John 20 - The MacArthur Bible Commentary

B. The Resurrection of Christ (20:1-10)

20:1 first day of the week. A reference to Sunday. From then on, believers set aside Sunday to meet and remember the marvelous Resurrection of the Lord (see Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). It became known as the Lord’s Day (Rev. 1:10). See notes on Luke 24:4, 34. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark. Perhaps the reason why Jesus first appeared to Mary Magdalene was to demonstrate grace by His personal, loving faithfulness to someone who formerly had a sordid past; but clearly also because she loved Him so dearly and deeply, that she appeared before anyone else at the tomb. Her purpose in coming was to finish the preparation of Jesus’ body for burial by bringing more spices to anoint the corpse (Luke 24:1).

20:1-31 This chapter records the appearances of Jesus to His own followers: (1) the appearance to Mary Magdalene (vv. 1-18); (2) the appearance to the ten disciples (vv. 19-23); and (3) the appearance to Thomas (vv. 24-29). Jesus did not appear to unbelievers (see 14:19; 16:16, 22) because the evidence of His Resurrection would not have convinced them as the miracles had not (Luke 16:31). The god of this world had blinded them and prevented their belief (2 Cor. 4:4). Jesus, therefore, appears exclusively to His own in order to confirm their faith in the living Christ. Such appearances were so profound that they transformed the disciples from cowardly men hiding in fear to bold witnesses for Jesus (e.g., Petersee ; 18:27; cf. Acts 2:14-39). Once again, John’s purpose in recording these resurrection appearances was to demonstrate that Jesus’ physical and bodily resurrection was the crowning proof that He truly is the Messiah and Son of God who laid down His life for His own (10:17, 18; 15:13; cf. Rom. 1:4).

20:2 other disciple, whom Jesus loved. This is the author John. They have taken. Though Jesus had predicted His Resurrection numerous times, it was more than she could believe at that point. It would take His showing Himself alive to them by many “infallible proofs” (Acts 1:3) for them to believe.

20:5-7 saw the linen cloths lying there. A contrast existed between the resurrection of Lazarus (11:44) and that of Jesus. While Lazarus came forth from the grave wearing his grave clothes, Jesus’ body, though physical and material, was glorified and was now able to pass through the grave clothes much in the same way that He later appeared in the locked room (see vv. 19, 20; cf. Phil. 3:21). linen cloths . . . handkerchief. The state of those items indicates no struggle, no hurried unwrapping of the body by grave robbers, who wouldn’t unwrap the body anyway, since transporting it elsewhere would be easier and more pleasant if it was left in its wrapped and spiced condition. All appearances indicated that no one had taken the body, but that it had moved through the cloths and left them behind in the tomb.

20:8 the other disciple. John saw the grave clothes and was convinced by them that He had risen.

20:9 did not know the Scripture. Neither Peter nor John understood that Scripture said Jesus would rise (Ps. 16:10). This is evident by the reports of Luke (24:25-27, 32, 44-47). Jesus had foretold His Resurrection (2:17; Matt. 16:21; Mark 8:31; 9:31; Luke 9:22), but they would not accept it (Matt. 16:22; Luke 9:44, 45). By the time John wrote this Gospel, the church had developed an understanding of the OT prediction of Messiah’s resurrection (cf. “as yet”).

C. The Appearances of Christ (20:11-21:23)

1. To Mary Magdalene (20:11-18)

20:11-13 weeping. Mary’s sense of grief and loss may have driven her back to the tomb. She apparently had not crossed paths with Peter or John and, thus did not know of Jesus’ resurrection (see v. 9).

20:12 two angels. Luke (24:4) describes both. Matthew (28:2, 3) and Mark (16:5) report only one. John’s reason for the mention of angels is to demonstrate that no grave robbers took the body. This was an operation of the power of God.

20:14 did not know that it was Jesus. The reason for Mary’s failure to recognize Jesus is uncertain. She may not have recognized Him because her tears blurred her eyes (v. 11). Possibly also, the vivid memories of Jesus’ bruised and broken body were still etched in her mind, and Jesus’ resurrection appearance was so dramatically different that she failed to recognize Him. Perhaps, however, like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, she was supernaturally prevented from recognizing Him until He chose for her to do so (see Luke 24:16).

20:16 “Mary!” Whatever the reason for her failure to recognize Jesus, the moment He spoke the single word, “Mary,” she immediately recognized Him. This is reminiscent of Jesus’ words “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me” (10:27; cf. 10:3, 4).

20:17 Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended. Mary was expressing a desire to hold on to His physical presence for fear that she would once again lose Him. Jesus’ reference to His Ascension signifies that He would only be temporarily with them and though she desperately wanted Him to stay, He could not. Jesus was with them only for forty more days, and then He ascended (Acts 1:3-11). After He went to the Father, He sent the Holy Spirit (“The Helper”) so they would not feel abandoned (see note on 14:18, 19 ). My brethren. Disciples have been called “servants” or “friends” (15:15), but not “brothers,” until here. Because of Jesus’ work on the Cross in place of the sinner, this new relationship to Christ was made possible (Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26, 27; Eph. 1:5; Heb. 2:10-13).

2. To the disciples without Thomas (20:19-25)

20:19 the same day. See note on verse 1. the doors were shut. The Greek word indicates the doors were locked for fear of the Jews. Since the authorities had executed their leader, they reasonably expected that Jesus’ fate could be their own. Peace be with you. See notes on 14:27; 16:33. Jesus’ greeting complements His “It is finished,” for His work on the Cross accomplished peace between God and His people (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:14-17).

20:20 Jesus proved that He who appeared to them was the same One who was crucified (cf. Luke 24:39).

20:21 This commission builds on 17:18. See Matthew 28:19, 20.

20:22 Since the disciples did not actually receive the Holy Spirit until the day of Pentecost, some forty days in the future (Acts 1:8; 2:1-3), this statement must be understood as a pledge on Christ’s part that the Holy Spirit would be coming.

20:23 See notes on Matthew 16:19; 18:18. This verse does not give authority to Christians to forgive sins. Jesus was saying that the believer can boldly declare the certainty of a sinner’s forgiveness by the Father because of the work of His Son, if that sinner has repented and believed the gospel. The believer, with certainty, can also tell those who do not respond to the message of God’s forgiveness through faith in Christ that their sins, as a result, are not forgiven.

20:24, 25 Thomas has already been portrayed as loyal, but pessimistic. Jesus did not rebuke Thomas for his failure, but instead compassionately offered him proof of His Resurrection. Jesus lovingly met him at the point of his weakness. Thomas’ actions indicated that Jesus had to convince the disciples rather forcefully of His Resurrection, i.e., they were not gullible people predisposed to believing in resurrection. The point is they would not have fabricated it or hallucinated it, since they were so reluctant to believe, even with the evidence they could see.

3. To the disciples with Thomas (20:26-29)

20:28 My Lord and my God! With these words, Thomas declared his firm belief in the Resurrection and, therefore, the deity of Jesus the Messiah and Son of God (Titus 2:13). This is the greatest confession a person can make. Thomas’ confession functions as the fitting capstone of John’s purpose in writing (see vv. 30, 31).

20:29 Jesus foresaw the time when such tangible evidence as Thomas received would not be available. When Jesus ascended permanently to the Father, all those who believe would do so without the benefit of seeing the resurrected Lord. Jesus pronounced a special blessing on those who believe without having Thomas’s privilege (1 Pet. 1:8, 9).

4. Statement of purpose for the Gospel (20:30, 31)

20:30, 31 These verses constitute the goal and purpose for which John wrote the Gospel (see Introduction: Background and Setting).