For Those Who Desire the Truth.
By D. H. Lawson
In a recent discourse on the Sabbath question by Eld. A. Hunsberger, of Olivet, it was claimed that the meeting of Jesus with the disciples, recorded in John 20:19, was by special appointment of Christ. The testimony cited to prove it is found in Matt. 28:7–10: “And go quickly, and tell his disciples, that he is risen from the dead, and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him; lo, I have told you.” Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid; go tell my brethren, that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.” No one will doubt that here was a meeting appointed, but all will see that it was to take place in GALILEE. See also the following in Mark 16:7: “But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.” See Matt. 26:32: “But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.” The fulfillment of the promise and appointment is recorded in Matt. 28:16: “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.” Now to the question: Was the meeting referred to in John 20:19, in Galilee? It was not, but at Jerusalem. For proof of this, see Luke 24:33. That this was the first meeting with the disciples assembled, see verses 34, 36, 41. That this was not a religious gathering, see John 20:10. That these all abode together, see Acts 1:13. Then Jesus met them at their own home, incidentally, and not by appointment, as every particle of the testimony goes to show. Furthermore, Galilee was, at the nearest point, not less than forty miles distant. The points most frequented by our Lord were sixty miles, at least, from the city of Jerusalem; so that, if the disciples did fill the appointment on that day, they had to travel, not only from Jerusalem to Galilee, but also back again, a distance of at least eighty miles, and this by appointment, as the gentleman would have us understand, of our Lord. What a Sabbath!! Of course, all would have to return, as they are found at Jerusalem in the evening of the same day. John 20:19. Neither could this appointment have been filled at the meeting recorded in John 20:26; for that was in the same place as the first. Compare with John 20:19. This manifest perversion of the Scripture is doubly censurable, as the attention of the gentleman was called directly to it. It was, however, entirely ignored and sneeringly turned aside, the people, some of them, being gladly deceived. Truly, “He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” It is certain that Jesus did, at some time during his stay of forty days upon earth (Acts 1:3), fill this appointment with them in Galilee. Matt. 28:16. The day of the week, however, on which it occurred, is nowhere mentioned. What shall this man say in the Judgment for such inexcusable perversion of the texts in question? If the blind lead the blind, shall not both fall into the ditch? May God pity and save the honest searcher for the truth. Olivet, Mich., April 3, 1873.