Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[graphic]

Published June 25. 1803. by J.Spragg. N.16 King Str. Cov Garden.

Neele sc. 352 Strand :

[graphic]
[ocr errors]

done. Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;* and when they found not

* It may be said, if we divide the women into two parties, it is not easy to apprehend how they could have been at the sepulchre, without any sight of each other; since all the Evangelists assign nearly the same time for their coming thither.

It is to be remembered, that the word used by the Evangelists bears the sense of going as well as coming; and here means, as hath been clearly proved, the time when the women went from their several homes; in which case there is no such difficulty in conceiving the means that may have kept the two parties asunder, as long as we suppose it requisite.

Let us but consider the situation of certain places in Jerusalem, and we shall find it not only possible, but probable, that these things should have fallen out as they have been stated; and indeed that they could not well have happened otherwise; if we may rely on a MAP of that city, not of arbitrary construction, but compiled from antient docu

ments.

The places here set down have their names affixed, all but a few houses near the Dung-gate; which, to keep them distinct from the rest of the map, have only numeral figures.

No. 1. Is the house of Zebedee, once a collegiate church, now a Turkish mosque.

No. 2. The church of St. Mark, where his house stood. No. 3. The house of St. James.

No. 4. A chapel, where

St. Thomas.

once stood the house of

The dotted line was designed by the compiler of the Map to show the way along which Christ was led from the palace of Caiaphas to Mount Calvary.

That which he calls, the Gate of the Valley, is called by some others, the Gate of Judginent, because criminals were led to execution through it.

In Zebedee's house Salome, whether then his wife or widow, would abide with her son, St. John. It stood very near to that which the Map calls the Dung-gate; which, opening the nearest way to the sepulchre from that part of the town, in this house would be deposited the spices prepared on the preceding evening by her, Mary Magdalene,

his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was

and the other Mary, as the most convenient place from which they might be taken to the sepulchre. Her friends, the two Maries, who had staid at the sepulchre by themselves on Friday evening, did probably lodge together, perhaps in an interior part of the city, at least more remote from the Dung-gate; and on that account went forth before it was clear day-light, that they might be in good time at Zebedee's house; from which, when all things were ready, they and Salome proceeded to the sepulchre, so as to be there at the rising of the Sun.

The lodgings of Johanna, whose husband was steward to Herod, we may fix in or near the palace; the direct way from which to the sepulchre was through the Gate of the Valley. It is seen at once, that this palace and Zebedee's house were in different quarters of the city. They, therefore, who started from either had little inducement to make such a round as would be necessary to call at the other, when it was supposed they would all meet at the sepulchre. The Map shows also that the distance from Herod's palace to the sepulchre was at least twice as much as from Zebedee's house. If, therefore, the three women that went from the latter to the sepulchre, and reached it about six, were half an hour in going, they who set out from the palace, at the same rate of walking twice the distance, would be there half an hour later. But we can hardly believe them to have been thus expeditious as to have arrived but half an hour after the first party. Early in the morning as Johanna, and one or two of her friends, were prepared to set out, they had to wait for others, who might live at some distance, or not be quite so punctual; and when they were collected, women of Galilee and women of Jerusalem, if any of them were slow walkers, the rest could get on no faster, if they were to keep together in a body. We may, therefore, well allow near an hour between the arrivals of the two companies; which is amply sufficient for all that is supposed to have happened in the interim.

The errand of the women, who had seen an angelic vision, was to the Apostles; of whom St. John would dwell in his own house, that had been his father Zebedee's. Nor was St. Peter's far from him. John xx. 2. To these the women

« ZurückWeiter »