John 20:1

CHAPTER XX.

Mary Magdalene, coming early to the sepulchre, finds it

empty, and runs and tells Peter, 1, 2.

Peter and John run to the tomb, and find all as Mary had

reported, 3-10.

Mary sees a vision of angels in the tomb, 11-13.

Jesus himself appears to her, and sends her with a message to

the disciples, 14-18.

He appears to the disciples, gives the fullest proof of the

reality of his resurrection, and communicates to them a measure

of the Holy Spirit, 19-23.

The determined incredulity of Thomas, 24, 25.

Eight days after, Jesus appears again to the disciples, Thomas

being present, to whom he gives the proofs he had desired,

26, 27.

Thomas is convinced, and makes a noble confession, 28.

Our Lord's reflections on his case, 29.

Various signs done by Christ, not circumstantially related, 30.

Why others are recorded, 31.

NOTES ON CHAP. XX.

All that John relates concerning the resurrection of our Lord he has collected partly from the account given by Mary Magdalene, and partly from his own observations. From Mary he derived the information given, Joh 20:1-2, and from Joh 20:11-18. From his own actual knowledge, what he relates, Joh 3:3-10; Joh 3:19-29, and the whole of Joh 21:1-25. It is supposed that he details the account given by Mary, without altering any circumstance, and without either addition or retrenchment. See Rosenmuller.

Verse 1. The first day of the week] On what we call Sunday morning, the morning after the Jewish Sabbath. As Christ had been buried in haste, these holy women had bought aromatics, Mr 16:1; Lu 24:1, to embalm him afresh, and in a more complete manner than it could have been done by Joseph and Nicodemus. John only mentions Mary of Magdala, because he appears to wish to give a more detailed history of her conduct than of any of the rest; but the other evangelists speak of three persons who went together to the tomb, viz. Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome: Mt 28:1; Mr 16:1.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(1) For the visit of the women to the sepulchre, and their announcement to the disciples (Joh_20:1-2), comp. generally Notes on Mat_28:1-4; Mat_28:8; Mar_16:1-4; Mar_16:8; Luk_24:1-3; Luk_24:9-11. Each of the three narratives separates the return from the visit by an account of the appearance of the angels at the sepulchre.

The first day of the week.—The same phrase occurs in Luk_24:1.

Cometh Mary Magdalene.—St. Matthew has, “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary;” St. Mark has, “Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome;” St. Luke has, “The women which had come with Him from Galilee” (Luk_23:55), and enumerates them in Luk_24:10, as “Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the others with them.” St. John speaks of only one of the group, who was specially prominent.

And seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.—This fact is made emphatic in all the accounts. See especially Luk_24:2.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh_20:1-10

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene … unto the sepulchre

The sepulchre

There were more common and more noble sepulchres.

The common were in public burying places without the city. And through that place no current of water was to be made, cattle were not to feed there, nor wood to be gathered from thence. The more noble sepulchres were hewn out in some rock, in their own ground, with no little charge and art. You have the form of them described in these words: He that selleth his neighbour a place of burial, and he that takes of his neighbour a place of burial, let him make the inner parts of the cave four cubits, and six cubits: and let him open within it eight sepulchres. They were not wont, say the Glosses, to bury men of the same family here and there, scatteringly, and by themselves, but altogether in one cave: where if any one sells his neighbour a place of burial, he sells him room for two caves, or hollows on both sides, and a floor in the middle. The tradition goes on. Three sepulchres are on this side, and three on that, and two near them. And those sepulchres are four cubits long, seven high, and six broad. To those that entered into the sepulchral cave, and carried the bier, there was first a floor where they stood and set down the bier, in order to their letting it down into the sepulchre: on this and the other side there was a cave or a hollowed place, deeper than the floor by four cubits, into which they let down the corpse, divers coffins being there prepared for divers corpses. From these things may more plainly understand many matters, which are related of the sepulchre of our Saviour. The women entering into the sepulchre saw a young man sitting on the right side: in the very floor immediately after the entrance into the sepulchre (Mar_16:5). Going in they found not His body, &c. (Luk_24:3). While they bowed down their faces to the earth (Joh_20:12), Peter ran to the sepulchre, and when he had stooped down, he saw the linen clothes. That is, the women and Peter after them, standing in the floor bow down their faces, and look downward into the place, where the sepulchres themselves were, which, as we said before, was four cubits deeper than the floor. The disciple whom Jesus loved, came first to the sepulchre; and when he had stooped down [standing on the floor, that he might look into the burying place] saw the linen clothes lie: yet went he not in. But Peter went in, &c. (Joh_20:5); that is, from the floor he went down into the cave itself, where the rows of the graves were (in which nevertheless no corpses had been as yet laid, besides the body of Jesus:) thither also after Peter, John goes down. But Mary weeping stood at the sepulchre without: and while she wept she stooped down to the sepulchre, and saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and another at the feet, where the body of Christ had lain (verse 2). She stood at the sepulchre without: that is, within the cave on the floor, but without that deeper cave, where the very graves were, or the very places for the bodies: bowing herself to look down thither, she saw two angels at the head and foot of that coffin, wherein the body of Christ had been laid. (J. Lightfoot, D. D.)

Mary at the sepulchre

I. Let us note for a little the life of this woman as a TYPE OF DEVOTION. Devotion is an old and much used word. It carries the suggestion of an altar and a gift, where with spoken vow and a solemn covenant, a thing of sacrifice, a life of service, is devoted to Gods use. The thought had been familiar for centuries in the smoking altars of Israel, but Jesus takes it and makes it the supreme fact of power in the worlds life by personalizing it on Golgotha, until, under the outstretched arms of the cross, devotion means sacrifice. This woman, delivered from the bondage of a sinful life, is henceforth devoted by the grace and property-right of redemption to Him who saved her, vowed to God in body, soul, and spirit as an offering, and therefore not her own. Her devotion makes her

II. COURAGEOUS, BECAUSE SELF-FORGETFUL. It was a brave thing to acknowledge fealty to this crucified Man and adherence to this hatred cause, to stand before soldier and Pharisee and hostile Jerusalem as a follower of Jesus. Nicodemus was not equal to it, Peter could not face the examination of a maid-servant in the palace yard; she never strikes her colours or forgets her Master, but by the spices she brings, the tears she sheds, the watch she keeps, and the appeals she makes, she publishes her fidelity and her creed. Such courage is possibly only in sacrifice or in service to self-abandoned souls. The soul of this woman was flooded, as Pauls was, with the love of Christ, and therefore she forgot, as he did, the danger and the risk.

III. PERSISTENT. The others came and looked and went away, but she is held to the spot by a love that knows no release in vow or vigil. We can imagine John as urging her to go with them as they leave the emptied sepulchre. The same power that makes the courage also makes the perseverance of the saints. So Robert Morrison waited in China, so Neesima laboured in Japan, both under the power of a great love. Here we have marshalled in the character of Mary Magdalene the three factors of power, all set like the giant boughs of an oak in one common trunk: a great devotion, a great courage, and a great patience, born each and all of a great deliverance and a great love; the triple need of the Church of God in this century, and in all centuries.

IV. It remains to note THE REWARDS OF SUCH DEVOTION. To Mary it was the historic and physical revelation of the risen Saviour and the spiritual establishment of all her hopes here and hereafter. With reverent surmise we may believe that Jesus, as He tarried unseen in the garden, was gladdened in soul as He witnessed the sorrowful fidelity of this humble follower; aye, that her devotion wrought a kind of compulsion upon Him to speak the familiar name and reveal His triumph over death. Such was the reward of her devotion, and although the forms of revelation may have changed, still the law of such manifestations is for ever the same. They wait upon devoted souls. Devotion compels revelation as love compels love. As to Mary then, so to us now, revelations are possible; aye, and resurrection of spiritual hopes and loves, as we watch and pray beside the cross. Revelations of His character, of our opportunity and of human needs; also, revelations of unused and unsuspected powers, are waiting upon single eyes and surrendered souls, and the tears are shed beside open graves, and the sorrows which burden our hearts shall all be forgotten in the joy of His presence and the sound of His voice. (William H. Davis.)

The company at the sepulchre:

We are here taught

I. THAT THOSE WHO LOVE CHRIST MOST ARE THOSE WHO HAVE RECEIVED MOST BENEFIT FROM HIM.

1. The first to come is Mary Magdalene. Her history is obscure. Needless obloquy has been heaped upon her memory, as if she was once an habitual sinner against the seventh commandment. Yet there is no evidence of this. But she was one out of whom the Lord had cast seven devils (Mark Luk_8:2), and her gratitude knew no bounds. None seem to have loved Him so much as Mary. None felt that they owed so much.

2. How is it that many do so little for the Saviour? Because of a low sense of obligation. Where sin is not felt at all, nothing is done; and where sin is little felt, little is done. The man who is deeply conscious of his own guilt, and convinced that without Christ he would sink into hell, is the man who will spend and be spent for Jesus (2Co_5:14-15).

II. THAT THERE ARE WIDELY DIFFERENT TEMPERAMENTS IN DIFFERENT BELIEVERS.

1. Both Peter and John ran to the sepulchre; but John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, outran Peter; but being more reserved, retiring, deep-feeling, stooped down and looked in, but went no further. Peter, more impulsive, fervent, and forward, cannot be content without going in. Both were deeply attached to our Lord, yet each behaves in his own characteristic fashion.

2. Let us learn, then, to make allowances for wide varieties in believers. Let us not judge harshly, because they do not see or feel things exactly as we do. The flowers in the Lords garden are not all of one colour and one scent, though they are all planted by one Spirit. The Church has a place for all, and a work for all.

III. THAT THERE MAY BE MUCH IGNORANCE EVEN IN TRUE BELIEVERS.

1. Even John and Peter as yet knew not the Scripture, &c. How wonderful this seems! For three long years Christ had staked the truth of His Messiahship on His rising from the dead, and yet they had never taken in His meaning. We little realize the power over the mind which is exercised by wrong teaching in childhood, and by early prejudices. Surely the minister has little right to complain of ignorance among his hearers, when he marks that of Peter and John, under the teaching of Christ Himself.

2. We must remember that true grace, and not head knowledge, is the one thing needful. Some things indeed we must know--our sinfulness, Christ as a Saviour, the necessity of repentance and faith, &c. But he that knows these things may in other respects be a very ignorant man. Let us always seek knowledge; but let us not despair because our knowledge is imperfect, and, above all, let us make sure that, like Peter and John, we have grace and right hearts. (Bp. Ryle.)

The disciples at the sepulchre

I. THE DIFFICULTIES WE ANTICIPATE ARE OFTEN REMOVED THE MOMENT WE APPROACH THEM IN A SPIRIT OF AFFECTIONATE FAITH (Joh_20:1). Mark gives the names of others, and tells us that these women came with the purpose of paying Jesus the last honours they could bring. But on the way they had wondered with some degree of apprehension how they were going to roll away the stone. And now, laden in body and worried in mind, the first thing they saw was that some one had taken away the obstacle. It is not a mere figure of speech which has made this the common form of expression for the intervention of Gods care in the exigencies of His children. No matter what is our fear, Divine wisdom always goes before us as we are trying to walk in the path of difficult duty. The whole world has learned to talk, as Paul, about a door opened. And he is the best Christian who lives in the expectation that Omnipotence will honour faith.

II. HOW EASY IT IS FOR BEREAVED BELIEVERS TO MISINTERPRET PROVIDENCES WHICH GIVE US MOURNFUL SURPRISES (verse 2). Mary was full of the tenderest, but the lowest, sort of zeal for Jesus. She wanted to have His presence again. How apt we are, when our dear ones are dead, to dwell upon the fact of our loneliness. We lose much that is comforting when we suffer ourselves to think, not about our dead friend, but about ourselves so wounded and sore at his death.

III. INQUIRY INTO THE REAL FACTS IN THE CASE IS ALWAYS THE SWIFT CORRECTIVE OF OUR FOOLISH MISTAKES, WHEN WE GROW PETULANT OVER OUR TRIALS (verse 8). We often magnify our afflictions, and so fall to reproaching God for His harsh dealing. It would be better to count up our mercies, and prayerfully seek to be just in our estimate of pain, and of the teaching the pain brings.

IV. THE SADNESS OF A MERE MEMORY OF SIN (verse 4). For surely we do not imagine that this was a physical trial of fleetness between those two alert and active men. The hours which Peter had spent since the denial must have been frightfully borne down the usually exuberant spirits of this man. The remembrance of his ill-desert may have imperceptibly weighed upon him, and rendered his steps reluctant. Perhaps he even felt some fear. It is just this which is the most serious result of every wicked act. It hurts your after strength for good.

V. THERE IS A PROPER LIMIT IN ALL INVESTIGATION WHEN MEN APPROACH DIVINE MYSTERIES (verse 5). It is not likely that any artist has ever dared to attempt the delineation of this scene. Only a chastened imagination can seem to see it; no pencil could transfer a spectacle like this to canvas. If there had been more of this restraint, it would have enabled Christian hearts to rest in a deeper peace of believing. It has always been the reckless speculations of a reinless intellect which have confused devout minds that meant to be humble. I think the picture of John impresses us as one of the best incidents of his life.

VI. DIFFERENT MANIFESTATIONS OF PIETY AND PERSONALITY (verses 6, 7). These two disciples, running for the quickest sight of the sepulchre, seems almost like a footrace of mere spiritual attributes. It is faith and love trying to distance each other in attaining a nearness to Jesus. Faith may be more moderate, and love more agile; but love proves sometimes a hesitating grace, and often faith is over-bold. Love may be more delightful in its exercises, more enthusiastic, and more fervid; but faith has more penetrating power, and more courageous confidence and force. The contrast in the case is instructive as showing how believers can differ and still agree.

VII. THE POWER OF AN UNINTENDED AND EVEN UNCONSCIOUS INFLUENCE (verse 8). Peter leads John along in all this history. All the world over Simons are rushing ahead, and Johns are following; and neither seems to detect the force which moves the one after the other. Minute circumstances, trivial swayings and swervings of personal history, fix a whole career. And character is moulded, souls are lost or saved, hearts are broken or changed, nobody knows just how. (C. S. Robinson, D. D.)

Jesus risen:

Note

I. THE ORIGIN AND OBLIGATION OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. The first day of Creation week was marked by the command, Let there be light--the first day of the Resurrection week, by the lifting up out of the darkness of death of the true Light that lighteneth every man that cometh into the world. It is indeed Sun-day! What reasons justify the change from the Jewish Sabbath?

1. The first day marks the central fact upon which all our hopes hinge. For if Christ rose not, then is our faith vain.

2. On the first day the risen Lord appeared on five distinct occasions. On the next first day, there being no appearance in the interval, as though to give special prominence to the time, Jesus appeared to the eleven.

3. On the first day occurred the Pentecostal effusion, the inauguration of the Christian dispensation. Act_20:7, the first day was the day for preaching and theobservance of the Lords Supper. 1Co_16:1-2, Paul directs the collections for the Saints tobe raised upon the first day of the week, that evidently being the day of public assembling for worship.

6. So also the language of John (Rev_1:10), in the Spirit on the Lords Day, indicates both the fact of that day being generally recognized throughout the Church, and that it was one for special spiritual devotions and exercises upon the apostles part.

7. The universal and unanimous consent and practice of the primitive Church and of the Church catholic show that the hallowed observance of the first day was an undisputed duty.

II. THE DIVINE DIGNITY, REPOSE, ORDER, THAT MARK THE RESURRECTION.

1. The fact that the grave-clothes were removed from the body of Christ must have seemed exceedingly strange. Would thieves have paused to do such a thing? And why should they have done so? If these were the first reflections of the disciples, they soon had occasion to reason differently.

(1) Order is natures first law, and the God of nature in this act of triumph over the mightiest force in nature showed His regard for that law. The facts show the God-like repose of the Divine Victor.

(2) This perfect order of life gathers around the souls who by faith enter into Christ. The peacefulness of the vacant sepulchre echoes the living voice of Jesus, Come unto Me, and I will give you rest. Men of science tell us that the progress of a hurricane is in circles or spirals. The great storm that swings over its terrible circumference of destruction moves around a centre of perfect calm; the sailor caught in the fury of the tornado might reach a place where the air hangs still and the sea lies placid by pushing the prow of his ship straight toward the very centre of the storm. So in the tempests of life there is a centre of calm--the heart of Christ! The same truth came to the apostles on the Sea of Tiberias.

2. But it is the Saviour in the midst of the grave that we see, a Divine repose upon Himself, and by His own touch composing the disorder of death.

(1) To the mere natural eye the grave is the apothosis of confusion and disorganization. The living human frame is the most perfect of organisms; but death is its grim disorganizer. At his touch the mysterious principle that gives vitality and harmony to the structure vanishes, and the delicate machinery falls into incoherent particles.

(2) But the eye of faith penetrates the surface. There is One who giveth beauty for ashes; and Him we see standing within the open tomb fulfilling His word. The dead are in the realm of Him who has wrought order out of confusion, life and loveliness out of chaos. We have observed the deep interest that children take--and older people, too--in the ending of any work or story. How will it turn out? The interest deepens toward the close, which solves all that. It should be so, with this brief life, so like a tale that is told. The interest may not drop off as it nears its end. To the believing soul rather it deepens. What shall the ending be? Not that--the covered-up coffin, the green mound, the white marble. Not night, confusion, and eternal sleep. Beyond all that is the land of endless day, of order, law, life, beauty, and love. The door of the sepulchre has been opened, the stone rolled away, and we are given to see what glory and beauty lie beyond.

3. Moreover, the lesson touches the very outer wrapping of our immortal part--the body. It may indeed be that the very dust shall not be gathered together again. But in some wise a body of our identity shall rise again. The grip of dissolution cannot hold for ever the dust that God has redeemed for Himself.

III. THE INFINITE BEACHES OF DIVINE CARE.

1. The folded cerements tell us of the minuteness with which the Lord of providence looks after the spiritual wants of His children. The very hairs of the head are all numbered. The life of the world uncovered by the microscope shows the same regard by the Creator for the minutest details.

2. But as the context shows, the Master considered how He might convince the disciples; and He so disposed those cast-off cerements as to bear witness to them of the Resurrection. And this John believed. But it was not of that one disciple alone that Jesus then thought. We too, we all, were in His Divine mind. We shared with Him the dying shame

crucified together with Christ. We share with Him the rising glory--ye are risen with Christ.

3. Those linen bands had been gently wrapped around the sacred body by tender hands. Were not that love and office of love recognized and honoured by the decent, almost reverent, treatment of the instruments with which love had wrought her duty? Those cerements were holy things--not simply because they had touched the body of Jesus, but because they were the symbols of a love that was faithful to Him in death. (H. C.McCook, D. D.)

Christ risen

I. THE EARLY VISIT. During the seventh day Love obeyed the sabbath law. The graves of loved ones are stumbling-blocks if they call from worship of the living God at the appointed time. But at last love was free to act. Early on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene, probably with other women, hastened to the sepulchre. Her surprise that the stone was rolled away was preliminary to a dreadful fear. They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid Him. She had no thought of His resurrection. And does not the feverish anxiety of this age lest some hostile hand should sweep Christianity from the world reveal Marys dim conception of the power and majesty of Jesus?

II. THE EXAMINATION AND TESTIMONY OF THE TOMB. Brushing the dew from the garden shrubs and anticipating the early sunbeams, these intensely earnest men approach the sepulchre. Contrary to what we should expect, the contemplative John outruns the fiery Peter. But as John arrives before the door of the silent chamber; he does not enter. With all his physical energy, reason rules his feet. His zeal, his youthful strength, are crowned with reverence for what is Divine. Reverence too seldom accompanies activity. The opposite is seen in Peter, who is bold, ardent, impatient of delay. He makes no pause, but immediately enters the holy place. His lack of awe in entering is pardonable, because of the service he did while there for all mankind. Careful inspection could not be more emphatically indicated. They mentally photographed the interior. John marked the linen cloths lying, with no body enwrapped. The order is, first, data; second, a theory which shall include all the given facts.

III. THE NEW FAITH. The men saw that the body had not been removed by stealth or in haste,--that, in fact, it had not been removed at all. For why should a lifeless body be stripped of its grave-clothes if either foe or friend were removing it? It was a critical moment. The Holy Spirit was showing them the things of Christ. John says he saw and believed, speaking only of himself, because belief is a personal matter. Peter may have believed as strongly as he, but to say I believe as John practically does, is more convincing than to tell what others believe. I saw and believed, is the goal to which Johns entire Gospel is intended to lead. In it he tells how men saw Jesus and believed in Him. In this conclusion Peter was probably behind John, though he entered the sepulchre first, and was most active in inspecting its interior. Cautious, reflecting minds like Johns are the spiritual leaders of the Church. Activity and push are not all that Christs cause needs. As Peter unconsciously influenced John to enter the tomb, so when there Peter needed Johns penetration as an aid to faith. At this point John adds: For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead. This confutes for ever the theory that Peter and John saw what their minds, full of vagaries and fancies, were prepared to see. They would await His own procedure; and so they went away again unto their own home. How fortunate that the first place to which the news was carried was home! Where does the Resurrection mean so much as there? Where else do so many flowers of hope and trust blossom about the thought of the Resurrection? Only the doctrine of the Resurrection will satisfy the yearnings of husband and wife, of father, mother, children, for light concerning the dead.

IV. THE APPARITION OF THE ANGELS. Yet, looking into the sepulchre, Mary saw in her dire need what Peter and John did not see--two angels, at appointed places, where Jesus had lain. The dispensation of Divine light is different to different minds. The two apostles did not need the angelic appearance; they gained their comfort by an act of direct faith. Mary received hers piecemeal, through a more striking and mysterious but less direct ministry. The Lord adapts Himself to the strength of one and to the weakness of another, yet leaves heavenly influences behind Him everywhere. Hark, the angels speak! Why weepest thou? Angels are sympathetic, but sympathy alone is not sufficient for such an hour. How little angelic sympathy seemed to do now! Men need not wonder if their words do not avail for comfort in bereavement. Why weepest thou? this time spoken by the Lord Himself. Oh fellow-man, gazing at the sepulchre of buried friends, with no spiritual hunger and with no insight into the facts which Jesus tomb presents, you cannot but weep! But if faith leads you to look within Christs sepulchre and to view the subject of death according to Gods thought of it, Why weepest thou?

V. THE MANIFESTATION OF JESUS TO MARY. Deep feeling of bereavement excludes from Marys mind for the time every other thought and perception. Her nature, so large and deep that once seven demons could use it, which just now felt a sevenfold sorrow, overflows with joy sevenfold great. In her ignorance and stony grief she had turned her back upon the Lord; now, in the light of His glorious life, she throws herself at His feet.

VI. THE NEW INSTRUCTION. In refusing this, Jesus assumes a new relation. Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended to My Father. As if He had said: Do not rest your new faith upon My corporeal life, but upon that life which will soon be consummated with My Father. There I shall receive your love and we will resume our fellowship. Here is a lesson for all. When faith has won victory on its own high ground, why should we crave the lower testimony of the senses and a smaller promise? Mary had already made a good beginning in faith, and therefore Christ would not allow her to touch Him physically. He says by His prohibition: Having taken a few steps by faith, walk no more by sight. One touch through the Holy Ghost is worth far more than any bodily presence. Christs new way of meeting His disciples only makes them nearer and dearer to Him than before. He calls them My brethren--a term of higher honour than He had used hitherto. It promises the same sonship to God as His, and the same fatherhood in God that He enjoyed. Henceforth they are brethren of Deaths Conqueror and sons of Christs Father and Christs God. Life and revelation can rise no higher. A new command secures the publication of this message: Go to My brethren and tell them I am risen, An empty mind will doubt; aimless feet will wander. What the Lord has spoken to us is reassurance that we have seen Him. (History, Prophecy, and Gospel.)

He is not here: He is risen

I. THE FIRST WITNESS--Mary of Magdala (verse 1-3).

1. Her qualifications. A Galilean woman who had

(1) Enjoyed a rich experience of Christs healing power (Luk_8:2; Mar_16:2).

(2) Spent many months in His society (Mat_27:55).

(3) Witnessed His crucifixion, taken part in His burial, and passed some part of the night sitting over against the sepulchre (Mat_27:56-61; Mar_15:40-47).

(4) And thus was not likely to be mistaken.

2. Her deposition.

(1) That she went to the sepulchre on the morning of the first day of the week--not alone (Joh_20:2), but accompanied by Mary, &c. (Mar_16:1 : Luk_24:10). On the way they talked about the difficulty of removing the stone; their intention being to complete the work of embalming.

(2) That on approaching the tomb she observed the stone rolled away, but did not proceed further, so she saw neither the angel without (Mat_38:2), nor the young man within (Mar_16:5), the two in shining garments (Luk_24:4) whom her companions beheld.

(3) That the instant she saw the stone rolled away she believed the tomb to be empty, thinking probably that the body had been removed by friends or foes; it is not evident that she believed as yet that Christ was risen.

(4) That having arrived at this conclusion she fled to Simon and John.

II. THE SECOND WITNESS Simon Peter.

1. His recommendations.

(1) A man, and therefore less likely than Mary to be the sport of feelings or imagination.

(2) Of mature judgment--the mercurial temperament of youth being sobered in the man of forty.

(3) A disciple who had enjoyed Christs friendship for at least two years.

2. His declaration.

(1) That on learning Marys news, he started with John for the sepulchre; that John arrived first, but, too timid to enter, he found Him standing by the door; but that he without fear or hesitation stepped in and surveyed the situation.

(2) That he perceived the grave clothes had been carefully disposed. As Peter had not seen a vision of angels there is no reason to suppose that his faculties were too disturbed to note things exactly.

(3) That he reached the conclusion that whatever had become of the body it had been removed in an orderly manner. It is doubtful whether he got beyond this.

III. THE THIRD WITNESS--The other disciple (verse 8).

1. His excellencies.

(1) If younger than Peter, less forward, and much calmer in judgment.

(2) Of finer sensibilities, therefore better fitted to discern what related to Christ.

(3) A disciple who had specially enjoyed Christs love, and therefore one who had the highest interest in ascertaining the truth.

(4) A spectator of the Crucifixion, and so one who could testify to the reality of Christs death.

2. His testimony.

(1) That before Peters arrival he had stooped down, and looking in saw the linen cloths lying about.

(2) That, emboldened by Peter, he had entered in and examined the cave.

(3) That in this examination he perceived what refer had, the carefully-folded napkin in a place by itself.

(4) That in consequence of what he saw he believed Christ was risen. Lessons:

1. The devotion of woman to Christ exemplified in Mary.

2. The mourning of a saintly heart over a dead Christ--again exhibited in the Magdalene.

3. The unconscious influence of one soul upon another--illustrated in Peters over John.

4. The different degrees of evidence that in different souls are required to produce faith--witnessed in John and Peter. (T. Whitelaw, D. D.)

The Resurrection of Christ

I. ITS DOCTRINAL IMPORTANCE.

1. It affords the most decisive testimony to the Divine character of His person and mission. Our Saviour had wrought many miracles. Did these convince the Jews? Some few of them. But they had no effect on the majority. They ascribed it all to magic. The only means of convincing them was by raising the dead. The Jews thought that beyond the power of sorcery. Accordingly when Christ raised Lazarus, many of the Jews believed on Him. If then the raising of Lazarus sufficed to convince them, how much more convincing the resurrection of Christ.

2. It is a pledge and assurance that our sins are forgiven. Death was the penalty of our sin; the debt we owed to God; Christ engaged to discharge that debt for us; till He discharged it in full, He was to remain in the prison of the grave. His liberation from that prison was to be the token to us that the anger of God was appeased, that our whole debt was paid to the uttermost farthing. What then? If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

3. Without it you could neither be justified nor sanctified. Unless then the Saviour had risen, we should have been without the Sanctifier. So likewise without the Resurrection you could not be justified. It was not sufficient for the priest to slay the victim; he must enter the Holy of Holies with its blood. We are too apt to confine our view to a dying Christ.

4. It is the pattern and earnest of our own.

II. TO WHAT PRACTICAL USES WE MAY APPLY IT?

1. As an incentive to heavenly-mindedness (Col_3:1-2).

2. For encouragement.

3. For consolation to the bereaved. (H. L. Nicholson, M. A.)

Mary Magdalenes alarm

1. WHO WAS MARY MAGDALENE? On the western bank of the Lake of Galilee, there stood the village of Magdala; so-called from a Migdol, or fortified place, round which it clustered, and it means the same as Castleton. Thence Mary was named the Magdal-ene. She has often been most unaccountably regarded as the woman which was a sinner Luk_7:36-50). This mistake has been repeated in countless legends, hymns, homilies, ancient and modern; and by countless preachers, from Ambrose down to John Bunyan; her life has often degraded into a subject for pictorial sentimentalisms; asylums for once dissolute, but now penitent women, are distinguished by her name. All this matters little to her now but it matters more than a little to us, if by adopting this error, we stand convicted of levity or laxity in our treatment of Gods Word.

2. Out of whom went seven devils. Whatever may be the psychological import of the terms, it is clear that they set forth the desperateness of Marys sorrowful plight before she know Christ. It was not a great sin, but a great sorrow. At last, she wandered into the path of Jesus; and then the spirits met their Sovereign Master. Out the loathly horrors had to go like burglars who had broken into a house of life belonging to Christ.

3. After that wonder, this new event is reported: Jesus went through every city and village, preaching and … Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils … and many others, ministered unto Him of their substance. I can trace the sequence and understand the motive of the action thus chronicled. Ruth said to Naomi, Intreat me not to leave thee, &c. The inner language of Mary to Jesus would be the same, but with a meaning heightened unspeakably. Of course, this implies that she had substance to minister with; and as she is mentioned in companionship with the wife of Herods steward, the fair inference is that she probably belonged to an equal social station. But now she counted all things but loss for Christs sake.

4. At length we see Mary standing at the cross. How did she reach this fearful station? What had she in Jerusalem? The men were bound by law to appear at each great feast; but not the women. In her noiseless, unobtrusive way, she was with Him that she might minister to Him of her substance. It was true that her ministering could do little for Him now; but this she can do, at least she can show her love. When all was over, still she stood there; when the two senators carried away the body into the tomb, she was one of those who could say, We marked the spot, arid shall know it again. She ministered of her substance in helping to prepare the final honours; and on the morning of the first day she was the first to arrive at the sepulchre.

5. It is remarkable that John says nothing of the other women. Perhaps Marys spiritual presence was always so imperial, that any person meeting her in company at any exalted moment would have seen, heard, and have been conscious of Mary alone. Mary is always the royal personage. Her life was a glorious romance of love to Christ. On earth she was the type of this love; in heaven she is a leader of those who swell the sanctus, Unto Him that loved us, &c.

II. WHAT WAS HER ALARM? They have taken away my Lord, &c. From dull feeling, firm nerve, or superb physical vitality, some of our friends are not easily frightened; but after what Mary had gone through, we can very well understand that her nature was quick to take alarm. When Jesus expelled the deaf and dumb spirit, Thomas Fuller remarks, He went out like an outgoing tenant, that cares not what mischief he does. It is reasonable to conjecture that when Marys seven tormentors were mastered, and their reign of terrible tyranny was over, the traces of it were left in a life of nervous vibration and excitability, and just now her strained life had been strained afresh, and when she was setting out for the sepulchre she had reached the point of the intolerable. When your dead is out of sight, your heart feels fit to break; but if you had the sudden fear that foul violators of the grave had snatched away what to you is most fearfully sacred, such a fear would come with a blow on the brain enough to make the reason totter. So thought Mary as to the buried form of her souls Holy One.

III. HOW HER ALARM ENDED--In a great discovery (verse 11, &c.). (C. Stanford, D. D.)

Two pictures of love

I. MARY GOING TO THE SEPULCHRE. The picture exhibits.

1. Fidelity of love. Last at the cross, first at the tomb.,

(1) She clings to Christ while others have left Him.

(2) She holds to Him although He was in the lowest stage of His humiliation. She was not with the crowd who shouted Hosannah. Fine weather Christians are more numerous than Magdalenes.

(3) She avails herself of the first opportunity to seek Him. Love is an early riser

2. The courage of love. When it was yet dark. Darkness creates fear; but perfect love casteth out fear.

3. The liberality of love. She brought spices to anoint Christs body.

(1) She gives her quota although others had given before. True love never asks, To what purpose is this waste?

(2) She gives to Jesus because Jesus had given to her before. We love Him because He first loved us.

II. MARY AT THE SEPULCHRE. This picture exhibits

1. The mistake of love (Joh_20:11)--Weeping The sepulchre was empty, for Jesus had conquered, and heaven was full of joy.

2. The reward of love

(1) She finds Jesus--They that seek Me early shall find Me.

(2) She finds Him better than she expected; instead of a dead Christ a living Saviour.

3. The appreciation of love (Joh_20:16)

(1) She thinks highly of Him--Rabboni.

(2) She wants to embrace Him more lovingly than ever.

4. The propagandism of love (Joh_20:18). Christian missions--love eager to let the world know its Saviour. (T. Morgan.)

Early, when it was yet dark

I. REGARDLESS OF PERSONAL COMFORT.

II. ANIMATED BY HOLY LOVE.

III. APPOINTED TO HIGHEST HONOUR. (S. S. Times.)

I. EARLY SEEKING.

II. JOYFUL FINDING. (S. S. Times.)

Seeth the stone taken away.

While the Lord could have rolled back the stone by His own power, He chose to have it done by an angel to signify that He did not break prison, but had a fair and legal discharge from heaven. (M. Henry.)

Hindrances removed:

Many are the hindrances which keep us from Christ, and from approaching His body. We fen r at one time the guard, the men of this world, and at another time are restrained by the stone, by natural hindrances which shut out from our eyes the sight of our Redeemer. But if we are deaf to the prudence of the world, and will go like Mary to Him, we shall find that all hindrances melt away, and that angels have already descended and have taken away the stone from the sepulchre, so that we may know assuredly that He has risen from the dead. (Ferus.)

They have taken away the Lord

I. MOURNING THROUGH ERROR.

II. ERRING THROUGH IGNORANCE.

III. IGNORANT THROUGH UNBELIEF. (S. S. Times.)

Harmony of the narratives:

The order of Christs eleven appearances between His resurrection and ascension, I believe to be as follows:

1. To Mary Magdalene alone (Mar_16:9; Joh_20:14);

2. To certain women returning from the sepulchre (Mat_28:9-10);

3. To Simon Peter alone (Luk_24:34);

4. To two disciples going to Emmaus (Luk_24:13);

5. To ten apostles at Jerusalem, and some other disciples, Thomas being absent (Joh_20:19);

6. To eleven apostles at Jerusalem, Thomas being present (Joh_20:26-29);

7. To seven disciples fishing at the sea of Tiberias (Joh_21:1);

8. To eleven apostles on a mountain in Galilee, and perhaps some others with them (Mat_28:16);

9. To above five hundred brethren at once (1Co_15:6);

10. To James only (1Co_15:7):

11. To all the apostles, and probably some others, on Mount Olivet, at His ascension.

Most of these eleven appearances require little or no explanation. The only appearances about which there is any difficulty are the two first. The knot to be untied is this. St. Mark says that our Lord appeared first to Mary Magdalene (Mar_16:9). St. John also describes this appearance; and it is quite plain from his account that Mary Magdalene was alone (Joh_20:11-13). Yet St. Matthew says that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the sepulchre together,--saw an angel, and heard that our Lord had risen,--ran to bring the tidings to the disciples, and were met on the way by Jesus, and both saw Him at the same time. -Now how can the account of these three witnesses be made to harmonize?

1. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary did not go alone to the sepulchre. By comparing Mar_16:1, and Luk_23:55; Luk_24:1, with Mat_28:1, it is quite evident that several other women accompanied them.

2. On drawing nigh the sepulchre, the company of women saw the stone rolled away from its mouth. At once, on seeing this, it flashed on the mind of Mary Magdalene that the body of Jesus had been removed, and, without waiting a moment, she ran off to Peter and John, and told them, as recorded in Joh_20:1-2.

3. While Mary Magdalene ran off to tell Peter and John, the other women went up to the sepulchre, found the body gone, saw a vision of angels, were told that Jesus had risen, and were commanded to go and tell the disciples. They departed to tell the news. Some went in one direction and some in another; Mary and Salome with one party; Joanna with another.

4. While this was going on, Mary Magdalene returned with Peter and John to the sepulchre shortly after the other women went away. Whether Mary got there so soon as Peter and John, perhaps admits of doubt.

5. Peter and John saw the empty sepulchre, and went away, leaving Mary Magdalene weeping there.

6. As soon as Peter and John went away, Mary Magdalene saw the two angels, and immediately after saw our Lord Himself, and was told to carry a message to His brethren (Joh_20:17).

7. In the meantime the other women had gone in two or three directions, to tell the other disciples who lived in a different part of Jerusalem from that where Peter and John lived. Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Salome, were yet on their way when Jesus met them, very shortly after He had appeared to Mary Magdalene.

8. One party of the women, with Joanna at their head, saw nothing of our Lord, but went to the disciples and told them the message of the angels.

9. Shortly after this, our Lord appeared to Peter, who very likely had gone again to the grave on hearing Mary Magdalenes report.

10. In the course of the same day our Lord appeared to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, who had left Jerusalem after Joanna and the women reported the vision of angels, but before our Lord had appeared to Peter.

11. In the evening of the same day our Lord appeared to the apostles, and others with them, Thomas being absent. Luke means by the eleven apostles the apostles generally, as a body. This was our Lords fifth appearance OH the day that He rose. (Bp. Ryle.)

The Resurrection

I. THE FOLLY OF ALL HUMAN EFFORTS TO PREVENT THE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF GODS PURPOSES. The stone had been placed at the mouth of the sepulchre to prevent the fulfilment (Mat_28:62-66). The Jewish rulers tried to veil their purpose; but it is plain that they looked to the dawning of the third day with anxiety, and that they were determined that, so far as lay in their power, that day should pass away without the event they feared. But their precautions were as vain as all efforts have been to prevent God from carrying out His purpose and fulfilling His promises.

II. THE LOVEABLENESS OF THE MAN CHRIST JESUS. He seemed to have led His friends astray (Luk_24:21), yet, instead of joining with His adversaries in condemning Him as a deceiver, they continued to love Him. Had there not been in His character a rare charm, those whom He seemed to have misled so terribly could not have continued to love Him as they did. If after our death we would have all our apparent mistakes forgotten, and our memory cherished, let us live as Christ lived.

III. THE SLOWNESS OF THE HUMAN MIND TO RECEIVE GREAT TRUTHS. Of this fact the difficulty which the apostles had in attaching any meaning to our Lords promises that He would rise on the third day, and in believing in the fact of His resurrection even when it had occurred, is an impressive illustration. This fact should make us patient with those who hold false and foolish views.

IV. FULLER LIGHT IS THE REWARD OF FAITH AND LOVE. To the absolutely unbelieving Jews no manifestation of the risen Christ was vouchsafed: and He appeared earliest to those who loved Him most--to Mary and the other women earlier than to any of the apostles. Thus He fulfilled His own Luk_8:18). (Christian Age.)

So they both ran together

I. SEEKING A COMMON END.

II. ANIMATED BY A COMMON ZEAL.

III. CHEERED BY A COMMON BROTHERHOOD.

IV. ARRIVING AT A COMMON GOAL. (S. S. Times.)

I. A PROPER END.

II. A COMMENDABLE PACE.

III. A HELPFUL COMPANIONSHIP. (S. S. Times.)

Running disciples

(Childrens Sermon):--There is always something the matter when grown-up people run. Boys and- girls hardly ever walk; men and women very seldom run. All young creatures love to run-kittens, puppies, calves, lambs. As we get older we grow more sedate, and the sign hat a boy has become a man is that he walks. But if there is an accident, or a fire, or if he has to catch a train then he runs. The text tells us of a race between two disciples who should get first to the Lords sepulchre. John outran Peter on this occasion, but on that other in the next chapter, although John saw Christ first, Peter was the first ashore. So John did not always outrun Peter.

I. THERE ARE SOME DISCIPLES WHO HAVE COME TO A STANDSTILL. When people take a voyage they never think about the machinery until it stops; then everybody is on deck to know what is the matter. Sometimes the long shaft which turns the propeller has to be screwed or keyed up, and the machinery has to be stopped. It is the same when a train stops and no station in sight. The windows go up, and peoples heads go out. And when the machinery of the body is affected we begin to wonder what is the matter with us. We never know that we have a head till it aches, nor heart, nor lungs till they want keying up. There are a great many stoppages in life. Some stop being respectable--boys who loaf about street corners and taverns. Some stop being honest; they dont pay their bills, and need keying up in their morals. Many were once running disciples who walk in Christs ways no longer. And then just as with the steamer, &c., there is something wrong with their souls. Its a dreadful thing to be a disciple who doesnt go at all like a stopped clock. You cant tell the Christian time of day by looking at their faces. Something is the matter inside. This was the case with the disciples when Jesus died; but when the Spirit came at Pentecost they became going Christians once more. It was like fresh steam to an engine, or the keying up of its shaft, or the winding up of a clock. And so when we have come to a standstill by loss of faith, love, zeal, let us pray for that Spirit to come to us with fresh impulses and desires to enable us to go on in His service again. Standing disciples will never reach heaven.

II. THESE ARE WALKING DISCIPLES. The Bible says a good deal about walk and conversation. You can tell a mans character by his walk. When a man rolls and swings his shoulders from side to side we know him to be a good humoured soul. A drunken mans walk reveals his character. When people go to a funeral they go in slow and solemn procession; but when we see one whom we love, and whom we have not seen for a long time, we hasten our steps. The two disciples walked from Jerusalem to Emmans, but I expect they ran from Emmaus to Jerusalem. It makes a great difference in our walks what motives we are led by. I knew a boy who was so slow that he was always late to everything but dinner, and we called him Sergeant Slowboots. And to this day there he goes sauntering along as if there were twenty-seven days to the week instead of seven. H we are going to the dentists we generally take our time about it; but if we are going out for a holiday we dont waste a moment. If we are trying to walk in the way of Gods commandments we ought to pray, Quicken me in Thy way. Just as we ought not to loiter when sent on errands or when father calls, so we must not be slow in Gods work and when He calls.

III. THESE ARE RUNNING DISCIPLES. Some get on faster than others; as John than Peter. He saw things before Peter did. He had a quicker eye and a quicker step. Some people when they enter a room see everything in it at once, while others seem to notice nothing. Some are lithe and active, and can run for a chair or book, while the rest are wondering what to do. It is this quick eye and step which make business men successful. When he was a young lieutenant the Duke of Wellington was asked how soon he could leave for India, In fifteen minutes, sir. And sure enough in a quarter of an hour he was ready to go--which showed that he was a wide-awake running disciple of his country. Gods angels are running disciples. They fly to do His will. When a person runs he must have some object in view which quickens his footsteps. In the boat or horse race those who do the driving are urged on by the desire of winning. So run that ye may obtain. (Wilberforce Newton.)

Different characteristics:

St. John represents the contemplative, Peter the active. The contemplative person is more nimble in his wit; the active quick at his work. St. John ran faster; but St. Peter went surer. (Theophylact.)

All do not reach Christ at one speed:

Among the children of God all of them have not a like speed. Some of them get a sight of Christ before others. But whoever they be that have the life of God in them, and so are walking on towards Him, they shall, either first or last, meet with Him without doubt. (Samuel Rutherford.)

And he stooping down and looking in

Stooping and looking in

The variety of Oriental tombs is so great that it is impossible to be certain of the shape of this tomb; but these words, when compared with Matthews account, do not allow us to suppose that it was like a simple grave cut in the rock, as many of them are. The ancient tombs now accessible, of the kind which allow one to stoop down at the door and see the place of the body, are those provided with steps inside, from the door down to a room of moderate size, about, and in the sides of which are cut the loculi, or niches, for the body. The loculi, in such cases, are cut along the side, instead of piercing horizontally like our modern catacomb, and are a mere shelf, with a roof arched lengthwise. This arrangement of an ancient tomb, especially from about the time of Christ indefinitely earlier, is quite common in the East. It not only permits one to stoop down at the door, and look in and see the entire place of the body, but would allow one to sit at the head and another at the foot, as the two angels did. For the lower tier of niches (such tombs seem usually to have one row only, as a general thing, though sometimes they have two), one sitting on a seat no higher than an ordinary chair would have his head higher than the body. Sometimes these niches are so long and so high that there would be room for the body, and for a mourner to sit in Oriental fashion in the niche, one at the head, and the other at the feet. But, since most of the known examples of this kind of tomb were heathen, the larger space was probably for offerings, for provisions for the dead, or for other objects such as the French call the furniture of the tomb. It is also true, however, that ancient tombs exist consisting of a mere room, on the floor of which the dead were laid, with he furniture that usually accompanied them. (H. G. Trumbull, D. D.)

Stooping and looking:

None but humble and meek men can see these mysteries. He that will not stoop at Christs grave shall never be partakers of His death and resurrection. (Marlorate.)

Saw the linen clothes lying.., and the napkin … wrapped together in a place by itself.--It is remarkable, that whenever these holy coverings of our Lords body are mentioned, they are never called (Joh_11:44) grave clothes, as in the case of Lazarus; but they are spoken of as the linen clothes (2Co_13:4). (I. Williams.)

The cerements of Christ and of Lazarus:

When our Lord raised up Lazarus, he came forth of the grave bound hand and foot with grave clothes. Though he was for the present rescued from death by the power of Christ, yet he must still be a subject to it; he is revived, but yet riseth with the bonds of death about him; he must die again; but when our Lord riseth, He shakes off His grave clothes; the linen, that wrapped His body, in one place, and the linen, that bound His head, in another. Our Lord, being risen, dieth no more; death hath no dominion over Him (Act_13:34 - Rom_6:9; Heb_7:23-25). (Sir M. Hale.)

Comfort from Christs cerements:

Finding one of his children had been greatly shocked and overcome by the first sight of death, Dr. Arnold tenderly endeavoured to remove the feeling, and opening a Bible pointed to these words, saying, Nothing, to my mind, affords such comfort, when shrinking from the outward accompaniments of death, the grave clothes, the lonelineess, as the thought that all these had been round our Lord Himself, who died and is now alive for ever more. (Dean Stanley.)

Lessons taught by the disposition of Christs cerements:

You may wonder what interest or significance there could be in these objects, and how they could possibly affect John so. You see such common-place trifles every day. But

I. Looked at in its connection, we have in this descriptive note some of those UNDESIGNED COINCIDENCES, and delicate, obscure hints of information, which marvellously enhance the interest and confirm the truth of the Gospel story. Forgers would never have thought of such a circumstance. Jesus not being in the grave, there could be only one of two explanations of this.

1. The sight of the sepulchral draperies, and the face cloth--the first, carefully folded; the second, put carefully away by itself--effectually set at rest the suspicion that evil hands had taken away the Lord. Robbers do not set things right before they leave; but scatter confusion, out they go.

2. It being certain that no robber had done this work, it was equally certain that Jesus Himself must have done it, and this was all the more confirmed by the calmness, love of order, methodical attention to little things, displayed, which were all in the style of Jesus, and tokens which the witness recognized as surely as we recognize the handwriting of a friend.

II. Notice the connection between THE DELIBERATE, ORDERLY HABITS OF JESUS, and the conviction wrought in the mind of one who knew those habits well. Such habits, besides being necessary to Him as a perfect Man, belonged to the Jewish characteristics of His human nature.

1. What were they? The race endowment of the Greeks was an instinctive consciousness of beauty and symmetry in thought and form; the national quality of the Romans, methodical force; the Jewish national peculiarity was statical order.

(1) The remarkable tribal, ritual, marching order that shows itself in the story of the Exodus, in the settlement in Canaan, in the Temple, in the return from captivity, &c., could only have been possible in a people with whom order was the native instinct and habitude.

(2) This habitude made the people such divinely fitted custodians of the Scriptures; and while the text of the Septuagint is so unsettled that it is impossible to place in it more than a general confidence, the Hebrew Scriptures are so correct that they present only a comparatively small variety of lections.

(3) This faculty was always the mark of a great leader; we see it in Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon, Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel.

2. Mark how it was exemplified in Jesus. You see it in His instructions to the twelve apostles and the seventy disciples; in the plan of His journeys; in the development of His doctrine; in the arrangements for the feeding of four or five thousand men, besides women and children. A plan was wanted all at once for marshalling the people in companies; for making them all sit in line, with clear passages. All was done with infinite ease; and then came a methodical care in the distribution of the food; a methodical plan to prevent waste--and all this by way of methodical attention to little things; the fragments were carefully gathered up, and twelve baskets were filled. Even on the cross the love of order was seen. He could arrange for the comfort of Mary; could remember the last one prophecy about Himself that had to be fulfilled before He died, and know the point when He could utter the triumphant cry, It is finished!

III. Now we come with awe to mark THIS CROWNING INSTANCE OF JEWISH ATTENTION TO FITNESS AND ORDER. Jesus, in the act of conquering death, and in the last moment of the transaction that saves millions of everlasting lives, stops to smooth the shroud, and to put the napkin carefully away into its right place, before He leaves the house of death. A striking instance this of particularity in order, and of attention to the littles! Before John noticed how the linen clothes lay, the sight seems to have had no effect upon him; but when, as the result of close observation, he saw how they had been placed, he knew that Jesus had done this; and that, just like Himself, minutely observant, grandly deliberative, divinely serene, He had risen from the grave.

IV. IT WAS, AND IS, FULL OF INTEREST AS A REVELATION OF THE SAVIOUR HIMSELF. A symbol, through which He now teaches how carefully He counts, watches, manipulates and rectifies all things with which He has to do as the risen Saviour. He has the care of the Church, and is my own personal Saviour. This act reminds me that such a Saviour exactly meets my wants. Events are often in a tangle, and I cannot set them in order; my life is not made up of sublimities, but of little things. As the result of many things, each small and mean, I find myself bereft of spiritual sensitiveness and vivacity, and I am only half awake to the grandest of all realities; so, through a confusion of trifles I am brought into a mood that lays me open to some great temptation; and the smallest detail in my affairs will not be too small for Him to think of if I forget, nor to put in its right place, if this should be more than I can do. (C. Stanford, D. D.)

Order

(Childrens Sermon):--You do not see anything strange at first here. You can fold a napkin neatly yourself! Yes; but this one was found in a grave. The disciples had heard that Christ was risen, and went to see if it was true; and found only some graveclothes and a napkin neatly folded. The soldiers who had been set to watch the grave were very frightened when they found the Lord had risen, and so said that the disciples had come and stolen the Lord away! But the napkin told a different tale. Do you think that anybody would have taken the time or the trouble to fold up the graveclothes? Learn from this

I. THE LORD DOES NOT LOVE DISORDER.

1. He has a place for everything, and puts everything in its place. If we find out where He has put a star, we know quite well where to find that star again; it never gets mislaid. Were it otherwise we would never be able to get on at all! If the sun rose one morning in the west and went down in the east we would not be sure of what he might do next day, for he might come from the south and go down in the north; or worse still might not shine at all!

2. Or, if the Lord did not always do the same things in the same way, so that we could depend upon Him, we would soon be starved; for when the farmer had sown his seeds in the spring-time, winter might suddenly come and then all at once hot summer might set in, and so nothing could be grown in the fields.

3. Isnt there a lesson here? You do not always fold up the napkin: i.e., do things as neatly as you might, and put things in their proper places. How you left that seam you had been sewing How your school-books were scattered about and made you late for school. Slovenly men and women come from careless boys and slatternly girls. Learn now to do as God does.

II. THAT IS THE WAY TO FIND TIME. By the time you have found the things you have mislaid, you might have got through a great many pages of that book you are so fond of. In a chemists shop, there are hundreds of bottles, and many of them all the same size, yet every one contains something different !Now suppose they were all laid down anywhere, and mixed together anyhow, and somebody came and asked for a particular medicine. The chemist might be an hour in finding it, and might even then, in the confusion, give the wrong one and kilt somebody. But he has a place for every one, and puts every one in its place. And so dispenses safely and saves time.

III. IT IS THE WAY TO BE HAPPY. You cant be careless about things without injuring them, and you cant mislay things without becoming fretful; and then you say unpleasant things, and other people say unpleasant things to you, and so wherever there is confusion there comes every evil work. Learn then to do things neatly and at the right time, and put them in their proper places. Order is heavens first rule, and God says He is not the Author of confusion. If you would wish to be Gods children, you must try to be like Him in this also. (J. R. Howat.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 20:1-9. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene alone early, when it was yet dark — See notes on Mat 28:1; Mar 16:1-2; Luk 24:1; where the circumstance of John’s mentioning only Mary Magdalene as visiting the sepulchre, is accounted for, and explained at large. And seeth — With the other women, mentioned by the three other evangelists; the stone taken away from the sepulchre — And that the tomb was open. Probably, in consequence of the distinguished ardour of her affection for her dear Lord and Master, she had advanced a little way before the others, and therefore first discovered that the stone was removed. Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter — That is, after she and the other women had entered into the sepulchre, had made search for the body there, and had not found it, (Luk 24:3,) but before she and they had seen the angels, who informed them that he was risen: for after that it is very improbable that she should speak as the evangelist says she did to Peter, in the next words, They have taken away the Lord, &c., and we know not where they have laid him. Peter, therefore — Upon hearing that the stone was removed, and the body gone; went forth, and that other disciple — Immediately, and made all possible haste to the sepulchre, to satisfy themselves whether what was told them was a fact, and to see if they could make any further discoveries. Some think the other disciples were with Peter and John, when Mary gave them this information; but it seems more probable that she told it only to them; at least, it is evident that only these two went to the sepulchre. So they ran both together — Being eager and anxious to have their doubts cleared up. And the other disciple — John, being probably the younger man; outran Peter, and came first to the sepulchre — He did not, however, go in, perhaps being afraid; he only stooped down; and saw the linen clothes lying — Or rollers which had been about Christ’s body. Then cometh Simon Peter — Following him very quickly; and went into the sepulchre — Without hesitation; and seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, &c. — And that in such regular order as fully satisfied him that the body had not been taken away in a hasty manner, by persons who feared being interrupted or detected. Doubtless, the angels who ministered to him, when he rose, folded up the napkin and the linen clothes, and laid them in this order. Then went in also that other disciple — Who, being less adventurous than Peter, had hitherto stood without; and he saw — That the body was not there; and believed — That it had been taken away, as Mary had told them. Thus Grotius, Bengelius, Wesley, Macknight, Campbell, and most commentators understand the clause, which sense certainly the next words favour. Whitby, however, and Doddridge, view it in a different light. “Peter,” says the former, “only saw and admired what was done; (Luk 24:12;) but John saw and believed, not the words of Mary, for we find not that either of them suspected her of falsehood, but the resurrection of Jesus, or the words of Christ, After three days I will rise again. This, John saith, was the reason of his faith, not the predictions of the Old Testament; for, as for the apostles, (Joh 20:9,) as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” Dr. Doddridge speaks to the same purpose. “I understand it,” says he, “as a modest intimation, that he, (John,) first indeed of all others, believed the truth of Christ’s resurrection, inferring it, as he reasonably mighty from the order in which he found the sepulchre. The words,” adds he, “have a force and grace in this interpretation, which I think no other can give them.” In consistency with this view of the passage, he translates and paraphrases the next verse as follows. “For hitherto they did not know, or had not known, as ουδεπω ηδεισαν properly means; the full meaning of the various intimations of Scripture, to which Jesus had so often referred, to convince them that he must certainly rise from the dead; which if they had considered, they would cheerfully have expected the accomplishment of them, and would not have been so much surprised at the news which Mary brought them.”

Whichever be the sense of the clause, it must, at least, be acknowledged, that the circumstances of which these two disciples were now spectators “were very awakening, and very proper to prepare their minds for something extraordinary, since nothing but the resurrection of Jesus could, in right reason, be concluded from them. The body, they saw, was gone; but by whom could it be taken away, and for what purpose? Not by friends; for then, in all probability, they would have known something about it. Not by Jews; for they had nothing to do with it. Pilate, to whom alone the disposal of it belonged, as the body of a malefactor executed by his orders, had given it to his disciples, who laid it in the sepulchre but two days before: and wherefore should they remove it again so soon? Not to bury it; for in that case they would not have left the linen clothes or winding-sheet, and the napkin, folded up behind them. Whoever, therefore, had removed the body, they could not have done it with a design to bury it, and yet no other purpose for the removal of it could be imagined. Besides, it must have been removed in the night by stealth, and consequently in a hurry. How then came the winding-sheet and napkin to be folded up, and disposed in so orderly a manner in the sepulchre? Add to this, that the stone was very large; and therefore many people must have been concerned in this transaction; not one of whom was there to give an answer to any such questions. These, and such like reflections, could not but rise in their minds, and these difficulties could not but dispose them to expect some extraordinary event; especially as they knew the life of Jesus was a life of miracles, and that his death was attended with prodigies and wonders; all which would now come crowding into their memories.” Still, however, they did not understand from the prophets, that the Messiah was to rise again from the dead: on the contrary, they supposed them to have predicted that he should not die, but abide for ever; which was an additional cause of perplexity to them, and an obstacle to their believing Jesus was risen. See West.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

§ 145, 146.—WOMEN VISIT THE SEPULCHRE, AND ALSO PETER AND Joh_20:1-10.

Mat_28:1-8; Mar_16:1-8; Luk_24:1-12.

In the histories of the resurrection, brought under one view, we may discern a divine, overruling plan, giving a unity to the whole. This symmetry of plan could not have been fabricated by the Evangelists, for each, with evident unconsciousness, furnishes his share without knowing what the other contributes; so that the whole is made up of unintentional parts. Some traits of this design are the following:

(1.) The female sex is here placed in a true position of love to Christ, and of recognition by him, of a kind transcendently raised above all possible imputation of impurity. Women could not be apostles; they could but distantly and reservedly serve our Lord in his life. But here the great compensation is given that they are first witnesses, apostles to the apostles, nighest to Jesus himself in his resurrection state. See note on Luk_1:2.

(2.) The unbelief to which the apostles abandon themselves is made the means of bringing out more fully our Lord’s self-manifestations at his resurrection. Their scepticism is made the instrument for removing the scepticism of all ages.

(3.) There are manifested the various natural degrees of faith. There is the simple faith, ready and sympathizing, of the women, meritorious and crowning because, from a pure heart, believing the testimony of the angels, and clinging in worship at the knees of our Lord. There is the scriptural and truly Christian faith of the two brothers of Emmaus, receiving with burning hearts the verification of prophecy unfolded in the words of Jesus. There is the long and hard unbelief of the apostles under the influence of a variety of feelings, until forced to faith by proof. There is the most exacting rationalism of Thomas, bent on not believing as long as a possibility of deception or doubt remains. Far in the background we descry the depraved, fickle ignorance of the Jewish multitude, the interested infidelity of the hierarchy, and the utter worldly indifference of the Roman power. And thus we have a specimen of pretty much every grade of faith and infidelity that ever exists in the world.

1. When it was yet dark—That is, at the earliest point of time mentioned; and it seems to imply that Mary Magdalene was at start decidedly in advance of the company of women. Throughout she manifests a high tone of character, and an earnest impetuosity, both of thought and manner, marks all her demeanour. As it was through her that John was connected with the entire transaction, it is to her he confines this part of the narrative; not as if ignorant of the other parts, but as if desirous to show his own immediate share.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL NOTES

St. John’s narrative of the Resurrection is not general. He describes how faith in the risen Lord was established in his own case and in the case of the other disciples. But although he does not record all the facts noted in the Synoptic narratives, he incidentally shows that he was aware of them. It is to be remembered that these historical pictures by St. John of the Passion and Resurrection were written for Christians, who were already acquainted with the facts of the Redeemer’s life.

Joh_20:1-2. The first day of the week, etc.—Of the week (τῶν σαββάτων): σάββατον seems to have signified the whole week, the interval between two Sabbaths (Luk_18:12). Mary Magdalene, etc.—There were others with her, as the Synoptists record (Luk_23:55-56; Luk_24:1, etc.). St. John implies this in Joh_20:2, We know not, etc. The stone.—St. John does not mention the fact of its having been placed in the opening of the tomb, but here again he implies his knowledge of the fact. Mary thought that the body of Jesus had been removed when she saw that the stone had been rolled away, and ran with troubled heart to tell the disciples, especially Peter and John. This is in agreement with the record of the angelic message in Mar_16:7.

Joh_20:5-6. Stooping down (παρακύφας).—The word describes, perhaps, both the bending position (bending beside), with the head on a level with the somewhat low opening, and the eager, penetrating gaze into the semi-darkness of the sepulchre. Simon Peter was not content with this, but went in, and, as the word (θεωρεῖ) expresses, looked carefully and observantly at the various details presented to his view.

Joh_20:7. Napkin.—A sudarium (σουδάριον), tied probably under the chin.

Joh_20:9. They knew not the Scripture, etc.—Even though Jesus had impressed upon them the truth that He must die and would rise again, apparently the disciples were altogether unprepared, even to the last, for what had occurred on Calvary. Thus the first announcement of the Resurrection seemed to some of them to be “an idle tale” (Luk_24:11).

Joh_20:11. Mary, etc.—She had returned after telling the disciples about the empty tomb.

Joh_20:12. Two angels, etc.—Seated as if they had been guarding the body while it rested in the tomb, and had remained to testify that God had given His angels charge concerning His Son’s sacred body, which was not to see corruption (Psa_16:10; Psa_91:11). This was a special appearance of the angels to Mary (see Luk_24:4).

Joh_20:13. She saith unto them, etc.—The one thought occupied her (Joh_20:2). Now evidently she is alone, as her language shows: I know not, etc.

Joh_20:14-15. And when she had thus said, etc.—Turning away sorrowfully from contemplating the tomb, her eye rested on another presence. Why did she not recognise who it was? It may be that “her eyes were holden,” as in the case of the two on the way to Emmaus (Luk_24:16; Mar_16:12). Jesus saith, etc.—These are evidently the first words of the risen Lord (Mar_16:9). Whom seekest thou?—A person, not a dead, inanimate form. The gardener.—And therefore a servant of Joseph of Arimathæa, and friendly. She supposes he can throw some light on the mystery; that perhaps, for some good purpose, the body had been removed.

Joh_20:16. Jesus saith, etc.—Mary seems to have turned again to the sepulchre, for when Jesus spoke she turned herself, and saith unto Him [in Hebrew], Rabbuni (רבּוּבִי).—The phrase in brackets is included in the Greek MSS. The familiar voice addressing her in her own name at once revealed to Mary who it was who spoke. Rabbuni.—My teacher, a term of reverence and respect.

Joh_20:17. Touch Me not (μή μου ἅπτου, cling to Me not).—Mary had to unlearn much in her conceptions of Christ, and He begins now to lead her to higher knowledge. He did not mean to repel the mere touch (for see Joh_20:27), but to teach Mary that she must have different conceptions now of her divine Master and Lord. She must not cling to His mere outward presence (2Co_5:16-17). She must seek to rise to that communion of the new creature with the risen Lord which would be enjoyed in highest measure when He had ascended to the Father, according to His promise (Joh_14:23). But even now she must seek chiefly for this blessed communion. Then Christ gives her to do something that is far more glorious than any mere external clinging to Him. He gave her a commission to perform for Him—Go to My brethren (Mar_16:7; Mat_28:10). Through His redeeming work His true disciples have become joint heirs with Him in the heavenly inheritance. They are no longer slaves, or even friends—they are brethren in the Lord (Act_1:15-16; Heb_2:10-17). I am ascending.—The process of ascension, so to speak, had begun; the delay of its final step was for the disciples’ sake. My Father, whose Son I am by essential nature; your Father through redeeming grace (see Westcott, in loc.). My God He says as the incarnate Son.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.—Joh_20:1-18

Joh_20:1-10. The resurrection of the Redeemer.—How long and cold soever the winter may be it cannot prevent the advent of spring. Its storms may be fierce and terrible. It might seem sometimes as if nature could not live under their fury. But they pass at last; and then even under the calm of the last chilling frosts men are sensible of the coming change, when the ice-bound waters and the hardened ground will be freed from the power of winter, when the hidden plants will begin to come to light, and the life of nature awaking from wintry sleep will pulsate in all her animated realms. In this part of Gospel history we see the beginning of a new and better period for humanity. The winter of humanity had passed away, the dark time of alienation between God and men, when storms of wrath were dreaded. But now there was “peace on earth.” The storm had expended its worst fury on Him who lay in Joseph’s tomb. The wintry time that had begun in Eden was about to break in joy-giving spring in that garden near Calvary.

I. The place and time of the Resurrection.—

1. The Sabbath dawned peacefully on the garden where was Joseph’s tomb, and the place was still and peaceful during the Sabbath hours, save that a Roman guard appeared to set a seal on the stone which had been rolled to the opening of the sepulchre (Mat_27:62-66).

2. In the evening perhaps their vigilance was redoubled; and the silent night passed on, until when the morning watch drew near a portent occurred. The firm earth quaked, the sealed stone was rolled away by invisible power from the opening of the tomb, and a heavenly watcher appeared before whom the Roman guard quailed and fled to the city (Mat_28:2-4).

3. It was in the night when the Saviour rose, before the dawn of morning; and with His rising dawned a new and brighter day for the human race, the beginning of a glad new year of salvation and grace to men. In this history of the Resurrection it does appear as if there were a harmony between the natural and spiritual worlds. When Jesus died the sun was darkened, nature put on a funeral pall. But when Jesus rose the dawn was near to breaking, and soon the sun would herald the advent of a new day. It was fitting that the light of humanity should thus usher in the new spiritual day.

4. The place of resurrection then was Joseph’s tomb, the time the last watch just before the dawn. “There where the noble seed had been laid with reverent sorrow (Psalms 126) it sprang up to sudden verdure and fruitfulness.” In that place round which tears of sorrow had been wept in the night joy came with the resurrection morning. There where the hopes of ardent disciples had been buried they were awakened to perpetual bloom.

5. He who rested in that tomb saw no corruption. The tomb itself had hitherto been untenanted; and He who now rested in it for a season could not be holden by the bands of death. The heavy stone could not impede His passage. He who voluntarily laid down His life had power to take it again (Joh_10:18). He died freely, willingly; but because He the innocent died for the guilty vicariously death had no power over Him. Therefore His spirit returned from its sojourn in paradise. Unmarked by human eye did the divine Father’s power awake the Son from His sleep, and the Son resumed His life again (Rom_8:11; Eph_1:20; Act_2:24; Rom_1:4; Rom_6:4) in order to appear in His glorified body, freed from the bounds of space and time, to testify to His disciples that He had really risen again, ere He entered on His full glory in the presence of the Father.

II. The Resurrection revived the dead hopes of the disciples.—

1. How graphic are the Gospel narratives of the resurrection of Jesus! Ere the dawn of the morning of the first day of the week, ere the light of the stars had faded, the little company of women who had lingered by the cross, and had seen where the Lord’s body had been laid, might have been seen approaching the sepulchre. They had perplexedly asked each other who should remove the heavy stone from the tomb’s mouth. But as they drew near even in the dim twilight they saw that the stone had been rolled away.

2. In haste one of the company, Mary Magdalene, ran to tell the disciples who were evidently closest to Jesus—Peter and John. The Gospel graphically depicts the excitement and amazement with which the news filled the disciples, and thus indirectly their failure in faith and hope. But now with hope reviving in their beating hearts, as the sayings and promises of Jesus began to crowd in again on the memory, they both ran in haste toward the garden sepulchre.

3. John being younger, ran in advance, more quickly than Peter, and reached the sepulchre first: in his agitation, and with feelings of awe and perhaps fear, he did not enter the tomb, yet looking in saw the linen cloths, which had wrapped the body, lying apart. But when Peter came, with characteristic impulse he entered the tomb, followed by John. And what they saw showed that the body had not been taken away to be interred elsewhere—that whatever had been done, had been done in orderly fashion. And when John saw he believed. A light clearer than that of morning was shed on Scripture and the sayings of Jesus which hitherto had been dark to them. But what they now saw revived their faith and hope.

III. The Resurrection has brought hope to humanity.—

1. It has brought the hope of reconciliation and peace with God. That for which men longed in all the ages is given at the empty tomb of Jesus to them that believe. Acceptance with God and peace and joy in His service were the ends aimed at in all the religions, the rites and sacrifices, of the past. And these ends were fully attained only when the cry “It is finished” rang from the cross on Calvary. But it could only be known that this was so, and that the great expiatory sacrifice of Jesus was accepted, when He was “declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom_1:4).

2. And from this follows the foundation of a second great hope—the hope of immortality—not only a pale, shadowy existence for the spirit beyond the sphere of this life, but for all those united to Christ in His death, so that they die unto sin—the hope of a blessed life for the whole man. They look for the appearing of the Saviour, who at His coming shall speak, and the dead shall hear (Joh_5:25), and shall change the body of their humiliation, that it may be conformed unto the body of His glory, etc. (Php_3:21).

3. These blessed hopes form a spring of Christian endeavour which has brought blessing to all men. Animated by it, men and women have laboured for the unseen and eternal, and have raised life higher, made it more unworldly and self-sacrificing, because they have “set their affections on things above,” etc. (Col_3:1, etc.). And it has become a source of living spiritual energy, inspiring men to nobler effort in the service of God and man.

Lesson.—The first day of the week was the day of Christ’s resurrection, i.e. on the same day on which Creation was begun was the restitution of the fallen world begun, and hope given to men of a new and higher life. “He died for all, that they which live,” etc. “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation,” etc. (2Co_5:15; 2Co_5:17). “We are buried with Him by baptism unto His death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life” (Rom_6:4). Has the winter of the old life passed away, with its storms of passion, its coldness of alienation, its fruitlessness in good? And has the new eternal year begun to move in all the nature, to bourgeon and shoot forth with promise of fruit to God? This can come only through Christ. “God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him” (1Th_5:9-10).

“Can all the wiles of art, the grasp of power,

Snatch the rich relics of a well-spent hour?

These, when the trembling spirit wings his flight,

Pour round his path a stream of living light,

And gild those pure and perfect realms of rest,

Where virtue triumphs, and her sons are blest.”—Rogers.

Joh_20:1-8. Easter.—It is the festival of Easter we celebrate. Our Christian festivals are more than simple festivals of remembrance. The facts and marvels of redemption on which they are founded have an eternal significance, a perpetual influence. Those facts and wonders we live over with each other; they pass before our eyes; they impress their influence upon us. To-day we gather together at the grave in Joseph’s garden, and keep Easter with each other. We consider:—

I. The sympathy which it awakens.—

1. Its impression was felt in the dominion of death, whose gates were burst asunder, and whose prince was bound and led captive.

2. Participation in it extends to heaven. All good spirits praise God the Lord, offer to the victor their reverence, and receive their commission for the Easter proclamation which went forth from the grave of the risen One, by the mouth of the angel, and has re-echoed down the centuries.

3. The participation in it extends to earth. Earth and sun take part in the victory of Easter. Men and women come together to the open grave. Wounded consciences and sick souls are healed. Easter songs of triumph are sung of the riven bonds of the tomb and of the opened heaven.

II. The special facts which it emphasises.—

1. An Easter Church is there, the empty tomb, this place of a mighty victory, this birthplace of all light, which lights up the darkness of life, this place of refuge of those forsaken, this field of victory of those who strive, this workroom of eternal life, this lofty choir of the worshipping Church, where all Christian worship took its beginning—this Easter Church, which has been the foundation of all other Easter Churches.

2. An Easter preacher is there—the Easter sermon is entrusted to one of the blessed spirits who ever stand before God’s face.

3. The Easter sermon has as its purport, “Fear not,” etc. It brings comfort; it awakens repentance; for it commands not to seek the living among the dead. It tells of victory; sin, death, the grave, are conquered. It demands faith: He is not here. The women must first believe, then they will behold. Thus too with us.

III. The impression which it leaves.—“The disciples again departed,” etc. Our hearts also sometimes fluctuate between fear and joy, between doubt and faith, until they become joyful Easter hearts.—Appuhn, in J. L. Sommer’s “Evang. Per.”

Joh_20:9. Grounds of belief in the resurrection of the Lord.—The lines of proof of this great fact may be briefly pointed out as follows:—

I. The confident declaration of the apostles that Jesus had risen from the dead shortly after His crucifixion.—They were not expecting that this would occur. The disciples seemed to be about to disperse, thinking their beautiful dream was over. When the women related the vision of their risen Lord, their words seemed to the disciples to be “idle tales,” vain imaginations. Two of the company even, disbelieving the vision, and with hope extinguished, were travelling sadly toward their distant home. But if this were their attitude on the third day after the Crucifixion, how quickly was it changed. In little more than a month’s time we find those desponding, doubting disciples proclaiming boldly, in the midst of adversaries, all too willing to overthrow them, that Jesus had risen from the dead. The enemies of the apostles, not being able to confute their assertions, tried to put them to silence by persecution and imprisonment. But the disciples only persisted more earnestly in their proclamation. Strangely enough, one of the most bigoted of their persecutors (one called Saul of Tarsus) himself became convinced, and preached fervently that doctrine, for holding which he had persecuted the apostles. And it is in the history of his life, and in his Epistles, that this fact is most prominently dwelt upon. Even the most rationalistic and sceptical of modern critics allow that the great Epistles of St. Paul and the Book of Acts were products of the apostolic age, and authentic; so that these facts are admitted beyond doubt. How then can this fact be accounted for, unless by admitting that it occurred as narrated in the Book of Acts and Paul’s Epistles? The adversaries of the apostle Paul—even the Judaisers—never called this fact in question. On the contrary St. Paul uses it—uses the fact that the risen Christ had appeared to him—as a proof of his apostleship, to show that he was really the called of God. Had the resurrection of Jesus, then, not been a fact, nothing would have been easier than to disprove it. But the Jews at Jerusalem could not do so. And such men as Gamaliel, who would not stoop to subterfuge and lying, saw that it was the part of wisdom to let these men alone, at all events.

II. The very day on which we meet for worship is an ever-standing proof of this great truth.—What except the occurrence of some such outstanding event would have led men, trained as strict Jews, and who at first did not believe that Jesus had risen, to have changed a custom and tradition bound up with the very existence of their religion? And yet practically they changed the day of rest, meeting together (excepting when in Jewish communities, and then on both days) on the first day of the week instead of the seventh. Why, unless in memory of this event, and because on that day Jesus first appeared to them when He had risen from the dead? In the same way the Church festival of Easter—the only one that can claim a high antiquity, leading up to apostolic times (although the name Easter in the north indicates that the Church united it with the ancient Teutonic springtide festival)—shows from collateral history that the fact of Christ’s resurrection was universally believed in the Church during the apostolic age.

III. The promises that Jesus in His own words, as recorded in the Gospels, made dependent on His resurrection have all been fulfilled.—He promised that after His death His disciples should see Him for a little while, and that then He should go to the Father; that He would send them the Holy Spirit to be their comforter and guide. The books granted by all to be contemporary with the apostles tell how these promises were fulfilled. The divine Spirit did descend on them—at all events after the crucifixion and ascension we find the apostles animated with a new spiritual life. They were invested with spiritual power, and gifted with various tongues. All this was in accordance with Christ’s promise that He would send them power from on high. In a few years His words were literally fulfilled. The apostles and their followers became His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judæa, etc. Conquests of the gospel in the present day also, in accordance with Christ’s promises and predictions, lend additional force to the argument. They are proofs before our own eyes of the working of the Spirit of our risen Lord. When we see men of idolatrous and barbarous nations rising through the gospel to a higher life, when we see individuals who had been living for self and in sin become changed in character and life by this gospel, we see there an evidence that “Christ hath risen from the dead” and is “alive for evermore.”

IV. The number and character of the witnesses to the resurrection.—St. Paul truly said to King Agrippa that “these things were not done in a corner.” First, the pious women and the disciples saw Him; then the “five hundred brethren at once,” and the whole Church at Jerusalem to the number of one hundred and twenty, many of whom also would be witnesses of His ascension. It would be a circumstance almost, if not wholly miraculous, if it could be proved that such numbers of people could be self-deceived—especially as the number contained many of known probity and intelligence. No doubt the number included more than one man of the stamp of Thomas. The whole mental and moral position also of a man like St. Paul forbids the supposition of self-deception. Were the disciples and their followers deceivers then? If so, to what end? See in 2 Corinthians 11 a sketch of the manner of life of those early preachers of the cross—a life of hardship, etc. Truly St. Paul might say, “If in this life only,” etc. (1Co_15:19). Their character also, and the lofty morality and spirituality of the doctrines they proclaimed, exclude all idea of wilful deception so far as they are concerned. One of the leading rationalistic theological thinkers of Germany (De Wette), after a long life spent in the investigation of the New Testament in a keen, critical spirit, came at last to the conclusion that, although the manner of the resurrection may be a mystery, yet the fact is one that cannot be overturned any more than any other firmly established historical fact.

Joh_20:11-18. Mary Magdalene at the tomb of Jesus.—Mary Magdalene! Hers becomes a deeply interesting figure in these closing scenes. She is the last at the cross, the first at the tomb. And there are few passages in the gospel narrative more really beautiful than that which is before us. There are those, of course, who feel conscientiously and solemnly bound to accept tradition. And tradition mixes up Mary of Magdala with “the woman which was a sinner,” who anointed the Saviour’s feet in the house of Simon the Pharisee (Luk_7:36-50). But if we take simply what Scripture says to us, and let tradition shift for itself—as probably some of us are quite prepared to do—then we are bound to hold that these two women are perfectly distinct and different persons.

I. Mary’s love to the Redeemer.—Mary of Magdala was healed by our Lord of a terrible mental or spiritual malady, but Scripture nowhere tells us she had been—in the sense in which the word is evidently applied to the other woman—“a sinner.” Surely there is a wide difference! Some of us may have dear friends who were for a time Asylum patients, or who once wildly raved and struggled in fever-delirium, but we don’t think or speak of them as having been (in that particular sense of the word) sinners! Tradition is not infallible. It may have erred in this, as in other things. And it is certainly far more pleasant to look at the picture which Scripture holds up to us—that of a woman (there is at least some shadow of reason for believing, a lady, of good worldly position) to whom, in God’s providence, life for long years had been very burdensome and bitter. Happy they who have never chanced to know how sore such an affliction is. No wonder, when that woman came back—“herself” again—to happy life, that she bore deep reverence and solemn tender love within her heart to Him whose word and touch had dispelled the dark cloud, and brought gladsome light once more into the Magdala home. And who can doubt that He whose word restored and blessed that woman’s mind, did even likewise for that woman’s soul! that the richer, higher blessings of spiritual life and health were bestowed by the Saviour’s hand. Thus rescued, and thus blessed, the remainder of that woman’s life was nobly, solemnly, tenderly, anxiously devoted to the Saviour’s cause. That was the ship that held her heart within it. No love was ever given to the cause of Christ more pure and true than that of Mary’s heart. And (excepting that of the virgin mother’s, and, it may be, that of Mary of Bethany) no heart was more sorely pierced at Calvary than the heart of Mary of Magdala.

II. Mary at the empty tomb.—How beautifully lifelike is the story of her coming thus to the empty tomb! It is the very picture (in little homely touches that tell) of a bewildered, distracted woman. She has come in the early morning, and found the door stone removed. She has rushed to summon Peter and John. They have come, and gone in, and found that the body was away; and the poor helpless men turn homeward broken-hearted. She cannot leave the place. She is in a state in which she knows not what she does, and, in some interval in her bursts of grief, she bends down and abstractedly gazes into the tomb. The angels speak to her, and her mind is so distraite, so bewildered with grief, she answers them quite simply as though she spoke to two mortals like herself. Oh! the tone of distracted grief that rings in that cry, “They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him!” She turns wildly round while she says it, as though looking everywhere for that which she had lost. The Lord Himself—within a few feet of her—speaks, echoes the angels’ question, “Why weepest thou?” and adds the still more home question, “Whom seekest thou?” And still Mary, too completely grief-stricken and grief bewildered to recognise the supernatural, answers as though to a common man—the man in charge of the ground—surely he may know something. “Sir! if thou hast borne Him hence!” etc.

III. Rabboni.—Who has not often tried to think of the tone in which that one word “Mary” was spoken? True, her own name was uttered, but there was more than that. We all know how tones live in memory, and that “Mary” probably called back to her the time when its utterance brought her spirit out from demon-darkness into light and peace. “Mary”—its utterance brought back later days of holy teaching. It brought back the Teacher, the Saviour, the Lord Himself! and then Mary flung herself at the Saviour’s feet with that first glad resurrection cry that issued from the Church on earth—“Rabboni!” Who can think of the tone in which that was uttered!—Rev. Thomas Hardy.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Joh_20:1. The Lord’s day a memorial of the Resurrection.—Well might that day, which carried with it a remembrance of that great deliverance from the Egyptian servitude, resign all the sanctity and solemnity due unto it, when the morning once appeared upon which a far greater redemption was confirmed. One day of seven was set apart by God in imitation of His rest upon the creation of the world, and that seventh day, which was sanctified to the Jews, was reckoned in relation to their deliverance from Egypt. At the second delivery of the law we find this particular cause assigned, “Remember that thou wast a servant in the land of Egypt, and that the Lord thy God brought thee out thence through a mighty hand and by a stretched-out arm; therefore the Lord thy God commandeth thee to keep the Sabbath day.” Now this could not be any special reason why the Jews should observe a seventh day; first, because in reference to their redemption the number of seven had no more relation than any other number; secondly, because the reason of a seventh day was before rendered in the body of the commandment itself. There was, therefore, a double reason rendered by God why the Jews should keep that Sabbath which they did: one special as to a seventh day, to show they worshipped that God who was the creator of the world; the other individual as to that seventh day, to signify their deliverance from the Egyptian bondage, from which that seventh day was dated. Seeing, then, upon the resurrection of our Saviour a greater deliverance and far more plenteous redemption was wrought than that of Egypt, and therefore a greater observance was due unto it than to that, the individual determination of the day did pass upon a stronger reason to another day, always to be repeated by a seventhly return upon the reference to the creation. As there was a change in the year at the coming out of Egypt, by the command of God,—“This month,” the month Abib, shall be “unto you the beginning of months, it shall be the first month of the year to you,”—so at this time of a more eminent deliverance a change was wrought in the hebdomadal or weekly account, and the first day is made the seventh, or the seventh after that first is sanctified. The first day, because on that Christ rose from the dead; and the seventh day from that first for ever, because He who rose upon that day was the same God who created the world, and rested on the seventh day: “For by Him were all things created,” etc. (Col_1:16). This day did the apostles from the beginning most religiously observe by their meeting together for holy purposes and to perform religious duties. The first observation was performed providentially, rather by the design of God than by any such inclination or intention of their own; for “the same day,” saith the Evangelist, that is, the day on which Christ rose from the dead, “at evening, being the first day of the week, the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews.” The second observation was performed voluntarily, for “after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them”: the first day of the week, when Christ rose, by the Providence of God the disciples were together, but Thomas was absent; upon the first day of the next week they were all met together again in expectation of our Saviour, and Thomas with them.… From this resurrection of our Saviour, and the constant practice of the apostles, this first day of the week came to have the name of the “Lord’s day,” and is so called by St. John, who says of himself in the Revelation, “I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day.” And thus the observation of that day which the Jews did sanctify ceased, and was buried with our Saviour; and in the stead of it the religious observation of that day on which the Son of God rose from the dead, by the constant practice of the blessed apostles, was transmitted to the Church of God, and so continued in all ages.—Bishop Pearson.

Joh_20:1-8. The meaning of the Resurrection for Christ’s people.—The risen life had its clearly defined obligations no less than its glorious privileges. Those who had in very deed shared in Christ’s resurrection-life should seek things above the level of that tomb which, with Him, and through Him, they had left behind. A consideration this, sufficiently practical, and peculiarly suited to the Paschal season. Brighter far than any other days in the Christian year for the living members of God’s redeemed family are the forty days through which we now are passing. At the thought of the divine Saviour’s triumph over death, the Christian heart swells with a joy, nay, almost with a chastened pride. In the realm of spiritual life, Easter feelings seem to correspond to that union of deep thankfulness and of triumphant exultation with which an Englishman, at any rate of the last generation was wont to hail the anniversary of Waterloo. “The Lord hath risen indeed, and hath appeared unto Simon” (Luk_24:34). He has risen, and we Christians have a share in His resurrection. “This is the day,” etc. (Psa_118:24).… But high spirits are not without their attendant dangers; and it is never so necessary to insist upon the practical aspects of a truth, as when we are being carried along by the full tide of buoyant feeling which has been stimulated by dwelling on it. “Risen with Christ.” Observe the relation in which the miraculous, external, historical fact, that Jesus Christ our Lord rose from the dead, is made to stand to the practical spiritual Christian life. In the earliest teaching of the apostles the Resurrection prominently dominates over all other Christian doctrines. That which chiefly gives it this early prominence is manifestly its evidential value. With the apostles, especially in the Pentecostal period, Christ’s resurrection is the palmary proof, the invincible assertion of the truth of Christianity. The story how Jesus, after being crucified and buried, rose in triumphant life from His grave, provokes, as Jewish multitudes listen to it, a sense of wondering awe. It rouses the attention even of the most indifferent; and the interest thus created is deepened by reflection; in the event, it is deepened and consolidated into a defined conviction of the truth of the religion of Jesus Christ. The Resurrection is thus the usual, the effective weapon, by which the apostles force their way through the dense obstructive blocks of Jewish or heathen thought around them.—H. P. Liddon.

The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary (gen. ed. Joseph S. Exell; Funk & Wagnalls, c. 1892) — public domain (pre-1929). A full-Bible homiletical/sermon-outline anthology covering 65 of 66 books (2 John is absent from the source module). Text from a community e-Sword module.

SEVENTH SECTION

The finished victory of Christ over the world and the kingdom of darkness, and His manifestation in the circle of His disciples. Christ demonstrates His victory by banishing the last remnants of darkness, grief and unbelief from His Church and making it sure of His resurrection

John 20

I

HOW THE RISEN ONE DOTH BY THE GRAVE-SIGNS PREPARE HIS PEOPLE FOR THE SIGNS OF HIS LIFE

Joh_20:1-10

(Mat_28:1-15; Mar_16:1-11; Luk_24:1-12.)

1[And, or, But on] The first day of the week [sabbath week] cometh Mary [the ἡ] Magdalene early, when [while] it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre [to the tomb], and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre [out of the tomb]. 2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved [as a friend, ἐφίλει]1, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord2 out of the sepulchre [tomb], and we know not where they have laid him. 3Peter therefore went forth [ἐξῆλθεν], and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre [and were going toward the tomb, καὶ ἤρχοντο εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον]. 4So they ran [And they were running, ἔτρεχον δέ] both together: and the other disciple did outrun [προέδραμε Peter, and came [ἦλθε] first to the sepulchre. 5And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. [And stooping down, 6he seeth (παρακύψας3 βλέπει) the linen clothes lying; yet he did not go in]. Then cometh [also]4 Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, [tomb] and seeth the linen clothes lie [and beholdeth the linen clothes lying, κ. θεωρεῖ5 τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα, comp. Joh_20:11]. 7And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with 8the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then [Then therefore, τότε οὖν] went in also that [the, ὁ] other disciple, which [who] came first to the sepulchre [tomb], and he saw, and believed. 9For as yet they knew not [or, For not even yet did they know, οὐδέπω γὰρ ᾔδεισαν] the Scripture, that he must rise 10again from the dead. Then [So] the disciples went away again unto their own [omit own] home.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

On the various presentations of the resurrection-history see Comm. on Matthew [p. 541, Am. Ed. The literature, p. 542]. In particular also Doedes, De Jesu in vitam redittu, 1841; Tholuck, Glaubwürdigkeit der evang. Gesch., 5. Abschnitt. Ebrard, p. 575; the author’s Leben Jesu, II. 3, p. 1669.

[On the chronology of the events of the Resurrection Meyer says (p. 643 note): “It is impossible to harmonize the differences between John and the Synoptists, and those between the latter, but the grand fact itself and the principal features of the history stand out all the more sure.” So also Alford in loc., who sees in the very failure of harmonistic attempts a strong corroboration of the truth of the evangelical narratives. “It is quite impossible that so astounding an event, coming upon various portions of the body of disciples from various quarters and in various forms, should not have been related, by four independent witnesses, in the scattered and fragmentary way in which we now find it. In the depth beneath this varied surface of narration rests the great central fact of the resurrection itself, unmoved and immovable. As it was this above all other things to which the Apostle bore their testimony, so in their testimony to this we have the most remarkable proof of each having faithfully elaborated into narrative those particular facts which came under his own eye or were repeated to himself by those concerned. Hence the great diversity in this portion of the narrative:—and hence I believe much that is now dark might be explained, were the facts themselves, in their order of occurrence, before us. Till that is the case (and I am willing to believe that it will be one of our delightful employments hereafter, to trace the true harmony of the Holy Gospels, under His teaching of whom they are the record), we must be content to walk by faith, and not by sight. We must also remember in this case, that our Evangelist is selecting his points of narrative with a special purpose,—to show us how the belief of the disciples was brought out and completed after the unbelief of Israel; comp. Joh_20:30-31.”—P. S.]

Joh_20:1. The first day of the Sabbath-week [τῇδὲμιᾷτῶ νσ αββάτων].—On the μία [=πρώτη, see Mar_16:9] τῶνσαββάτων [σάββατα=week], see Comm. on Matthew, Mat_28:1 [p. 544]. [The first day of the week is now properly called, on account, of the Lord’s Resurrection, the Lord’s Day, ἡ κυριακὴ ἡμέρα (Rev_1:10). It has taken the place of the Jewish Sabbath: the substance remained (weekly day of holy rest), the form changed (from the seventh to the first day of the week) with reference to the great fact of the Resurrection whereby our redemption or the new creation was completed. On that day the Lord appeared to His disciples with His peace-greeting, and on that day He sent His Holy Spirit, and founded the Christian Church. The Christian Sabbath blends the memories of creative and redemptive love, is the connecting link between paradise lost and paradise regained, the continuation of Pentecost, and the preparation and pledge of the eternal Sabbath-feast (σαββατισμός, Heb_4:9) in heaven.—P. S.]

Cometh Mary the Magdalene.—See Comm. on Matthew, chap. 28. [540 ff.], particularly Mat_27:61 [534, 537]. [On Magdalene see my notes on Joh_11:2, pp. 340, 341. Also the beautiful Easter hymn, “Pone luctum, Magdalena!” “Mary! put thy grief away,” or, “Still thy sorrow, Magdalena,” in Daniel’s Thes. hymnol., II. 365, and my Christ in Song, Lond. ed. p. 200 ff.—P.S]. The exclusive mention of the Magdalene finds its explanation not simply in the fact that John received the following report from her lips (Tholuck), but also in the desire of the Evangelist to make her peculiar experiences illustrative, in concrete form, of a chief manifestation of the Risen One; a similar motive induces his detailed description of the experience of Thomas. That she, moreover, did not go alone to the grave, is demonstrated by the οἴδαμεν Joh_20:2; though, according to Meyer, Brückner and Ebrard [Alford], this expression sprang from the fellow-feeling of those nearest to Jesus. Tholuck rightly rejects this interpretation of the plural, since she is speaking to disciples who are as yet ignorant of the grand fact which she announces—viz. the absence of the Lord’s body from the sepulchre. Meyer groundlessly makes a counter-poise of the οὐκ οἶδα Joh_20:13. [In Joh_20:13 Mary Magdalene speaks in her own name].

Early, it being yet dark [πρωΐ, σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης].—From this touch, compared with the account of Mark, Joh_16:2, “at the rising of the sun,” it is clearly proved that she, in the impatience of her longing, must have hastened in advance of the other women, Mary the mother of James, and Salome. [So also Luthardt and Ewald]. See Comm. on Mark [p. 156 Am. Ed.]

The stone lifted away (moved away) out of the tomb [βλέπει τὸν λίθον ἠρμένον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου—the stone had been fitted into the mouth of the tomb which was hewn in a rocky elevation, see Mar_15:3-4.—P. S.].—The stone now lies sideways by the opening of the tomb, which is conceived of as a perpendicular excavation. See Comm. on Mark [p. 156 Am. Ed.]

Joh_20:2. And cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple.—A characteristic historical trait. So soon as she perceives the opening of the sepulchre, like lightning comes the thought—the body is stolen;—so deep is her conception of the unfathomable iniquity and treachery of the foe. Women usually seek counsel and help from men. We need not (with Bengel) infer from the repetition of the καὶ πρός, that the two disciples were not together. Mary was in want not only of the one, but also of the other.

Whom Jesus loved [as a friend, ο͂ν ἐφίλειὁ ’Ιησοῦς].—Whom He honored with His particular friendship. The other disciple: See Joh_1:35-40; Joh_18:15; Joh_20:8. Whom Jesus loved: Joh_13:23; Joh_19:26; Joh_21:7; Joh_20:20.

They have taken away the Lord [ἧραν τὸν κύριον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου].—A fore judgment of fear in the love not yet perfect; an error, starting up and vanishing on the way to truth.

Joh_20:4. So they both were running together [ἔτρεχον δὲ οἱ δύο ὁμοῦ. Mark the change of the aorists and the descriptive imperfects in Joh_20:3-4; comp. Joh_4:30. The characteristic details, Joh_20:4-8, the liveliness, circumstantiality, and inner truth of this narrative betray unmistakably an eye-witness. Such things cannot be invented.—P. S.] A lively picture of their excitement. The going turns to running, the moderate running to a running with all their might, in which John takes the lead of Peter. The characteristicalness of these facts, presented in accordance with the lively recollection of John, is uninventibly striking and significant. We cannot, however, infer that Peter, as the elder, possessed less of general physical strength (Tholuck). Elasticity in running is a quality peculiar to youth. According to Lampe and Luthardt, Peter’s consciousness of guilt helped to make him slower. This assumption, truly, is not vindicated by Joh_20:6. And yet at that moment, at sight of the empty sepulchre, the pressure on heart and conscience which weighed him down, perchance, at first, might be lifted.

Joh_20:5. Yet he did not go in [οὐ μέντοι εἰσῆλθεν].—On the way to the tomb, John’s pace was more winged than that of Peter. On reaching the grave, however, he seems to be fettered first by the fear of a sad discovery, then by awe, and his astonishment at the orderly disposed linen clothes, i.e. the sign of the foreboding of another issue than that conjectured by Mary Magdalene. According to Ammon, his entrance was prevented by a fear of defilement; according to Meyer, by natural dread. The former view is contradicted by his stooping down; the latter by his narrow observation of the signs in the sepulchre. The contemplative disciple stands still, lost in meditation upon the new signs. Now, therefore, Peter steps forward, as the one endowed with more practical decision, and goes before him into the sepulchre. Precisely similar is the trait presented Joh_21:7, where John is the first to recognize the Lord, Peter the first to hasten to him by swimming. Hence, it would seem, Peter alone is mentioned Luk_24:12. (By Strauss and Baur this trait is explained as originating in tendencies in favor of John.)—Aorist, Imperfect, and Present forms alternate right significantly in this lively narrative.—And he beholdeth, θεωρεῖ, in contradistinction to the βλέπει of John—the three signs in the sepulchre giving proof of a thoroughly tranquil occurrence, in contrast to a tumultuous ravishment: 1. The grave-clothes are not carried away as they naturally would have been if the body had been stolen. 2. The linen-clothes and the napkin, which latter enwrapped the head (see Joh_11:44; Luk_19:20), are separated and laid away in an orderly manner. 3. The napkin is even lying, wrapped together, in a place by itself.

Joh_20:8. Then went in, therefore, the other disciple also [τότε οὗν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ὁ ἄλλος μαθητὴς ὁ ἐλθὼν πρῶτος εἱς τὸ μνημεῖον].—The precedence of Peter puts an end to John’s fear, or rather, as we think, to his contemplative standing still. Hitherto he seems to have been disturbed by not seeing the head-cloth from his station on the outside of the sepulchre, because of its being laid in a separate place.

And he saw and believed [καὶ εἶδε καὶ ἐπίστευσεν].—These signs were sufficient to make him believe in the resurrection of Jesus. He believed, differently construed: 1. What Magdalene reported (Augustine, Theophylact, Erasmus, Luther, Bengel and others). 2. The resurrection signs (Chrysostom, Euthymius, Lücke and others).

Joh_20:9. For not even yet did they understand the scripture [οὐδέπω γὰρ ᾕδεισαν τὴν γραφὴν ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστῆναι—comp. Psa_16:10; Psalms 110; Isa_53:8; Isa_53:10; Zec_6:12-13; Act_2:24 ff; Act_8:32-33].—The declarations of Jesus concerning His resurrection could not have become absolutely doubtful to them, except in reference to their literal meaning. A figurative interpretation so readily suggested itself to their little faith, recollecting, as they did, the figurative phraseology in which Jesus was wont to express Himself. Therefore we need not suppose, with Meyer, that His declarations were not so distinct as reported by the Synoptists. The Johannean ones see Joh_2:21; Joh_8:28; Joh_10:18; Joh_12:24; Joh_12:32; the farewell-discourses. Their understanding of the Old Testament was not sufficiently advanced to induce them, on the strength of its predictions, to expect a literal resurrection of the Messiah. Yet but these signs, here given, were needed to give John the resurrection faith,and henceforth the meaning of the Scripture might become entirely clear to them. See Luk_24:26 ff., Luk_24:46; Act_1:3. Tholuck: “Whilst this their πιστεύειν, though a religious one, did nevertheless rest on the sensuous substratum of appearance [ocular evidence], that upon the foundation of Scripture was the higher, for it mediated a consciousness of what the idea of a crucified Messiah demanded.”

Joh_20:10. So the disciples went away again unto their home [ἀπῆλθον οὐν πάλιν πρὸς αὐτοὺς οἱ μαθηταί].—Anxiously they awaited the further issue; John tranquillized at bottom. It is not stated that Peter also believed already. Probably the special appearance of Jesus, vouchsafed him on that Easter-day (Luk_24:34; comp. Joh_20:12; 1Co_15:5), served not only for his personal tranquillization in respect of his fault, but also for the confirmation of his faith.

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL

1. The diversities, like the intertwinings, of the single features of the resurrection history in the accounts of the four Evangelists, are the highest proof of the truth and the infinitely powerful effect of the fact: a portrait of the highest stirring of soul and spirit in humanity. A real Easter-motet. Thus do different combatants report concerning the culmination of the battle and the form of the victory.

2. The resurrection of Christ had not only to burst through the bonds of death, the closed gate of the sepulchre, and the seal and the guard of the world, but also the grief and little faith of the disciples. (See my book: Der Herr ist wahrhaftig auferstanden: die Losung der christlichen Gemeinde unserer Zeit. Zürich, 1852.) The belief in the resurrection, far from issuing, as a mythicized idea, from an enthusiastic hope of the disciples, as Strauss has affirmed, was obliged to force its passage through something entirely opposite, namely the disconsolateness of the disciples. Of a truth, supreme salvation is nigh unto extreme hopelessness, if the latter do not precipitately rush upon the sword but wait patiently for the Lord,—then, however, salvation comes to hopelessness always from above, as a gift of deliverance; hopelessness may prophesy of salvation, may prepare a worthy place for salvation, but it cannot be the parent of it. In face of the resurrection, however, unbelief concentrates and consummates itself, in seeking here to reduce the highest fact of the highest energy of life to a bare idea and symbolism of life; in seeking in this passage, where the union betwixt personal and actual life and the idea of life celebrates its consummation, to perpetuate the Adamitic conflict between idea and fact. See 1 Corinthians 15.

3. The grand subjective revolution, prepared on the first Easter-day in the soul-life of the hopeless band of disciples, and upon which the establishment of the Christian Church rests, presupposes the grand objective revolution of things in the life of the Lord: the resurrection. And this individual revolution in the life of the Lord is at the same time, in respect of its dynamical working as well as its ideal value, the universal revolution of things in the life of humanity, Eph_1:19 ff. Christ’s resurrection our resurrection. Ullmann: Was setzt die Stiftung der Kirche Christi durch einen Gekreuzigten voraus? Stud. u. Krit. 1832, III. 579.

4. The resurrection attested and glorified itself as a divine fact, most of all by the thorough change which it effected in the view of the cross-death and sufferings of Jesus, and, indirectly, in the view of the cross and death in general. By it the cross of the curse is become the cross of reconciliation,—the sign of the deepest disgrace, the sign of highest honor.

5. The portrait of the Magdalene in her transition from deepest desolation to supreme joy. She was fitted, in her loving grief for the Lord and His body, to become the first Easter messenger.

6. The hasting of the Magdalene to Peter and John, and the cleaving together of these two gives us an impression of the gentle, placable spirit which the suffering of Christ had developed in the hearts of the disciples. Peter is not shunned now by a Magdalene’s and a John’s enthusiasm for the Lord, although he has denied Him,—for he is a repentant Peter. In a similar manner the whole band of disciples bear with the doubting Thomas until he has arrived at the full resurrection faith.

7. The perplexed, excited, hurrying, running disciples are first composed by the order in the empty sepulchre of Jesus. They feel that there a calm spirit has ruled. And here is presented to us in concrete touches the whole contrast of the calm, mysterious resurrection of Jesus and the immeasurable commotion confronting it in the circle of disciples; primarily a commotion full of anguish,—stormy; then growing calmer, yet still fluttering. The life of the Risen One is infinitely calm and tranquil in its self-certitude, blissfully moving within itself, like God Himself. As Christ held it no robbery to be equal with God, neither did He think it robbery to be risen. His heart is become celestially tranquil and firm, the spiritual fixed star of the spirit-realm; hence the fixed point that, with mighty shock, moves and transforms the whole human world.

8. The characteristics of Peter and John (see Exeg. Note to Joh_20:5) on the way of their glorification.

9. The first sign of the resurrection is the stone rolled away; the annihilation of the wicked counsel of the world, the frustration of the league of the powers of this world, the annulment of all the old authorities that rise in rebellion against the truth and the faith. (Psalms 2; Act_4:25 ff.; Eph_1:21.) The second sign of the resurrection is the empty sepulchre. The grave kept not the body of Christ; that body is ravished from it along with His spirit. The personal principle is not swallowed up by matter; it elevates and preserves matter by its dynamic power, making it its heavenly organ. The third sign of the resurrection are the fairly disposed and ordered grave-clothes, as a sign of the ruling of the highest, clearest presence of mind amid the horrors of the night-dark sepulchre. The spark of faith of both Apostles kindles at this sign.

10. As the Scripture (of the Old Testament) prophetically points forward to the facts of the life of Jesus, so the life of Jesus points back to the Scripture concerning the future resurrection. The life of Jesus the key to the Old Testament. Special consideration must be directed to Scripture sayings such as Psalms 2; Psalms 16; Psalms 110; Isa_53:11; Dan_9:25. To types such as Genesis 22. Jonah. Sayings in regard to death, such as Isa_25:8; Hos_13:14; comp. Act_2:25-34; Joh_8:32-33; Joh_13:33; Joh_13:35.

11. Then the disciples went home again. The walk from the tomb of the Risen One a going home in a higher sense.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

See the Synoptists, Matthew, Mark, Luke. The Doct. Notes.

The portrait of the Magdalene in the light of the resurrection. The mourning Magdalene, Joh_20:1-11. The Magdalene rejoicing (as though heaven were already won), Joh_20:11-18. Magdalene at first the messenger of dismal alarms,—at last the messenger of heavenly joy.—Jerusalem’s messenger of joy, comp. Isa_40:1; Isa_40:9.—The mistakes of a soul stirred with love must themselves become guiding stars to truth: 1. The mistakes of the disconsolate Magdalene, Joh_20:2; Joh_20:13; Joh_20:15. 2. The mistakes of the enraptured Magdalene (thinking herself to have already attained the supreme, the heavenly goal) Joh_20:17.—Magdalene and Thomas, or the saddest of the sad changed to the happiest of the happy: 1. Immeasurable grief takes the one out of the circle of female disciples, the other out of the circle of male disciples. 2. “Rabboni;” “My Lord and my God.”—Magdalene and John in their conduct toward the fallen Peter, or how as mourners they are become tender-hearted, Matthew 5—How the disciples of Jesus go to His sepulchre: 1. How differently (Magdalene otherwise than the two men; Peter otherwise than John). 2. How unanimously (disciples, both male and female, and the women even in advance. Fallen ones and less guilty ones).—How the love of Christ hath made the first breach through the old fear of His people: 1. The fear of the world, the foes (guard). 2. The fear of the night, of the terrors of the grave. 3. The fear of spirits and of the other world itself.—The resurrection signs preceding the appearance of the Risen One (Doct. Note 9): 1. As signs of the weakness of the disciples (of their need of this leading from faith to sight). 2. As signs of the wisdom of God (sight is not to bring about faith, but faith sight).—The first sign of the life of the Risen One, heavenly repose and presence of mind, Joh_6:17 ff.—The linen clothes laid aside, or the signs of a change of apparel in the sleeping-chamber of the grave.—The investigating disciples (Peter in the sepulchre, Thomas about the body of the Lord).—The budding faith of the disciples: 1. Experimental faith, 2. Scriptural faith, 3. Spiritual faith.—Then the disciples went home again: 1. Tranquillized in regard to the mistake of Magdalene (her statement that the body was stolen). 2. Awaiting further disclosures. 3. Blessed and prepared at bottom to go home, by their budding faith.

Starke: The plural σαββάτων is probably used here in reference to the seven weeks that were to be reckoned to Pentecost and that began to be reckoned from this day in particular: for these were peculiarly denominated weeks, and hence Pentecost was called the Feast of Weeks; it appears, therefore, from the above, that this day was at once the day subsequent to the great Paschal Sabbath, the beginning of the significant heptality of weeks,—which lasted until Pentecost, and represented the whole new economy and spiritual harvest,—and the third day after the death of Jesus.—True Christians find no time unseasonable for seeking Jesus; when the whole world is securely sleeping, they wake unto the Lord.—Zeisius: What a despondent, unbelieving thing the human heart is! many a time that which should bring comfort and joy, is productive but of terror and harm, Luk_2:9.—Believers have fellowship one with another in joy and sadness.—Love demands that we should follow our friends to the grave, and it is edifying so to do; we must not remain there, however, but must wait on our calling, until we ourselves are carried to the grave, Sirach 38.

Gerlach: Each one was initiated into this wondrous mystery in a peculiar manner: Magdalene, after a scrupulous trial by the angels and then by means of the first personal manifestation of Jesus; Peter and John, who should have been the first to believe, by the sight of the sepulchre; the weaker women only by the angels (?); the disciples on the way to Emmaus, with anxious, comfort-seeking, burning hearts, by the circumstance of Jesus’ opening the Scripture to them; then all the still unbelieving disciples by Christ’s appearance in their assembly. In each of these dispensations there lies a peculiar, tender regard for the persons whom it concerns.

Braune: Our Sunday is the Lord’s Resurrection Day, the first day of the creation, when light came into being. The New Testament exhibits distinct tokens of its observation; on it the Corinthian Church was commanded to lay up savings as collections for the church at Jerusalem (1Co_16:2); on that day Paul journeyed not, but preached (Act_20:7, on a Sabbath—the first day of the week. [Luther’s version has the word Sabbath in these two instances.])

Gossner: But the stone that had troubled her before, when it lay in front of the sepulchre, troubles her again, now that it is moved away.

Heubner: Mary Magdalene, one of the last to leave the grave, is the first to visit it again.—In great distress, seek counsel and help of upright brethren.—Love gave wings.

[Craven: From Gregory: Joh_20:3. Peter and John ran before the others, for they loved most.—From Theophylact: Joh_20:4-8. Peter is practical and prompt, John contemplative and intelligent, and learned in divine things. Now the contemplative man is generally beforehand in knowledge and intelligence; but the practical, by his fervor and activity, gets the advance of the other’s perception, and sees first into the divine mystery.

[From Burkitt: Joh_20:1. Though her heart did burn with an ardent zeal and affection to her crucified Lord, yet the commanded duties of the Sabbath were not omitted by her; she kept close, and silently spent that holy day in a mixture of grief and hope.—What magnanimity and courage is found in this weak woman; she followed Christ courageously, when His disciples left Him cowardly; she accompanied Him to His cross, she followed His hearse to the grave, when His disciples durst not appear; and now very early in the morning she goes to visit His sepulchre, fearing neither the darkness of the night, nor the presence of the watchmen. Learn thence, That courage is the special gift of God, and if He gives it to the feebler sex, even to timorous and fearful women, it is not in the power of man to make them afraid.

Joh_20:2. But why had not the Virgin Mary, His disconsolate mother, this privilege conferred on her, rather than Mary Magdalene, who had been a grievous sinner? Doubtless this was for the comfort of all true penitents, and administers great consolation to them.

Joh_20:5-7. When Christ arose from the grave, He left His grave-clothes behind Him; whereas, when Lazarus arose, he came forth with his grave-clothes about him; this teaches us, that Christ arose never to die more, but to live and reign forever; therefore He left His grave-clothes in the grave, as never to make use of them more.

[From M. Henry: Joh_20:1. Love to Christ, if it be cordial, will be constant.—Mary’s love to Christ was strong as death, the death of the cross, for it stood by that; cruel [fast-holding] as the grave, for it made a visit to that, and was not deterred by its terrors.—We must study to do honor to Christ in those things wherein yet we cannot be profitable to Him.—Love to Christ will take off the terror of death and the grave. If we cannot come to Christ but through that darksome valley, even in that, if we love Him, we will fear no evil.—Early; They that love Christ will take the first opportunity of testifying their respect to Him.—Those who would seek Christ so as to find Him, must seek Him early; 1. Solicitously, with such a care as even breaks the sleep; 2. Industriously, we must deny ourselves and our own repose in pursuit of Christ; 3. Betimes, early in our days, early every day; My voice shalt thou hear in the morning.—They that diligently inquire after Christ while it is yet dark, shall have such light given them concerning Him as shall shine more and more.—Surprising comforts are the frequent encouragements of early seekers.—They that are most constant in their adherence to Christ, and most diligent in their inquiries after Him, have commonly the first and sweetest notices of the divine grace.—God ordinarily gives Himself and His comforts to us by degrees; to raise our expectations and quicken our inquiries.

Joh_20:2. One would expect that the first thought that offered itself should have been, Surely the Lord is risen. When we come to reflect upon our own conduct in a cloudy and dark day, we shall stand amazed at our dullness and forgetfulness, that we could miss of such thoughts as afterward appear obvious.—Weak believers often make that the matter of their complaint, which is really just ground of hope, and matter of joy.—The communication of sorrows is one good improvement of the communion of saints.—Peter, though he had denied his Master, had not deserted his Master’s friends; by this appears the sincerity of his repentance, that he associated with the disciple whom Jesus loved. And the disciples keeping up their intimacy with him as formerly, notwithstanding his fall, teaches us to restore those with a spirit of meekness, that have been faulty.

Joh_20:3. It is well when those that are more honored than others with the privileges of disciples, are more active than others in the duty of disciples.—Do others tell us of the comfort and benefit of ordinances? Let us be engaged thereby to make trial of them.

Joh_20:4. What haste we should make in a good work, and when we are going on a good errand: Peter and John consulted neither their ease nor their gravity, but ran to the sepulchre.—He that got foremost in this race, was the disciple whom Jesus loved in a special manner, and who therefore in a special manner loved Jesus. Sense of Christ’s love to us, kindling love in us to Him again, will make us to excel in virtue.—He that was cast behind was Peter, who had denied his Master, and was in sorrow and shame for it, and this clogged him as a weight.

Joh_20:5. The warmest affections are not always accompanied with the boldest resolutions; many are swift to run religion’s race that are not stout to fight her battles.

Joh_20:6. Though John out-ran him, Peter did not therefore turn back, or stand still, but made after him as fast as he could; and while John was with a deal of caution looking in, he came, and with a deal of courage went into the sepulchre.—Observe how God dispenses His gifts variously. John could out-run Peter, but Peter could out-dare John; some disciples are quick, and they are useful to quicken them that are slow; others are bold and they are useful to hearten them that are timorous.

Joh_20:6-7. When we rise from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, we must leave our grave-clothes behind us, must put off all our corruptions.

Joh_20:8. It is good to be emboldened in a good work by the boldness of others.—John got the start of Peter in believing; Peter saw and wondered (Luk_24:12), but John saw and believed: a mind disposed to contemplation may perhaps sooner receive the evidence of divine truth than a mind disposed to action.

Joh_20:9. What was the reason of their slowness to believe? Because as yet they knew not the scripture.

Joh_20:10. Where were the angels when Peter and John were at the sepulchre? This favor was showed to those who were early and constant in their inquiries after Christ, and was the reward of them that came first, and staid last, but denied to them that made a transient visit.

[From Scott: Joh_20:2. Under a large proportion of preaching, by men called Christian ministers, we are ready to say, “They have taken away the Lord and we know net where they have laid Him;” but the broken-hearted disciple cannot be thus contented, though others be filled with admiration of the preacher’s eloquence, genius, or learning.—From A Plain Commentary (Oxford): Joh_20:1. “Good proof gave she of that love; she was last at His cross, and first at His grave: staid longest there, was soonest here; could not rest till she were up to seek Him: sought Him while it was yet dark, before she had light to seek Him by.” (Bishop Andrewes.)—From Owen: Joh_20:5. John’s remaining without, may in part be attributed to the precedence, which, as the older and leading disciple, he modestly yielded to Peter.

Joh_20:9. That He MUST rise again from the dead; the necessity was founded upon the immutable word and promise of God (Psa_16:10), upon the principle of life inherent in Jesus as the Eternal Son of God, and upon the redemptive economy, by which Christ was to rise from the dead and become the first-fruits of them that are held in the power of the grave (1Co_15:20).)]

Footnotes:

[1]Joh_20:2.—[Loved as a friend, ἐφίλει, comp. Joh_11:3. Otherwise ὃν ἠγάπα, Joh_19:26; Joh_21:7; Joh_21:20.—P. S.]

[2]Joh_20:2.—[τὸν κύριον is the usual reading. Some Greek MSS., as Augustine observes (Tract in Joa. cxx. 6), insert μου, dominum meum,—P. S.]

[3]Joh_20:5.—[παρακύπτειν is to stoop down or to bend forward, in order to look at any thing more closely. The intention the E. V. has expressed here (and Joh_20:11) by adding in italics and looking in.—P. S.]

[4]Joh_20:6.—[The first καί is omitted in the text. rec. with A., but is supported by א.3a B. L. X. and the 11 century supplement of Cod. D. (see Alford).—P. S.]

[5]Joh_20:6.—[The E. V. obliterates the difference between βλέπει (sieht), the cursory glance of John, Joh_20:5, and the stronger θεωρεῖ (beschaut), the intense gaze of Peter, Joh_20:6. See Tittman, Synon. p. 3 sq. 120 sq. The more minute distinction between κείμενα τὰ ὀθόνια, Joh_20:5, and τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα, Joh_20:6, cannot be rendered in English and does not affect the sense. The position of ὀθόνια in Joh_20:6 corresponds to τὸ σουδάριον, Joh_20:7.—P. S.]

Lange's Commentary on the Holy Scriptures (Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical), ed. John Peter Lange, English translation edited by Philip Schaff (1864–1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

John

THE RESURRECTION MORNING

Joh 20:1 - Joh 20:18.

John’s purpose in his narrative of the resurrection is not only to establish the fact, but also to depict the gradual growth of faith in it, among the disciples. The two main incidents in this passage, the visit of Peter and John to the tomb and the appearance of our Lord to Mary, give the dawning of faith before sight and the rapturous faith born of sight. In the remainder of the chapter are two more instances of faith following vision, and the teaching of the whole is summed up in Christ’s words to the doubter, ‘Because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed!’

I. The open sepulchre and the bewildered alarm it excited.

The act of resurrection took place before sunrise. ‘At midnight,’ probably, ‘the Bridegroom came.’ It was fitting that He who was to scatter the darkness of the grave should rise while darkness covered the earth, and that no eye should behold ‘how’ that dead was ‘raised up.’ The earthquake and the descent of angels and the rolling away of the stone were after the tomb was empty.

John’s note of time seems somewhat earlier than that of the other Gospels, but is not so much so as to require the supposition that Mary preceded the other women. She appears alone here, because the reason for mentioning her at all is to explain how Peter and John knew of the empty tomb, and she alone had been the informant. In these Eastern lands, ‘as it began to dawn,’ ‘very early at the rising of the sun,’ and ‘while it was yet dark,’ are times very near each other, and Mary may have reached the sepulchre a little before the others. Her own words, ‘We know not,’ show that she had spoken with others who had seen the empty grave. We must therefore suppose that she had with the others come to it, seen that the sacred corpse was gone and their spices useless, exchanged hurried words of alarm and bewilderment, and then had hastened away before the appearance of the angels.

The impulse to tell the leaders of the forlorn band the news, which she thinks to be so bad, was womanly and natural. It was not hope, but wonder and sorrow that quickened her steps as she ran through the still morning to find them. Whether they were in one house or not is uncertain; but, at all events, Peter’s denial had not cut him off from his brethren, and the two who were so constantly associated before and afterwards were not far apart that morning. The disciple who had stood by the Cross to almost the last had an open heart, and probably an open house for the denier. ‘Restore such an one, . . . considering thyself.’

Mary had seen the tomb empty, and springs to the conclusion that ‘they’-some unknown persons-have taken away the dead body, which, with clinging love that tries to ignore death, she still calls ‘the Lord.’ Possibly she may have thought that the resting-place in Joseph’s new sepulchre was only meant for temporary shelter {ver. 15}. At all events the corpse was gone, and the fact suggested no hope to her. How often do we, in like manner, misinterpret as dark what is really pregnant with light, and blindly attribute to ‘them’ what Jesus does! A tone of mind thus remote from anticipation of the great fact is a precious proof of the historical truth of the resurrection; for here was no soil in which hallucinations would spring, and such people would not have believed Him risen unless they had seen Him living.

II. Peter and John at the tomb, the dawning of faith, and the continuance of bewildered wonder.

In the account, we may observe, first, the characteristic conduct of each of the two. Peter is first to set out, and John follows, both men doing according to their kind. The younger runs faster than his companion. He looked into the tomb, and saw the wrappings lying; but the reverent awe which holds back finer natures kept him from venturing in. Peter is not said to have looked before entering. He loved with all his heart, but his love was impetuous and practical, and he went straight in, and felt no reason why he should pause. His boldness encouraged his friend, as the example of strong natures does. Some of my readers will recall Bushnell’s noble sermon on ‘Unconscious Influence’ from this incident, and I need say no more about it.

Observe, too, the further witness of the folded grave-clothes. John from outside had not seen the napkin, lying carefully rolled up apart from the other cloths. It was probably laid in a part of the tomb invisible from without. But the careful disposal of these came to him, when he saw them, with a great flash of illumination. There had been no hurried removal.

Here had been no hostile hands, or there would not have been this deliberation; nor friendly hands, or there would not have been such dishonour to the sacred dead as to carry away the body nude. What did it mean? Could He Himself have done for Himself what He had bade them do for Lazarus? Could He have laid aside the garments of the grave as needing them no more? ‘They have taken away’-what if it were not ‘they’ but He? No trace of hurry or struggle was there. He did ‘not go out with haste, nor go by flight,’ but calmly, deliberately, in the majesty of His lordship over death, He rose from His slumber and left order in the land of confusion.

Observe, too, the birth of the Apostle’s faith. John connects it with the sight of the folded garments. ‘Believed’ here must mean more than recognition of the fact that the grave was empty. The next clause seems to imply that it means belief in the resurrection. The scripture, which they ‘knew’ as scripture, was for John suddenly interpreted, and he was lifted out of the ignorance of its meaning, which till that moment he had shared with his fellow-disciples. Their failure to understand Christ’s frequent distinct prophecies that He would rise again the third day has been thought incredible, but is surely intelligible enough if we remember how unexampled such a thing was, and how marvellous is our power of hearing and yet not hearing the plainest truth. We all in the course of our lives are lost in astonishment when things befall us which we have been plainly told will befall. The fulfilment of all divine promises {and threatenings} is a surprise, and no warnings beforehand teach one tithe so clearly as experience.

John believed, but Peter still was in the dark. Again the former had outrun his friend. His more sensitive nature, not to say his deeper love-for that would be unjust, since their love differed in quality more than in degree-had gifted him with a more subtle and swifter-working perception. Perhaps if Peter’s heart had not been oppressed by his sin, he would have been readier to feel the sunshine of the wonderful hope. We condemn ourselves to the shade when we deny our Lord by deed or word.

III. The first appearance of the Lord, and revelation of the new form of intercourse.

Nothing had been said of Mary’s return to the tomb; but how could she stay away? The disciples might go, but she lingered, woman-like, to indulge in the bitter-sweet of tears. Eyes so filled are more apt to see angels. No wonder that these calm watchers, in their garb of purity and joy, had not been seen by the two men. The laws of such appearance are not those of ordinary optics. Spiritual susceptibility and need determine who shall see angels, and who shall see but the empty place. Wonder and adoration held these bright forms there. They had hovered over the cradle and stood by the shepherds at Bethlehem, but they bowed in yet more awestruck reverence at the grave, and death revealed to them a deeper depth of divine love.

The presence of angels was a trifle to Mary, who had only one thought-the absence of her Lord. Surely that touch in her unmoved answer, as if speaking to men, is beyond the reach of art. She says ‘My Lord’ now, and ‘I know not,’ but otherwise repeats her former words, unmoved by any hope caught from John. Her clinging love needed more than an empty grave and folded clothes arid waiting angels to stay its tears, and she turned indifferently and wearily away from the interruption of the question to plunge again into her sorrow. Chrysostom suggests that she ‘turned herself’ because she saw in the angels’ looks that they saw Christ suddenly appearing behind her; but the preceding explanation seems better. Her not knowing Jesus might be accounted for by her absorbing grief. One who looked at white-robed angels, and saw nothing extraordinary, would give but a careless glance at the approaching figure, and might well fail to recognise Him. But probably, as in the case of the two travellers to Emmaus, her ‘eyes were holden,’ and the cause of non-recognition was not so much a change in Jesus as an operation on her.

Be that as it may, it is noteworthy that His voice, which was immediately to reveal Him, at first suggested nothing to her; and even His gentle question, with the significant addition to the angels’ words, in ‘Whom seekest thou?’ which indicated His knowledge that her tears fell for some person dear and lost, only made her think of Him as being ‘the gardener,’ and therefore probably concerned in the removal of the body. If He were so, He would be friendly; and so she ventured her pathetic petition, which does not name Jesus {so full is her mind of the One, that she thinks everybody must know whom she means}, and which so overrated her own strength in saying, ‘I will take Him away,’ The first words of the risen Christ are on His lips yet to all sad hearts. He seeks our confidences, and would have us tell Him the occasions of our tears. He would have us recognise that all our griefs and all our desires point to one Person-Himself-as the one real Object of our ‘seeking,’ whom finding, we need weep no more.

Verse 16 tells us that Mary turned herself to see Him when He next spoke, so that, at the close of her first answer to Him, she must have once more resumed her gaze into the tomb, as if she despaired of the newcomer giving the help she had asked.

Who can say anything about that transcendent recognition, in which all the stooping love of the risen Lord is smelted into one word, and the burst of rapture, awe, astonishment, and devotion pours itself through the narrow channel of one other? If this narrative is the work of some anonymous author late in the second century, he is indeed a ‘Great Unknown,’ and has managed to imagine one of the two or three most pathetic ‘situations’ in literature. Surely it is more reasonable to suppose him no obscure genius, but a well-known recorder of what he had seen, and knew for fact. Christ’s calling by name ever reveals His loving presence. We may be sure that He knows us by name, and we should reply by the same swift cry of absolute submission as sprung to Mary’s lips. ‘Rabboni! Master!’ is the fit answer to His call.

But Mary’s exclamation was imperfect in that it expressed the resumption of no more than the old bond, and her gladness needed enlightenment. Things were not to be as they had been. Christ’s ‘Mary!’ had indeed assured her of His faithful remembrance and of her present place in His love; but when she clung to His feet she was seeking to keep what she had to learn to give up. Therefore Jesus, who invited the touch which was to establish faith and banish doubt {Luk 24:39; Joh 20:27}, bids her unclasp her hands, and gently instils the ending of the blessed past by opening to her the superior joys of the begun future. His words contain for us all the very heart of our possible relation to Him, and teach us that we need envy none who companied with Him here. His ascension to the Father is the condition of our truest approach to Him. His prohibition encloses a permission. ‘Touch Me not! for I am not yet ascended,’ implies ‘When I am, you may.’

Further, the ascended Christ is still our Brother. Neither the mystery of death nor the impending mystery of dominion broke the tie. Again, the Resurrection is the beginning of Ascension, and is only then rightly understood when it is considered as the first upward step to the throne. ‘I ascend,’ not ‘I have risen, and will soon leave you,’ as if the Ascension only began forty days after on Olivet. It is already in process. Once more the ascended Christ, our Brother still, and capable of the touch of reverent love, is yet separated from us by the character, even while united to us by the fact, of His filial and dependent relation to God. He cannot say ‘Our Father’ as if standing on the common human ground. He is ‘Son’ as we are not, and we are ‘sons’ through Him, and can only call God our Father because He is Christ’s.

Such were the immortal hopes and new thoughts which Mary hastened from the presence of her recovered Lord to bring to the disciples. Fragrant though but partially understood, they were like half-opened blossoms from the tree of life planted in the midst of that garden, to bloom unfading, and ever disclosing new beauty in believing hearts till the end of time.

Alexander MacLaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (1904–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

CHAPTER 20

1. The Empty Sepulchre. (Joh 20:1-10.)

2. The Risen One and Mary of Magdala. (Joh 20:11-18.)

3. The Gathered Company and He in the midst. (Joh 20:19-23.)

4. The Second Time. (Joh 20:24-29.)

5. The Purpose of John’s Record. (Joh 20:30-31.)

“I lay down my life that I might take it up again.” The sufferings were accomplished. The Good Shepherd laid down His life for the sheep and now we learn how He arose from the dead. Joh 2:19 was fulfilled. “Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The stone is rolled away; the sepulchre is empty. Mary of Magdala carried the good news to Peter and John. Peter and John ran together to the sepulchre, and John out ran Peter. In the sepulchre all is in order. If a thief had stolen the body he would have acted in fear and haste. A thief would not have gone about in such an orderly way. The linen clothes were lying in the proper place; the napkin (soudarion--sweatcloth) was folded inwards (this is the meaning of “entetuligmenon”) in a place by itself. He had detached Himself in a miraculous way without disturbing them at all. It is an evidence of His resurrection in His own power as Son of God.

And how beautiful is the incident when Mary stood weeping and looking into the sepulchre! She beheld two angels there, yet she was not frightened when she beheld these mysterious Beings. Her heart was so occupied with her Lord that she did not even inquire of the angels. But they addressed her: “Woman, why weepest thou?” Then He came Himself. Her tears of ignorance and unbelief held her eyes that she did not recognize Him till He, Who in resurrection is the great Shepherd of the sheep, called her by name. What sound that one word “Mary” must have had in her ears and heart! She would fall at His feet and hold Him, as the other women held Him by the feet and worshipped Him. (Mat 28:9.) But He told her: “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father; and to my God and your God.” Matthew reports how they touched Him and held Him by the feet. He is presented in that Gospel as Israel’s King. Not a word is said in the first Gospel of His ascension. He is presented in Matthew as if He were to remain on earth, in an earthly relationship with His people. This is why He permitted the holding of His feet. It is symbolical of how the remnant of Israel will enjoy His presence on earth as King in the day of His Return. But John’s Gospel reveals a new relationship. He is to ascend into heaven to His Father. She must not hold Him as to keep Him here. (The word “touch” really means: to fasten oneself to, to hang on, to lay hold of.) As true believers we are linked with the glorified Lord. This higher relationship He makes known and she becomes the bearer of the great message. The relationship centers in the word “brethren.” Risen from the dead He calls His own “brethren” and speaks of “My Father and your Father, my God and your God.” He is not ashamed to call us brethren, because He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one. (Psa 22:21-22; Heb 2:11-12.) Thus He, the Son of God, Who laid down His life and took it again, has brought us to God, His God and His Father. The Grain of Wheat has brought forth its blessed and gracious fruit in resurrection.

The evening scene of that wonderful day, when He stood in their midst, is very suggestive. In a measure the assembled disciples correspond to the two who, in the first chapter, on the first day abode with Him. Though John does not mention the church, here is a beautiful picture of what the church is. They are shut in and Judaism is shut out. He is in the midst. “Where two or three are gathered together unto my name, there am I in the midst.” Here it is fulfilled for the first time. There is the message of Peace; the sending forth; the Holy Spirit, Who comes from Him, Who as the last Adam is the quickening Spirit. He communicates spiritual life, which is divine life. And the authority of the church in discipline on earth, representing Himself, is made known by Him in Joh 20:23. This authority is not conferred upon a priestly class, a doctrine which has produced the most obnoxious corruption of Christianity, but upon believers, who constitute a church.

Thomas corresponds to Nathanael at the close of the first chapter. Both are unbelieving. Both see first and then believe. Both acknowledge Him as God. Thomas, like Nathanael, is the type of the unbelieving Jewish remnant. The Lord comes the second time and then the remnant of His earthly people will fall at His feet and say, “My Lord and my God.”

Arno C. Gaebelein, The Annotated Bible (1913–1922) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Section 1. (Joh 20:1-10.)

Alive!

The sabbath of the old creation passes in gloom and sorrow; the first day of the new week comes, and with it the First-born from among the dead, the Head of a new creation, abiding in the power of His immortal life. We have nothing of the futile guarding of the tomb, unworthy of record even here. The stone is rolled away; the sepulchre empty! No thought of the truth, however, flashes upon the mind of the early visitor who marks it all only as announcing a new calamity. They have taken her dead Lord out of the sepulchre; still and ever her Lord, though her heart be buried with Him. She runs with her burden of grief to pour it out to those as credulous in unbelief as she is; and Peter and John run back to the tomb, to find in the peace and order there the assurance that the absence of Christ’s body from the place where reverent hands had laid it is not the work of man at all, but that He is truly risen from the dead. Scripture doctrine as to it they know of none: -only a resurrection at the last day, which was the orthodox faith that we have heard expressed by Martha. They themselves had questioned, as to what He had said about Himself, "what the rising from the dead should be." Still such a distinct special resurrection was a mystery to them; but the fact they were now convinced of: He was risen. They have thus lost interest in the sepulchre with its shadow, -still perplexed as they may be: -they go home.

But the first day of the week has found significance in a new beginning, beyond death which is the stamp upon the old creation, -the brand upon a fallen world. Man in Him has entered upon a new scene free from this; and they are linked with Him in it, though as yet they may not be able to define the place they have, or the nature of their link with Him. Nor have they as yet seen Him; nor has a word reached them from that unseen region into which He has entered.

F. W. Grant, The Numerical Bible (4th ed., 1903) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20:1 As a devoted follower of Jesus (see Matt 27:55-56; Luke 8:1-3), Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb to help complete Jesus’ burial (see John 19:42). • Many Judean tombs were sealed with a rolling stone.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 20:1. Εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον) unto the sepulchre.—τὸν λίθον, the stone) which had been rolled to the mouth of it, according to custom: ch. Joh 11:38 [Lazarus’ tomb, which was “a cave”].

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh_20:1-2. On the designation of the first day of the week by μία τῶν σαββ., as well as on the irreconcilable deviation of John,[259] who (for brevitys sake! Hengstenberg, indeed, thinks) makes only Mary Magdalene go to the grave, from the Synoptics, see on Mat_28:1. Of a hastening beforehand on the part of Mary, in advance of the remaining women (Luthardt, Lange, Ewald), there is no trace in the text. But when Luthardt even is of opinion that John, from the point of view of placing over against the consummation of Jesus Himself the perfecting of the disciples faith, could not well have mentioned the other women (why not?), this would be a very doubtful consideration in reference to the historical truth of the apostle; just as doubtful, if he left other women without mention only for the reason that he heard the first intelligence from the mouth of the Magdalene (Tholuck). The reason, borrowed from οἴδαμεν, for the supposed plurality of the women is abundantly outweighed by ΟἾΔΑ, Joh_20:13.

ΣΚΟΤΊΑς ἜΤΙ ΟὔΣΗς] Consequently not first after sunrise, Mar_16:2. See in loc. Ostenditur mulieris sedulitas, Grotius.

εἰς τ. μνημ.] to the grave; comp. Joh_11:31; Joh_11:38.

ἐκ τοῦ μνημ.] The stone had filled the opening of the grave outwards.

καὶ πρὸς, κ.τ.λ.] From the repetition of ΠΡΌς, Bengel infers: non una fuisse utrumque discipulum. But comp. Joh_20:3, and see, generally, Buttmann, Neut. Gr. p. 293 f. [E. T. p. 3.40 ff.]; comp. also Kuhner, ad Xen. Mem. i. 2. 52, i. 3. 3.

ὃν ἐφίλει] Comp. Joh_11:3, of Lazarus. Elsewhere of John: ὋΝ ἨΓΆΠΑ, Joh_19:26, Joh_21:7; Joh_21:20. With ἘΦΊΛΕΙ the recollection speaks with more feeling.

ΟἼΔΑΜΕΝ] The plur. does not presuppose that Mary had gone not alone to the grave, which is opposed to the account of John, but in her excitement she includes also the disciples, with whom she was speaking, and generally those also who stood nearer to the Crucified One, along with herself, although they as yet knew nothing of the removal itself. She speaks with a certain self-forgetfulness, from the consciousness of fellowship, in opposition to the parties to whom she attributes the ᾖραν. Note, further, how the possibility of having arisen remains as yet entirely remote from her mind. Not a word of any angelic communication (Mat_28:2; Mar_16:5; Luk_24:4 ff., Luk_24:23), etc., which some, of course, seek prudently to cover by an intention on Johns part to be concise (see especially Hengstenberg).

The harmonists, who make Mary to have only hastened on before the rest of the women, must lead them to Peter and John by another way than that which she followed. But surely it would have been most natural for her, in the first instance, to run to meet her companions who were following her, with the marvellous news, which, however, with Ewald, who makes the plur. οἴδαμεν indicate this, could only be read between the lines.

[259] In no section of the evangelical history have harmonists, with their artificial mosaic work, been compelled to expend more labour, and with less success, than in the section on the resurrection. The adjustment of the differences between John and the Synoptics, as also between the latter amongst themselves, is impossible, but the grand fact itself and the chief traits of the history stand all the more firmly.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 20:1-10 . The empty tomb .

Joh 20:1 . ΤΗι δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων : “And on the first day of the week”. Mk. (Mar 16:2 ) and Lk. (Luk 24:1 ) have the same expression. Mt. (Mat 28:1 ) has ὀψὲ δὲ σαββάτων , τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν σαββάτων . [In the suspected ninth verse of Mar 16 πρώτῃ appears instead of μιᾷ .] Μαρία ἡ Μαγδαληνὴ ἔρχεται , Mary of Magdala, now Mejdel, a fishing village north of Tiberias; she is further described in Mar 16:9 as παρʼ ἧς ἐκβεβλήκει ἑπτὰ δαιμόνια ( cf. Luk 8:2 ), which lends significance both to her being at the tomb and to her being the first to see the Lord. She alone of the three women present is here named, because she alone is required in John’s account. The time is more exactly described as πρωΐ , σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης . Mk. (Mar 16:2 ) has λίαν πρωΐ , but adds ἀνατείλαντος τοῦ ἡλίου , apparently having chiefly in view, not the first arrival of the women, but the appearance of Jesus to Mary. Luke’s ὄρθρου βαθέος agrees with John’s expression. Phrynichus defines ὄρθρος as the time before the day began while a lamp was still needed. [ Cf. Plato’s Crito at the beginning, and Roger’s note on Aristoph., Wasps , 215.] The darkness is noticed by John to account for her seeing nothing of what Peter and John afterwards saw. She could not, however, fail to see τὸν λίθον ἠρμένον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου ; the slab closing the sepulchre had been removed. Seeing this she naturally concluded that the tomb had been violated, possibly that the authorities for purposes of their own had removed the body.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Chap.

20:1-29.] Jesus alive from the dead. Completion of the disciples’ faith wrought thereby. And herein, 1-18] Contrast between His former life, within the conditions of the flesh, and His present, in which His communion with His own partakes of His new relation to the Father. Compare Mat 28:1: Mar 16:1: Luk 24:1.

On the chronology of the events of the Resurrection, see note on Mat 28:1. I attempt no harmony of the accounts:—I believe all such attempts to be fruitless;—and I see in their failure strong corroboration of the truth of the evangelic narratives. It is quite impossible that so astounding an event, coming upon various portions of the body of disciples from various quarters and in various forms, should not have been related, by four independent witnesses, in the scattered and fragmentary way in which we now find it. In the depth beneath this varied surface of narration rests the great central fact of the Resurrection itself, unmoved and immoveable. As it was this above all other things to which the Apostles bore their testimony, so, in their testimony to this, we have the most remarkable proof of each having faithfully elaborated into narrative those particular facts which came under his own eye or were reported to himself by those concerned. Hence the great diversity in this portion of the narrative:—and hence I believe much that is now dark might be explained, were the facts themselves, in their order of occurrence, before us. Till that is the case, (and I am willing to believe that it will be one of our delightful employments hereafter, to trace the true harmony of the Holy Gospels, under His teaching of whom they are the record,) we must be content to walk by faith, and not by sight. We must also remember in this case, that our Evangelist is selecting his points of narration with a special purpose,—to shew us how the belief of the disciples was brought out and completed, after the unbelief of Israel: cf. vv. 30, 31.

1,

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The Sepulchre Found Empty by Mary Magdalene, and by Peter and John (20:1-10)

1. τῇ δὲ μιᾷ τῶν σαββάτων … πρωΐ, σκοτίας ἔτι οὔσης. Mar 16:2 says in like manner, λίαν πρωῒ τῆς μιᾶς σαββάτων. For πρωΐ, see on 18:28. Luk 24:1 and Mat 28:1 agree in mentioning “the first day of the week, “and in describing the visit to the tomb as being made in the half-light just before dawn.

Jn. names Mary Magdalene only as visiting the tomb, but the plur. οἴδαμεν of v. 2 suggests that she was not alone, and that her perplexity as to how the Lord’s body had been disposed of was shared by others. It is unlikely that a woman would have ventured by herself outside the city walls before daylight, and the Synoptists agree in telling that she was accompanied by others. Mar 16:1 names as her companions Mary the mother of James (i.e. the wife of Clopas; see on 2:12) and Salome, the Virgin’s sister, who were also present at the Crucifixion with her (19:25). Mat 28:1 only names “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.” Luk 24:10 mentions “Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women.” Pseudo-Peter (§ 11) also notes that Mary Magdalene was accompanied by other women.

Jn. does not say what the purpose of this visit to the tomb was; and in this he is in agreement with Mat 28:1, where it is merely told that they went “to see the sepulchre.” But Mar 16:1 and Luk 23:56, Luk 24:1 explain that the purpose of the women was to anoint the body of Jesus. In Jn.’s narrative (see 19:39) the body was hastily laid in spices on the Day of Crucifixion by Joseph and Nicodemus, but there was no time for any anointing then, or final disposition of the body. Nothing further could be done on the Sabbath, and the women came as early as possible the next morning, with the spices and unguents that they had provided for themselves (Mar 16:1, Luk 23:56).1

We hold that Mary Magdalene is the same person as Mary of Bethany (see Additional Note on 12:1-8); and her desire to anoint the body of her Master is thus significant in connexion with His words to her when she anointed His feet at Bethany (12:7). She had kept the ointment “against the day of His burying.” Jn., however, does not introduce this point expressly. He narrates Mary’s visit to the tomb briefly, because what he is anxious to describe is the subsequent visit of Peter and the Beloved Disciple, which was suggested by her report.

Both Mk. and Lk. agree with Jn. in the statement that Mary (and the other women) found the stone taken away from the tomb. For τὸν λίθον ἠρμένον ἐκ τοῦ μνημείου, see on 11:38, 39.

According to the Johannine narrative, Mary does not suspect as yet that anything out of the ordinary course of nature has happened. She sees that the stone which sealed the sepulchre has been removed, and (seemingly) she looks in to assure herself that the tomb is empty2 (v. 2); but her inference is only that the body has been removed to some other resting-place.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

FIFTH PART: 20:1-29. THE RESURRECTION.

The fourth part of the Gospel has shown us the Jewish people carrying unbelief with reference to Jesus even to complete apostasy, and consummating this spiritual crime by the crucifixion of the Messiah. In the fifth we see the fidelity of the disciples raised to complete faith by the supreme earthly manifestation of the glory of Jesus—His resurrection.

The narrative of John pursues its independent path through the somewhat divergent narratives of the Synoptics, and, without any effort, gives us a glimpse of their harmony. In a first section (Joh 20:1-18), the evangelist relates how, in consequence of the report of Mary Magdalene, the two principal apostles attained to faith in the resurrection, and describes the first appearance of Jesus. The second section, Joh 20:19-23, relates His appearance in the midst of the Twelve, by means of which He established faith in the apostolic company. The third (Joh 20:24-29) describes the finishing of this work, which remained unfinished after the preceding appearance.

ADDITIONAL NOTES BY THE AMERICAN EDITOR.

Vv. 1-18.

1. The other women who are represented in the Synoptics as going with Mary Magdalene to the sepulchre are not mentioned here, and the appearance to all the women which is spoken of by Matthew, Mat 28:9-10, is omitted by John. The former difference between John and the others may be explained, with Weiss, on the ground that John introduces the story only with reference to the message which Mary alone carried to Peter and himself; or it may be explained by supposing, with Luthardt and others, that she hastened in going to the grave more rapidly than the others who had started with her, and thus arrived alone before them. The latter difference may, not improbably, be due to a mingling together in the narrative of Matthew of what happened to the other women (the appearance of the angel, etc.) with what happened to Mary alone (the appearance of Jesus); or there may have been an appearance to the other women on their return from the sepulchre, and after Mary had left them, which was altogether different from the appearance to Mary herself. The sameness of the words represented by Matthew as addressed by Jesus to the women (Joh 20:10), with those addressed to them by the angel (Joh 20:7), may point towards the former supposition as the correct one. In any case, there is no insuperable difficulty in reconciling the different Gospels here. The word οἴδαμεν (Joh 20:2), as Weiss holds, in opposition to Meyer, may fairly be taken as indicating that Mary had others with her at the tomb or as she went towards it.

2. The story of Peter and John, as also that of Mary, bears the evidence of its truthfulness, both in the striking character of its details, which would scarcely have been thought of by a later writer, and its accordance in some of these details with the peculiarities of the persons in question, as presented before us elsewhere.—3. The belief which “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is said to have had in consequence of what he saw in the tomb, is not to be understood as simply a belief in the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead, but—in accordance with the use of the verb throughout this Gospel—a belief in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. He attained a belief, at this time and in view of what he saw, which was beyond what he had had before, a belief which included an understanding that He must rise from the dead, and thus that He was, by a new manifestation, proved to be the Divine Logos.

4. The failure of Mary to recognize Jesus at first is to be explained in part, perhaps, by some peculiarity in dress, etc.; but, in part, by the fact that she did not think of His appearance before her alive, and in a bodily form, as a possibility. It is noticeable that Jesus was, in several instances, not immediately recognized by those to whom He appeared.

5. The best explanation of the difficult expression μή μου ἅπτου, with what follows it in Joh 20:17, is, in the view of the writer of this note, that which takesἅπτου in the sense of cling to. Jesus bids her not to cling to Him as if He were now to be in a new communion with her and His other disciples, such as He had promised before His death, but to go and tell His disciples that this was to come afterwards, through and after His ascension. This is substantially the view of Godet, and it meets the demands of the words which follow as they are connected with this expression.

6. The story of Mary Magdalene, as here given, bears, in its first part (Joh 20:1-2), wholly towards the faith of the two disciples; in its second part, it is evidently designed to present a proof of the resurrection of Jesus as tending to show that He is the Son of God. Testimony and experience come together, once more, in this place, and the author moves steadily towards the end which he has in view (Joh 20:30-31). The incidents are selected and related, not for their own sake, but with a view to the great purpose of the book. But there is a new stage in the development here, which is evidently beyond what is found in the earlier chapters. The chronological progress, the progress in the testimony and proof, and the progress in faith, are seen to be united throughout the book in a very remarkable way. This union, in itself, bears witness that the whole narrative came from the author’s own life and experience.

1. Joh 20:1-10.

The entire first part of this section tends towards the words of Joh 20:8 : “And he saw and believed.” After this, the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene makes the latter the messenger who should prepare all the disciples for faith, as she had brought the first two to the sepulchre.

Vv. 1-3. “On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene goes to the sepulchre early, while it was yet dark, and she sees that the stone is taken away from the sepulchre; 2, she runs therefore and comes to Simon Peter and to the disciple whom Jesus loved, and says to them, They have taken away the Lord from the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him. 3. Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they came to the sepulchre.”

In the expression μία τῶν σαββάτων, we may give to the word σάββατα the meaning Sabbath : “the first day (μία) starting from the Sabbath.” But Luk 18:12 proves that σάββατον or σάββατα signifies also the entire week, as forming the interval between two Sabbaths. It is better therefore to explain μία : the first [of the days] of the week. The nameΜαγδαληνή (Magdalene) is derived from that of village of Magdala, probably El Megdjil, two leagues northward of Tiberias, on the borders of the lake of Gennesareth. The greater the deliverance which Mary Magdalene owed to Jesus (Luk 8:2, Mar 16:9), the more ardent was her gratitude, the more lively her attachment to His person. John does not speak of the purpose which brought her to the sepulchre, but it is indicated by the Synoptics: it was to embalm the Lord’s body. Did she come alone? This is in itself scarcely probable, at so early an hour in the morning. The Synoptics inform us that she had companions who came with the same intention as herself. They were Mary, the mother of James, Salome, Joanna and some others who had come with Jesus from Galilee (Mat 28:1, Mar 16:1, Luk 24:10).

There is in John’s narrative itself a word which gives us to understand that she did not come alone. It is the plural οἴδαμεν, we know; for, whatever Meyer may say, it is impossible to understand by this we: I, Mary, and you, the disciples (!). If Mary alone is mentioned, it is because of the part which she plays in the following scene. Meyer makes the οὐκ οἶδα, I do not know, of Joh 20:13 an objection. But this contrast is precisely what disproves it. There she is alone with the angels, and naturally she speaks only in her own name, as she also says: My Lord, and no longer: the Lord (Joh 20:2).

These women or some of them came together. But, as soon as from a distance they saw the tomb, open, Mary Magdalene, carried away by her vividness of impression, hastens to go and tell the disciples, while her companions come even to the sepulchre. There is a slight chronological difference between John, Matthew and Luke, who say: “As it was dark,” or “at the dawn of day,” and Mark, who says: “The sun having risen.” Perhaps there were several groups of women in succession whom each evangelist unites in a single one. Hence this slight difference as to the time of arriving. It was during the absence of Mary that her companions received the message of the angel, related by the three Synoptics.

Mat 28:9-10 relates that, on their return from the sepulchre, there was an appearance of Jesus to these women. But the narrative in Mar 16:8 and especially the words of the two disciples from Emmaus, Luk 24:22-23 : “They had a vision of angels, saying that he was alive,” are incompatible with this fact.

This appearance to the women is, therefore, no other than the appearance to Mary Magdalene (which is to follow in John) generalized. All the details of the appearance coincide. The First Gospel applies to the entire group what happened to one of its members. As Mary Magdalene saw the Lord only after the other women had returned to the city, we may understand how the two disciples from Emmaus were able to depart from Jerusalem without having heard of any appearance of Jesus (Luk 24:24). There had been, therefore, in fact, no other appearances in the morning of this day, except that of the angels to the women and then to Mary Magdalene, and finally that of Jesus to the latter. There is no reason here for making the loud outcry against our narratives which is uttered by criticism (Keim, III., p. 530).

The repetition of the preposition πρός, to, in Joh 20:2, leads us to think that the two disciples had different homes, which is natural if John lived with his mother and with Mary, the mother of Jesus.

The term ἐφίλει, loved, has something of familiarity in it beyond ἠγάπα; it is undoubtedly used here because the matter in question is a simple indication of a fact, without any particular emphasis, Jesus Himself being absent.

The imperfect ἤρχοντο,they were coming, repairing, is pictorial; comp. Joh 4:30. This imperfect of continuance reflects the feeling of inexpressible expectation which caused the hearts of the disciples to beat during the running to the sepulchre.

Frédéric Louis Godet — Commentaries on Luke, John, Romans, and 1 Corinthians — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1870s–1890s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mary Magdalene, Peter and John are the first witnesses of the resurrection: and such as cannot justly be suspected, for that they themselves could scarcely be persuaded of it, so far is it off, that they should invent it of set purpose.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

There was no one thing of which the apostles were more concerned to produce substantial proof than the resurrection of their Master, 1. Because it was that which he himself appealed to as the last and most cogent proof of his being the Messiah. Those that would not believe other signs were referred to this sign of the prophet Jonas. And therefore enemies were most solicitous to stifle the notice of this, because it was put on this issue, and, if he be risen, they are not only murderers, but murderers of the Messiah. 2. Because it was upon this the performance of his undertaking for our redemption and salvation did depend. If he give his life a ransom, and do not resume it, it does not appear that his giving it was accepted as a satisfaction. If he be imprisoned for our debt, and lie by it, we are undone, Co1 15:17. 3. Because he never showed himself alive after his resurrection to all the people, Act 10:40, Act 10:41. We should have said, "Let his ignominious death be private, and his glorious resurrection public." But God's thoughts are not as ours; and he ordered it that his death should be public before the sun, by the same token that the sun blushed and hid his face upon it. But the demonstrations of his resurrection should be reserved as a favour for his particular friends, and by them be published to the world, that those might be blessed who have not seen, and yet have believed. The method of proof is such as gives abundant satisfaction to those who are piously disposed to receive the doctrine and law of Christ, and yet leaves room for those to object who are willingly ignorant and obstinate in their unbelief. And this is a fair trial, suited to the case of those who are probationers.

In these verses we have the first step towards the proof of Christ's resurrection, which is, that the sepulchre was found empty. He is not here, and, if so, they must tell us where he is or we conclude him risen.

I. Mary Magdalene, coming to the sepulchre, finds the stone taken away. This evangelist does not mention the other women that went with Mary Magdalene, but here only, because she was the most active and forward in this visit to the sepulchre, and in her appeared the most affection; and it was an affection kindled by a good cause, in consideration of the great things Christ had done for her. Much was forgiven her, therefore she loved much. She had shown her affection to him while he lived, attended his doctrine, ministered to him of her substance, Luk 8:2, Luk 8:3. It does not appear that she had any business now at Jerusalem, but to wait upon him for the women were not bound to go up to the feast, and probably she and others followed him the closer, as Elisha did Elijah, now that they knew their Master would shortly be taken from their head, Kg2 2:1-6. The continued instances of her respect to him at and after his death prove the sincerity of her love. Note, Love to Christ, if it be cordial, will be constant. Her love to Christ was strong as death, the death of the cross, for it stood by that; cruel as the grave, for it made a visit to that, and was not deterred by its terrors.

1. She came to the sepulchre, to wash the dead body with her tears, for she went to the grave, to weep there, and to anoint it with the ointment she had prepared. The grave is a house that people do not care for making visits to. They that are free among the dead are separated from the living; and it must be an extraordinary affection to the person which will endear his grave to us. It is especially frightful to the weak and timourous sex. Could she, that had not strength enough to roll away the stone, pretend to such a presence of mind as to enter the grave? The Jews' religion forbade them to meddle any more than needs must with graves and dead bodies. In visiting Christ's sepulchre she exposed herself, and perhaps the disciples, to the suspicion of a design to steal him away; and what real service could she do him by it? But her love answers these, and a thousand such objections. Note, (1.) We must study to do honour to Christ in those things wherein yet we cannot be profitable to him. (2.) Love to Christ will take off the terror of death and the grave. If we cannot come to Christ but through that darksome valley, even in that, if we love him, we shall fear no evil.

2. She came as soon as she could, for she came, (1.) Upon the first day of the week, as soon as ever the sabbath was gone, longing, not to sell corn and to set forth wheat (as Amo 8:5), but to be at the sepulchre. Those that love Christ will take the first opportunity of testifying their respect to him. This was the first Christian sabbath, and she begins it accordingly with enquiries after Christ. She had spent the day before in commemorating the work of creation, and therefore rested; but now she is upon search into the work of redemption, and therefore makes a visit to Christ and him crucified. (2.) She came early, while it was yet dark; so early did she set out. Note, Those who would seek Christ so as to find him must seek him early; that is, [1.] Seek him solicitously, with such a care as even breaks the sleep; be up early for fear of missing him. [2.] Seek him industriously; we must deny ourselves and our own repose in pursuit of Christ. [3.] Seek him betimes, early in our days, early every day. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning. That day is in a fair way to be well ended that is thus begun. Those that diligently enquire after Christ while it is yet dark shall have such light given them concerning him as shall shine more and more.

3. She found the stone taken away, which she had seen rolled to the door of the sepulchre. Now this was, (1.) A surprise to her, for she little expected it. Christ crucified is the fountain of life. His grave is one of the wells of salvation; if we come to it in faith; though to a carnal heart it be a spring shut up, we shall find the stone rolled away (as Gen 29:10) and free access to the comforts of it. Surprising comforts are the frequent encouragements of early seekers. (2.) It was the beginning of a glorious discovery; the Lord was risen, though she did not at first apprehend it so. Note, [1.] Those that are most constant in their adherence to Christ, and most diligent in their enquiries after him, have commonly the first and sweetest notices of the divine grace. Mary Magdalene, who followed Christ to the last in his humiliation, met him with the first in his exaltation. [2.] God ordinarily reveals himself and his comforts to us by degrees; to raise our expectations and quicken our enquiries.

II. Finding the stone taken away, she hastens back to Peter and John, who probably lodged together at that end of the town, not far off, and acquaints them with it: "They have taken the Lord out of the sepulchre, envying him the honour of such a decent burying-place, and we know not where they have laid him, nor where to find him, that we may pay him the remainder of our last respects." Observe here, 1. What a notion Mary had of the thing as it now appeared; she found the stone gone, looked into the grave, and saw it empty. Now one would expect that the first thought that offered itself would have been, Surely the Lord is risen; for whenever he had told them that he should be crucified, which she had now lately seen accomplished, he still subjoined in the same breath that the third day he should rise again. Could she feel the great earthquake that happened as she was coming to the sepulchre, or getting ready to come, and now see the grave empty, and yet have no thought of the resurrection enter into her mind? what, no conjecture, no suspicion of it? So it seems by the odd construction she puts upon the removing of the stone, which was very far fetched. Note, When we come to reflect upon our own conduct in a cloudy and dark day, we shall stand amazed at our dulness and forgetfulness, that we could miss of such thoughts as afterwards appear obvious, and how they could be so far out of the way when we had occasion for them. She suggested, They have taken away the Lord; either the chief priests have taken him away, to put him in a worse place, or Joseph and Nicodemus have, upon second thoughts, taken him away, to avoid the ill-will of the Jews. Whatever was her suspicion, it seems it was a great vexation and disturbance to her that the body was gone; whereas, if she had understood it rightly, nothing could be more happy. Note, Weak believers often make that the matter of their complaint which is really just ground of hope, and matter of joy. We cry out that this and the other creature-comfort are taken away, and we know not how to retrieve them, when indeed the removal of our temporal comforts, which we lament, is in order to the resurrection of our spiritual comforts, which we should rejoice in too. 2. What a narrative she made of it to Peter and John. She did not stand poring upon the grief herself, but acquaints her friends with it. Note, The communication of sorrows is one good improvement of the communion of saints. Observe, Peter, though he had denied his Master, had not deserted his Master's friends; by this appears the sincerity of his repentance, that he associated with the disciple whom Jesus loved. And the disciples' keeping up their intimacy with him as formerly, notwithstanding his fall, teaches us to restore those with a spirit of meekness that have been faulty. If God has received them upon their repentance, why should not we?

III. Peter and John go with all speed to the sepulchre, to satisfy themselves of the truth of what was told them, and to see if they could make any further discoveries, Joh 20:3, Joh 20:4. Some think that the other disciples were with Peter and John when the news came; for they told these things to the eleven, Luk 24:9. Others think that Mary Magdalene told her story only to Peter and John, and that the other women told theirs to the other disciples; yet none of them went to the sepulchre but Peter and John, who were two of the first three of Christ's disciples, often distinguished from the rest by special favours. Note, It is well when those that are more honoured than others with the privileges of disciples are more active than others in the duty of disciples, more willing to take pains and run hazards in a good work. 1. See here what use we should make of the experience and observations of others. When Mary told them what she had seen, they would not in this sense take her word, but would go and see with their own eyes. Do others tell us of the comfort and benefit of ordinances? Let us be engaged thereby to make trial of them. Come and see how good it is to draw near to God. 2. See how ready we should be to share with our friends in their cares and fears. Peter and John hastened to the sepulchre, that they might be able to give Mary a satisfactory answer to her jealousies. We should not grudge any pains we take for the succouring and comforting of the weak and timorous followers of Christ. 3. See what haste we should make in a good work, and when we are going on a good errand. Peter and John consulted neither their ease nor their gravity, but ran to the sepulchre, that they might show the strength of their zeal and affection, and might lose no time. If we are in the way of God's commandments, we should run in that way. 4. See what a good thing it is to have good company in a good work. Perhaps neither of these disciples would have ventured to the sepulchre alone, but, being both together, they made no difficulty of it. See Ecc 4:9. 5. See what a laudable emulation it is among disciples to strive which shall excel, which shall exceed, in that which is good. It was no breach of ill manners for John, though the younger, to outrun Peter, and get before him. We must do our best, and neither envy those that can do better, nor despise those that do as they can, though they come behind. (1.) He that got foremost in this race as the disciple whom Jesus loved in a special manner, and who therefore in a special manner loved Jesus. Note, Sense of Christ's love to us, kindling love in us to him again, will make us to excel in virtue. The love of Christ will constrain us more than any thing to abound in duty. (2.) He that was cast behind was Peter, who had denied his Master, and was in sorrow and shame for it, and this clogged him as a weight; sense of guilt cramps us, and hinders our enlargement in the service of God. When conscience is offended we lose ground.

IV. Peter and John, having come to the sepulchre, prosecute the enquiry, yet improve little in the discovery.

1. John went no further than Mary Magdalene had done. (1.) He had the curiosity to look into the sepulchre, and saw it was empty. He stooped down, and looked in. Those that would find the knowledge of Christ must stoop down, and look in, must with a humble heart submit to the authority of divine revelation, and must look wistly. (2.) Yet he had not courage to go into the sepulchre. The warmest affections are not always accompanied with the boldest resolutions; many are swift to run religion's race that are not stout to fight her battles.

2. Peter, though he came last, went in first, and made a more exact discovery than John had done, Joh 20:6, Joh 20:7. Though John outran him, he did not therefore turn back, nor stand still, but made after him as fast as he could; and, while John was with much caution looking in, he came, and with great courage went into the sepulchre.

(1.) Observe here the boldness of Peter, and how God dispenses his gifts variously. John could out-run Peter, but Peter could out-dare John. It is seldom true of the same persons, what David says poetically of Saul and Jonathan, that they were swifter than eagles, and yet stronger than lions, Sa2 1:23. Some disciples are quick, and they are useful to quicken those that are slow; others are bold, and they are useful to embolden those that are timorous; diversity of gifts, but one Spirit. Peter's venturing into the sepulchre may teach us, [1.] That those who in good earnest seek after Christ must not frighten themselves with bugbears and foolish fancies: "There is a lion in the way, a ghost in the grave." [2.] That good Christians need not be afraid of the grave, since Christ has lain in it; for to them there is nothing in it frightful; it is not the pit of destruction, nor are the worms in it never-dying worms. Let us therefore not indulge, but conquer, the fear we are apt to conceive upon the sight of a dead body, or being alone among the graves; and, since we must be dead and in the grave shortly, let us make death and the grave familiar to us, as our near kindred, Job 17:14. [3.] We must be willing to go through the grave to Christ; that way he went to his glory, and so must we. If we cannot see God's face and live, better die than never see it. See Job 19:25, etc.

(2.) Observe the posture in which he found things in the sepulchre. [1.] Christ had left his grave-clothes behind him there; what clothes he appeared in to his disciples we are not told, but he never appeared in his grave-clothes, as ghosts are supposed to do; no, he laid them aside, First, Because he arose to die no more; death was to have no more dominion over him, Rom 6:9. Lazarus came out with his grave-clothes on, for he was to use them again; but Christ, rising to an immortal life, came out free from those incumbrances. Secondly, because he was going to be clothed with the robes of glory, therefore he lays aside these rags; in the heavenly paradise there will be no more occasion for clothes than there was in the earthly. The ascending prophet dropped his mantle. Thirdly, When we arise from the death of sin to the life of righteousness, we must leave our grave-clothes behind us, must put off all our corruptions. Fourthly, Christ left those in the grave, as it were, for our use if the grave be a bed to the saints, thus he hath sheeted that bed, and made it ready for them; and the napkin by itself is of use for the mourning survivors to wipe away their tears. [2.] The grave-clothes were found in very good order, which serves for an evidence that his body was not stolen away while men slept. Robbers of tombs have been known to take away the clothes and leave the body; but none [prior to the practices of modern resurrectionists] ever took away the body and left the clothes, especially when it was fine linen and new, Mar 15:46. Any one would rather choose to carry a dead body in its clothes than naked. Or, if those that were supposed to have stolen it would have left the grave-clothes behind, yet it cannot be supposed they should find leisure to fold up the linen.

(3.) See how Peter's boldness encouraged John; now he took heart and ventured in (Joh 20:8), and he saw and believed; not barely believed what Mary said, that the body was gone (no thanks to him to believe what he saw), but he began to believe that Jesus was risen to life again, though his faith, as yet, was weak and wavering.

[1.] John followed Peter in venturing. It should seem, he durst not have gone into the sepulchre if Peter had not gone in first. Note, It is good to be emboldened in a good work by the boldness of others. The dread of difficulty and danger will be taken off by observing the resolution and courage of others. Perhaps John's quickness had made Peter run faster, and now Peter's boldness makes John venture further, than otherwise either the one or the other would have done; though Peter had lately fallen under the disgrace of being a deserter, and John had been advanced to the honour of a confidant (Christ having committed his mother to him), yet John not only associated with Peter, but thought it no disparagement to follow him.

[2.] Yet, it should seem, John got the start of Peter in believing. Peter saw and wondered (Luk 24:12), but John saw and believed. A mind disposed to contemplation may perhaps sooner receive the evidence of divine truth than a mind disposed to action. But what was the reason that they were so slow of heart to believe? The evangelist tells us (Joh 20:9), as yet they knew not the scripture, that is, they did not consider, and apply, and duly improve, what they knew of the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. The Old Testament spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah; they believed him to be the Messiah; he himself had often told them that, according to the scriptures of the Old Testament, he should rise again; but they had not presence of mind sufficient by these to explain the present appearances. Observe here, First, How unapt the disciples themselves were, at first, to believe the resurrection of Christ, which confirms the testimony they afterwards gave with so much assurance concerning it; for, by their backwardness to believe it, it appears that they were not credulous concerning it, nor of those simple ones that believe every word. If they had had any design to advance their own interest by it, they would greedily have caught at the first spark of its evidence, would have raised and supported one another's expectations of it, and have prepared the minds of those that followed them to receive the notices of it; but we find, on the contrary, that their hopes were frustrated, it was to them as a strange thing, and one of the furthest things from their thoughts. Peter and John were so shy of believing it at first that nothing less than the most convincing proof the thing was capable of could bring them to testify it afterwards with so much assurance. Hereby it appears that they were not only honest men, who would not deceive others, but cautious men, who would not themselves be imposed upon. Secondly, What was the reason of their slowness to believe; because as yet they knew not the scripture. This seems to be the evangelist's acknowledgment of his own fault among the rest; he does not say, "For as yet Jesus had not appeared to them, had not shown them his hands and his side," but, "As yet he had not opened their understandings to understand the scripture" (Luk 24:44, Luk 24:45), for that is the most sure word of prophecy.

3. Peter and John pursued their enquiry no further, but desisted, hovering between faith and unbelief (Joh 20:10): The disciples went away, not much the wiser, to their own home, pros heautous - to their own friends and companions, the rest of the disciples to their own lodgings, for homes they had none at Jerusalem. They went away, (1.) For fear of being taken up upon suspicion of a design to steal away the body, or of being charged with it now that it was gone Instead of improving their faith, their care is to secure themselves, to shift for their own safety. In difficult dangerous times it is hard even for good men to go on in their work with the resolution that becomes them. (2.) Because they were at a loss, and knew not what to do next, nor what to make of what they had seen; and therefore, not having courage to stay at the grave, they resolve to go home, and wait till God shall reveal even this unto them, which is an instance of their weakness as yet. (3.) It is probable that the rest of the disciples were together; to them they return, to make report of what they had discovered and to consult with them what was to be done; and, probably, now they appointed their meeting in the evening, when Christ came to them. It is observable that before Peter and John came to the sepulchre an angel had appeared there, rolled away the stone, frightened the guard, and comforted the women; as soon as they were gone from the sepulchre, Mary Magdalene here sees two angels in the sepulchre (Joh 20:12), and yet Peter and John come to the sepulchre, and go into it, and see none. What shall we make of this? Where were the angels when Peter and John were at the sepulchre, who appeared there before and after? [1.] Angels appear and disappear at pleasure, according to the orders and instructions given them. They may be, and are really, where they are not visibly; nay, it should seem, may be visible to one and not to another, at the same time, Num 22:23; Kg2 6:17. How they make themselves visible, then invisible, and then visible again, it is presumption for us to enquire; but that they do so is plain from this story. [2.] This favour was shown to those who were early and constant in their enquiries after Christ, and was the reward of those that came first and staid last, but denied to those that made a transient visit. [3.] The apostles were not to receive their instructions from the angels, but from the Spirit of grace. See Heb 2:5.

Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible (1708–1710) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1. Now, on the first day of the week. As the resurrection of Christ is the most important article of our faith, and without it the hope of eternal life is extinguished, for this reason the Evangelists are the more careful to prove it, as John here collects many proofs, in order to assure us that Christ is risen from the dead. It may be thought strange, however, that he does not produce more competent witnesses; for he begins with a woman; but thus the saying is fulfilled, that

God chooseth what is weak, and foolish, and contemptible in the world, that he may bring to nought the wisdom, and excellence, and glory, of the flesh, (1 Corinthians 1:27.)

There certainly was nothing more of earthly grandeur in the disciples than in the women who followed Christ; but as Christ was pleased to reckon them the principal witnesses of his resurrection, on this single ground their testimony is entitled to the greatest deference, and is not liable to any objection. As to the priests, and scribes, and the whole people, and even Pilate, nothing but gross and wilful blindness prevented them from firmly believing that Christ was risen. All of them, therefore, deserved that seeing they should not see; yet Christ revealed himself to the little flock.

Before proceeding farther, however, it is necessary to show how the Evangelists agree with each other; for, at first sight, there appears to be some contradiction in their words. John mentions but one woman, Mary Magdalene; Matthew 28:1 mentions two, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary; Mark 16:1 mentions three, Mary Magdalene, and Mary (the mother) of James, and Salome; Luke 24:10, 22 does not fix the number, but only relates that women came, who had followed Christ from Galilee. But the difficulty is easily solved in this manner. As Matthew inserts the names of two women who were best known, and had the highest reputation among the disciples, so John satisfies himself with mentioning the name of Mary Magdalene alone, but yet does not exclude the others; and, indeed, it is evident, from viewing his words in their connection, that she was not alone, for, shortly afterwards, Mary Magdalene says, in the plural number, WE know not where they have laid him. Although, therefore, John says nothing about her companions, yet the other Evangelists, who relate that there were many along with her, say nothing that is contradicted by John’s narrative.

The discrepancy as to the time may be easily solved. When John says that they came before daybreak, we must understand, that they had set out on their journey during the darkness of the night; that, before they came to the sepulcher, the day had dawned; and that in the evening, after sunset, when the Sabbath was ended, they had bought the spices; and thus the narrative of the other Evangelists must be reconciled.

It may be thought that there is another appearance of contradiction in its being stated by John, that Mary spoke to none but himself and Peter, while Luke 24:10, 11 relates, that she came to the eleven Apostles, and that her words appeared to them to be idle tales. But this is easily explained, for John intentionally passed by the rest of the Apostles, because it was only himself and Peter that came to the sepulcher. As to Luke mentioning Peter alone, it is for the same reason as we have just now assigned in reference to Mary Megdalene and the rest of the women. It is also probable, that the other nine disciples were restrained by fear, lest they should be too easily observed if they went in a body. Nor is this inconsistent with what Luke appears to suggest, that they despised Mary’s words; for immediately afterwards he adds, that Peter ran, (Luke 24:12.) He therefore means simply that, when they first heard it, they appeared to be astonished, but that at length Peter took courage, and followed her for the purpose of seeing.

When Luke relates that Christ appeared to Mary before that she had informed the disciples that the grave was empty, the order of the narrative is inverted. This is evident from the context, for he adds what, John tells us, happened before she saw Jesus; nor is there any thing strange in this, for the Hebrew writers frequently relate first what is later in the order of time.

On the first day of the week; or, literally, on the first day of the Sabbaths. The Evangelists do not relate when or how Christ rose; for it was enough for them to explain at what time, and to what persons, his resurrection was made known. John therefore says, that Mary came on the first day of the Sabbaths. Literally, the words may be rendered, on One (μιᾷ) day of the Sabbaths; but it is customary with the Hebrews to use the word אהד (ehad) one, instead of first, because in reckoning we begin with one. Now as every seventh day was dedicated to rest, they called the whole week a Sabbath conferring this honor on the sacredness of the day, that the rest of the time was named from it. The women, therefore, came to the sepulcher on the day after the Sabbath, having on the same day (but after sunset) bought spices; and afterwards went out of the city secretly, and during the darkness of the night, as people are wont to do when they are afraid. Now, it was the first day of the Sabbaths, with respect to the following Sabbath, because it was the commencement of the week, of which the Sabbath was the close.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

1–10. The first Evidence of the Resurrection

1. The first day] Better, But on the first day; literally, ‘day one.’ We have the same expression Luk_24:1.

the stone taken away] All four Gospels note the displacement of the stone; S. Mark alone notes the placing of it and S. Matthew the sealing. The words ‘taken away from’ should rather be lifted out of: the Synoptists all speak of ‘rolling away’ the stone.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Ver. 1. The first day of the week] Now the Christian sabbath, in honour of Christ’s resurrection, and therefore called "the Lord’s day," Rev 1:10; as the holy supper is called "the Lord’s supper," 1Co 11:20; as the saints are called κυριακη, kirk, church. The title of the 24th Psalm is, "A Psalm of David." To this the Greek addeth, "Of the first day of the week," meaning that this psalm was wont to be sung in the temple every first day of the week, which now is the Christian’s sabbath; and of Christ, his Church and kingdom, and the entertaining of his gospel, doth this psalm intreat. Let every one of us keep sabbath, saith Ignatius, in a spiritual manner, rejoicing in the meditation of the law, not in the rest of the body. εκαστος ημων σαββατιζετω πνευματικως. (Ignat. ep. iii. ad Magnes.) And in those primitive times when the question was asked, Servasti Dominicum? Hast thou kept the Lord’s day? the answer was returned, Christianus sum, intermittere non possum: I am a Christian, and may not do otherwise. The Jews gave that honour to their sabbath, that they named from it all the other days of the week, as the first, second, third day, &c., of the sabbath, which we from the heathens (a worse pattern) name Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, &c. Ex iustituto Mercurii Trismegisti.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

For an account of the resurrection of Christ, see the notes at Matt. 28.

Joh 20:9

The scripture - See Luk 24:26, Luk 24:46. The sense or meaning of the various predictions that foretold his death, as, for example, Psa 2:7, compare Act 13:33; Psa 16:9-10, compare Act 2:25-32; Psa 110:1, compare Act 2:34-35.

For an account of the resurrection of Christ, see the notes at Matt. 28.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

As our Saviour had been interred in great haste, the holy women who had before accompanied Jesus in all his journeys, brought perfumes to embalm his sacred body again, in a manner more proper, than Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea had been able to do before. St. John makes mention of Mary Magdalene only, because it was his intention to give a particular relation of all that she did: but we learn from the other evangelists, that there were three holy women at the sepulchre together, viz. Mary Magdalene, Mary, the mother of James, and Salome. (Calmet) --- This was on the first day of the week, the morrow of the sabbath. (Bible de Vence) --- Christ rose again, leaving the stone and seals still lying on the sepulchre. But as this was to be believed by others also, after the resurrection, the tomb was opened, and thus the belief of what had taken place, propagated. This it was that struck Magdalene; for as soon as she saw the stone rolled from the sepulchre, without entering, or even looking into it, she immediately ran, in the ardour fo her affection, to carry the news to the disciples. (St. John Chrysostom, hom. lxxxiv. in Joan.)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Chapter Introduction

The evangelist St. John giving a fuller account than the other evangelists of Christ’s resurrection, and his converse upon the earth forty days, until he ascended up into heaven, we have in our notes on the other evangelists been shorter, reserving ourselves for a fuller account of it till we should come to these two last chapters of this evangelist.

Matthew saith, In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week; he also mentions another Mary in company with Mary Magdalene. Mark tells us that other Mary was the mother of James and Salome. Luke saith, they came, referring to the women which came with him from Galilee, Luk 23:55. For the time, Luke saith it was upon the first day of the week; Mark saith it was when the sabbath was past; our evangelist saith it was when it was yet dark; so that Matthew’s οψε δε σαββατων, which we translate, in the end of the sabbath, must be interpreted by Mark, when the sabbath was past; and indeed Matthew plainly expounds himself, adding, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week; which must be seven or eight hours after the Jewish sabbath was ended, for that ended with the setting of the sun the night before. The other evangelists tell us, that the design of their coming was to show their last act of love, in anointing or embalming the body of Jesus; for which purpose they had bought materials the night wherein he was crucified, but rested on the sabbath day, which ending about sunset, probably they slept some hours, and early in the morning, in the twilight, they come with their spices. Hence appears, that there is no contradiction at all between the four evangelists about the time of these women’s coming to the sepulchre. Matthew saith it was about the dawning of the first day of the week; Mark saith it was when the sabbath was past; Luke saith it was upon the first day of the week; so saith John: which would make one admire that so many words should have been spent by divines in untying a knot here, where there is indeed none. Though John, in his history of our Saviour’s burial, saith nothing of any stone rolled to the mouth of the sepulchre; yet Matthew doth; and of the Jews’ sealing of it, and setting a watch, Mat 27:64-66. Mark (Mar 16:3) tells us also, that these women were thoughtful as they came, who should roll the stone away; and Matthew also tells us how it came rolled away, viz. by an angel. John saith nothing but that the stone was rolled away. So then the history runs thus: Early on the first day of the week an angel, in a glorious appearance, (described by Mark), cometh down, rolleth away the stone from the mouth of the sepulchre, and Christ ariseth: soon after, these women came with spices, and were thoughtful as they came who should roll away the stone; but when they came to the sepulchre they found that, as to that, their cares were needless, for the stone was rolled away to their hands.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

The Resurrection

1-10. The Resurrection. Visits of Mary Magdalene, and of Peter and John to the tomb of Jesus. (For the Resurrection appearances see on the synoptics, especially on St. Matthew; for the visit of Mary Magdalene see Mat_28:1; Mar_16:1; Luk_24:1, Luk_24:10 for that of St. Peter see Luk_24:12.) This section, peculiar to the Fourth Gospel, is marked by specially vivid features. The race to the tomb in which John, the younger man, outruns Peter; the impetuous nature of Peter, who enters first; the more reflective character of John, who reads the meaning of the sign of the graveclothes and believes first; the details of the scene inside the sepulchre; the state of mind of the disciples, who had not yet learnt to expect a resurrection;—all these, as if caught on the plate of a photographic camera, the memory of the aged Apostle faithfully retained. Here is either absolute truth, or artistic realism of a kind unexampled in ancient literature.

2. We know not] Observe the plural, which corroborates the synoptic representation that other women, besides Mary Magdalene, visited the tomb (Mat_28:1; Mar_16:1; Luk_24:1). For the details see on Mt.

8. And he saw and believed] Why did John believe? Probably because the body of Jesus had miraculously passed through the thick folds of the graveclothes, leaving them unmoved and untouched, just as, on the evening of the same day, the risen Lord appeared in the midst of the disciples, when the doors were shut. It was clear from the position of the clothes, which had not been unwound, that no human hands had removed the Lord's body, and further, since His body had passed unimpeded through solid matter, that it was now a spiritual and glorious body, not bound by the laws of terrestrial matter. Jesus had risen, therefore, not to an earthly but to a heavenly life.

11-18. The appearance to Mary Magdalene. This is different from that of Mat_28:9, but identical with that of Mar_16:9.

12. Two angels] as in Lk. Mt and Mk mention only one. St. John notices their exact attitude and position.

15. Supposing him to be the gardener] Many did not recognise our Lord at first, because His appearance had undergone a certain change (Mat_28:17; Mar_16:12; Luk_24:16, Luk_24:37; Joh_21:4).

16. Rabboni] Edersheim regards this as the Galilean form of 'Rabbi.'

17. Touch me not, etc.] 'I have not come to renew the old intimacy, but am on the point of returning home to My Father. When I am enthroned in heaven, you shall touch Me once more, not however with the physical touch of your hands, but with the spiritual touch of a living faith.' I ascend] viz. after forty days. But many recent writers maintain that our Lord ascended immediately after the Resurrection, that He was in heaven during the forty days of earthly manifestation, and that the event called 'the Ascension' (Act_1:9) was only His final farewell to the disciples, not His entry into glory. My Father, and your Father] Observe that Jesus never says 'Our Father,' or 'Our God,' as if He stood in the same relation to God as other men. The Lord's prayer is no exception, for it is a prayer of the disciples, not of Jesus Himself.

19-23. Jesus appears in the evening to the disciples: see Luk_24:36; (Mar_16:14). According to St. Mark, Jesus appeared 'to the eleven as they sat at meat.' St. John is more precise, noting the absence of Thomas. St. Luke says that Jesus appeared 'to the eleven and them that were with them.' By this time our Lord had appeared, not only to Mary Magdalene and the women, but also to the two disciples walking to Emmaus, and to Peter.

19. The doors were shut] A clear indication that our Lord's body had become a spiritual body, and was no longer subject to the ordinary laws of matter, or the conditions of space: cp. Joh_20:26 Luk_24:31, Luk_24:36 and Luk_24:51; RM. Yet there is no suggestion of an unreal or phantom (Docetic) body, for He offers it to be handled (Luk_24:39; Joh_20:27); and even eats before them (Luk_24:42; Act_1:4; (RM) Act_10:41). It is to be presumed that Jesus closed the interview by mysteriously vanishing. Peace] The usual Jewish greeting, but how full of meaning now that the Cross had made peace between man and God!

21. Sent.. send] The Gk. words are different: cp. Joh_17:18.

22. Breathed on them] The word for 'breath' and 'spirit' is the same in Gk. By this action our Lord showed how closely the Holy Spirit is connected with His person, being in fact 'the spirit of Jesus.' The Church has never ventured to imitate this action, but has substituted in ordination the laying-on of hands.

Receive ye the Holy Ghost] i.e. for the purpose of consecration to the ministerial office. The Spirit was undoubtedly given at this time; and yet, we must suppose, not in its full power till Pentecost: see Joh_7:39; Joh_16:7.

23. Whosesoever sins ye remit] This includes all the means by which, through the ministry of the Word, souls are reconciled to God; e.g. baptism, the preaching of repentance, and moral discipline, as well as absolution (see on Mat_18:18).

As others were present besides the Apostles (Luk_24:33), it has been suggested that the ministerial powers here mentioned were conferred not upon the Apostles only, but upon the whole Church. St. John, however, who alone mentions the communication of ministerial powers, mentions the Apostles only as receiving them. It is possible indeed that our Lord's commission to baptise and teach, etc., was given to the corporate body of believers (see Mat_28:16-20), but it was clearly intended to be normally exercised through an authorised ministry.

Christians of different communions and schools of thought are not entirely at one as to the precise meaning of this verse, and their explanations of it differ very considerably, at least in detail. A full account of the numerous interpretations cannot be given here. If must suffice to indicate very briefly, for the information of the reader, the two main views which are taken of the nature of the power to 'remit' and 'retain' sins, which the risen Lord here communicates to His Apostles, and through them to His Church. (1) Many believers see in it nothing but the power to exercise ecclesiastical discipline. They regard sins as 'retained,' when a notorious offender is excommunicated, i.e. deprived for a time of the sacraments and other ministrations of the Church, and 'remitted,' when, as a penitent, he is restored once more to full communion. On this view, the forgiveness which the Church is empowered to bestow, is only a human forgiveness,—the forgiveness of the injured and justly offended Christian brotherhood. (2) Other believers hold that something more is intended. Impressed with the mysterious solemnity of the words themselves, of their occasion, and of the symbolical act which accompanied them, remembering also that our Lord more than once promised that the discipline of the earthly Church, when rightly exercised, should be ratified in heaven (Mat_16:19; Mat_18:18 : cp. 1Co_5:5; 2Co_2:10), they believe the meaning to be that God Himself (normally and usually) ratifies in heaven the remitting and retaining of sins by the earthly Church, though He still, of course, retains in His own hands the power to remedy all injustice, and to grant pardon (where penitence is deep and real), even beyond the covenanted channel.

When the important and farreaching qualifications with which the second view is now generally held are duly considered, it will probably appear to many readers that the two views are not so much fundamentally opposed, as expressive of two different aspects of truth. At any rate there is at present a strong tendency among theologians representing the two points of view to come to a better understanding by frank mutual explanations.

25, 26. The doubts of Thomas. Thomas in a sense represents the spirit of our age. He will be satisfied with nothing less than the evidence of the senses.

25. The print of the nails] It is clear that Thomas had witnessed the crucifixion.

26-29. Second appearance to the Apostles. Climax of the Gospel in the Confession of Thomas.

26. After eight days] i.e. on the next Sunday, both Sundays being counted in. Here we have the beginning of the observance of the Lord's Day, as the weekly memorial of the Resurrection. The other NT. references are Act_20:7; 1Co_16:2; Rev_1:10. Within] viz. in the same upper room in Jerusalem; not, as some think, in Galilee. Thomas with them] His presence shows a willingness to be convinced. The doors being shut] see on Rev_1:19.

27. Probably Thomas did not avail himself of our Lord's invitation.

28. My Lord and my God] The climax of the gospel. The unbelief of Thomas passes into faith in Christ's true Deity. Observe that Jesus accepts and approves the confession of Thomas.

29. It is better to be convinced by moral and spiritual evidence than by the evidence of the senses.

30, 31. Conclusion of the Gospel.

30. Many other signs] probably refers to signs done after the Resurrection. Those done before the Resurrection were done in the presence of the people.

31. The author's purpose in writing is to produce faith in Jesus as the Messiah, and as the Son of God, i.e. as divine: see v.

28. Life] i.e. eternal life.

Through his name] i.e. through union with Him as the incarnate Son of God. His 'name' is His nature as the God-Man.

Here the Gospel originally closed.

J. R. Dummelow, A Commentary on the Holy Bible (Macmillan, 1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Vers. 1-31. 2. The complete glorification of Jesus in his resurrection. The record pauses for the awful day of that great sabbath, and resumes the marvelous recital when the greatest event in the history of the world is assumed and asserted to have taken place. Heathen and foes admit the fact of the death of Jesus; the evidence is overwhelming, multiform, sufficient to establish itself to the ordinary reason of mankind. It is a matter of indubitable history. The proof was given to all the world; but it is otherwise with the fact of the anastasis of Jesus. That stupendous event was revealed to the eye and mind of faith by a series of communications, which afford to different classes, groups, kinds, and states of mind specimens of the manner and quality of the resurrection-life. "Many infallible proofs" wrought (as St. Luke says, Ac 1) irresistible conviction as to the reality of the Resurrection. The Church of Christ was originated by a faith in this new and transcendental mode of existence. A generation of men passed, scores of communities were called into being throughout Palestine, Phoenicia, Syria, Lybia, Asia Minor, Achaia, Macedonia, Cyprus, Crete, and even in Italy and the capital of the Roman empire, all of them held together by the life-giving conviction of the reality of a world of spiritual body, into which the redeemed enter. Of this reality the resurrection-life of Christ was the type, the proof, the first fruit, and the earnest. This most astounding fact was preached in Galatia and Macedonia, in Corinth and Rome, in Babylon and Alexandria, before one word of the Gospels had been put on parchment. When the preaching of the apostles was reduced to written form, it was not with the idea of recording a fully detailed or easily harmonizable account of the Easter Day, or of providing rational, or juridical, or historic evidence of the method or order of the great events, but rather to provide five independent series of evidences to the revelations which the apostles and apostolic company received of the nature and quality of the new life for humanity which had now begun. Several details of profound interest occur in the synoptic narrative, concerning which John is silent such e.g. as the rolling of a stone to the door of the sepulcher, the sealing of the stone by the Roman guard, the resurrection-appearances of the saints, the special preparation made by the women for further embalmment on the following days the great earthquake, the two companies of women that resorted to the sepulcher at successive intervals of time, and the different signs and even appearances by which their timorous hope was quickened into an adoring homage and world-compelling faith. Though John does not recite these well-known narratives, he presupposes some of them. Thus

(1) although, unlike the synoptists, he says nothing of the stone that was rolled to the door of the sepulcher, yet (ver. 1) he refers to the fact that (toyon) the stone was taken up or away.

(2) Although he says nothing of the two groups of women, yet he implies that Mary Magdalene was not alone at the sepulcher (ouk oidamen): "We know not where they have laid him." With far greater particularity than, (St. Luk_24:12) he describes Peter"s visit to the sepulcher, and gives further details of facts which occurred at more than one interview between our Lord and his apostles, of which Luke and Mark had given a more shadowy outline. (cf. here vers. 19-25 with Luk_24:36, etc.; Mar_16:14) But we are not intending here to produce a history or harmony of these records, but to follow throughout the impressions produced by the Lord"s self-manifestation upon the mind of the beloved disciple; not passing over the difficulties which his peculiar experiences have occasioned, when brought side by side with the synoptic and Pauline narratives. John first of all (vers. 1-10) describes how he came to believe personally in the resurrection of Jesus; then (vers. 11-18) the way in which the first manifestation was made to Mary of Magdala (vers. 19-23); how ten of the apostles, including himself, received a full and satisfying assurance of the stupendous fact (vers. 24-29); how once more, after an interval of eight days, not only Thomas, the most anxious, doubting, and incredulous of the eleven, but the entire group, came into full persuasion, not only of Christ"s resurrection, but of his Divine nature and claims, his Messiahship and Sonship, and of their own personal possession of life in him and through him.

Vers. 1-10. (1) The process of John"s own personal conviction, by the discovery that the sepulcher was deserted.

Now on the first day of the week. (twn sabbatwn, sabbata , in the plural, is used for the whole of the week, sabbaton including in itself the various days that intervened between sabbath and sabbath, the first, second, third, etc. Mia here and in Luk_24:1 and Mat_28:1 corresponds with the prwth . of Mar_16:9) All the evangelists agree about the day of the week, which thenceforward became the new beginning of weeks, "the Lord"s day." Cometh Mary the Magdalene. Here all the evangelists are at one, although, judging from the synoptists, she must have been accompanied by other women. This is implied in the oidamen of ver. 2, though Meyer repudiates such a hint by the remark that, in addressing the angels, she uses the singular, oida ; but this difference rather confirms, than otherwise, the significance of the plural, when she first breaks on the ear of the astonished disciples the wondrous news. But when she is confronted by the angels she is manifestly alone, and speaks for herself. It is probable that Mary Magdalene had preceded the other women, driven by the intensity of her adoring love and abounding grief, and hence some slight divergency appears as to the time at which she started on her pilgrimage. While it was yet dark, early, in the depth of the dawn; (Luk_24:1) before the breaking of full day, and lian prwi , "exceeding early" of Mark, although, as he adds, after sunrise (anateilantov tou hliou). This latter expression is difficult to reconcile as a statement of identical time. But many simple suppositions would explain the discrepancy. The Magdalene"s home may have been at a greater distance from the sepulcher, down in the shadows of the eastern hills, while the home of the other Marys may have been readily accessible to the sepulcher. After the great earthquake described by Matthew, (Mat_28:2) and the supernatural darkness of the day but one before, there is no incompatibility in the twofold statement that it was yet dark (not night), although the sun had risen. A deep pall may yet be hanging over the world and place which had held in its bosom the body of the murdered Lord of glory. (She) cometh to the sepulcher, obviously with the purpose stated by all the synoptics. She was bringing the spices which she, with others, had bought on the Friday evening. They would not be behind Nicodemus and Joseph in the expression of their boundless love. The critics make merry over the superfluousness of these women purchasing fresh spices when they must have known the lavish expenditure of the two rich men upon the same design. But the combination of the two statements is absolutely true to nature; it is exactly what women would do all the world over, and an evidence of the authenticity of both narratives. And seeth the stone taken away out of the sepulcher. This is all the information that St. John gives us, as antecedent to Mary"s flight to Simon Peter and himself. We have to decide between three hypotheses: either

(a) John"s narrative entirely differs from the synoptic account of what Mary saw and heard, and what she brought as her contribution to the apostles" ears, and therefore discredits one or the other or both narratives; or

(b) Mary of Magdala, having preceded the other women, found the empty sepulcher, and, without waiting for them, rushed to the home of Peter and John with this preliminary intelligence and nothing else, then, returning with them to the tomb, joined the ether women who had arrived after John and Peter had withdrawn; or

(c) That (Hengstenberg) Mary said more than she is reported by John to have uttered, that she told them not merely that they (the Jews) had taken away the body, but that she had seen a vision of angels, who affirmed that the Lord had risen, and gave certain commissions. From Luke"s account of the first effect of the news from the tomb, the apostles thought them idle tales, but they went to the sepulcher, and found it even as the women had said, but him they saw not. What were the "idle tales"? Not that the tomb was empty, for that was a simple matter of fact, which the two chief apostles verified, but the story of angels who affirmed that Jesus was alive. Still, such a report is very likely to have roused the apostles to the eagerness of their first visit to the tomb, and the effect of it to reappear in the conversation of the disciples on their way to Emmaus. If the third of these hypotheses be followed, then the narrative of John simply records with brevity what the other evangelists had reported at greater length, distinctly omitting the story of the angelic visitors, given in all three synoptists. This seems to me the fairest and best interpretation of the four narratives. On this hypothesis the account which Mary Magdalene brought to Peter and John corresponds with Matthew, (Mat_28:6-8) where the women generally ran with the news, blending fear with great joy, excited beyond all parallel with the strange wonderful assurance which they had received, that they should meet their risen Lord in Galilee. According to Mark, (Mar_16:1-8) we hear of angels, the sight of the vacated tomb, and the angelic message to the apostles, specifying Peter as one especially singled out to hear the commission. Trembling, ecstasy, fear, shut their mouths as they hurried to the abode of the eleven; they spake nothing to any man, but the intelligence was conveyed "to the eleven and all the rest". (Luk_24:9) St. Luke afterwards sums up in one statement all the various messages that were brought, and mentions by name, not only the Magdalene but Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and says, "the remaining ones with them" (at loipai su). The effect was so far fruitless; the apostles did not believe the words. (Luk_24:10) The fact stands in the synoptics that the first communication which was carried by women to the apostles, and was not confined to them, consisted not only of the fact of the empty tomb, but of the language of angels. The first thing might easily have been set to rest by direct inspection; the other part of the narrative might easily be disregarded as the voice of wild enthusiasm and excited imagination. It should be distinctly perceived that the women must have scattered in diffusing their intelligence, and John positively asserts that the main strain of Mary"s report was as to the opening of the tomb and disappearance of the body, and that it was delivered personally to himself and Peter. This solution of the first difficulty was thrown into confusion by the T.R. form of Matthew"s account, which says, (Mat_28:9) "As they went to bring his disciples word, behold Jesus met them." If that were the true text of Matthew, it is in irreconcilable antagonism with John"s Gospel, i.e. if Mary Magdalene must be regarded as one of the party who were advised to tell the apostles that the tomb was opened and rifled, and that the Lord was risen. It would also be opposed to the statements of both Luke and Mark concerning the first message they brought to the apostles and to the rest, as well as the manner of their departure from the sepulcher. If, however, Matthew is here referring to a second party (called by harmonists the Joanna group), then they must, in their passage to the apostles, have missed Peter and John on their way to and from the sepulcher, and it would contradict the assertion of all four evangelists, that Mary Magdalene was the first to see the Lord. This most difficult clause in Matthew"s account has, however, been rejected by modern critics, and consequently the narrative of Matthew is delivered from its greatest perplexity. The fact that Jesus met them must be identical with the appearance described with far greater detail in John"s own statement (vers. 11-18). Matthew"s Gospel throughout is singularly devoid of notices of time, and we find grouped here, as elsewhere, events or teachings without chronological perspective.

Vers. 1-10. The Resurrection: Peter and John at the sepulcher.

We approach an event which bespeaks a new life for Christ and a new life for man.

I IT IS A WOMAN WHO IS FIRST AT THE TOMB ON THE RESURRECTION MORN. "The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher.

1. She evidently was not alone during the whole scene, but she seems to have reached the sepulcher before the other women of her company. (Mat_28:1) "Certain women of our company were early at the sepulcher". (Luk_24:22, Luk_24:23)

2. Mary"s purpose was to embalm the body of Jesus. This implied that she had no more expectation than the apostles of his approaching resurrection.

3. It was an act of great courage to go in the darkness and to confront, if necessary, the rude watchmen.

4. It is suggestive of the loyalty of women to Jesus that "woman was last at the cross, and first at the tomb.

5. Her discovery of the empty tomb was the first indication of a fact which is the most fundamental in Christianity.

II THE VISIT OF PETER AND JOHN TO THE SEPULCHER.

1. Mary ran in breathless haste to acquaint the two disciples with her discovery. "So they both ran together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

2. John, as the younger man, outran Peter, but the eager haste of both disciples indicated their amazement, their curiosity, their expectation.

3. The hesitating look of John, as he stooped down but did not enter the tomb, bespeaks the awe of his deeply contemplative spirit.

4. The alacrity with which Peter entered the tomb without a pause, and descried the empty clothes, is characteristic of the impulsive and eager son of Jonas.

5. Both disciples believed, as the effect of their visit to the sepulcher. Yet there was an evident unreadiness on their part to believe in Christ"s resurrection. "For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that be must rise again from the dead." The condition in which they found the clothes would suggest that the body had dot been taken away by enemies. It was still less probable that friends had carried it away.

6. The two apostles left the tomb convinced that the Lord had risen, but still, no doubt, unable to fathom the mystery that underlay the transaction.

"Then the disciples went away again unto their own home one at least believing, the other meditating deeply, but awaiting the first personal interview with Jesus which dissipates all his doubts.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Matt. xxviii, 1; Mark xvi, 1; Luke xxiv, 1.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Mary

For order of events on the resurection day, (See Scofield "Mat 28:1").

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Easter Morning.

Mary Magdalene at the grave:

v. 1. The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulcher, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulcher.

v. 2. Then she runneth and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him.

"The first day of the week," according to Christian reckoning; for with Christians all days are Sabbaths and none especially holy, excepting inasmuch as they are sanctified and hallowed by the Word of God and prayer. This was on Sunday, the third day after Jesus had been laid into the grave. On this morning several women from the circle of the disciples started out early for the grave of the Lord. Of these the evangelist John mentions Mary Magdalene especially, the story of the others having been narrated by the earlier gospel-writers. It was so early that the shadows of dawn were still lying over the country, though the light was breaking. When Mary Magdalene, in the company of the other women, came within sight of the tomb of the Master and saw that the heavy stone which fitted into the groove before the opening, and served in a way to lock the entrance, had been taken away, she waited for nothing more. The other women stayed and investigated the matter more closely, but Mary ran back to the city as quickly as she could. Whether by design or by accident, she struck Simon Peter and John first of all. Hastily she poured into their ears what she had seen, as well as her deductions there from; for she seems to have been certain that the sepulcher had been violated by someone, perhaps even by the authorities, who had reasons of their own for removing the body of the hated Nazarene. Hastily she states her message: They have carried away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have placed Him. She was not alone in her anxious fears, the other women agreeing with her. We here see the result of following one’s own conjectures and surmises instead of paying strict attention to the Word of the Lord. If all the disciples, men and women, had closely remembered the prophecies of the Lord concerning His Passion and resurrection, they would have saved themselves many a bitter heartache. Christians must learn ever better to search the Scriptures, to turn to the Word in all the various vicissitudes of life, instead of following their own ideas and feelings.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 20:10

Christ Not in the Sepulchre

I. The two disciples went away believing, because they found that Christ was not in the sepulchre. But Mary Magdalene came and told them that she had seen Him risen, and had heard His voice with her ears. What she told Peter and John, Peter and John are now telling to us. They tell us that they have heard Him, that they have seen Him with their eyes, have looked upon Him, yea, that their hands have handled Him. We may trust their testimony, as they trusted hers, being quite ready indeed to believe that He was alive, because they had found that He was not amongst the dead. And so we, finding that He is not amongst the dead, seeing and knowing the fruits of His gospel, the living and ever increasing fruits of it, may well believe that its Author is risen, and that the pains of death were loosed from off Him, because it was not possible that He should be holden by them. In this way we, like the two disciples, may be all said to be witnesses of Christ’s resurrection.

II. But this is now past, as with the two disciples, and we are going again to our own homes. There, neither the empty sepulchre nor the risen Saviour are present before us, but common scenes and familiar occupations, which in themselves have nothing in them of Christ. May we not hope that Christ and Christ’s Spirit will visit us the while in these our daily callings, as He came to His disciples Peter and John when following their business as fishers on the Lake of Gennesareth? How can we get Him to visit us? There is one answer—by prayer and by watchfulness. All of us have in truth one great call yet before us; and with respect to that we are all preparing still. And for that great call, common to all of us, we need all the same common readiness; and that readiness will be effected in us only by the same means, if now, before it come, Christ and Christ’s Spirit shall, in our homes and daily callings, be persuaded to visit us.

T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. iv., p. 190.

Reference: Joh 20:10, Joh 20:11.—J. Key, Christian World Pulpit, vol. vii., p. 211.

Joh 20:10-18

Mary Magdalene at the Sepulchre

We may see the following things in this passage:—

I. Mary’s sorrow. (1) She sought for a lost Christ, and looked for Him where He was not to be found. (2) She failed to recognise Him, though so near to her. (3) She mistook the Divine work for man’s. "They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him."

II. The strength of Mary’s love.

III. The imperfection of Mary’s faith.

IV. Our Lord’s message sent by Mary. (1) It was a message of forgiveness. (2) A message of continued, unbroken affection. "Go and tell My brethren."

C. Short, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxi., p. 235.

References: Joh 20:11.—H. Scott Holland Church of England Pulpit, vol. xi., p. 232. Joh 20:11-14.—E. Blencowe, Plain Sermons to a Country Congregation, p. 218.

Joh 20:11-18

First Appearance of the Risen Lord

I. It was a real body that appeared to Mary. "Touch Me not," said Jesus. Then it was possible to touch Him. If not, prohibition was unnecessary. Wisdom never tells us to do what cannot be done. The face that looked at her was not a grey, ghastly gleam; the voice she heard was not a dead voice. The form she saw was not a form that trembled in the twilight far within the tomb, but one that stood boldly forth in the warm, clear, cheerful day outside.

II. We have in the words "Touch Me not," a gentle reproof, pointing to the lack of spirituality in Mary’s faith. Even her worshipping thoughts of Jesus seemed to rise no higher than an embodied presence; to her mind, the supreme object of faith could be touched with fingers; she could only think of a Rabboni Whose feet she could clasp, and to Whose garments she could cling. Just now, at least, her soul was cleaving to the dust, and was shut up in the world of sights, sounds and touches. The words of Jesus were to discipline and raise her faith, and to break to her the truth that He is no longer to be revealed under the forms of time, and in the world of sensation, but to the soul.

III. We are taught that although Mary had this check when beginning to touch the risen Christ, all the disciples may touch Him, now that He is in heaven. This is the natural conclusion from the language, "For I am not yet ascended to My Father." The word yet conveys the inference that when He was ascended, she might touch Him as much as she pleased.

IV. These words may have included an injunction to Mary not to delay her errand to the disciples. "Do not touch Me," might have meant "Do not linger." It is almost as if He had said: "Mary, there is no time now for tender intimacies, and protracted intercourse; I have this more important employment for you; go to them at once, for they must make haste if they would see Me; and you must make haste if you would give them fair notice." So now, Christ is always calling us away from the passive to the active—from personal enjoyment to practical service.

C. Stanford, From Calvary to Olivet, p. 125.

References: Joh 20:11-18.—Homilist, 2nd series, vol. iii., p. 283; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. iv., p. 263.

Joh 20:13

There is Reason in the Tears of Mary, for

I. They show her strong and tender love—the most reasonable of all possible forms of love—the love which she had for the perfect moral Being, our Lord Jesus Christ.

II. They expressed her bitter disappointment. She had come to find Him, and He was gone. "They have taken away my Lord."

III. They imply her longing for more knowledge about Him than she has, as yet.

IV. They are the earnest of her perseverance.

H. P. Liddon, Penny Pulpit, No. 937.

References: Joh 20:13.—Parker, Ark of God, p. 162.—Christian World Pulpit, vol. vi., p. 198; vol. x., p. 362.—Church of England Pulpit, vol. iii., p. 183. Joh 20:14-16.—J. G. Rogers, Christian World Pulpit, vol. vii., p. 193.

Joh 20:15

Christ the Gardener

The mistake which Mary made in supposing Jesus to be the gardener, will suggest some profitable thoughts for Eastertide. "The time being spring," as good Bishop Andrews remarks in his sweet, quaint way, "and the place a garden, Christ’s appearing as a gardener has some propriety about it." In one sense, as St. Gregory said, Christ may well be called a gardener, and indeed is one. Christ is ever what He seems to be.

I. Man began his earthly career in a garden, and Jesus, the Divine Word who made all things, was the Creator of this temporal paradise. In that sense, therefore, He may be accounted a gardener.

II. Again, at His glorious resurrection from the dead, He did but exemplify the calling of a gardener. Nor is this to end His wonder-working power. By virtue of His own resurrection, He will raise up our bodies also. "He will change all our graves into garden plots."

III. Jesus, as the Gardener, waters and cultivates the plants which His own right hand has planted—His heavenly graces, bestowed in answer to believing prayer; and in the devout reception of the holy sacrament, refreshes and revives the soul.

J. N. Norton, Old Paths, p. 259.

References: Joh 20:15.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxix., No. 1699; Ibid., My Sermon Notes: Gospels and Acts, p. 163; J. M. Neale, Sermons for Children, p. 121; Contemporary Pulpit, vol. vii., p. 233; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. ix., p. 252; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines, p. 388; J. M. Neale, Sermons, 2nd series, vol. i., p. 68. Joh 20:15, Joh 20:16.—C. C. Bartholomew, Sermons Chiefly Practical, p. 75.

Joh 20:15-23

Next to the absence of all notice of our Lord’s mother, few things are more remarkable in the narrative of the period after the resurrection, than the silence respecting John.

I. John was born a lover of repose, of retirement. Left to himself he would never have been an adventurous or ambitious man. But let us not confound John’s yielding gentleness, with that spirit of easy compliance which shuns all contest, because it does not feel that there is anything worth contending for. Beneath John’s calm and soft exterior there lay a hidden strength. In the mean, vulgar strife of petty, earthly passions, John might have yielded where Peter would have stood firm. But in more exciting scenes, under more formidable tests, John would have stood firm where Peter might have yielded. And there was latent heat as well as latent strength in John. As lightning lurks amid the warm, soft drops of the summer shower, so the force of a love-kindled zeal lurked in his gentle spirit.

II. Nor let us confound John’s simplicity with shallowness. If it be the pure in heart who see God, John’s was the eye to see farther into the highest of all regions than that of any of his fellows. If it be he that loveth who knoweth God, John’s knowledge of God must have stood unrivalled. There were besides under that calm surface which the spirit of the beloved disciple displayed to the common eye of observation profound and glorious depths. The writer of the Gospel and the Epistle is the writer also of the Apocalypse; and if the Holy Spirit chose the human vehicle best fitted for receiving and transmitting the Divine communications, then to St. John we must assign not the pure, deep love alone of a gentle heart, but the vision and the faculty divine—the high imaginative power. It was the all-conquering grace of God that brought Peter and John into a union so near, and to both so beneficial—John’s gentleness leaning upon Peter’s strength; Peter’s fervid zeal chastened by John’s pure, calm love. In the glorious company of the Apostles they shone together as a double star, in whose complemental light, love and zeal, labour and rest, action and contemplation, the working servant and the waiting virgin, are brought into beauteous harmony.

W. Hanna, The Forty Days, p. 126.

References: Joh 20:16.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 305; vol. vii., pp. 56, 235; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines, p. 389; Christian World Pulpit, vol. vii., p. 350; R. H. Newton, Ibid., vol. xxviii., p. 378.

Joh 20:17

Ascension the Condition of the Spiritual Contact

I. The brief saying of the text is pregnant with the deepest doctrine. It teaches us how poor a thing is bodily presence, even if it were the presence of the Saviour. It teaches us how they err from wisdom as well as from reason, who would reproduce upon earth in holy sacraments, the corporeal presence of the risen. How little can they have entered into the first principle of the Gospel, "God is Spirit," or into the first axiom of Christianity, which is,—The lowest spiritual ranks in the nature of things above the highest carnal. The true contact with Christ presupposes His ascension; it is only by ascending far above all heavens that He can really fill all things. "Touch Me not; for I am not yet ascended."

II. The risen Saviour tells this sorrowful yet suddenly comforted disciple that she must not cling to Him. In itself, that sounds cheerless and unsympathetic. Then we begin to say it is quite true, as the Romanist seems to tell us, that Jesus Christ Himself, though we call Him our Saviour, is too holy, too Divine, to be approached without some sort of mediation. Let us find some intermediate—saint, angel, or virgin—whom we may approach and cling to, since He Himself has spoken the Noli me tangere. And yet the voice was very sweet and very tender which forbad the touching. Surely it promised the very access which it prohibited—promised in the name of the Ascended that which it postponed in the person of the Risen. Yes, that which we could not do, with any amount of permission—namely, the touching of the visible Saviour—that which is no loss therefore to us, whatever it may have seemed to be to her—is here opened to us, living after the ascension, as the very privilege and possession of our discipleship. "Touch Me not, for I am not yet ascended;" but now He is ascended, and He may be touched, clung to, and dwelt with.

C. J. Vaughan, Temple Sermons, p. 416.

The Resurrection Change.

These words imply—

I. A change in our Blessed Lord Himself. While the teaching of the New Testament establishes a real organic connection between that which died and that which rises again, it intimates also a mighty change. When Mary saw the Lord she felt that death had been conquered; she knew not the change which death had made. And, therefore, His forbiddal of her loving touch. She puts out her hand to lay hold of Him, as of old; and lo! He draws Himself back in the mystery of His resurrection life, as though to break to her the solemn truth, that in Him the mortal had put on immortality, and might not bear contact with the dying. "Touch Me not." It is the measure of the change which shall pass upon all, in dying and rising from the dead.

II. Again, the words of Christ indicate not only a change in Himself, but in His relations with His followers. It is worthy of notice here that, though our Blessed Lord permitted not the touch of Mary Magdalen, yet a few days later he invited the touch of St. Thomas. The cause of this various action is not far to seek. Mary did not doubt the reality of the Being who stood beside her. She required to be drawn on from a too material love to a love more spiritual in its nature. St. Thomas required to be convinced that what he saw was no illusion of the senses. The fault of the one ended where the fault of the other began. And yet, while Jesus Christ thus withdraws from the touch of Mary, He intimates the approach of a time of renewed close communion with Him. If He forbids her touch because He was not yet ascended, He thereby manifestly implies that, when He had ascended, then she should touch Him without rebuke. What is this? It is the opening out the vital doctrine of the real spiritual contact which exists between the servants of Christ, and Christ upon His throne. The Redeemer here seems to intimate that, when once He had ascended to the Father, there should recommence a close intercommunion between Himself and His disciples. He draws the woman from a lower to a higher love—from a carnal to a spiritual touch; He bids her not stretch forth her hand, but lift up her heart; not seek to detain Him on earth, but to rise herself towards heaven.

Bishop Woodford, Sermons on Subjects from the New Testament, p. 54.

The Magdalen’s Touch

Consider the warrant which the text gives us that Christ is ascended for real communion; what the measure of that communion is.

We must remember that to Christ’s own feeling, the circumstance of the invisibility of His presence would make no difference. Our Lord feels just as much present with His people now, as when His bodily eyes saw them and His natural voice spoke to them. Therefore to Him it is just the same now, as if anybody really touched Him. To us, it is an exercise of faith to realise that. But to Him there is no alteration at all, since He was upon the earth. Now the act of Mary, of touching Jesus, whatever that touch was, must have been expressive, first, of the faith she had, that her own Lord and Saviour was again at her side; for, as she saw Him, she said simply, that one most beautiful of words, "Master." Thomas, too, when he touched, felt much the same. And our Saviour’s repulse to Mary speaks only and exactly the same language as does the attitude of Thomas. Both exalt the spiritual power above the natural touch. The soul’s embrace of the unseen in both is made greater than all bodily evidence. "Blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed." It was the action, too, of adoring love. Our Saviour’s words strikingly united those two feelings, as meeting in that higher touch, to which He directly led her now. "Touch Me," he virtually said, "Touch Me in your heart, when I am ascended." As the things of this outer world come and go, as they will, and all change and all die, we find that the things we touch, and cannot see, are far more real and far better than all that ever the natural senses know.

J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 2nd series, p. 130.

I. There are three arguments for the ascension of Christ—the external argument, the internal, and the personal. (1) The apostles declare that they saw the Lord ascend into heaven. Could they have united together and propagated a story which they did not credit? (2) The standing proof of the ascension of Christ to heaven is to be found in the mission and work of the Holy Spirit. (3) The personal argument for the ascension of Christ arises from the experience of His believing disciples.

II. The consequences of Christ’s ascension are—(1) The completion of His work of atonement; (2) The stability of His Church, together with the supply of all that is needful to the perfecting of it through the work of the Holy Spirit; (3) The ascension furnishes to the faith and hope of individual believers a sure resting-place.

III. Encouragements which the ascension of Christ affords to believers. (1) It fortifies them against the assaults of their spiritual enemies. (2) It warrants them to count with the fullest confidence upon experiencing heavenly sympathy.

A. D. Davidson, Lectures and Sermons, p. 518.

References: Joh 20:17.—R. Rothe, Preacher’s Lantern, vol. i., p. 615; J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 2nd series, p. 130.; vol. ii., p. 36; Contemporary Pulpit, vol. x., p. 79; Preacher’s Monthly, vol. i., p. 306; vol. iii., p. 227; vol. v., p. 172; S. Cox, Expositions, 2nd series, p. 45; Spurgeon, My Sermon Notes: Gospels and Acts, p. 166; M. Dix, Sermons, Doctrinal and Practical, p. 133; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. i., p. 85; vol. xviii., p. 222. Joh 20:18-27.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. viii., p. 367.

Joh 20:19

The words "Peace be unto you" were the ordinary Jewish form of greeting, at least in later ages. The form marked the grave, religious character of the Hebrew race. Just as the Greek, in his natural gaiety of heart, bid his neighbour "Hail" or "Joy"—just as the Roman, with his traditional notions of order and law, wished him safety—so the Jew, with a deep insight into the scope of the word, would just wish him "Peace." The form itself was of high antiquity. When the steward of Joseph’s house would reassure the trembling brethren of the patriarch, who had found their money in their sacks, and had returned to Egypt, he said, in language which he had probably, as an Egyptian slave, heard from his master, and repeated by his orders, "Peace be unto you." When the religious Jew would invoke God’s blessing on the holy city, it took this form. He would pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "Peace be within thy walls, prosperity within thy palaces." And thus, as a great Hebrew scholar has observed, we never find this greeting of peace used in the Old Testament as a mere conventional expression which had lost its meaning. "Peace be unto you." The ordinary Jewish greeting, no doubt, as it fell on the ears of the apostles, assured them that Jesus had re-entered, at any rate for a while, and under conditions, upon the social life of man; but the form, the old familiar form, which gave this assurance, was charged now with a spiritual meaning and power which should last through all time. What, then, is the peace of Christ’s resurrection blessing?

I. The exact word which our Lord used undoubtedly means, in the first place, thriving, prospering, when a thing is as it should be according to its capacity or its origin. In this way the word implies the absence of disturbing causes, of injury, of sickness, of unhappiness, of want. And thus the idea of rest results from the original meaning of the word. A man has peace, it has been well said, when things are with him as they should be; and peace then is the absence of causes which would disturb the well-being of a society or of a man. It is that well-being conceived of as undisturbed. The peace which Christ breathed on the apostles was that which is needed by a spiritual society. And this peace might mean, first of all, freedom from interference on the part of those who did not belong to it. No doubt as they listened to the sounds of the Jewish mob out in the street, resting as they were in their upper chamber on that Easter evening, the apostles thought of this sense of the blessing. It was for them an insurance against rough handling, against persecution. Certainly it was no part of our Lord’s design that Christians should be at constant war with Pagan or Jewish society. On the contrary, the worshippers of Christ were to do what they could to live in social harmony with those who did not know or love their Master. And yet, if the apostles had thought that this was the meaning of the blessing, they would soon be undeceived. Pentecost was quickly followed by imprisonments, by martyrdoms. For three centuries the Church was almost continuously persecuted. The peace which Christ promised is independent of outward troubles. It certainly does not consist in their absence. Does the blessing, then, refer to concord among Christians? Certainly it was meant—we cannot doubt it—that peace should reign within the fold of Christ. He who is the author of peace and lover of concord so willed it; but neither here nor elsewhere did He impose His will mechanically upon baptised men. Such is our human imperfection that the very earnestness of faith has constantly been itself fatal to peace. Controversy, no doubt, is a bad thing; but there are worse things in the world than controversy. The existence of controversy does not forfeit the great gift, which our Lord made to His apostles on the evening of Easter day; for that gift was a gift—we cannot doubt it—chiefly and first, if not exclusively, to the individual soul.

II. Now, upon what conditions does the existence of this peace in the soul depend. (1) A first condition of its existence is the soul’s possession of some definite religious principles. I say "some principles," because many men, who only know portions of the religious truth which is to be known and had in this life, yet make the most of the little they know, and may thus enjoy a large measure of inward peace. What is wanted by us men is something to cling to, something to fall back upon, something that will support and guide us amid the perplexities of thought—amid the impetuosities of passion. Without religious principles the human soul is like a ship at sea without chart, without compass. (2) The peace of the soul must be based on harmony between the conscience and our knowledge of truth. Now, this harmony is disturbed, to a certain extent, by the plain facts of every human life—to an immense extent by the facts of most human lives. Conscience, by its very activity—conscience, when it is honest and energetic—destroys peace, because it discovers a want of harmony between life and our highest knowledge. And here, too, our risen Lord is the giver of peace. What we cannot achieve, left to ourselves, we do achieve in and through Him. We hold out to Him the hand of faith; He reaches forward to us His inexhaustible merits, His word of life, the sacraments of His Gospel; we become one with Him. And thus the work of righteousness is peace, and its effect on us is quietness and assurance for ever. Having been justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. (3) And the peace of the soul depends, lastly, on its embracing an adequate and legitimate object of affection. We are so constituted that our hearts must find repose in that which they can really love. Most people pass their lives in trying to solve this problem by attaching themselves to some created object. The love of power, the love of wealth, the love of position, the love of reputation—these are merely, at the best, temporary experiments. The attempt to find peace in the play of the domestic affections is much more respectable—much more likely to succeed for a term of years—for the heart is engaged in this way seriously and deeply. But neither husband, nor wife, nor son, nor daughter, can—we know it—be counted on as a perpetual possession. Death parts us all, sooner or later, for a time; and if the whole heart has been given to the lost friend or relative, peace is gone. When our risen Lord said in the upper chamber "Peace be unto you," He made His great and precious blessing an actual gift. He presented Himself risen from the tomb, inaccessible to the assaults of death, in His human as in His Divine nature, as an object of exhaustless affection to the human heart. The secret of inward peace is simplicity in the affections and in the purpose—the repose of the soul in presence of a love and of a beauty before which all else must pale.

H. P. Liddon, No. 880, Penny Pulpit.

References: Joh 20:19.—S. Baring Gould, One Hundred Sermon Sketches, p. 152; J. M. Neale, Sermons in a Religious House, 2nd series, vol. i., p. 41; W. H. Jellie, Christian World Pulpit, vol. vi., p. 309; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. i., p. 194; vol. ii., p. 247; vol. iv., p. 264; vol. xiv., p. 230; C. Stanford, From Calvary to Olivet, p. 164; B. F. Westcott, The Revelation of the Risen Lord, p. 79; A. P. Stanley, Church Sermons, vol. i., p. 385; J. Vaughan, Sermons, 7th series, p. 91; E. Blencowe, Plain Sermons to a Country Congregation, vol. ii., p. 240; Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxi., No. 1254; W. C. E. Newbolt, Counsels of Faith and Practice, p. 80.

Joh 20:19-20

I. Such as was the state of the disciples on that sad evening, such must often be our state, at least in many respects. We too have all of us often forsaken our Lord and Master. We too have often lost Him. We may have forsaken Him through fear of the world. We may have forsaken Him to run after vanities. We may have forsaken Him to follow the devices of our own hearts. At such seasons, when we are weighed down with the consciousness of having forsaken our Lord, the Tempter will come to us, and having already gained a hold on our hearts, will try to make sure of his prey. He comes and tells us that we have lost our Lord; that He is dead,—that to us, at least, He is dead; that to us, He is as though He had never been; that we have nothing to hope from Him; that He cannot love us; that we shall never see Him again, until we see Him as our Judge.

II. At such dark dreary seasons, when we have lost our Saviour; when the world has taken Him from us; when we have been turning away from Him and forsaking Him, and cannot find Him any more—what does it behove us to do? What did the disciples do? They assembled together, with their doors shut for fear of the Jews. Now this is just what we ought to do. We should assemble together. For this is our Lord’s blessed and most gracious promise, that where two or three are gathered together in His name, there He will be in the midst of them. Sin, and the whole family of sin—all worldly thoughts, all worldly cares, all worldly and carnal lusts—these are the Jews who crucified Christ; these are the Jews that still crucify Him, that still draw away His disciples from Him, and tempt and lure them to forsake Him, and would sever them from Him for ever. These, then, are the Jews against whom you are to shut your doors.

III. "Peace be unto you." Into whatsoever house Christ enters, these are the first words He speaks to that house. To whatsoever heart Christ manifests Himself, this is the blessed salutation with which He tries to win that heart to receive Him and abide with Him. It is when you are mourning over the loss of love, that you learn to feel how precious every token of it was. It is when you have been taught to know your want of peace, that you will feel what a blessed thing it is to have your Saviour come to you and say, "Peace be unto you."

J. C. Hare, Sermons in Herstmonceux Church, p. 193.

Reference: Joh 20:19, Joh 20:20.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. v., p. 213.

Joh 20:19-23

(with Mar 16:13-14; Luk 24:33-49)

I. We should misinterpret the incidents of this evening meeting, we should mistake the simple, immediate and precise object which, in using them, our Lord had in view, to explain these words as if they were intended to clothe the eleven apostles, and after them their successors or representatives,—to clothe any class of officials in the Church exclusively with a power of remitting and retaining sins. There were others present as well as they. Those other members of the infant Church had the benediction pronounced on them as well as on the eleven; the instructions were given to them, as well as to the eleven; the breath was breathed on them, as well as on the eleven. Had Jesus meant, when He spoke of this remitting and retaining sins, to restrict to the eleven the power and privileges conferred, should He not by some word or token have made it manifest that such was His desire?

II. We are not in the least disposed to doubt that, while Christ speaks of the remitting and the retaining of sins as pertaining to the Church at large, His words cover the acts of the Church in her organised capacity—the inflicting and removing of ecclesiastical censures through the office-bearers, in the exercise of discipline. Here, however, we have two remarks to make: (1) That it is only so far as these acts are done by spiritual men, seeking and following the guidance of the Spirit; only so far as they are in accordance with Christ’s own expressed will—that they are of any avail, or can plead any heavenly ratification; and (2) that all the force they carry is nothing more nor less, than an authoritative and official declaration of what that will of the Lord is. The Church’s function is strictly limited to the announcing of a pardon, which it is for the grace of the Heavenly Forgiver alone to bestow. And if, in executing that simple but most honourable office of proclaiming unto all men that there is remission of sins through the name of Jesus, she teaches that it is alone through her channels—through channels that priestly or ordained consecrated hands can alone open—the pardon cometh, she trenches upon the rights and prerogatives of Him whom she represents, and turns that eye upon herself that should be turned alone on Him.

W. Hanna, The Forty Days, p. 65.

References: Joh 20:19-23.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. ii., p. 218; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. i., p. 194; vol. ii., p. 247; vol. iv., p. 264; B. F. Westcott, Revelation of the Risen Lord, p. 79. Joh 20:19-24.—Homilist, 2nd series, vol. iii., p. 90.

Joh 20:20

The Nature of Christian Worship

Consider:—

I. The presence of the Lord Jesus Christ amongst His people. We attach to the Deity the idea of omnipresence. The conception is a tremendous one, but it is unquestionably a correct one. There have been individuals—men of gigantic mental powers and of untiring activity—who have contrived, by the multiplication and adjustment of skilfully ordered agencies, to make their influence felt through the whole of a mighty empire, and, as it were, to be present in every part of it at the same moment of time. But presence by influence is one thing, and presence by person another. And what we believe of the Godhead is this, that in every point of what we call space, God is to be found simultaneously, in all the force of His being and in all the plenitude of His power. There is a difference, however, between this Divine omnipresence of Christ and the kind of presence referred to in the narrative before us. About this latter there is something special. The Saviour, present in the assemblies of His worshipping people, is ready to make His presence felt by them; ready to open communications with them; ready to manifest Himself to them as He is not manifested to the world; ready so to lay His gentle but powerful touch upon their spirits, as that they shall feel that they have been admitted into the very audience chamber of their Father and their God.

II. Christ stands in the midst of His people for the purpose of blessing them and giving them peace. He does not come amongst us to find fault and to call up for judgment. He comes to bless. His language to us is the same as that which He addressed to His disciples of old—"Peace be unto you."

III. The disciples rejoiced at the presence of the Lord. In the act of worship the true disciple cares for fulfilment of duty, certainly; for religious emotion, certainly; but chiefly for personal communication with the personal God. It is God—God Himself, not merely something belonging to God—that he desires to know, to approach, to realise, to grasp, to possess. "My soul," says David, "is athirst for God, for the living God." When the Christian disciple realises Christ in his worship, when Christ has become an actual living personal Presence to him, meeting him, speaking to him, comforting him—then he has attained the object of his spiritual desire. And then, like the disciples of old, he is glad when he sees the Lord.

G. Calthrop, Penny Pulpit, No. 1063.

The Resurrection of Christ

There is in all nations an irrepressible instinct struggling after immortality. But these blind guesses go for nothing. Reason knows nothing to confirm them. Reason leaves us in perplexity. If Christ be not risen, all other risings are fables. The only light has gone out: nothing has happened this year, nothing last year, nothing this century; nothing has happened in all the centuries of the past to throw light on the Beyond, if Christ be not risen. But, once accept the fact that Christ has risen from the dead, and see what questions of supreme importance it answers.

I. The first question of the present day, the first question of all ages, is this: Who is Jesus of Nazareth? It is a question of profoundest importance. Is He only the Son of man, or is He also the Son of God? In presence of the fact that Jesus of Nazareth rose from the dead, it seems easier to get rid of His humanity than of His Godhood. Well, if the Redeemer be Divine; if He is really Emmanuel—God with us; if I can look to Him and say, "My Lord and my God"—I cannot help being glad. Who can help being glad, with such a Saviour?

II. Another question which the Resurrection answers is this: Is Christ’s sacrifice accepted and sufficient—the sacrifice that He offered once for all to God? The Resurrection is the answer. It is God’s "Yea" to that voice from the cross, "It is finished." The prison doors are opened, and the Surety comes forth—not to life merely, but to glory and dominion.

III. What is Jesus Christ to us today? The resurrection declares the unbrokenness of His love and brotherhood. He has not cast aside the robe of our humanity. He wears it in glory; He wears it for ever. He is not ashamed to call us brethren.

IV. What is God’s purpose concerning His redeemed? The special revelation of the New Testament is not that of the immortality of the soul, but of a future life resembling the life of Jesus Christ. He has risen from the dead—risen, not for Himself alone, but as the first-fruits of them that slept; and He says, "Because I live, ye shall live also."

J. Culross, Christian World Pulpit, March 2, 1887.

References: Joh 20:20.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. v., p. 175; J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 9th series, p. 312. Joh 20:20-23.—A. B. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve, p. 502. Joh 20:21.—J. Keble, Sermons for Saints’ Days, p. 185; see also Plain Sermons by Contributors to "Tracts for the Times," vol. x., p. 82 J. E. B. Pusey, Church of England Pulpit, vol. i., p. 139.

Joh 20:21-23

The Christian Mission

I. These words were addressed in the first instance to the apostles then present. But they are likewise addressed, and with no less force, to every one who finds joy in the presence of his Saviour. All such persons does Christ send to work His work upon earth. As He came to work the work of His heavenly Father, so all who are made partakers in His salvation are sent by Him to work the same work, each according to his calling and to the gift that he may have received. To all Christ gives the same charge; He sends all to work the work of God. This is His commandment. He sends them to work the work of God, as children of God, with the peaceful feeling of being reconciled to God and received into His family; to find their chief pleasure in working that work, with no constraint upon them, except the blessed constraint of love.

II. Thus we see on what a glorious mission every Christian is sent; we see what a blessing he bears with him, so long as he endeavours to fulfil that mission. Still, so weak and frail and mean-spirited is man that, notwithstanding the glory of the work, notwithstanding the blessing it brings with it, he shrinks from it; he cannot summon heart for so mighty an enterprise; he cannot rise out of the mire of his carnal nature, but sinks into it again. There are a host of excuses that people are wont to bring forward for shrinking from the work Christ sends them to do. To all, however, our Lord gives a complete answer; one and all He cuts off in the text. For when He had given His charge to the disciples, when He had sent them on the same mission on which He had been sent by His Father, "He breathed on them and said to them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost." He gave them the Holy Ghost to strengthen them, to enlighten them, to breathe life into their words and power into their arguments. And the same Holy Spirit is granted richly to all who have received Christ into their hearts as their Saviour, and have given themselves up to God to work their Master’s work. They receive the Holy Ghost, not only to dwell in them and sanctify them, but also to strengthen and enlighten them for the work on which Christ sends them, and to help and prosper them in that work.

J. C. Hare, Sermons in Herstmonceux Church, p. 208.

References: Joh 20:21-23.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. iv., p. 85. Joh 20:22.—H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xvi., p. 45. Joh 20:22, Joh 20:23.—Ibid., vol. x., p. 164. Joh 20:24.—H. Melvill, Voices of the Year, vol. ii., p. 347; Christian World Pulpit, vol. iv., p. 267.

Joh 20:24-25

The Incredulity of St. Thomas

I. It is easy and not uncommon to upbraid the incredulity of Thomas, and to entertain none but the most indefinite ideas as to the fault of which he was guilty. We ought to remember that the assertion of Christ being risen was an extraordinary and overwhelming assertion, to be received as true only when demonstrated by the most rigid proof. There could not be a greater mistake than supposing that faith is acceptable in proportion as it is unsupported by reason, or that men are required to believe what they are unable to prove. The great question is, whether proof enough had been already vouchsafed, or rather whether Thomas was warranted in refusing to believe on any testimony but that of his own senses. We may say, at once, that sufficient evidence had been afforded to Thomas in the predictions of Christ and in the testimony of his brethren. He had no right to regard the resurrection as well-nigh incredible. He had seen others raised by Christ, and he had heard from Christ that He would yet raise Himself; and if there seemed such an antecedent improbability as to be overcome by nothing but peculiar evidence, the testimony of the apostles ought to have been conclusive. The grand evil of the faithlessness of Thomas was that in refusing to be satisfied by any evidence but that of his senses, Thomas did his utmost to undermine the foundation on which Christianity would necessarily rest, and to establish a principle which would indicate universal infidelity; for it is manifestly impossible, where the proofs of a revelation are concerned, that evidence should be afforded to every man’s senses, that the demonstration of miracle should be perpetually and individually repeated, so that none would have to rest on the testimony of others.

II. It is one thing to prove that Thomas laid undue stress upon evidence which addresses itself to the senses; and it is another thing to prove to you that we ourselves lose nothing by not having that sort of evidence. If it were possible that I could ascertain through my senses the truths of Christianity, certifying myself by the eye and the ear and the touch, that the Son of God died for me on the cross, and rose and ascended as my Intercessor, undoubtedly I might believe Christ to be my Saviour, but there would be nothing of that surrendering myself to the testimony of God, which is exacted from me in the absence of sensible proof, and which in itself is the finest discipline for another state of being. The very basis of the faith of the man who has not seen, gives to that faith a moral excellence of the highest description. "Blessed are they which have not seen, and yet have believed."

H. Melvill, Penny Pulpit, No. 2011.

Reference: Joh 20:24, Joh 20:25.—T. Gasquoine, Christian World Pulpit, vol. ix., p. 36.

Joh 20:24-29

The Incredulity of Thomas.

The case of Thomas is—

I. A most instructive instance of the exercise and expression of a true, loving, affectionate, appropriating faith. It is outgoing, self-forgetting, Christ-engrossed. No raising by Thomas of any question as to whether one who had been incredulous so long would be unwelcome when at last he believed. No occupation of mind or heart with any personal considerations whatever. Christ is there before him; thought to be lost more than recovered; His eye beaming with love, His encouraging invitation given. No doubt about His willingness to receive, His desire to be trusted. Thomas yields at once to the power of such a gracious Presence, unshackled by any of those false barriers we so often raise; the full warm gushing tide of adoring, embracing, confiding love goes forth and pours itself out in the expression, "My Lord and my God." Best and most blessed exercise of the spirit, when the eye in singleness of vision fixes upon Jesus, and, oblivious of itself and all about itself, the abashed heart fills with adoration, gratitude and love, and in the fulness of its emotion casts itself at the feet of Jesus, saying with Thomas, "My Lord, my God."

II. A guide and example to us how to treat those who have doubts and difficulties about the great facts and truths of religion. There was surely a singular toleration, a singular tenderness, a singular condescension in the manner of the Saviour’s conduct here towards the doubting unbelieving apostle. There was much about those doubts of Thomas affording ground of gravest censure; the bad morale of the heart had much to do with them. It was not only an unreasonable; it was a proud and presumptuous position he took up, in dictating the conditions upon which alone he would believe. What abundant materials for controversy, for condemnation, did his case supply! Yet not by these does Jesus work upon him, but by love. And if in kindred case we could but present the Saviour as He is, and get the eye to rest upon Him, and the heart to take in a right impression of the depth, and the tenderness, and the condescension of His love, might not many a vexed spirit be led to throw itself down before such a Saviour, saying, "Lord, I believe; help Thou mine unbelief."

W. Hanna, The Forty Days, p. 86.

Reference: Joh 20:24-29.—Homilist, 2nd series, vol. i., p. 537.

Joh 20:24-30

Thomas

I. Thomas was evidently a man of reserved nature—a melancholy man—haunted, as we should say, by a painful sense of his own individuality. He could not look at the bright side of things. He only spoke three words in the Gospel—three words—if you look at them, all melancholy. In his conduct, as shown in this passage, there were two prime defects. (1) Thomas did not take the plan to overcome his doubts; he was away on the first meeting of the disciples, and he missed the Lord by his absence. He was not at church that morning. Where was he, the melancholy man? (2) "Except," says Thomas. You see, he fixed his own standard and measure of belief and of evidence. Poor Thomas is confounding together things that differ. He wanted knowledge, and he would have called it faith. He makes himself the centre of his belief. "Except I shall see, I will not believe." That is the keep of Doubting Castle.

II. Between the zero and the zenith of faith—the spiritual life in the soul of man—there are four states. (1) The first state is perfect spiritual abortion. Neither seeing nor believing. Such persons neither note God nor things; they never think of causes; they never say, "Who is God, my Maker?" To such persons all things seem to happen. Their state is unconscious Atheism. (2) The second state is that in which men see, but do not believe. Do you notice these words of Thomas, "I will not believe." The fountain of belief is in the will. The fountain of doubt is in the will. "It is with the heart man believeth unto righteousness." (3) There is such a thing as believing and not seeing. If I could paint, I would paint Faith like a little child, leading Reason like a giant—like a stone-blind Belisarius—on his way. (4) It is possible to see and to believe. Truly this is the Divine life. In the world of sense they will tell you that you must see in order that you may believe. But my life has read me this lesson, that we must believe that we may see. How truly touching is that word pronounced by Thomas on his liberation from his despair, "My Lord and my God." Ah! instantaneous word; it solves all difficulty. Many long nights have I wept in the cell of Doubting Castle—now I am free. Many a time have I watched for sunrise over the marshes and the fens, and the mournful east winds swept by me and chilled my cheek and my heart—now Thou art come, Thou art come, and I am free, "my Lord and my God."

E. Paxton Hood, Sermons, p. 85.

References: Joh 20:24-30.—Preacher’s Monthly, vol. ii., p. 426. Joh 20:24-31.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. iii., p. 295.

Joh 20:25

I. The doubt of Thomas was the resisting of a heart to whom the good news seemed to be too good to be true. Thomas could not believe that the Lord who was dead is really alive. The others imagined they had seen Him, but might it not be that it was, after all, what they themselves had first supposed, a spirit that they had believed too easily? That they were knowingly trying to deceive him he could not fancy; but might they not have deceived themselves; and if the Lord was risen, why was he the only one that had not seen Him? He could not see the character of his own compassionate tender Master in such dealing. That alone to my mind explains the continued doubting of the apostle.

II. There is a mighty difference between those who nurse their doubts, and the doubting Thomas. There is a world of difference between those who would be rid of their doubts but cannot, yet who still are sad, and downcast, and sorrowful through their doubts, and the modern doubters, at least some of them, who love not God, who dishonour Christ, who will not come unto Him that they may have life, who prefer the darkness because their deeds are evil—a world of difference. Let us never associate the two classes. Let us be charitable with the honest doubter; God will take care of him, as He took care of Thomas. But we can have no sympathy with the dishonest doubter, who often makes his doubts the plea for carelessness and Godlessness. But I mean for God’s own children, blessed are they that have not seen Him and have believed. The spirit of Thomas is too frequent among us Christians still; busy in many a God-fearing heart, and doing its own terrible work there; robbing men of their rightful heritage, and making them fearful and sad, when they might have joy and peace in believing. There must surely in such a case be something wrong. If it be distrust, and fear, and doubt that find a place within a Christian’s heart, instead of peace and joy, much of it, I think, may be traced to the imperfect view that many have of the Gospel of Christ. It is faith in the Son of God that alone can strengthen a man, that can alone make a man free, that can alone relieve the burden of the mind, and give the sad one joy and peace. "Whom having not seen we love, and in Whom, believing, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory."

D. Macleod, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxi., p. 168.

References: Joh 20:25.—H. P. Liddon, Christmastide Sermons, p. 1. Joh 20:26.—J. Keble, Sermons from Ascension Day to Trinity, p. 230.

Joh 20:26-29

I. The meeting renewed. I think that Dr. Vaughan has somewhere suggested, that although we have no record of the circumstance, it is possible that Christ, when with the disciples on the first occasion, expressed His will that henceforth the Sabbath should be transferred from the seventh to the first day. They seem to have met in a special manner on the first day in this second instance; a fact not easy to account for, except on the theory of a special law of Christ to that effect, given by word of lip or by motion of His secret Spirit.

II. The absentee returned. Thomas, as a true man, could not remain an absentee. Everything in grace, like everything in nature, will sooner or later go to its own company, and so did Thomas.

III. How the unbelief was dealt with. It is the affliction of a true disciple, and so the Saviour dealt with it. Unbelief has many varieties, and sometimes seems to proceed on different lines; but although at first the difference between these lines is great, they all converge to one point, and, if not arrested, work on to one fearful finality. The unbelief of Thomas was temperamental. There is an infinite difference between the unbelief which says a thing is not true, because it wishes it not to be true, and the unbelief which says a thing is not true, but would give all the world to be sure that it is true—between the unbelief of Thomas and the unbelief of Pilate; between the vibration of a tower and its fall. Jesus owns the difference. Full of sympathy, He stooped to heal the sickness and set right the error of a disciple, whose unbelief rose in its cry out of a broken heart.

IV. Jesus, in dealing with the unbelief of Thomas, revealed His forgiving love. Infirmity given way to and persisted in deepens into sin; and thus was sin developed out of the infirmity of this disciple. With patient pity, Christ sought the poor wanderer, and with unspeakable tenderness brought him back.

V. The confession made. "And Thomas answered and said unto Him, my Lord and my God." Touch was not thought of now. Christ was fully revealed. The grace of the offer was a revelation, the tone of the voice was a revelation; the forgiveness was a revelation, it was like Jesus, and like no one else; the result was instant surrender. Love has sharp sight and quick responsiveness; in the new light, yet mingled with a sense of mystery, he recognised the Lord of his heart; with wonder, with tender and exquisite ecstasy, and with adoring prostration of soul, he cried, "My Lord and my God."

C. Stanford, From Calvary to Olivet, p 221.

Joh 20:27

(with Heb 4:3)

St. Thomas—Faith Triumphant in Doubt

I. Two sorts of language are held respecting faith and belief; each combining in itself, as often happens, a curious mixture of truth and error. The one insists that belief is a thing wholly independent of our will, depending simply on the greater or less force of the evidence set before our minds; and that therefore, as faith can be no virtue, so unbelief can be no sin. The other pronounces that all unbelief arises out of an evil heart, and a dislike to the truths taught; nay, that if any man even disbelieves any proposition not properly religious in itself, but generally taught along with such as are religious, he cannot be considering the truth or falsehood of the particular question, simply as it is in itself true or false, but must disbelieve, because he has a dislike to other truths which are really religious. The two passages which I have chosen together for my text, will illustrate the question before us. The belief by which we enter into God’s rest is clearly something moral. The unbelief of the apostle Thomas, which could not at once embrace the fact of the Lord’s resurrection, assuredly arose from no wish or feeling in his mind against it.

II. The unbelief which is a sin is, to speak generally, an unbelief of God’s commandment, or of anything which He has told us, because we wish it not to be true. The unbelief which may be no sin, is a disbelief of God’s promises, because we think them too good to be true; in other words, the believing not for joy; or again, the disbelief of such points about which our wishes are purely indifferent; we neither desire to believe nor have any reluctance to do so, but simply the evidence is not sufficient to convince us. Is our unbelief that of the apostle Thomas? No, I believe most rarely. Our unbelief is an unbelief of anything rather than of the truth of Christ’s promises; our difficulty lies anywhere else but there. Our unbelief relates to Christ’s warnings, to His solemn declarations of the necessity of devoting ourselves wholly to His service, to His assurances that there will be a judgment to try the very heart and reins, and a punishment for those who are condemned in that judgment, beyond all that our worst fears can reach to. It is not to such unbelievers that Christ reveals Himself. The gracious words, "Reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands," will never be spoken to them. The faith we need is a faith not of words but of feeling; not contented with merely not denying, but with its whole heart and soul affirming.

T. Arnold, Sermons, vol. v., p. 223.

The Place of the Senses in Religion

I. A first object of our Lord’s words in the text was, we may dare to say, to place the truth of His resurrection from the dead beyond doubt in the mind of St. Thomas. It was more important to Thomas that he should be convinced of the truth of the resurrection than that he should first learn the unreasonableness of his motive for hesitating to believe it; and therefore our Lord meets him on his own terms. Thomas, though unreasonable, should be gratified; he should know by sensible pressure of his hand and finger, that he had before him no unsubstantial phantom form, but the very body that was crucified, answering in each open wound to the touch of sense, whatever new properties might have also attached to it.

II. And a second lesson to be learnt from these words of our Lord is the true value of the bodily senses in the investigation of truth. There are certain terms which they, and they only, can ascertain, and in verifying which they may and must be trusted. It is a false spiritualism which would cast discredit on the bodily senses acting within their own province. It is false to the constitution of nature, for if the bodily senses are untrustworthy, how can we assume the trustworthiness of the spiritual senses? Religion does touch the material world at certain points, and the reality of its contact is to be decided, like all material facts, by the experiment of bodily sense. Whether our Lord really rose with His wounded body from the grave or not, was a question to be settled by the senses of St. Thomas, and our Lord, therefore, submitted Himself to the exacting terms which St. Thomas laid down as the conditions of faith.

III. And we learn, thirdly, from our Lord’s words how to deal with doubts of the truth of religion, whether in ourselves or other people. Our Lord’s prescription for dealing with doubt may be summed up in this rule—make the most of such truth as you still recognise, and the rest will follow. Thomas did not doubt the report of his senses. Well, then, let him make the most of that report. There is an intercommunication between truth and truth which lies in the nature of things, and the sway and guidance of which cannot be resisted by an honest mind; so that when any one truth is really grasped as true, the soul is in a fair way to recover healthiness of tone, and to put an end to the miserable reign of vagueness and doubt.

H. P. Liddon, Christian World Pulpit, vol. xxi., p. 257.

References: Joh 20:27.—Contemporary Pulpit, vol. v., p. 278; R. Maguire, Church of England Pulpit, vol. i., p. 252; Spurgeon, My Sermon Notes: Gospels and Acts, p. 169; E. Boaden, Christian World Pulpit, vol. i., p. 404; J. Keble, Sermons on Various Occasions, p. 177; Three Hundred Outlines from the New Testament, p. 104; T. Birkett Dover, A Lent Manual, p. 54. Joh 20:27, Joh 20:28.—G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines, p. 68; T. J. Crawford, The Preaching of the Cross, p. 156. Joh 20:27-29.—Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. i., p. 341.

Joh 20:28

I. We are, I think, hardly apt to be enough aware how much of all our Christian faith and hope must rest on the reality of our Lord’s resurrection. It is, in the first place, the fulfilment of all prophecy. I mean, that whereas all prophecy looks forward to the triumph of good over evil—to its triumph not partially merely, but entirely, and with over-measure—so the resurrection of Christ is, as yet, the only adequate fulfilment of these expectations; but it is itself fully adequate. If Christ’s triumph was complete, so also may be the triumph of those that are Christ’s. But without this, let hope go as far as she will, let faith be ever so confident, still prophecy has been unfulfilled, still experience gives no encouragement.

II. Well, then, may it be said with the apostle, that if Christ is not risen our faith is vain. His resurrection was, indeed, almost too great a joy to be believed. There might be illusion; the spirit of One so good, so beloved by God, might be allowed to return to comfort His friends, to assure them that death had not done all his work; but who could dare to hope that he should see, not the spirit of the dead, but the very person of the living Jesus? Surely it was a natural conviction of such overwhelming blessedness? "Except I shall see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into His side, I will not believe." Thanks be to God, who allowed His apostle to be thus careful ere he consented to believe, that we from His care might derive such perfect confidence.

III. Jesus said unto him, "Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed." A few days before Christ had prayed, not for His present disciples only, but for all those who were to believe on Him through their word. How graciously is His act in accordance with His prayer. The beloved disciple who had seen first the empty sepulchre, and who was now rejoicing in the full presence of Him who had been there, he was to convey what he had himself seen to the knowledge of posterity. And he was to convey it hallowed as it were by Christ’s especial message—"Blessed are they who have not seen, and yet have believed." We have all our portion in the full conviction then afforded that He was risen indeed; and besides all this we have received a peculiar blessing; Christ Himself gives us the proof of His resurrection, and blesses us for the joy with which we welcome it.

T. Arnold, Sermons., vol. vi., p. 172.

References: Joh 20:28.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxx., No. 1775; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. v., p. 32.

Joh 20:29

I. St. Thomas loved his Master, as became an apostle, and was devoted to his service; but when he saw Him crucified, his faith failed for a season with that of the rest. Being weak in faith, he suspended his judgment, and seemed resolved not to believe anything till he was told everything. Accordingly, when our Saviour appeared to him, eight days after His appearance to the rest, while He allowed Thomas his wish, and satisfied the senses that He was really alive, He accompanied the permission with a rebuke, and intimated that by yielding to his weakness, He was withdrawing from him what was a real blessedness. Consider then the nature of the believing temper, and why it is blessed.

I. Every religious mind, under every dispensation of Providence, will be in the habit of looking out of and beyond self, as regards all matters connected with the highest good. For a man of religious mind is he who attends to the rule of conscience, which is born with him, which he did not make for himself, and to which he feels bound in duty to submit. And conscience immediately diverts his thoughts to some Being exterior to himself, who gave it, and who evidently is superior to him; for a law implies a lawgiver, and a command implies a superior. He looks forth into the world to seek Him who is not of the world, to find behind the shadows and deceits of this shifting scene of time and sense, Him whose word is eternal, and whose presence is spiritual. This is the course of a religious mind, even when it is not blessed with the news of divine truth; and how much more will it welcome and gladly commit itself to the hand of God, when allowed to discern it in the Gospel. Such is faith as it arises in the multitude of those who believe, arising from their sense of the presence of God, originally certified to them by the inward voice of conscience.

II. This blessed temper of mind, which influences religious men in the greater matter of choosing or rejecting the Gospel, extends itself also into their reception of it in all its parts. As faith is content with but a little light to begin its journey by, and makes it much by acting upon it, so also it reads, as it were by twilight, the message of truth in its various details. It keeps steadily in view that Christ speaks in Scripture, and receives His words as if it heard them, as if some superior and friend spoke them, One whom it wished to please. Lastly, it rests contented with the revelation made to it; it has "found the Messias," and that is enough. The very principle of its former restlessness now keeps it from wandering when the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding to know the true God; wavering, fearfulness, superstitious trust in the creature, pursuit of novelties, are signs, not of faith, but of unbelief.

J. H. Newman, Parochial and Plain Sermons, vol. ii., p. 13.

Not Seeing, yet Believing

I. It would be a vain and presumptuous thing to attempt to determine positively what was the cause of Thomas’s unbelief, on the occasion to which these words refer. Some have endeavoured to excuse him altogether. But our Saviour’s few emphatic words plainly show some failing in his mind, which was not to be justified. Otherwise He would not have said, "Be not faithless." However, it is quite according to what we all feel in our own hearts, to suppose that two feelings met in Thomas’s mind. One entirely bad—a proud feeling—that having been absent on the previous Sunday, on the occasion of Christ’s showing Himself to His other disciples, being vexed with himself, he did not like to receive from others what he would so much rather have witnessed himself. This supposition is confirmed by the resoluteness of the language he uses about it—for we never use resolute language unless we are conscious of an inward vexation. And the other feeling which Thomas probably had in his mind was this, that he wished it it to be just as he said; but the very eagerness of his desire became its own stumbling block, the intensity of the light made the light invisible—in other words, it was "too good to be true."

II. Now, take it either way, or take it both ways, and there are many Thomases. But wherein was Thomas’s error? Does God expect us to believe on insufficient evidence? Thomas’s error was this: Christ, before He died, had spoken the word—He had spoken it more than once—He had said "I will rise again." If the Lord had not said this, Thomas might have been excused; for then he would only have been disbelieving man; but now, when he was told that Christ had appeared, he ought to have recollected what he had heard Christ Himself say. He was responsible to do that; and against that word of Christ’s, he ought not to have allowed any circumstances of sense or reason, however strong they might be, and however they might run counter to it, to weigh one single feather. The inference is clear, that whoever would be blessed must feel and show he feels the absolute claim, and the full certainty, and the entire supremacy of every word of Almighty God.

J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 2nd series, p. 335.

I. Our Lord does not treat the doubt of Thomas as a sin. There is not the slightest trace of fault-finding in what He says to him. He only tells him that his is not the most blessed state. The most blessed state is that of those who can believe without such proof as this. There are such minds. There are minds to whom the inward proof is everything. They believe not on the evidence of their senses or of their mere reason, but on that of their consciences and hearts. Their spirits within them are so attuned to the truth that the moment it is presented to them they accept it at once. And this is certainly far the higher state—the more blessed, the more heavenly. But still the doubt of St. Thomas was not a sinful doubt.

II. St. Thomas’s doubt is a type and his character an example of what is common among Christians. There are many who are startled at times by strange perplexities. Doubts arise in their minds, or are suggested by others, about doctrines which they have always taken for granted, or about facts connected with those doctrines. What shall we do when we find these difficulties arise? (1) In the first place let us not permit them to shake our hold of God and of conscience. However far our doubts may go, they cannot root up from within us, without our own consent; the power which claims to guide our lives with supreme authority. They cannot obliterate from within us the sense of right and wrong, and of the everlasting difference between them. By this a man may yet live if he have nothing else to live by, and God will assuredly give him more in his own good time. (2) But again, let us not treat such doubts as sins, which they are not, but as perplexities, which they are. As we must not quit our hold on God, so do not let us fancy that God has quitted His hold on us. Doubts are in fact as much the messengers of God’s providence as any other voices that reach us. They may distress us, but they cannot destroy us, for we are in the hands of God. (3) In all such cases remember St. Thomas, and feel sure that what is wanting Christ will give. You are not called on to believe till you are fully able to do so; but you are called on to trust.

Bishop Temple, Rugby Sermons, 1st series, p. 90.

References: Joh 20:29.—Spurgeon, My Sermon Notes: Gospels and Acts, p. 172; T. J. Crawford, The Preaching of the Cross, p. 174; C. Kingsley, Town and Country Sermons, p. 414; H. W. Beecher, Christian World Pulpit, vol. i., p. 329; W. Frankland, Ibid., vol. xxviii., p. 180; vol. ii., p. 340; Homiletic Quarterly, vol. vi., p. 1; J. Vaughan, Fifty Sermons, 2nd series, p. 335; F. W. Robertson, Sermons, 2nd series, p. 268; G. Macdonald, Unspoken Sermons, p. 50; T. T. Lynch, Sermons for my Curates, p. 33.

Joh 20:30-31

I. We have here set forth the incompleteness of Scripture. Nations and men appear on its pages abruptly, rending the curtain of oblivion, and striding to the front of the stage for a moment; and then they disappear, swallowed up of night. It has no care to tell the stories of any of its heroes, except for so long as they were the organs of that Divine breath, which, breathed through the weakest reed, makes music. The self-revelation of God, not the acts and fortunes of even His noblest servants, is the theme of the Book. It is unique in the world’s history, unique in what it says, and no less unique in what it does not say.

II. Notice the more immediate purpose which explains all these gaps and inconsistencies. John’s Gospel, and the other three Gospels, and the whole Bible, New Testament and Old, have this for their purpose, to produce in men’s hearts the faith in Jesus as the Christ and as the Son of God. Christ, the Son of God, is the centre of Scripture; and the Book—whatever may be the historical facts about its origin, its authorship and the date of the several portions of which it is composed—the Book is a unity, because there is driven right through it, like a core of gold, either in the way of prophecy and onward-looking anticipation, or in the way of history and grateful retrospect, the reference to the one "Name that is above every Name," the Name of the Christ the Son of God.

III. Notice the ultimate purpose of the whole. Scripture is not given to us merely to make us know something about God in Christ, nor only in order that we may have faith in the Christ thus revealed to us; but for a further end, great, glorious, but not distant—namely, that we may have life in His Name. Life is deep, mystical, inexplicable by any other words than itself. It includes pardon, holiness, well-being, immortality, heaven; but it is more than they all. Union with Christ in His Sonship, will bring life into dead hearts. He is the true Prometheus who has come from heaven with fire, the fire of the Divine life in the reed of His humanity, and He imparts it to us all if we will. He lays Himself upon us, as the prophet laid himself upon the little child in the upper chamber; and lip to lip, and beating heart to dead heart, He touches our death, and it is quickened into life.

A. Maclaren, Christ in the Heart, p. 131.

References: Joh 20:30, Joh 20:31.—Spurgeon, Sermons, vol. xxvii., No. 1631; G. Brooks, Five Hundred Outlines, p. 78; F. D. Maurice, Gospel of St. John, p. 443; J. Wordsworth, Church of England Pulpit, vol. iii., p. 233; Homilist, 3rd series, vol. iv., p. 233.

Joh 20:31

The Trinity Disclosed in the Structure of St. John’s Writings

I. The Gospel of St. John commences with a solemn exposition of the Divinity of the Word and Son of God, considered in His immediate relation to the Deity of the Father, as commissioned to represent His unapproachable glory in the world of time and sense. It is the glory as of the only begotten of the Father. "He is the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, and hath declared Him." But in the influences of the second, a new power is discovered, which all Scripture assigns to a third agent; and thus in the brief preface, the Father, the Word made flesh, the inworking Spirit proceeding from both, are shadowed before us; the opening prologue presents a summary of the whole majestic drama which follows.

II. The great article of faith which the Church commemorates on Trinity Sunday pervades the works of St. John, not only as a separate truth, but as a presiding principle; not only in the phraseology of the parts, but in the structure of the whole. We see that to him, the threefold activity of Father, Son and Spirit, was indeed the abstract of theology; it is a plastic power, working the whole mass of the composition to its peculiar type; somewhat as the vital principle of an organised frame silently gathers the entire aggregate of particles into the definite form appropriate to itself. In making this threefold distinction the basis of his whole scheme of instruction, St. John has taught you not only its absolute truth, but its relative importance. Learning from him the proportion of the faith, we will safely value that most which he thought most precious. If, under those brief but wondrous words—Father, Son and Spirit—he was accustomed to classify all the bright treasures of his inspiration; if into this mould every narrative, every exhortation, naturally flowed; if he was wont to see, in the adoration that bowed before this mysterious Triad of eternal powers, the last and loftiest act of religion; we cannot be wrong in preserving the equilibrium that he has fixed. And if to him this great belief was more than belief, this light was also life. May we also find in the Trinity, the ground of practical devotion, pure and deep, till, quickened by the power of this faith, the Three that bear record in heaven shall bear witness in our hearts.

W. Archer Butler, Sermons Doctrinal and Practical, p. 64.

References: Joh 20:31.—Contemporary Pulpit, vol. viii., p. 275; Clergyman’s Magazine, vol. i., p. 48; vol. iii., p. 289; F. W. Farrar, Church of England Pulpit, vol. xiii., p. 85. John 20—W. Sanday, The Fourth Gospel, p. 258. John 20, John 21—J. Vaughan, Children’s Sermons, vol. ii., p. 31.

The Sermon Bible, ed. William Robertson Nicoll (1888–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In this verse is recorded how Mary Magdalene came early to the sepulchre, on the first day of the week, to anoint the dead body of our Lord Jesus.

Where note, that though her heart did burn with an ardent zeal and affection to her crucified Lord, yet the commanded duties of the sabbath were not omitted by her; she kept close, and silently spent that holy day in a mixture of grief and hope. Her example is a good pattern of sabbath sanctification, and worthy of our Christian imitation.

Note, 2. What magnanimity and courage is found in this weak woman; she followed Christ courageously, when his disciples left him cowardly; she accompanied him to his cross, she followed his hearse to the grave, when his disciples durst not appear; and now very early in the morning she goes to visit his sepulchre, fearing neither the darkness of the night, nor the presence of the watchmen.

Learn hence, that courage is the special gift of God, and if he gives it to the feebler sex, even to timorous and fearful women, it is not in the power of man to make them afraid.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

J. W. McGarvey's The Fourfold Gospel [CXXXIV. Our Lord's Resurrection].

P A R T E I G H T H. OUR LORD'S RESURRECTION, APPEARANCES AND ASCENSION. JUDÆA AND GALILEE. TIME, FORTY DAYS. SPRING AD. 30.

CXXXIV. ANGELS ANNOUNCE THE RESURRECTION TO CERTAIN WOMEN. PETER AND JOHN ENTER THE EMPTY TOMB. (Joseph's Garden. Sunday, very early.) aMATT. XXVIII. 1-8; bMARK XVI. 1-8; cLUKE XXIV. 1-8, 12; dJOHN XX. 1-10.

c1 But a1 Now late on the sabbath day, b1 And when the sabbath was past, con the first day of the week, aas it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, cat early dawn, dwhile it was yet dark, cometh acame dMary Magdalene early aand the other Mary bthe mother of James, and Salome, cunto the tomb, bringing bbrought cthe spices which they had prepared. [ Luk_23:56.] ato see the sepulchre. bthat they might come and anoint him. a2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it. 3 His appearance was as lightning, and his raiment white as snow: 4 and for fear of him the watchers [the Roman soldiers on guard] did quake, and became as dead men. [The angel sat upon the stone that the Roman guards might make no attempt to reclose the tomb.] b2 And very early on the first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun was risen. 3 And they were saying among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the tomb? c2 And they found the stone rolled away from [739] the tomb. b4 and looking up, they see d [Mary Magdalene] seeth} bthat the stone is rolled back: dtaken away from the tomb. for it was exceeding great. c3 And they bentering into the tomb, centered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. [John mentions Mary Magdalene alone, though she came with the rest of the women. As she was the one who reported to John and Peter, he describes her actions, and makes no mention of the others.] d2 She runneth therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him. [Though Mary came with the other women, she departed at once, while the others tarried, as the sequel shows. The narrative proceeds to tell what happened to the other women after Mary had departed.] c4 And it came to pass, while they were perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel: bthey saw a young man sitting on the right side, arrayed in a white robe; and they were amazed. c5 and as they were affrighted and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, bhe athe angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye; cBe not amazed: afor I know that ye seek Jesus, bthe Nazarene, who hath been crucified: cWhy seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but afor he is risen, even as he said. cremember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of man must be delivered up into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words [For the words referred to, see Mat_17:22, Mat_17:23. The angel continues his speech as follows], aCome, bbehold, the place where they laid him! asee the place where the Lord lay. [Here is a double wonder, that men should put the Son of God in a grave, and that he should consent to be put there.] b7 But a7 And go quickly, and tell his disciples, [740] band Peter, aHe is risen from the dead; and lo, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: bas he said unto you. alo, I have told you. [The women were told to hasten, for the disciples were not to endure their sorrow a moment longer than was needful. Peter was mentioned by name that he might know that he was not cast off for his denial. The Lord appeared to some chosen few in Judæa, but the large body of his disciples were to see him in Galilee; see Psa_16:10, Isa_53:10, and many other passages set forth the resurrection of our Lord; his own words, too, had plainly foretold it, yet among the disciples it was so much beyond all expectation that the prophecies had no meaning until made clear by the event itself. Yet these are the men whom the Jews accused of inventing the story of a resurrection!]

[FFG 739-742]

J. W. McGarvey (with Philip Y. Pendleton), Commentaries on the New Testament (The Fourfold Gospel, 1914; Acts; and the epistles) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

John Chapter 20

In chapter 20 we have, in a summary of several of the leading facts among those which took place after the resurrection of Jesus, a picture of all the consequences of that great event, in immediate connection with the grace that produced them, and with the affections that ought to be seen in the faithful when again brought into relationship with the Lord; and at the same time, a picture of all God’s ways up to the revelation of Christ to the remnant before the millennium. In chapter 21 the millennium is pictured to us.

Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons, appears first in the scene-a touching expression of the ways of God. She represents, I doubt not, the Jewish remnant of that day, personally attached to the Lord, but not knowing the power of resurrection. She is alone in her love: the very strength of her affection isolates her. She was not the only one saved, but she comes alone to seek-wrongly to seek, if you will, but to seek-Jesus, before the testimony of His glory shines forth in a world of darkness, because she loved Himself. She comes before the other women, while it was yet dark. It is a loving heart (we have already seen it in the believing women) occupied with Jesus, when the public testimony of man is still entirely wanting. And it is to this that Jesus first manifests Himself when He is risen. Nevertheless her heart knew where it would find a response. She goes away to Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, when she does not find the body of Christ. Peter and the other disciple go, and find the proofs of a resurrection accomplished (as to Jesus Himself) with all the composure that became the power of God, great as the alarm might be that it created in the mind of man. There had been no haste; everything was in order: and Jesus was not there.

The two disciples, however, are not moved by the same attachment as that which filled her heart, who had been the object of so mighty a deliverance [68] on the Lord’s part. They see, and, on these visible proofs, they believe. It was not a spiritual understanding of the thoughts of God by means of His word; they saw and believed. There is nothing in this which gathers the disciples together. Jesus was away; He had risen. They had satisfied themselves on this point, and they go away to their home. But Mary, led by affection rather than by intelligence, is not satisfied with coldly recognising that Jesus was again risen. [69] She thought Him still dead, because she did not possess Him. His death, the fact of her not finding Him again, added to the intensity of her affection, because He Himself was its object. All the tokens of this affection are produced here in the most touching manner. She supposes that the gardener must know who was in question without her telling him, for she only thought of one (as if I inquired of a beloved object in a family, “How is he?”). Bending over the sepulchre, she turns her head when He approaches; but then the Good Shepherd, risen from the dead, calls His sheep by her name; and the known and loved voice-mighty according to the grace which thus called her-instantly reveals Him to her who heard it. She turns to Him, and replies, “Rabboni-my Master.”

But while thus revealing Himself to the beloved remnant, whom He had delivered, all is changed in their position and in His relationship with them. He was not going now to dwell bodily in the midst of His people on earth. He did not come back to re-establish the kingdom in Israel. “Touch me not,” says He to Mary. But by redemption He had wrought a far more important thing. He had placed them in the same position as Himself with His Father and His God; and He calls them-which He never had, and never could have done before-His brethren. Until His death the corn of wheat remained alone. Pure and perfect, the Son of God, He could not stand in the same relationship to God as the sinner; but, in the glorious position which He was going to resume as man, He could, through redemption, associate with Himself His redeemed ones, cleansed, regenerated, and adopted in Him.

He sends them word of the new position they were to have in common with Himself. He says to Mary, “Touch me not; but go to my brethren, and tell them that I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” The will of the Father-accomplished by means of the glorious work of the Son, who, as man, has taken His place, apart from sin, with His God and Father-and the work of the Son, the source of eternal life to them, have brought the disciples into the same position as Himself before the Father.

The testimony borne to this truth gathers the disciples together. They meet with closed doors, unprotected now by the care and power of Jesus, the Messiah, Jehovah on earth. But if they had no longer the shelter of the Messiah’s presence, they have Jesus in their midst, bringing them that which they could not have before His death-”Peace.”

But He did not bring them this blessing merely as their own portion. Having given them proofs of His resurrection, and that in His body He was the same Jesus, He sets them in this perfect peace as the starting point of their mission. The Father, eternal and infinite fountain of love, had sent the Son, who abode in it, who was the witness of that love, and of the peace which He, the Father, shed around Himself, where sin had no existence. Rejected in His mission, Jesus had-on behalf of a world where sin existed-made peace for all who should receive the testimony of the grace which had made it; and He now sends His disciples from the bosom of that peace into which He had brought them, by the remission of sins through His death, to bear testimony to it in the world.

He says again, “Peace be unto you,” to send them forth into the world clothed and filled with that peace, their feet shod with it, even as the Father had sent Him. He gives them the Holy Ghost for this end, that according to His power they might bear the remission of sins to a world that was bowed down under the yoke of sin.

I do not doubt that, speaking historically, the Spirit here is distinguished from Act 2:1-47, inasmuch as here it is a breath of inward life, as God breathed into the nostrils of Adam a breath of life. It is not the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven. Thus Christ, who is a quickening Spirit, imparts spiritual life to them according to the power of resurrection. [70] As to the general picture figuratively presented in the passage, it is the Spirit bestowed on the saints gathered by the testimony of His being risen and His going to the Father, as the whole scene represents the assembly in its present privileges. Thus we have the remnant attached to Christ by love; believers individually recognised as children of God, and in the same position before Him as Christ; and then the assembly founded on this testimony, gathered together with Jesus in the midst, in the enjoyment of peace; and its members, individually constituted, in connection with the peace which Christ has made, a witness to the world of the remission of sins-its administration being committed to them.

Thomas represents the Jews in the last days, who will believe when they see. Blessed are they who have believed without seeing. But the faith of Thomas is not concerned with the position of sonship. He acknowledges, as the remnant will do, that Jesus is his Lord and his God. He was not with them in their first church gathering.

The Lord here, by His actions, consecrates the first day of the week for His meeting together with His own, in spirit here below.

The evangelist is far from exhausting all that there was to relate of that which Jesus did. The object of that which he has related is linked with the communication of eternal life in Christ; first, that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and, second, that in believing we have life through His name. To this the Gospel is consecrated.

Footnotes for John Chapter 20

68: “Seven demons.” This represents the complete possession of this poor woman by the unclean spirits to whom she was a prey. It is the expression of the real state of the Jewish people.

69: It is impossible to me, in giving great principles for the help of those who seek to understand the word, to develop all that is so deeply touching and interesting in this twentieth chapter, on which I have often pondered with (through grace) an ever-growing interest. This revelation of the Lord to the poor woman who could not do without her Saviour, has a touching beauty, which every detail enhances. But there is one point of view to which I cannot but call the reader’s attention. There are four conditions of soul presented here which, taken together, are very instructive, and each in the case of a believer:- 1st. John and Peter, who see and believe, are really believers; but they do not see in Christ the only centre of all the thoughts of God, for His glory, for the world, for souls. Neither is He so for their affections, although they are believers. Having found that He was risen, they do without Him. Mary, who did not know this, who was even culpably ignorant, could nevertheless not do without Jesus. She must possess Himself. Peter and John go to their home; this is the centre of their interests. They believe indeed, but self and home suffice them. 2nd. Thomas believes, and acknowledges with true orthodox faith, on incontestable proofs, that Jesus is his Lord and his God. He truly believes for himself. He has not the communications of the efficacy of the Lord’s work, and of the relationship with His Father into which Jesus brings His own, the assembly. He has peace perhaps, but he has missed all the revelation of the assembly’s position. How many souls-saved souls even-are there in these two conditions! 3rd. Mary Magdalene is ignorant in the extreme. She does not know that Christ is risen. She has so little right sense of His being Lord and God, that she thinks some one might have taken away His body. But Christ is her all, the need of her soul, the only desire of her heart. Without Him she has no home, no Lord, no anything. Now to this need Jesus answers; it indicates the work of the Holy Ghost. He calls His sheep by her name, shews Himself to her first of all, teaches her that His presence was not now to be a Jewish bodily return to earth, that He must ascend to His Father, that the disciples were now His brethren, and that they were placed in the same position as Himself with His God and His Father-as Himself, the risen Man, ascended to His God and Father. All the glory of the new individual position is opened to her. 4th. This gathers the disciples together. Jesus then brings them the peace which He has made, and they have the full joy of a present Saviour who brings it them. He makes this peace (possessed by them in virtue of His work and His victory) their starting-point, sends them as the Father had sent Him, and imparts to them the Holy Ghost as the breath and power of life, that they may be able to bear that peace to others. These are the communications of the efficacy of His work, as He had given to Mary that of the relationship to the Father which resulted from it. The whole is the answer to Mary’s attachment to Christ, or what resulted from it. If through grace there is affection, the answer will assuredly be granted. It is the truth which flows from the work of Christ. No other state than that which Christ here presents is in accordance with what He has done, and with the Father’s love. He cannot, by His work, place us in any other.

70: Compare Rom 4:1-25; Rom 5:1-21; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 7:1-25; Rom 8:1-39 and Col 2:1-23; Col 3:1-25. Resurrection was the power of life which brought them out of the dominion of sin, that had its end in death, and that was condemned in the death of Jesus, and they dead to it, but not condemned by it, sin having been condemned in His death. This is a question, not of guilt, but of state. Our guilt, blessed be God, was put away too. But here we die with Christ, and resurrection presents us (Romans, as quoted, unfolds the side of death; Colossians adds resurrection. Romans is death to sin, Colossians to the world) living before God in a life in which Jesus-and we by Him-appeared in His presence according to the perfection of divine righteousness. But this supposed His work also.

John Nelson Darby — Synopsis of the Books of the Bible: the New Testament (c. 1857–1862) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1–18. See notes on Matt. 28:1–8. Compare Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–11. Cometh Mary Magdalene. She was not alone. Mary, the mother of James and Joses, and Salome were with her. Their object was to place spices about the body of Jesus.

She runneth. To Peter and John to tell that the tomb is empty.

Simon Peter … went in. John looked in, but Peter went in. The grave clothes were carefully folded and laid aside.

Mary stood without … as she wept. She still supposed that the body was stolen, until the angels were seen.

Saw Jesus standing. The first sight of the risen Lord. The first to see him was the loving Mary.

Touch me not. She was probably about to clasp his feet. She is told to discharge a higher duty: to go to the brethren with the glad story.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

General Information:

This is the third day after Jesus was buried.

first day of the week

"Sunday"

she saw the stone rolled away

You can translate this in an active form. AT: "she saw that someone had rolled away the stone" (See: Active or Passive)

disciple whom Jesus loved

This phrase appears to be the way that John refers to himself throughout his book. Here the word "love" refers to brotherly love or love for a friend or family member.

They took away the Lord out from the tomb

Mary Magdalene thinks that someone has stolen the Lord's body. AT: "Someone has taken the Lord's body out of the tomb" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

translationWords

darkness

Mary Magdalene

grave

Peter

disciple

Jesus

love

lord

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

1–10. THE FIRST EVIDENCE OF THE RESURRECTION

1. The Resurrection itself is left undescribed. Like all beginnings, whether in history or nature, it is hidden from view.

1. The evidence begins with the visit of women to the sepulchre in the early morning.

1. τ. σαββ. Τὰ σάββατα may mean either the Sabbath, on the analogy of names of festivals, τὰ ἐγκαίνια, τὰ παναθήναια, &c., or the week, as the interval between two Sabbaths: here literally, on day one of the week (Luk 24:1). S. John has not mentioned the stone; but he speaks of it as known, τὸν λίθον. S. Mark notes the placing of it, S. Matthew the sealing: all four note the displacement: ἠρμένον ἐκ, lifted out of.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.