Part 258 (1/2)

Then saith he to the disciple, ”Behold, thy mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her unto his own home.

And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, ”_Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?_” that is, ”My G.o.d, my G.o.d, why hast thou forsaken me?”

And some of them that stood by, when they heard it, said, ”Behold, he calleth Elijah.”

And one ran, and filling a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. But others said, ”Let him alone; let us see whether Elijah cometh to take him down.”

When Jesus therefore had received the wine, he said, ”It is finished”: and he bowed his head, and gave up his spirit.

And when the centurion, which stood by over against him, saw that he so gave up his spirit, he said, ”Truly this man was the Son of G.o.d.”

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X

THE BURIAL

_How the Body of the Lord Jesus Was Buried in a Rich Man's Tomb_.

The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation (that is, the day before the Sabbath), and because bodies should not remain on the cross upon the Sabbath, asked of Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away. The soldiers therefore came, and broke the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him: but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they broke not his legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and straightway there came out blood and water.

And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councilor, a good man and a righteous (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), a man of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was looking for the kingdom of G.o.d: this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was hewn in stone, where never man had yet lain. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where he was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments.

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Now on the morrow, which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate, saying, ”Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, 'After three days I rise again.' Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, 'He is risen from the dead': and the last error will be worse than the first.”

Pilate said unto them, ”Ye have a guard: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.”

So they went, and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them.

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[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE WOMEN AT THE TOMB.

By Bouguereau (1825-1905) [End ill.u.s.tration]

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CHRIST, THE LORD, IS RISEN TO-DAY

”Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day,”

Sons of men and angels say.

Raise your joys and triumphs high; Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply.

Love's redeeming work is done, Fought the fight, the battle won.

Lo, our Sun's eclipse is o'er; Lo, He sets in blood no more.