder that when the agitated women heard that familiar voice and cheery salutation they prostrated themselves, and, reverently clasping His blessed feet, adored Him. There is less passionateness in their homage than in that which Mary had just offered, and therefore He graciously allows them the adoring touch which He had forbidden Mary. Nevertheless He has a great annunciation to make in Galilee, and to that He yearns ; and therefore He immediately repeats the mandate which the angels of the sepulchre a few minutes before had given: "Fear not; go tell My brethren that they go away into Galilee, and there shall they see Me." It is the second recorded Epiphany of the Risen Lord. Heaven grant that each of us may also hear "All hail!" and recognize it as the Risen Lord's salutation! |