John Chapter 20

From The Open Bible Project

20:1 Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb.

• (1) Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John, are the first witnesses of the resurrection, and these cannot justly be suspected, for they themselves could hardly be persuaded of it; therefore, they would obviously not invent such a story on purpose.

20:2 Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have laid him!"

20:3 Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb.

20:4 They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first.

20:5 Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn't enter in.

20:6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying,

20:7 and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.

20:8 So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed.

20:9 For as yet they didn't know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.

20:10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

20:11 But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,

• (a) That is, outside of the cave which the sepulchre was cut out of.

20:12 and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

• (2) Two angels are made witnesses of the Lord’s resurrection.
• (b) In white clothing.

20:13 They told her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don't know where they have laid him."

• (c) Mary spoke as the common people used to speak: for they spoke of a dead carcass as they did of a living man.

20:14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn't know that it was Jesus.

• (3) Jesus witnesses by his presence that he is truly risen.

20:15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."

20:16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him, "[62] Rabboni [See John Footnotes 62]!" which is to say, "[63] Teacher [See John Footnotes 63]!"

20:17 Jesus said to her, "Don't hold me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"

• (4) Christ, who is risen, is not to be sought in this world according to the flesh, but in heaven by faith where he has gone before us.
• (d) By his brethren he means his disciples, for in the following verse it is said that Mary told his disciples.
• (e) He calls God his Father because he is naturally his Father in the Godhead, and he says "your Father" because he is our Father by grace through the adoption of the sons of God: that is, by taking us by his free grace to be his sons; Epiphanius.

20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.

20:19 When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be to you."

• (5) Christ, in that he presents himself before his disciples suddenly through his divine power, when the gates were shut, fully assures them both of his resurrection, and also of their apostleship, inspiring them with the Holy Spirit who is the director of the ministry of the Gospel.
• (f) Either the doors opened to him of their own accord, or the very walls themselves were a passage to him.

20:20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.

20:21 Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."

20:22 When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit!

20:23 Whoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven them. Whoever's sins you retain, they have been retained."

• (6) The publishing of the forgiveness of sins by faith in Christ, and the setting forth and proclaiming the wrath of God in retaining the sins of the unbelievers, is the sum of the preaching of the gospel.

20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn't with them when Jesus came.

• (7) Christ draws out of the unbelief of Thomas a certain and sure testimony of his resurrection.

20:25 The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."

20:26 After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be to you."

20:27 Then he said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but believing."

20:28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"

20:29 Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me,[64] you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed."

• (8) True faith depends upon the mouth of God, and not upon the eyes of the flesh.

20:30 Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book;

• (9) To believe in Christ, the Son of God and our only saviour, is the goal of the doctrine of the gospel, and especially of the true account of the resurrection.

20:31 but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.