John Chapter Twenty
The Resurrection
[Verse one parallels Mark 16:2-4 and Luke 24:1-2. Verses 2-10 parallels Luke 24:9-12]
20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Mary Magdalene went to Jesus’ tomb on the morning of the first day of the week after His crucifixion (that would be Sunday, remember Scripture never refers to the first day of the week as Sunday). She noticed that the stone that had been placed in front of the tomb’s opening had been removed. John does not record their entry into the tomb at this time, as recorded in Mark 16:5 and Luke 24:3, nor did he record her encounter with the angels (see Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:5-8; Luke 24:4-7), John notes that encounter taking place after telling the disciples (see verses 12-13). Upon seeing the tomb empty, Mary ran back to tell Peter and John that they had taken Jesus out of the tomb and they[1] don’t know where they took Him. So Peter and John ran to the tomb, John arriving first did not go in but Peter did when he arrived. They not only discovered that Jesus was gone, but the cloths used to wrap Him were all neatly folded. John notes that he believed after seeing the empty tomb and the cloths folded. John also notes that neither one of them at that time understood the prophecy in Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead (even though they were told this was going to happen by Jesus several times). John reports that they went back home.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
[Text parallels Mark 16:9-11]
20:11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
While mourning the loss of Jesus and crying uncontrollably, Mary stooped down to look inside His tomb. Inside were two angels that were in white (Greek ‘leukois’,[2] bright white, shining) sitting where Jesus once laid. They asked her why she was weeping, not knowing who they were, she responded by saying that the body is gone and she doesn’t know where Jesus is. She then turned around and saw Jesus, but did not know it was Him. He asks her the same question, “Why are you weeping?” John notes that she thought He was the gardener and so she asks, “Tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus simply responds with her name, “Mary.” Now recognizing who He was, she turns to Him and says “Rabboni!” Which John explains means ’Teacher’. He tells her not touch or hang on to Him and explains that He has not yet ascended to His Father, who He adds that He is now her Father too. Who is His God and her God. Now that Jesus was victorious over death, those that believe in Him are now sons and daughters of God just as the apostle Paul explains, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” (Romans 8:14-17) Instead of being called servants or friends of God, believers are now His children. He is our God and our Father. Mary then ran back to tell the disciples, who were still inconsolable and according to Luke, did not believe her (see Luke 24:11).
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
[Text parallels Mark 16:14 and Luke 24:36-43]
20:19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
John summarizes Jesus’ first appearance to His disciples. First, he notes that they were behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jews. Then, suddenly Jesus appeared and stood among them and greeted them saying, “Peace be with you.” While He was with them He showed them the scars on His hands and side. He once again said, “Peace be with you,” and then commissioned them to be His apostles by saying, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
John notes that at that time, Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The interpretations of this and the following verse are often debated. John does not elaborate as to what he saw Jesus do, but many attempt to “fill in the gaps.” The Greek word ‘enephysēsen’,[3] meaning to breathe on or to blow on, appears only here in the New Testament. Earlier Jesus told them that they were ‘clean’ (see John 15:3) being forgiven of their sins because they believed in Him even though at that time He had not died and arose from the dead. Now He ‘breathes’ on them to receive the Holy Spirit. Then later, on the day of Pentecost, they are filled with the Holy Spirit again (see Acts 2:4). The questions often asked are who received what and when? Some believe that this event of Jesus breathing on His apostles was a precursor, a symbol of His diety, with the actual indwelling of the Holy Spirit occurring later on Pentecost. Others believe that Jesus, by breathing on them ‘sealed’ their commission to start the Christian church with the Holy Spirit (see Considerations below). Then the ‘launch’ of the church on the day of Pentecost was empowered by the Holy Spirit and many were saved on that day.
The primary mission of the church was, and still is, to offer salvation through Jesus Christ. Through the completed work and victory on the cross, Jesus is telling His disciples that forgiveness of sins is now available, that through their efforts in evangelism and teaching that people will either accept God’s plan of salvation through Jesus and be forgiven or reject Jesus and their forgiveness withheld.[4]
Considerations
In Scripture, both the Hebrew and Greek words that describe air movement (wind, blow, breathe, etc.) are related to life. For example, if a person (or animal) was seen breathing that would indicate that they were still alive. Many of the same words can also be translated as ‘spirit’. From the beginning of Scripture there has been a direct relationship between breathing and life, as seen during creation God breathed into man’s nostrils the “breathe of life” (see Genesis 2:7, see also Ezekiel 37:9-14). Here Jesus ‘breathed’ on the apostles as He said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The Greek verb ‘labete’,[5] translated here as ‘receive’, while it does refer to the act of taking, it can also refer to a beginning. Essentially the whole “Christian Movement” was given life that day. Jesus would soon ascend into heaven and the apostles would soon mobilize into the world when the Holy Spirit moved and motivated them into action on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts chapter two).
Jesus and Thomas
20:24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
One of the original twelve disciples of Jesus named Thomas, also known as Didymus (Greek for ’twin’), was not present when Jesus first appeared to the disciples. When he heard the reports of Jesus’ visit, he refused to believe them. To reinforce his doubt, he said that he will not believe Jesus is alive until he sees His hands where they were penetrated with the nails and place his finger in their holes and touch His side where He was stabbed.
20:26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Jesus once again appeared to the disciples eight days later. John again notes that the doors were locked and yet there He was standing among them. This time Thomas was there. Jesus tells them “Peace be with you,” and turns to Thomas giving him permission to see and touch His scars. He told Thomas to not disbelieve but to believe. Seeing that it was indeed Jesus, Thomas immediately confessed, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus noted that Thomas only believed He was alive because he could now see Him. Jesus then proclaimed, “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believed.” Those that believe that Jesus died for them offering salvation without ever seeing Jesus, are blessed. Since all of the disciples believed, as the result of seeing Him, that He was alive, this blessing is for all believers that never saw Jesus. That includes believers today.
The Purpose of This Book
20:30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
John notes that Jesus did many miraculous signs in their presence that were not recorded in this gospel account. But those that were recorded in this book were included to support and give evidence to the fact that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, so that the readers can be assured of eternal life by believing in His name. As mentioned in the Introduction to John, he wrote this book for you, so that you can believe.
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[1] She was accompanied by Mary the mother of James, Joanna, Salome and possible others, see Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10.
[2] Strong’s Greek 3022.
[3] Strong’s Greek 1720.
[4] See commentaries under Matthew 16:19; 18:18-20.
[5] Strong’s Greek 2983.