John 20 - Africa Study Bible

Jesus Is Alive! • John 20:11-16

It was common in the Jerusalem of Jesus’ day for visitors to come to the tomb of the dead after three days. Jewish tradition taught that the soul of the dead stays in the tomb for three days. On the fourth, it was said that the soul would leave the body until resurrection—which was a far-off event. Thus the third-day visit to the tomb was significant.

Mary Magdalene and others went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body for the last time because after that day, access to the tomb would be restricted. But they did not understand the mission of Jesus Christ. Mary saw Jesus standing there, but because she was so sad and crying, she did not recognise that the one for whom she was grieving was alive. She loved Jesus and missed him. She went to anoint a dead Jesus and failed to recognise the living Jesus.

Many people put their hope in lifeless things—carvings, idols, and sacred objects—when the living Jesus is right in front of them. There is hope in Jesus who is alive. We need to put our trust in him rather than in lifeless things.

God-Given Power • John 20:21-23

When God created Adam, he breathed the breath of the Spirit into his nostrils, and Adam became a living soul. At that moment, God gave our first parents the task of taking care of all of God’s creation. Jesus also breathed on his disciples, empowering and giving them a task. The Jewish people believed that only God can forgive sins. When Jesus breathed his Spirit on his disciples, he transferred authority to them to spread the Good News of forgiveness of sins, as evidenced from the Day of Pentecost.

Many followers of Jesus believe they lack the spiritual power that will make them live as Christians and meet the challenges of life. They believe that such powers are available only to the “men of God”—the pastors and ministers. Perhaps they think that only a few people possess spiritual powers—like the high priests in the Old Testament. When people believe that and then face spiritual challenges, they rush to pastors. They ask them to pray and do other spiritual activities on their behalf.

It is good to pray for one another—even to fast for one another. But remember that God’s Spirit gives each of us the spiritual authority we need to fight our battles and to do God’s will. You, as a Spirit-filled believer, have the power to plead with Jesus without the help of your pastor.

Experiencing and Believing Jesus • John 20:24-29

When Jesus appeared to his disciples the first time, Thomas was not there. When he was told that the other disciples had seen the living Jesus, he doubted. That might have seemed like a logical response to what seemed impossible, but it showed that Thomas did not believe all that Jesus had told his disciples about his death and resurrection. In fact, Jesus had told them three different times that he would die and rise again (Matthew 16:21; 17:22-23; 20:18-19).

Today, we do not have the physical Jesus who will help us believe, but we have a record of his life and teachings in the Bible. Many find faith difficult because they cannot see and touch Jesus—much as Thomas first complained. We often condemn those who doubt our message of salvation. If Thomas knew Jesus personally and still doubted, we should not be surprised when people today do the same. We should pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth. And we must help people to see the truth. We must direct people to God’s Word through which they can experience Jesus and believe. As Jesus came to Thomas, so he will come to those today who seek him. They may not be able to see and touch him, but Jesus will make himself known through the work of the Holy Spirit. Pray that those who doubt will truly experience Jesus.