With this verse ends the portion of the scripture chosen for the gospel in this morning’s service.  It finishes the account of the visit of Peter and John to the sepulchre; and, therefore, the close of the extract at this point is sufficiently natural.  Yet the effect of the quiet tone of these words, just following the account of the greatest event which earth has ever witnessed, is, I think, singularly impressive; the more so when we remember that they were written by one of the very persons, whose visit had been just described; and that the writer, therefore, could tell full well, to how intense an interest there had succeeded that solemn calm.  They went away from the very sight, if I may so speak, of Christ risen, to their own homes.  And what thoughts do we suppose that they carried with them?  Let us endeavour to recall them, for our benefit, also, who, like them, are going, as it were, to the ordinary tenure of our daily lives from this day’s high solemnity.

The disciples went away to their own homes; and there they waited, either in Jerusalem or in Galilee, pursuing, as we find from the last chapter of St. John, their common occupations, till, after their Lord’s ascension, power was given them from on high, and the great work of their apostleship began.  During this period, Christ appeared to them several times:  he conversed with them, he ate and drank with them:  but he did not live continually with them, as he had done before his crucifixion:  he did not take them about with him as before, while he was performing the part of the great prophet of the house of Israel.  They were now at their own homes waiting for his call to more active duties.  They had seen him dead, and they had seen, him risen, and they were receiving into their souls all the lessons of his life and death and resurrection, brought before them, and impressed upon them by that Holy Spirit, who, according to Christ’s promise, was to take of the things which are Christ’s, and to show them to Christ’s disciples.

It is true that there came upon them, after this, an especial visitation of the Spirit of power, to fit them for their particular work of apostles or messengers to mankind.  Having been converted themselves, they were to strengthen their brethren.  And as this especial visitation of the Holy Spirit was given to them only, and to those on whom they themselves laid their hands, so none have ever since been called to that particular work to which they were called, in any thing of the same degree of fulness.  What is peculiar to them as apostles is not applicable exactly to us; but we are all concerned in what belongs to them as Christians:  in this respect, their case is ours; and they, when at their own homes, and engaged in their own callings, stand in the same situation as we all.