John 20 - NIV Foundation Study Bible

20:2 They have taken the Lord. Mary Magdalene jumped to the wrong conclusion.

20:5 the strips of linen lying. No one who came to steal the body would have taken the time to unwrap it and leave the clothes behind.

20:6 saw the strips of linen. The Greek term implies an intense stare, in contrast to the more casual look described in verse 5. Peter went into the tomb to get a good look. He carefully examined the place where Jesus’ body had been.

20:9 They still did not understand from Scripture. The disciples believed because of what they saw in the tomb (v. 8), not because of what they knew from Old Testament passages describing the Savior’s resurrection (Luke 24:25–27). Jesus had prophesied His death and resurrection in the disciples’ presence, but the disciples had not understood what He was talking about.

20:17 Do not hold on to me. This means “to fasten oneself to” or “to cling.” Mary had grabbed Christ and was holding on to Him as if she would never turn Him loose.

20:19 Jesus came and stood among them. Christ’s appearance was miraculous because the doors were shut. Jesus, as God, could perform a variety of miracles without requiring a change in His humanity. Here Christ’s body was a physical body, the same body in which He died and was buried. The difference is that His flesh had been changed to take on immortality and incorruptibility (1 Cor. 15:53).

20:31 that you may believe. John states the purpose of his book, which was to convince his readers that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah who fulfilled God’s promises to Israel. Jesus is the Son of God, God in the flesh. By believing these things, a person obtains eternal life (1:12).