#152.# _Fourth truth._ When the women were convinced that the Lord was really risen, still the men remained unconvinced. The two on their way to Emmaus did not recognize him, for they never thought that it could be he. Peter seems to have been convinced when the Lord appeared to him, but in that upper chamber, when they all (excepting Thomas) saw him, still they would not believe that it was really he, but thought that they saw a spirit (Luke 24:36-40). It took physical demonstration to prove to these men that he was really in their presence. No, they were not the "credulous" men that the critics would have us believe.
#153.# _Fifth truth._ But as yet Thomas would not believe, and a whole week of arguing on the part of the other disciples did not move him. It took the personal appearance of the Master himself to convince Thomas that the others had not been deceived (John 20:24-29). All this is proof positive that the critics are wrong in this matter and that the evangelists are telling the simple truth about the physical resurrection of our blessed Lord.
#154.# _Sixth truth._ If the body had not risen, but was still in the grave, it would have been easy for the Jews to disprove the story of the physical resurrection. All they would have had to do was to say, "Here we have the body, and to talk of resurrection under these circumstances is absurd." The concocted falsehood (Matt. 28:11-15) shows that the body was not in the grave. But for the disciples to steal it while the Roman soldiers were on guard was absolutely impossible. This is why money had to be given to the soldiers, and they made sure that Pilate would be "fixed" also, and so the soldiers be saved from punishment.
#155. The Conclusion.#--No, the arguments offered to convince us that Jesus' body did not rise are all based on unbelief, and buttressed by false presentation of the whole case. To all these we simply respond, "Now IS Christ risen from the dead."
The appearances of the Master, given in their order, so far as we can arrange it, are as follows:
2. To the women as they were returning from the empty tomb (Matt. 28:9).
4. To the two walking to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-33).
5. To the ten in the upper chamber (Luke 24:36-48).
