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RESURRECTION.
527 once for all. Having arrived at this conclusion, he became once again the Master that he was.
After the fit of momentary human weakness had passed away, Jesus applied himself to testing his powers. He exerted himself to such an extent in what seemed to his disciples the act of praying, but which, in reality, was the act of concentration and display of will-power that' his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.' Three of his most powerful disciples, namely, Peter, James and John, felt overpowered, and could not keep awake, and fancied that an angel from heaven had come to strengthen him. Thrice he told them to keep awake and watch with him, but each time they fell asleep, and did not know what reply to give (Mark, XIV. 40) when reprimanded by him. The test was entirely successful, for if three of his well-instructed and most advanced disciples, like Peter, James and John, could not resist the influence of, but yielded to, his subjective forces, and were dumbfounded in addition, he had nothing to fear at all at the hands of his persecutors. So he stepped out of his solitude, being, now, fully prepared for the coming ordeal. He no longer said 'the spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak.' The weakness of the flesh was a momentary sensation, which the spirit had never succumbed to. There was no longer the fear of any mishap, or calamity; he felt the power of his spirit welling up within him. The 'man'in him was completely subdued ; and, rising like the divine Master that he had now become, he declared, “Rise up, let us go,” to meet the assassin. It seems but a waste of time now to show, in detail, that the three purposes for
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