to have been wrought by Christ, I believe we are justified in saying with Bishop Temple that, if we take each by itself, we cannot find for it any "clear, and unmistakeable, and sufficient evidence."[1] So far from being an exaggeration this is rather an understatement of the case: there is not only no "clear and unmistakeable and sufficient evidence" for them, there is also very strong indirect evidence against some of them. In some future letter I may deal in detail with these miracles; for the present I will select only one.
This one shall be the most striking of all the miracles in the New Testament, a miracle exceeding in wonder even the raising of Lazarus. It is found only in St. Matthew's Gospel, and describes an incident that followed immediately on the death of Jesus. Here are the exact words:
"And the earth did quake, and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen asleep were raised; and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the Holy City and appeared unto many."
Have I at all exaggerated this miracle in declaring it to be more startling than even the raising of Lazarus? It records the resurrection, not of one man, but of many. Nor are we allowed by the author to suppose that he referred to visions of the dead, appearing unto friends; for he tells us that "the tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints arose." Moreover this would appear to have been a miracle not wrought in private as many of the mighty works of Jesus were, nor a sight vouchsafed to a chosen few (like the manifestations of Jesus after death); for these "bodies" went into Jerusalem,
- ↑ Bishop Temple excepts only the Resurrection, which is not here under consideration. His words are: "It is true too that, if we take each miracle by itself, there is but one miracle, namely our Lord's Resurrection, for which clear, and unmistakeable, and sufficient evidence is given."—Bampton Lectures, p. 154.
