John 20 - NKJV Study Bible

20:1 while it was still dark: Apparently Mary Magdalene arrived ahead of the other women (see Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10). Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons, was the last one at the Cross and the first one at the grave.

20:2 The other disciple, whom Jesus loved, was John, the author of this Gospel. They have taken away the Lord: Mary Magdalene jumped to the wrong conclusion. we: Other women were with Mary Magdalene (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10).

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

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

20:7 folded together: The handkerchief around Christ’s head had not been thrown aside, as might have been done by a thief. It had been folded and laid aside. Perhaps the implication is that Christ did not rush out of the tomb, but left His grave clothes neatly folded.

20:8 The other disciple, commonly believed to be the apostle John, saw the tomb and the grave clothes and believed that Christ had been raised from the dead.

20:9 they did not know the Scripture: The disciples believed because of what they saw in the tomb (v. 8), not because of what they knew from OT passages describing the Savior’s resurrection (see 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. Later Jesus would instruct them about how His life and death fulfilled the Scriptures (see Luke 24:13–27, 44–47).

20:16 When Christ uttered her name, Mary recognized His voice. Mary addressed Christ as Rabboni, an Aramaic term which John translates for his Greek readers.

20:17 Cling means “to fasten oneself to” or “to hold.” Mary had grabbed Christ and was holding on to Him as if she would never turn Him loose. Christ explained to her that He could not stay because He had to ascend to His Father. My brethren referred to the disciples (v. 18). Jesus sent Mary to them with the first postresurrection testimony. Though it may be that Mary was formerly a woman of ill-repute, this did not keep Jesus from commissioning her to bring the gospel message to the apostles (see Mark 16:11). My Father and your Father: God is the Father of Christ and of believers (1:14,18; 3:16,18).

20:19 Jesus came and stood in the midst: 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 (see 1 Cor. 15:53).

20:21 As indicates that the disciples were commissioned to carry on Christ’s work, not to begin a new one.

20:22 Receive the Holy Spirit: The ministry to which Jesus called the disciples (v. 21; see also Matt. 28:16–20; Luke 24:47–49) required spiritual power. The reference here is to a special preparation of the apostles who were to become the foundation of the church at Pentecost. Here Jesus breathed the Spirit into the disciples. At Pentecost the Spirit unified the believers into one body and empowered them to testify of Jesus (see 1 Cor. 12:13). The reception of the Spirit here is reminiscent of the creative breath of God into Adam in Gen. 2:7. Yet the gift here was not a human spirit, but the Spirit of the living God.

20:23 If you forgive: The apostles did not take Jesus’ words to mean that they had the power to forgive sins (see Acts 8:22). They knew that only God could forgive sins (see Mark 2:7). Neither the apostles nor the church had the power to forgive specific sins or to prevent forgiveness for any individual. Fundamentally Jesus was speaking of the responsibility of the church to declare the gospel to all the world, so that those who believe in Jesus can find the precious gift of forgiveness (see Matt. 16:19).

20:24,25 Thomas was not present when Jesus appeared to the disciples in the closed room (vv. 19–23). Unless I see in His hands: When Jesus appeared to the other disciples, He showed them His hands and His side (v. 20). No doubt they told Thomas about it; hence his request.

20:28 My Lord and my God: In awestruck wonder, Thomas not only believed that Christ was risen from the dead, but he also saw that the Resurrection proved His deity.

20:29 Those who have not seen includes all who have believed in Christ since His ascension to the Father (see 1 Pet. 1:8,9).

20:31 John states the purpose of his book. His purpose 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).