It is highly improbable that when, as related in the gospel of Mark, "Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome" were met at the empty tomb of the crucified Savior with the information, "He is risen; he is not here," that they grasped either the import of the words or the tremendous significance of the event. In the flush of surprise and of consternation, with a sense of fear, and, perhaps, also of disappointment at their inability to perform the gentle rites which they had planned in token of their tender affection for their beloved Master, it is more than probable that they quite failed to comprehend the meaning of the occurrence which held such boundless promise for all the generations to come. The resurrection was the crowning event in the earthly career of him whose privilege it was to become the pioneer and the Exemplar to mankind in making full and complete demonstration over the belief, in all its varying aspects, of life and intelligence as inherent in matter, supported by it, and dependent upon it.
Christian Scientists, in greater degree than any other group of religionists, understand the significance of Jesus' experience, and prove their position by demonstration. Utilizing the spiritual understanding gained through following the teachings of the Nazarene as interpreted by Christian Science, they overcome the claims of mortal mind to a degree that foretokens final victory over even the last enemy. On page 44 of the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mrs. Eddy, with her accustomed clarity, states the meaning of the resurrection: "His [Jesus'] three days' work in the sepulchre set the seal of eternity on time. He proved Life to be deathless and Love to be the master of hate." Marvelous words! They signify nothing less than the demonstration of eternity and the proof that the utmost efforts of hate and malice were of no avail against the irresistible impulse of divine Love! Our Leader saw the true meaning of this all-comprehensive demonstration and applied her understanding to the practical end of healing mankind of its beliefs in life circumscribed by materiality, subject to disease and discord, and ending in death. She saw in the resurrection the proof of God's ever-presence, and of His power to destroy every phase of the false claim that existence depends upon matter, a belief directly opposed to the understanding of divine Love as Life, eternal and indestructible.
Paul, comprehending the import of Jesus' demonstration of the continuity of existence, laid much stress upon it in his first epistle to the Christians of Corinth. "But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen," he argued; "and," he continued, "if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain." And he further declared that in that event, "your faith is also vain." Thus Paul placed the resurrection as the basis of Christian faith, apparently attaching greater importance to it than to all other events in the career of Christ Jesus, even his unprecedented proofs not only of the power of the Christ to heal and redeem mankind through the destruction of sin and disease, but of the power of the Christ to annul the so-called laws of matter,—laws, be it said, so universally accepted as final and irrevocable. These so-called laws were set aside by Jesus; yet such mighty works were secondary in importance to the great demonstration over the belief of death. Jesus foresaw the necessity of this final proof of the meaning of his mission, and, foreseeing it, he took no steps to avoid it. While the restoration of Lazarus and the healing of the daughter of Jairus had created a profound impression among his followers, and it seems throughout the countryside, to remove all doubt, to destroy the last vestige of uncertainty which might remain as to the all-presence of Love and the eternality of Life, he submitted to the indignity of his enemies, permitting malice to do its worst, even to take its full toll upon the common belief of material life, in order to prove the truth of his thesis.
