John 20 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

John 20

The Resurrection

20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’¹ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,² “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,³ Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus and Thomas

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,⁴ was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of This Book

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Footnotes

[1] 20:7 Greek his
[2] 20:16 Or Hebrew
[3] 20:19 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time
[4] 20:24 Greek Didymus

Commentary

v1: Mary Magdalene, no longer driven by evil (Mark 16.9), but motivated by love for Christ; she had been forgiven much, and now she loved much. She was no longer the woman out of whom demons were cast, she was a follower of Jesus Christ.

v2: Mary hurried to meet Peter and John, speaking of "the Lord." See also v13. She had no doubt about who Christ was.

v3-9: Peter and John arrived at the tomb. They saw that the body had gone, and the strips of cloth lying there. There was a separate cloth which had been wrapped around Jesus' head.

v10: At first, the disciples returned to their own homes. Later they would gather together to meet the Lord.

v11-13: We can understand Mary weeping. She loved Jesus, had come to anoint His body, but He had gone. The angels' presence did not bring any comfort, she needed to see and hear Jesus.

v14-15: Jesus opened with the same words as the angels, "why are you crying?" It was doubtless still dark, being early in the morning, and Mary failed to recognise Jesus.

v16: It was as He called her name that she recognised Him, see 10.5,16; Is 43.1. Her sorrow was replaced by joy, see 16.20, and she wanted to embrace Him, since He said, "Do not hold on to me."

v17: "My Father," a statement of Christ's deity. Only He could return direct to the Father's side.

"My brothers," a statement of Christ's identification with His followers. He was not ashamed to call them brothers.

v18: Mary's first report was that Jesus' body had been stolen. Her new report was "I have seen the Lord."

v19-20: The disciples were fearful of the Jews. This fear was replaced by joy and gladness when they saw the Lord. Up to this point, the Jewish leaders had seemed to be victorious, Jesus dead, His followers demoralised. Their only encouragement was Mary Magdalene's words, but what were they amongst so many difficulties.

Only a living Saviour could change these men into a powerful band of witnesses. It seems especially appropriate that Jesus came with peace.

v21-23: An initial commissioning, prefiguring what would happen shortly afterwards at Pentecost.

These verses are sometimes used to suggest a separate receiving of the Holy Spirit prior to being baptised in the Holy Spirit. Rather, we see a tangible action by Christ, assuring the Twelve of what would shortly follow,

v24-25: Thomas, see 11.16; 14.5, his words characterised by unbelief. He received special encouragement from the Lord. He cares for each one of His disciples. Later, Peter was also dealt with individually, 21.15-19.

Thomas would only believe that Jesus had risen if he actually saw and touched Him. As it happened, he only needed to see.

v26-28: At Jesus' next appearance, He spoke specifically to Thomas. Jesus' words match exactly what Thomas had previously said; here doubt was fully addressed. Jesus knew the need, and answered it perfectly. Thomas just saw, he did not need to touch.

v29: Thomas, like Mary Magdalene, and the rest of the disciples, had seen Jesus. Their privilege, having seen Him, was not rebuked; only unbelief is rebuked. But the Lord looks for faith without sight, 2 Cor 5.7; Heb 11.1, and without visible signs, Matt 16.4.

v30-31: The gospel of John was written to that we who have not seen might believe, and have the inestimable blessing of "life in His name."

The final chapter appears almost as a postscript, following John's conclusion here