esus and Peter had continued for three years. He had often given his
Master pain and trouble through his impulsive ways. But the
culmination of it all came on the night of the betrayal, when, in the
hall of the high priest's palace, Peter denied being a disciple of
Jesus, denied even knowing him. While for the third time the base and
cowardly words were on his lips, Jesus turned and looked upon his
faithless disciple with a look of grieved love, and then Peter
remembered the forewarning the Master had given him. His heart was
broken with penitence, and he went out and wept bitterly. But he had
no opportunity to seek forgiveness; for the next morning Jesus was on
his cross, and in the evening was in his grave. Peter's sorrow was
very deep, for his love for his Master was very strong.

We can imagine that when the truth of the resurrection began to be
believed that morning, Peter wondered how Jesus would receive him. But
he was not long kept in suspense. The women who came first to the
tomb, to find it empty, received a message for "the disciples _and_
Peter." This singling out of his name for special mention must have
given unspeakable joy to Peter. It told him that the love of Jesus was
not only stronger than death, but also stronger than sin. Then,
sometime during the day, Jesus appeared to Peter alone. No doubt then,
in the sacredness of love, the disciple made confession, and the Master
granted forgiveness. Several times during the forty days Jesus and
Peter met again. The friendship had not been marred by death. The
risen Lord loved just as he had loved in the days of common human
intercourse.

One of the most interesting of the after resurrection incidents is that
of the walk to Emmaus. Cleophas and his friend were journeying
homeward with sad hearts, when a stranger joined them. His
conversation was wonderfully tender as he walked with them and
explained the Scriptures. Then followed the evening meal, and the
revealing of the risen Jesus in the breaking of bread. Again it was
the same sweet friendship which had so warmed their hearts in the past,
resumed by the Master on the other side of death.

It was the same with all the recorded appearances of Jesus. Those who
had been his friends previous to his death found him the same friend as
before. He took up with each of them the threads of affection just
where they had been dropped when the betrayal and arrest wrought such
panic among his disc