John 20 - The Moody Bible Commentary

20:1 Mary Magdalene was first introduced as one who looked on at the crucifixion (19:25). Jesus had delivered her from severe demon possession, and she followed Jesus, serving and supporting His ministry (Mt 27:55; Lk 8:1-3). On arrival at the tomb, Mary unexpectedly found the large round stone at the tomb’s entrance had been rolled away.

D. Resurrection and Appearances (20:1-29)

John’s account of the resurrection is the most extensive of the four Gospels, with specific details of the empty tomb. First, Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John confirmed Jesus’ resurrection (vv. 1-18). Then Jesus appeared to the disciples (except Thomas) in a closed room (vv. 19-23). Finally, Jesus appeared again to the disciples and affirmed to Thomas evidence of His resurrection (vv. 24-29).

20:2-3 Mary ran to find Peter and John, the other disciple whom Jesus loved (see Introduction: Author; Cf. 18:15-16; 19:26; 21:7, 20). The explanation of her flight is that she saw an angel inside the tomb (Mk 16:5) and that she suspected the Jewish authorities (they) had taken Jesus’ body away. Mary’s wording, we do not know, shows John’s awareness of the other women with Mary (cf. Mt 28:1; Mk 16:1; Lk 24:10). Based on Mary’s word, Peter and the other disciple (v. 3) proceeded to the empty tomb.

20:4-5 As Peter and John ran to the tomb, John (the other disciple; cf. v. 2) ran ahead faster and was the first to arrive. He stooped down (the opening of a rock tomb was usually low) and looked inside (v. 5). When he saw the linen wrappings lying there, something prevented him from entering—perhaps respect or fear of ceremonial defilement associated with contacting a corpse. But Peter did not share this hesitancy.

20:6-7 Since John waited for Peter’s arrival before entering the grave, Peter could be assured that when he saw the linen wrappings lying there, they were not repositioned by John. John’s delay provided for two authentic witnesses to the wrappings of the empty tomb. In contrast to the grave wrappings that bound Lazarus (11:44), Jesus’ face-cloth which had been on His head (v. 7) was lying separately, rolled up in a place by itself. Though it is impossible to say with any certainty, Jesus may have passed through the wrappings and left them right where He had lain. This orderly arrangement is evidence of resurrection, not robbery, and the separate face cloth makes it difficult to believe that a shroud that supposedly survived from Jesus’ burial is genuine.

20:8-10 John, the other disciple (cf. v. 2), entered the tomb after Peter—then saw and believed Jesus had risen from the dead. The eleven disciples (they) had failed until now to understand the [OT] Scripture, that the Messiah must rise again from the dead (v. 9). Later, Peter preached that Ps 16:10 had prophesied the resurrection (Ac 2:24-28). Since Peter and John went away again to their own homes (v. 10), John would have announced Christ’s resurrection to Jesus’ mother, Mary, who was now staying at his home (Jn 19:27). Since all the disciples except Judas Iscariot were from Galilee, the disciples’ homes in Jerusalem may have been temporary lodgings with family or friends for the Passover.

20:11-13 Jesus’ first resurrection appearance was to a woman, Mary Magdalene. This (1) confirms the historicity of the resurrection (no first-century writer would have created a narrative with a woman in such a critical role unless it actually transpired this way), and (2) highlights the importance of women in Jesus’ ministry. Mary (see v. 1) returned but remained outside the tomb weeping (klaio, lit., “wailing”). Still crying, she looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white. The presence of angels alone should have alerted Mary that Jesus’ body was not stolen and something supernatural had taken place. That the angels were seated where the body of Jesus had been lying also testified to His resurrection. The angels did not explain to Mary that Jesus was raised (v. 13). They simply asked, Woman, why are you weeping? as if to suggest that there was really no reason for sorrow. Mary answered the angels, explaining her theory that the body was stolen. Mary’s sorrow, soon turned to joy, would fulfill the promise Jesus gave the disciples in 16:20-22.

20:14-16 When Mary turned around, she did not recognize the One standing behind her. For Woman (v. 15), see comment on 2:4. Jesus repeated the question spoken by the angels (v. 13) but added Whom are you seeking? Mary thought the voice was that of the gardener. Perhaps he had placed the body elsewhere. But when Jesus affectionately called her by name (v. 16), she knew it was Jesus. Although she had often called Him Lord (vv. 2, 13, 18), she addressed Him as Rabboni (only elsewhere in Mk 10:51), which means Teacher. “Teacher” is the most common form of address for Jesus in the Gospels, but is never used of Him after the ascension (Cf. 11:28).

20:17-18 Mary was clinging to Jesus, holding on to her earthly relationship with Christ. Some see in v. 17 a mystical demand that Mary not touch Christ because of His alleged descent to hell and that He had not yet been in His Father’s presence. The simpler and more likely explanation is that Mary was fervently clinging to Jesus. Therefore, Jesus encouraged her to let go of Him because He was not leaving just yet (Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father). He would be with them for a while longer, 40 more days before His ascension, and there would be more time for meaningful interaction later. Then through the Spirit after His ascension, He would be with them forever. Instead of clinging to Him, Jesus wanted Mary to go to the disciples and tell them what she saw and what He said. Mary was instructed to tell the disciples, I will soon ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God. The first phrase focused on Jesus’ own unique relationship with the Father (My Father … My God). At the same time, the second phrase (your Father … your God) drew the disciples into a similar closeness to the Father that Jesus Himself had. This is also marked out by Jesus’ reference to His disciples as My brethren.

20:19-20 It was Sunday evening of resurrection day. The disciples were still in fear of the Jewish authorities and made sure the doors were shut (NIV, ESV, “locked”) where they gathered. For fear of the Jews, see 7:13; 12:42-43; 19:38. Miraculously, Jesus came and stood in their midst. Jesus’ address, Peace be with you, was a normal Hebrew greeting. At the sight of His imprinted hands and His scarred side, the disciples rejoiced (v. 20), fulfilling Jesus’ promise given in the upper room (16:20-22).

20:21-23 With a second pronouncement of peace (Cf. 14:27; 16:33), Jesus commissioned His disciples as His witnesses (4:38; 13:20; Lk 24:46-49; Mt 28:18-20): as the Father has sent Me, I also send you. When Jesus breathed on His disciples (v. 22), He symbolized the coming gift of the Spirit received at Pentecost. When Jesus breathed (“on” is not included in the sense of the word) and said Receive the Holy Spirit He was probably acting in a symbolic way. It is unlikely that He gave, and the disciples received, the Spirit at this time. Jesus said earlier that the Spirit would not come to them until He left them (Jn 7:39; 16:7), and even immediately prior to His ascension He instructed them to wait for the Spirit’s coming (Ac 1:4, 5, 8).

Before Jesus died, the bread and the cup shared at the Passover-Communion celebration was done in anticipation of the actual giving of His body and blood. Likewise the act of Jesus breathing coupled with the command to receive the Spirit anticipated the Spirit coming at Pentecost. “Breath” and “Spirit” are the same word in Greek (pneuma), and Jesus’ breath probably symbolized His future sending of the Spirit following His ascension. It is unlikely that the disciples “received” or were “indwelt” by the Spirit at this time and then “baptized” in the Spirit as an experience subsequent to that at Pentecost. With this anticipatory commissioning came the authority of the apostles (and any believer) to announce to one who believes that their sins have been forgiven (v. 23) or to the one who does not believe that their sins have been retained (unforgiven).

20:24-25 Thomas was not with the twelve (now eleven since Judas Iscariot committed suicide; Mt 27:5). Didymus (mentioned three times, only by John, 11:16; 20:24; 21:2) means “the twin.” Perhaps John personally knew Thomas’s twin. Thomas’s unbelief was inexorable. He rejected the testimony of the women and all the other disciples who had seen the Lord (v. 25). Thomas insisted that he would not believe unless he personally put his finger into the place of the nails, and put his hand into Jesus’ side.

20:26-27 After eight days, i.e., the Sunday a week after the resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and Thomas. The circumstances duplicated His previous appearance (vv. 19-23) when the doors had been shut. The disciples still lacked the boldness they would receive at Pentecost. Thomas must have been shocked to hear Jesus tell him the same words (v. 27; cf. 25) he had told the other disciples about handling His hands and His side.

20:28-29 John’s writing reaches a climax with Thomas’s confession My Lord and my God! No greater affirmation of faith can be found than this announcement on the lips of Thomas. With it, John reiterated the theme of the deity of Christ provided in his introduction (1:1, 14, 18). Because you have seen Me, have you believed? (v. 29) is better expressed as a statement (“because you have seen Me, you have believed”; NKJV, NIV). Jesus affirmed Thomas’s designation that He is fully divine, just as God the Father is, and called blessed those future believers who will not see the resurrected Lord but will yet believe.

E. Purpose Statement (20:30-31)

20:30-31 The apostle’s purpose for his book is evangelistic. Since many other signs (for “sign,” see comment on 2:11) were done by Christ yet were not written in this book, John carefully selected his content for evangelism, especially among the Jewish people. To believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (these titles indicate His humanity, royalty, and deity, see also comments on 1:20, 34) means to be fully convinced that Jesus alone provides eternal life and resurrection (cf. comment on 11:25-27). Locating the purpose statement here rather than at the end of the book highlights Jesus’ blessing on those who believe in His death/resurrection apart from physical sight (v. 30). It also demonstrates that the resurrection is the greatest sign of the book.