João 20

João 20

Utley - This was Sunday, the first work day following the high Sabbath of Passover week, when the first fruits were offered in the temple. Jesus was the first fruits of the dead (cf. 1 Cor.15:23). Jesus' appearances on three successive Sunday nights set the stage for believers worshiping on Sundays (i.e., "the Lord's day," cf. John 20:19, 26; Luke 24:36ff; Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). At first, the believers met with the synagogue on the Sabbath and with fellow believers either before work or after work on Sundays. About A.D. 90, a Pharisaic reform instituted a series of oaths called "the Eighteen Benedictions" to synagogue liturgy. These oaths specifically rejected Jesus as the Messiah. Therefore, Sunday became the early church's Sabbath....Although John's Gospel does not state the purpose of Mary's visit, Mark 16:1 and Luke 23:56 mention that several women (cf. John 20:2) came early to anoint Jesus' body with spices. Apparently they did not know of Joseph and Nicodemus' anointing or thought it needed to be supplemented. NET NOTE - John does not mention that Mary Magdalene was accompanied by any of the other women who had been among Jesus’ followers. The synoptic accounts all mention other women who accompanied her (although Mary Magdalene is always mentioned first). Why John does not mention the other women is not clear, but Mary probably becomes the focus of the author’s attention because it was she who came and found Peter and the beloved disciple and informed them of the empty tomb (20:2). Mary’s use of the plural in v. 2 indicates there were others present, in indirect agreement with the synoptic accounts. Larry Richards - There is no more carefully documented event in ancient history than the death and resurrection of Jesus. The evidence is indisputable. People do not have to understand. But any careful examination of the testimony compels belief that Jesus is risen indeed. (BORROW The 365 day devotional commentary PAGE 810) Tomb (3419) mnemeion from mneme = memory, remembrance) literally means a memorial and then a monument to commemorate the dead (Mt 23:29), but most often referred to a tomb, grave or sepulcher. Most uses refer to the tomb in which Jesus' dead body was laid - Mt 27:60; Mt 28:8; Mk 15:46; 16:2, 3, 5, 8; Lk 23:55; 24:1, 2, 9, 12, 22, 24; John 19:42; 20:1-4, 6, 8, 11 Acts 13:29. Walter Kaiser - Hard Sayings of the Bible - see page 472 - What Happened at the Resurrection? The story of the resurrection in John is quite exciting and seemingly straightforward. One woman shows up at the tomb, discovers it is open, informs the disciples, who investigate, and then meets first an angel and afterward Jesus. This straightforwardness is true enough so long as we look only at one Gospel. When we examine Matthew 28:1–8 or Mark 16:1–8 or Luke 24:1–10 we discover differing pictures. Can these pictures be put together? If they cannot, what does this mean for the truth of the accounts? In responding to this issue, it would be helpful to look at the events in the four accounts COMPARISON OF RESURRECTION IN THE FOUR GOSPEL ACCOUNTS EVENT When? Dawn Just after sunrise Very early in the morning While it was still dark Who comes first? Mary Magdalene and the other Mary Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and others Mary Magdalene What do they find? earthquake with angel who rolls back the stone stone rolled away stone rolled away stone removed from the entrance Whom do they see? angel sitting on the stone young man in white robe, sitting on the right two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning no one What do they do? ran to tell his disciples fled from the tomb, afraid to say anything told what had happened to the Eleven and others ran to tell Peter and the disciple whom Jesus loved What happens next? Jesus met them -- Peter goes to the tomb to investigate Peter and the other disciple investigate What is the third scene? guards report to chief priests and are bribed -- story of two disciples on Emmaus road Mary sees two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been When we examine these four accounts, we notice some similarities. First, all agree that the events happened around dawn, although they disagree about whether it was already light. Given that the events happened over a period of time, this difference is hardly significant. Second, all agree that Mary Magdalene was at least one of the ones discovering that the body had disappeared. The purposes of the individual narratives seems to determine how many other women are mentioned (with Luke, who has a special interest in women, noting the most women). Third, all agree that the women find an open, corpseless tomb. Matthew seems to imply that they also saw the opening of the tomb, although he may narrate the opening of the tomb as something that happened while the women were traveling and before they arrived at the tomb. None of the other Gospels mentions the guards, so how the tomb gets opened is less of a problem for them. Fourth, all agree that the women saw one or more angels (only Luke has two). However, the angel in John’s account appears to be functioning in a different narrative role than the ones in the other accounts. It is, perhaps, more accurate to say that John does not inform us if Mary saw anyone at the tomb before going to tell the disciples. What the angels say also differs, although in all cases the women are informed that Jesus is not there. In the various accounts they are told not to fear (and that they were afraid anyway), to report to the disciples and to meet Jesus in Galilee. Finally, all agree that the women left the tomb, and three of the four accounts note that they did inform the disciples. (Mark breaks off with verse 8, the longer ending probably not being part of the original text; it is debated whether an original ending of Mark has been lost or whether he intended to break off with the women in fear and the question of whether they would follow Jesus into Galilee hanging in the air.) Furthermore, two of the accounts agree that the woman or women met Jesus, that they tried to hold on to him, and that he sent them on their way. However, John appears to put this meeting after Peter and the beloved disciple investigate, and Matthew puts it before the women report to the disciples. What can we conclude from this data? First, it is possible to make this data into a coherent story. If we assume that the pre- or post-dawn timing depends on whether one gives the time of the women starting their trip or their arrival at the tomb, if we assume that the earthquake and angelic descent happened before the women arrived at the tomb, if we merge what the angels say into one account, if we assume that the angels moved around, and if we assume that Mary Magdalene remained behind at the tomb while the others went and reported (and thus had a separate meeting with Jesus), one can make a single coherent account out of the various stories. Obviously, if there were two angels, one writer could report only one. Not every writer has to report all of the details another mentions. In other words, these are different stories but not necessarily conflicting stories. All could be true at the same time. Second, while it is possible to make the data fit into a coherent story, we cannot be sure that we have the right coherent story. We have a jigsaw puzzle of information and cannot be sure that we have all of the pieces. Thus, since the Scripture has not given us a single unified story, we must be careful or else we will end up believing that our reconstruction is the truth. A reconstruction may be the truth or it may distort the truth. Perhaps if we had some other critical pieces of information we would make quite a different reconstruction. Third, these stories are exactly what one would expect to discover after a significant event like the resurrection. The chancellor of this author’s university died at the end of an address to the student body. Within an hour of the event a sociology professor had his thirty students each write down their own account of what had happened. Each was instructed to write as honest and detailed account as they could, given the limited time of the class period. When the accounts were later compared, there were numerous differences in detail, although all agreed that the chancellor had died at the end of his address. Presumably each Gospel writer had a series of stories about the resurrection to sort through. For example, we know that Matthew knows and values Mark’s account, but in the resurrection story he obviously has some independent information as well. The Evangelists selected and combined data to get the accounts that they give us. But even the beloved disciple in John is not an eyewitness of most of the events, so we are not surprised to find a lot of differences in their reporting what happened. Finally, when we try to put the stories together, we miss the point of the authors. The church accepted into its canon four separate Gospels, viewing each as inspired by God. It did not put into the canon a harmony of these Gospels (although such existed). The fact is that each writer is trying to bring out his unique perspective and theological insights by the details he includes or leaves out (although, unless Matthew and Luke are differing from Mark, which we know that they knew, we often cannot be sure that the author actually knows a detail and so purposely leaves it out). Matthew wants to underline the miraculous and also explain a rumor that the body of Jesus was stolen. Luke stresses the fulfillment of the words of Jesus and yet the disbelief of the apostles. John, by focusing on a single character and her intimate discussion with Jesus, points out that in the resurrection and ascension of Jesus the promises of John 13–16 are fulfilled. Jesus cannot be held, for it is better for him to go to the one who is not only his Father but is now also our Father. It is when we look at the resurrection through such eyes, informed by the perspective of each Gospel writer, that we see not simply a miracle, nor even the fact of the resurrection, but the message the church has believed that God wanted to communicate in and through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. SUMMARY OF THE POST-RESURRECTION APPEARANCES OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST Edwin Blum has an excellent chart giving the timeline of the appearances of Jesus during the 40 days from His resurrection to His ascension. Note the "+" SIGN after the Scripture links to comments on that specific verse. FORTY DAYS—From Resurrection to Ascension SUNDAY MORNING 1. An angel rolled away the stone from Jesus' tomb before sunrise (Matt. 28:2-4+). 2. Women who followed Jesus visited Jesus' tomb and discovered Him missing (Matt. 28:1+; Mark 16:1-4+; Luke 24:1-3+; John 20:1+). 3. Mary Magdalene left to tell Peter and John (John 20:1-2+). 4. The other women, remaining at the tomb, saw two angels who told them about the Resurrection (Matt. 28:5-7+; Mark 16:5-7+; Luke 24:4-8+). 5. Peter and John visited Jesus' tomb (Luke 24:12+; John 20:3-10+). 6. Mary Magdalene returned to the tomb and Jesus appeared to her alone in the garden (Mark 16:9-11+; John 20:11-18): His FIRST appearance. 7. Jesus appeared to the other women (Mary, mother of James, Salome, and Joanna) (Matt. 28:8-10+): His SECOND appearance. 8. Those who guarded Jesus' tomb reported to the religious rulers how the angel rolled away the stone. They were then bribed (Matt. 28:11-15+). 9. Jesus appeared to Peter (1 Cor. 15:5+): His THIRD appearance. SUNDAY AFTERNOON 10. Jesus appeared to two men on the road to Emmaus (Mark 16:12-13+; Luke 24:13-32+): His FOURTH appearance. SUNDAY EVENING 11. The two disciples from Emmaus told others they saw Jesus (Luke 24:33-35+). 12. Jesus appeared to 10 apostles, with Thomas absent, in the Upper Room (Luke 24:36-43+; John 20:19-25+): His FIFTH appearance. THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY 13. Jesus appeared to the 11 Apostles, including Thomas, and Thomas believed (John 20:26-28+): His SIXTH appearance. THE FOLLOWING 32 DAYS 14. Jesus appeared to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee and performed a miracle of fish (John 21:1-14+): His SEVENTH appearance. 15. Jesus appeared to 500 (including the Eleven) at a mountain in Galilee (Matt. 28:16-20+; Mark 16:15-18+; 1 Cor. 15:6+): His EIGHTH appearance. 16. Jesus appeared to His half-brother James (1 Cor. 15:7+): His NINTH appearance. 17. At Jerusalem Jesus appeared again to His disciples (Luke 24:44-49+; Acts 1:3-8+): His TENTH appearance. 18. On the Mount of Olives Jesus ascended into heaven while the disciples watched (Mark 16:19-20+; Luke 24:50-53+; Acts 1:9-12+). (SOURCE: Bible Knowledge Commentary - Page 92) WHO MOVED THE STONE FRANK MORISON BACKGROUND NOTE (Wikipedia) - Albert Henry Ross (1 January 1881 – 14 September 1950[1]), (pseudonym Frank Morison), was an English advertising agent and freelance writer known for writing the Christian apologetics book Who Moved the Stone? and And Pilate Said.....He is best known today for writing the book Who Moved the Stone?[19] It was first published in 1930 in England by Faber & Faber and has been repeatedly reprinted (in 1944, 1955, 1958, 1962, 1977, 1981, 1983, 1987, 1996 and 2006)[20] as well as translated into several languages.[21] The book analyses biblical texts about the events related to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. Ross was skeptical regarding the resurrection of Jesus, and set out to analyse the sources and to write a short paper entitled Jesus – the Last Phase[19] to demonstrate the apparent myth.[22] However, in compiling his notes, he came to be convinced of the truth of the resurrection, and set out his reasoning in the book. T. S. Eliot, a literary consultant and an editorial board member at Faber & Faber publishers, read the manuscript when it was submitted for publication. Eliot was enthusiastic about the text and recommended that Faber & Faber publish the book.[23] The book was released in time for Lent in 1930 and Eliot passed complimentary copies for review to authors such as G. K. Chesterton.[24] In Chesterton's review, he remarked that he picked the book up "under the impression that it was a detective story" and found that the case for the resurrection was "treated in such a logical and even legal manner."[25] Many people have become Christian after reading the book, and writers including John Warwick Montgomery and Josh McDowell, (ED: SEE CHAPTER 7 "WHO WOULD DIE FOR A LIE? IN JOSH MCDOWELL'S "MORE THAT A CARPENTER") have used his book in their own discussions on the resurrection.[26] Dorothy L. Sayers stated that she relied on Morison's discussion of the trial of Jesus while writing her play The Man Born To Be King.[27] (ED: SEE ONLINE COPY OF THIS WORK) (Sayers had been Ross's colleague while she worked as an advertising copywriter at S. H. Benson in London from 1922 to 1931.)[28] After the release of Who Moved the Stone, the editor of the London newspaper The Sphere invited Ross to contribute articles to a religious column that were published from 1930 to 1934.[29] TABLE OF CONTENTS OF WHO MOVED THE STONE? 1. THE BOOK THAT REFUSED TO BE WRITTEN 2. THE REAL CASE AGAINST THE PRISONER 3. WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE MIDNIGHT ON THURSDAY 4. A PSYCHOLOGICAL PARALLELOGRAM OF FORCES 5. THE SITUATION ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON 6. THIRTY-SIX HOURS LATER 7. ON THE BEHAVIOR OF TWO SISTERS AND THE MEN WHO FLED IN THE NIGHT 8. BETWEEN SUNSET AND DAWN 9. THE HISTORIC CRUX OF THE PROBLEM 10. THE EVIDENCE OF THE PRINCIPAL FISHERMAN 11. THE EVIDENCE OF THE PRISONER'S BROTHER 12. THE EVIDENCE OF THE MAN FROM TARSUS 13. THE WITNESS OF THE GREAT STONE 14. SOME REALITIES OF THAT FAR-OFF MORNING 15. THE SERVANT OF THE PRIEST Related Resource: Trial & Crucifixion of Jesus-Parallel Passages QUESTION - Who was Mary Magdalene? ANSWER - Mary Magdalene was a woman from whom Jesus cast out seven demons (Luke 8:2). The name Magdalene likely indicates that she came from Magdala, a city on the southwest coast of the Sea of Galilee. After Jesus cast seven demons from her, she became one of His followers. Mary Magdalene has been associated with the “woman in the city who was a sinner” (Luke 7:37) who washed Jesus’ feet, but there is no scriptural basis for making that connection. Mary Magdalene is nowhere in the Bible identified as a prostitute or as an immoral woman, despite popular portrayals of her as such. Mary Magdalene is also often associated with the woman whom Jesus saved from stoning after she had been taken in adultery (John 8:1–11). But, again, this is an association with no evidence. The movie The Passion of the Christ made this connection. This view is possible but unlikely, and it is certainly not taught in the Bible. Mary Magdalene witnessed most of the events surrounding the crucifixion. She was present at the mock trial of Jesus; she heard Pontius Pilate pronounce the death sentence; and she saw Jesus beaten and humiliated by the crowd. She was one of the women who stood near Jesus during the crucifixion to try to comfort Him. The earliest witness to the resurrection of Jesus, she was sent by Jesus to tell the others (John 20:11-18). Although this is the last mention of her in the Bible, she was probably among the women who gathered with the apostles to await the promised coming of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14). The fiction novel “The DaVinci Code” made the claim that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. Some of the non-biblical early Christian writings (considered heresy by the early Christians) hint at a special relationship between Mary Magdalene and Jesus. However, there is no evidence whatsoever to support the belief that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married. The Bible does not even hint at such an idea. QUESTION - Can the various resurrection accounts from the four Gospels be harmonized? ANSWER - The events surrounding Jesus’ resurrection can be difficult to piece together. We must remember two things: first, the news of Jesus’ resurrection produced much excitement in Jerusalem, and in the ensuing chaos many people were going many different directions. Groups were separated, and several different groups paid visits to the tomb, possibly more than once. Second, the writers of the Gospels did not attempt an exhaustive narrative; in other words, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John had no intention of telling us every detail of the resurrection or every event in the order that it happened. In the battle with skeptics regarding Jesus’ resurrection, Christians are in a "no-win" situation. If the resurrection accounts harmonize perfectly, skeptics will claim that the writers of the Gospels conspired together. If the resurrection accounts have some differences, skeptics will claim that the Gospels contradict each other and therefore cannot be trusted. It is our contention that the resurrection accounts can be harmonized and do not contradict each other. However, even if the resurrection accounts cannot be perfectly harmonized, that does not make them untrustworthy. By any reasonable evaluation, the resurrection accounts from the four Gospels are superbly consistent eyewitness testimonies. The central truths - that Jesus was resurrected from the dead and that the resurrected Jesus appeared to many people - are clearly taught in each of the four Gospels. The apparent inconsistencies are in "side issues." How many angels did they see in the tomb, one or two? (Perhaps one person only saw one angel, while the other person saw two angels.) To how many women did Jesus appear, and to whom did He appear first? (While each Gospel has a slightly different sequence to the appearances, none of them claims to be giving the precise chronological order.) So, while the resurrection accounts may seem to be inconsistent, it cannot be proven that the accounts are contradictory. Here is a possible harmony of the narratives of the resurrection of Christ and His post-resurrection appearances, in chronological order: Jesus is buried, as several women watch (Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42). The tomb is sealed and a guard is set (Matthew 27:62-66). At least 3 women, including Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome, prepare spices to go to the tomb (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1). An angel descends from heaven, rolls the stone away, and sits on it. There is an earthquake, and the guards faint (Matthew 28:2-4). The women arrive at the tomb and find it empty. Mary Magdalene leaves the other women there and runs to tell the disciples (John 20:1-2). The women still at the tomb see two angels who tell them that Jesus is risen and who instruct them to tell the disciples to go to Galilee (Matthew 28:5-7; Mark 16:2-8; Luke 24:1-8). The women leave to bring the news to the disciples (Matthew 28:8). The guards, having roused themselves, report the empty tomb to the authorities, who bribe the guards to say the body was stolen (Matthew 28:11-15). Mary the mother of James and the other women, on their way to find the disciples, see Jesus (Matthew 28:9-10). The women relate what they have seen and heard to the disciples (Luke 24:9-11). Peter and John run to the tomb, see that it is empty, and find the grave clothes (Luke 24:12; John 20:2-10). Mary Magdalene returns to the tomb. She sees the angels, and then she sees Jesus (John 20:11-18). Later the same day, Jesus appears to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5). Still on the same day, Jesus appears to Cleopas and another disciple on their way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-32). That evening, the two disciples report the event to the Eleven in Jerusalem (Luke 24:32-35). Jesus appears to ten disciples—Thomas is missing (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-25). Jesus appears to all eleven disciples—Thomas included (John 20:26-31). Jesus appears to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1-25). Jesus appears to about 500 disciples in Galilee (1 Corinthians 15:6). Jesus appears to His half-brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7). Jesus commissions His disciples (Matthew 28:16-20). Jesus teaches His disciples the Scriptures and promises to send the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4-5). Jesus ascends into heaven (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:6-12). Dead Or Alive They went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. — Luke 24:3 Today's Scripture : John 20:1-8 Long lines of visitors from all over the world wait patiently day after day to visit Lenin’s Tomb and view his embalmed body. Although he died in 1924, the corpse of that Communist leader has seemingly suffered no decomposition. It looks deceptively lifelike. And its appearance is indeed deceptive. Skillful artists monitor the preserved corpse, artificially coloring its face and using wax to fill in any lines or the smallest spot of decay. People also regularly visit Jerusalem to see the place where Jesus died and was buried. But there’s a striking contrast—there is no body of the crucified Christ anywhere. Oh, there is one rock-hewn tomb, where according to tradition the nail-scarred, spear-driven, thorn-crowned corpse of Christ was laid. But resurrected by the power of God His Father, the Savior left His graveclothes behind when He emerged from the tomb, like a butterfly abandoning its cocoon. Grave, where is thy victory now? See the light upon His brow! Empty—see, the stony bed; Christ is risen from the dead! —Chisholm Christ’s empty tomb guarantees our full salvation. Rise Up! You, being dead in your trespasses, . . . He has made alive together with Him. — Colossians 2:13 Today's Scripture : John 20:1-8,19-20 On February 6, 1958, a chartered plane carrying most of the members of the English football (soccer) club Manchester United crashed on takeoff from Munich, Germany. With so many of their star players lost, some despaired over prospects for the club’s survival. Yet today it is one of the best-known teams in the world. Fittingly, the man who rebuilt the team, Matt Busby, survived the crash himself. Nearly 2,000 years ago, Jesus’ arrest and subsequent crucifixion caused many of His followers to despair. The disciples themselves had lost hope. But their despondency evaporated on that first Easter morning when they found that the stone sealing the tomb had been moved aside (John 20:1). Jesus had risen! Jesus soon appeared to Mary Magdalene (vv.11-16) and then to His disciples, who had gathered behind locked doors (v.19). His visit brought a remarkable change in them. As one version renders it, they were “overjoyed” (v.20 NIV). He rose! And with Him hope arose, and life and light. Men said, “Not Christ, but death, died yesternight.” And joy and truth and all things virtuous Rose when He rose. —Anon. God can turn any difficulty into an opportunity. The Stone Which Blocked the Way - Ian Paisley "Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?" Mark 16:3 Christ was dead. Yes, really and truly dead. He was also buried. Really and truly buried. The Stone Set Note, the stone was set there by man to block the entrance. As long as it stood there the door way was blocked. There was no way out of the sepulchre. That stone is a type of our sin. Sin blocks the way out of the sepulchre of spiritual death for us all. The Stone Sealed The priests were anxious to destroy even the memory of Jesus. His words had stung their memories. A Christless religion allied to a Christless state joined in sealing the stone. That sealed stone speaks of our sin, sealed with Christless Christianity and Godless State-Authority endeavouring to stop the rising again of the Son of God. The Stone Seat "And, behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it." Matthew 28:2 The angel made the stone his seat and declared from there the resurrection message, "Christ is not here, He is risen!" So, from the ruin of our once prized fortress of sin, the Gospel goes forth offering full pardon to all who will come and see the place where the Lord lay. Remember, the stone was removed, not to let Christ out, but rather to let you in to see that He was already gone. (See Romans 10:9.) GOD WILL MOVE THE STONE The women who sought to anoint the dead body of Jesus are to be commended for their tender love and regard for the Savior. Yet as they came near the place of burial, the practical difficulty of moving the heavy stone which sealed His tomb brought them unnecessary anxiety of spirit. Actually it had already been moved, and so their fears were groundless. So, too, we are often need­lessly concerned over prospective difficulties which He graciously removes or helps us overcome when we have to meet them. Let us therefore be encouraged to exercise greater faith in facing pos­sible obstructions on the pathway of duty. We may be sure of the Lord's providential assistance in such matters when we ad­vance in His name and for His glory! An anonymous author has given additional practical admoni­tions concerning this text in Mark's gospel in the following poetic words: What poor weeping ones were saying nineteen hundred years ago, we, the same weak faith betraying, say in our sad hours of woe; looking at some trouble lying in the dark and dread unknown, we, too, often ask with sighing, "Who shall roll away the stone?" Many a storm-cloud hov'ring o'er us never pours on us its rain; many a grief we see before us never comes to cause us pain. Ofttimes, on the dread tomorrow sunshine comes, the cloud has flown! Why then ask in foolish sorrow, "Who shall roll away the stone?" Burden not thy soul with sadness, make a wiser, better choice; drink the wine of life with gladness, God doth bid thee, saint, rejoice! In today's bright sunlight basking, leave tomorrow's cares alone; spoil not present joys by asking: "Who shall roll away the stone?" Oft, before we've faced the trial, We have come with joy to own Angels have from Heav'n descended, And have rolled away "the stone"! —Anon. Take courage: if God doesn't choose to remove an obstacle, He will help you plow around it! Dear or Alive They went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. — Luke 24:3 Today's Scripture : John 20:1-8 Long lines of visitors from all over the world wait patiently day after day to visit Lenin’s Tomb and view his embalmed body. Although he died in 1924, the corpse of that Communist leader has seemingly suffered no decomposition. It looks deceptively lifelike. And its appearance is indeed deceptive. Skillful artists monitor the preserved corpse, artificially coloring its face and using wax to fill in any lines or the smallest spot of decay. People also regularly visit Jerusalem to see the place where Jesus died and was buried. But there’s a striking contrast—there is no body of the crucified Christ anywhere. Oh, there is one rock-hewn tomb, where according to tradition the nail-scarred, spear-driven, thorn-crowned corpse of Christ was laid. But resurrected by the power of God His Father, the Savior left His grave clothes behind when He emerged from the tomb, like a butterfly abandoning its cocoon. Grave, where is thy victory now? See the light upon His brow! Empty—see, the stony bed; Christ is risen from the dead! —Chisholm Christ’s empty tomb guarantees our full salvation. O Glorious Day (play) One day when Heaven was filled with His praises One day when sin was as black as could be Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin Dwelt among men, my example is He Word became flesh and the light shined among us His glory revealed Living, He loved me Dying, He saved me Buried, He carried my sins far away Rising, He justified freely forever One day He's coming Oh glorious day, oh glorious day One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain One day they nailed Him to die on a tree Suffering anguish, despised and rejected Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree And took the nails for me Living, He loved me Dying, He saved me Buried, He carried my sins far away Rising, He justified freely forever One day He's coming Oh glorious day, oh glorious day One day the grave could conceal Him no longer One day the stone rolled away from the door Then He arose, over death He had conquered Now is ascended, my Lord evermore Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him From rising again Living, He loved me Dying, He saved me Buried, He carried my sins far away Rising, He justified freely forever One day He's coming Oh glorious day, oh glorious day One day the trumpet will sound for His coming One day the skies with His glories will shine Wonderful day, my Beloved One bringing My Savior Jesus is mine Living, He loved me Dying, He saved me Buried, He carried my sins far away Rising, He justified freely forever One day He's coming Oh glorious day, oh glorious day John 20:2 So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” to the other disciple whom Jesus loved: John 13:23 19:26 21:7,20,24 They have laid Him: John 20:9,13,15 Mt 27:63,64 MARY RUNS TO TELL PETER AND JOHN So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple (mathetes) whom Jesus loved (phileo), and said to them, “They have taken away (airo) the Lord (kurios) out of the tomb (mnemeion), and we do not know (eido) where they have laid Him - Mary had a sense of urgency and so ran to Peter and John (Jn 19:26, 20:2, 21:7, 21:20). Mary's statement "where they have laid Him" indicates she had no understanding of His resurrection, thinking that His body was still limp, lifeless and laying in some unknown location. NET NOTE - the disciple (mathetes) whom Jesus loved,’ This individual also is mentioned in Jn 19:26, Jn 20:2, Jn 21:7, and Jn 21:20. Some have suggested that this disciple is to be identified with Lazarus, since the Fourth Gospel specifically states that Jesus loved him (Jn 11:3, 5, 36). From the terminology alone this is a possibility; the author is certainly capable of using language in this way to indicate connections. But there is nothing else to indicate that Lazarus was present at the last supper; Mark 14:17 seems to indicate it was only the twelve who were with Jesus at this time, and there is no indication in the Fourth Gospel to the contrary. Nor does it appear that Lazarus ever stood so close to Jesus as the later references in John 19, 20 and 21 seem to indicate. When this is coupled with the omission of all references to John son of Zebedee from the Fourth Gospel, it seems far more likely that the references to the beloved disciple should be understood as references to him. Disciple (3101) mathetes from manthano = to learn which Vine says is "from a root math, indicating thought accompanied by endeavor". Gives us our English = "mathematics" - see matheteuo) describes a person who learns from another by instruction, whether formal or informal. Another sources says mathetes is from from math- which speaks of "mental effort that thinks something through" and thus describes is a learner; a follower who learns the doctrines and the lifestyle of the one they follow. Discipleship includes the idea of one who intentionally learns by inquiry and observation (cf inductive Bible study) and thus mathetes is more than a mere pupil. A mathetes describes an adherent of a teacher. As discussed below mathetes itself has no spiritual connotation, and it is used of superficial followers of Jesus as well as of genuine believers. The Lord calls everyone to grow as a disciple (a learner of Christ; cf. also Mt 11:29,30+), one who lives in faith, who lives in and by His Word in the power of the Holy Spirit. MATHETES IN GOSPEL OF JOHN - Jn. 1:35; Jn. 1:37; Jn. 2:2; Jn. 2:11; Jn. 2:12; Jn. 2:17; Jn. 2:22; Jn. 3:22; Jn. 3:25; Jn. 4:1; Jn. 4:2; Jn. 4:8; Jn. 4:27; Jn. 4:31; Jn. 4:33; Jn. 6:3; Jn. 6:8; Jn. 6:12; Jn. 6:16; Jn. 6:22; Jn. 6:24; Jn. 6:60; Jn. 6:61; Jn. 6:66; Jn. 7:3; Jn. 8:31; Jn. 9:2; Jn. 9:27; Jn. 9:28; Jn. 11:7; Jn. 11:8; Jn. 11:12; Jn. 11:54; Jn. 12:4; Jn. 12:16; Jn. 13:5; Jn. 13:22; Jn. 13:23; Jn. 13:35; Jn. 15:8; Jn. 16:17; Jn. 16:29; Jn. 18:1; Jn. 18:2; Jn. 18:15; Jn. 18:16; Jn. 18:17; Jn. 18:19; Jn. 18:25; Jn. 19:26; Jn. 19:27; Jn. 19:38; Jn. 20:2; Jn. 20:3; Jn. 20:4; Jn. 20:8; Jn. 20:10; Jn. 20:18; Jn. 20:19; Jn. 20:20; Jn. 20:25; Jn. 20:26; Jn. 20:30; Jn. 21:1; Jn. 21:2; Jn. 21:4; Jn. 21:7; Jn. 21:8; Jn. 21:12; Jn. 21:14; Jn. 21:20; Jn. 21:23; Jn. 21:24 QUESTION - Who was the disciple whom Jesus loved? | ANSWER - The Gospel of John is the only Gospel which mentions “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John 13:23 tells us, “One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to Him.” John 19:26 declares, “When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son.'“ John 21:7 says, “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’” This disciple is never specifically identified, but the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved is clear. The disciple whom Jesus loved self-identifies as the author of the gospel (John 21:24), whom most scholars believe to be the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James. First, only the Gospel of John mentions the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Second, John 21:2 lets us know who was fishing with Peter: “Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together...” The apostle John was a son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21). Third, there were three disciples who were especially close to Jesus: Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1; Mark 5:37; 14:33; Luke 8:51). The “disciple whom Jesus loved” could not be Peter, as Peter asks Jesus a question in regards to this disciple (John 21:20-21). That leaves us with James or John. Jesus made a statement about the possible “longevity” of the life of the disciple whom He loved in John 21:22. James was the first of the apostles to die (Acts 12:2). While Jesus did not promise the disciple whom He loved long life, it would be highly unusual for Jesus to say, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” if the disciple whom He loved was going to be the first disciple to die. Church history tells us that the apostle John lived into the A.D. 90s and was the last surviving apostle. Early church tradition was unanimous in identifying John as the disciple whom Jesus loved. It seems that John had a closer relationship with Jesus than any of the other disciples. Jesus and John were essentially “best friends.” Jesus entrusted John with the care of His mother, gave John the vision of the transfiguration, allowed John to witness His most amazing miracles, and later gave John the Book of Revelation.GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What is the importance of the empty tomb? | GotQuestions.org WATCH VIDEO ANSWER - From the earliest apostolic period, the reality of the empty tomb—the biblical truth that the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth was found empty by His disciples—has been at the center of the Christian proclamation. All four Gospels describe, to varying degrees, the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the empty tomb (Matthew 28:1–6; Mark 16:1–7; Luke 24:1–12; John 20:1–12). But are there any good reasons to think that these claims are historically accurate? Could a fair-minded investigator conclude that, in all probability, Jesus’ tomb was found empty on that first Easter morning? There are several arguments that have convinced a good many historians that the tomb in which Jesus was buried was indeed found empty on the Sunday following His crucifixion. First, the location of Jesus’ tomb would have been known to Christians and non-Christians alike. While it is true that most victims of crucifixion were either thrown in a graveyard reserved for common criminals or simply left on the cross for birds and other scavengers to feed upon, the case of Jesus was different. The historical record indicates that Jesus was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin, the very group that had orchestrated Jesus’ execution. Many skeptical New Testament scholars have been convinced that Jesus’ burial by Joseph of Arimathea is unlikely to have been a Christian fabrication. Given the understandable hostility of the earliest Christians toward the Sanhedrin, whom they felt were largely responsible for their Master’s death, it is unlikely that Jesus’ followers would have invented a tradition about a member of the Sanhedrin using his own tomb to provide Jesus with a respectable burial. In addition, recent archaeological discoveries have demonstrated that the style of tomb described in the burial accounts in the Gospels (an acrosolia or bench tomb) was largely used by the wealthy and other people of prominence. Such a description fits nicely with what we know of Joseph of Arimathea. Moreover, when we couple these considerations with the fact that Arimathea was a town of little importance that lacked any type of scriptural symbolism and that no competing burial tradition exists, any serious doubt that Jesus was buried in Joseph’s tomb is eliminated. The significance of these facts should not be overlooked as the Sanhedrin would then have certainly known the location of Joseph’s tomb, and thus, where Jesus had been interred. And if the location of Jesus’ tomb was known to the Jewish authorities, it would have been nearly impossible for the Christian movement to have gained any traction in Jerusalem, the very city where Jesus was known to have been buried, had the tomb not been empty. Would not any of the Jewish religious leaders have taken the short walk to Joseph’s tomb to verify this claim? Did not the Sanhedrin have every motivation to produce Jesus’ corpse (if it were available) and put an end to these rumors of a resurrected Jesus once and for all? The fact that Christianity began to gain converts in Jerusalem tells us that no corpse had been produced despite the Jewish religious leadership having every motivation to produce one. If Jesus’ crucified body had been produced, the Christian movement, with its emphasis on a resurrected Jesus, would have been dealt a lethal blow. Second, the empty tomb is implied in the early oral formula quoted by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15. While all four Gospels attest to the vacancy of Jesus’ tomb, our earliest hint at the empty tomb comes from the Apostle Paul. Writing to the church at Corinth in approximately AD 55, Paul quotes an oral formula (or creed) that most scholars believe he received from the apostles Peter and James just five years after Jesus’ crucifixion (Galatians 1:18–19). Paul states, “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve” (1 Corinthians 15:3–5). When Paul writes “…that he was buried, that he was raised…” it is strongly implied (given Paul’s Pharisaical background) that the tomb in which Jesus was buried was empty. As a former Pharisee, Paul would have naturally understood that what goes down in burial comes up in resurrection; he accepted the idea of physical resurrection even before his encounter with Christ. Given that Paul’s source for this creed was most likely the Jerusalem apostles and their proximity to the events in question, Paul’s citation of this oral formula provides strong evidence that Jesus’ tomb had been found empty and that this fact was widely known in the early Christian community. The oft-repeated objection that Paul was unaware of an empty tomb is answered when we see that elsewhere Paul taught that Jesus’ resurrection was bodily in nature (Romans 8:11; Philippians 3:21). For Paul, a resurrection that did not produce a vacant tomb would have been a contradiction in terms. Third, there appears to be strong enemy attestation of the existence of an empty tomb. The first of these comes from within the pages of the Gospel of Matthew itself where Matthew reports that there was an acknowledgment of the empty tomb by the Jewish leaders themselves (Matthew 28:13–15). They were claiming that the disciples had come and stolen away Jesus’ body. Given the proximity of the writing of Matthew’s Gospel to the event in question, such a claim would have been easy to disprove if untrue. For if Matthew were lying, his report of the Jewish response to the empty tomb proclamation could have easily been discredited as many of the contemporaries of the events in question would still have been alive when Matthew’s Gospel was initially circulating. But why would they accuse the disciples of stealing Jesus’ body if the tomb still contained the dead body of Jesus? The counter-accusation made by the Jews presupposes that the tomb was empty. That the Jews accused the disciples of stealing Jesus’ body is corroborated by the Christian apologist Justin Martyr in the middle of the second century (Dialogue with Trypho, 108) and then again around AD 200 by the church father Tertullian (De Spectaculis, 30). Both Justin and Tertullian were interacting with the Jewish debaters of their day and were in a position to know what it was their Jewish opponents were saying. They were not simply relying on Matthew’s Gospel for their information; both Justin and Tertullian mention specific details not found in the Gospel of Matthew. In fact, all three of these writers cite details not mentioned by the others. Based on these considerations, it appears that there was an early Jewish acknowledgement of an empty tomb. Fourth, all four Gospels report that the tomb of Jesus was discovered empty by women. This point is especially significant given the patriarchal nature of first-century Israel. While it is true that, under very limited circumstances, women were allowed to testify in a court of law, it is also the case that, in first-century Jewish society, a woman’s testimony was worth far less than that of a man. If you were making up a story in an attempt to persuade others that Jesus had been resurrected, you would never have used women as your primary witnesses. Any made-up story would have featured male disciples like Peter, John, or Andrew as the discoverers of the empty tomb, as the testimony of men would have provided much-needed credibility to the story. Yet the Gospels report that, while Jesus’ male disciples were cowering in fear, hiding from the authorities, it was women who were the earliest witnesses of the empty tomb. There would simply be no reason for the early church to concoct such a scenario unless it was true. Why would the early Christians portray their male leadership as cowards and place females in the role of primary witnesses? One of these named female witnesses (Mary Magdalene) was said to have been possessed of seven devils earlier in her life, thus making her an even less reliable witness in the eyes of many. And yet, despite these evidential handicaps, the earliest Christians insisted that the first witnesses to the empty tomb were, in fact, women. The most likely explanation of this insistence is that these women were the initial witnesses of the empty tomb and that the earliest Christians were unwilling to lie about it despite its potentially embarrassing nature. All four of these arguments help to provide cumulative proof that the tomb of Jesus Christ was empty on the first Easter. Particularly telling is the conclusion of historian Michael Grant, himself a skeptic of Jesus’ resurrection, “…if we apply the same sort of criteria that we would apply to any other ancient literary sources, then the evidence is firm and plausible enough to necessitate the conclusion that the tomb was, indeed, found empty.” Of course, there is more to the story than merely an empty tomb. The reason the tomb was found empty was that the man who was buried there had risen from the dead. Jesus would not only vacate His grave but appear to numerous people individually (Luke 24:34) and in groups (Matthew 28:9; John 20:26–30; 21:1–14; Acts 1:3–6; 1 Corinthians 15:3–7). And His resurrection from the dead would be the sure proof that He was who He claimed to be (Matthew 12:38–40; 16:1–4)—the risen Son of God, our only hope of salvation. John 20:3 So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. PETER AND JOHN RESPOND TO MARY So (oun) is a term of conclusion. Peter concluded from Mary's message it was time to check the tomb to see if it were truly empty. Peter and the other disciple (mathetes) went forth (out) (exerchomai), and they were going to the tomb (mnemeion) - Peter and John head out from where they were to investigate the tomb. Living With Expectation Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. So they both ran together. —John 20:3-4 Today's Scripture : John 20:1-10 When the dark day of Jesus’ crucifixion drew to a close, it seemed that the most wonderful of all lives had come to an end. For a few brief years, Christ had astounded the crowds and His followers with the wisdom of His teaching and the wonder of His miracles. But Jesus chose not to save Himself from the cross, and now His life was over. It seemed that nothing more could be expected of Him. Hope returned, however, on that first resurrection morning. A painting by Eugene Burnand portrays Peter and John running to the tomb. Shortly after dawn, Mary Magdalene had told them that she and her friends had found the tomb empty. In Burnand’s painting, the faces of Peter and John show contending emotions of anguish and relief, of sorrow and surprise, of despair and wonder as they race toward the tomb. Their gaze is eagerly fixed forward, turning the viewer’s attention to the sepulcher. What did they find? An empty tomb—the Savior was alive! Christ left the grave one glorious day And vanquished death and sin; He opened wide the gates of heaven That we might enter in. —Anon. The victim of Good Friday became the victor of Easter. John 20:4 The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; ran ahead faster: 2Sa 18:23 Lev 13:30 1Co 9:24 2Co 8:12 THE OTHER DISCIPLE THE "BELOVED DISCIPLE" The two were running together; and the other disciple (mathetes) ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb (mnemeion) first - John is faster than Peter, but that does not tell us much more. Was there an age difference? We simply do not know why John was the faster of the two. We can ask him in Heaven! NET NOTE - The other disciple (the ‘beloved disciple’) ran on ahead more quickly than Peter, so he arrived at the tomb first. This verse has been a chief factor in depictions of John as a young man (especially combined with traditions that he wrote last of all the gospel authors and lived into the reign of Domitian). But the verse does not actually say anything about John’s age, nor is age always directly correlated with running speed. Running to Jesus Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. John 20:4 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 20:1–10 On a trip to Paris, Ben and his friends found themselves at one of the renowned museums in the city. Though Ben wasn’t a student of art, he was in awe as he looked upon the painting titled The Disciples Peter and John Running to the Sepulchre on the Morning of the Resurrection by Eugène Burnand. Without words, the looks on the faces of Peter and John and the position of their hands speak volumes, inviting onlookers to step into their shoes and share their adrenaline-charged emotions. If you don’t know Jesus, what will you do to begin running toward Him and His love? If you’re a believer, how will you share His love with others? Dear Jesus, lead me into Your loving arms today. John 20:5 and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. saw: John 11:44 19:40 Related Passages: Luke 24:12+ But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he *saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. JOHN STOOPS TO SEE GRAVE CLOTHES And stooping (parakupto) He had to stoop most likely because the entrance to tombs was generally less than 3ft high which meant an adult male would not only have to stoop but potentially even to crawl in order to enter such tombs. And looking in, he saw (blepo) the linen wrappings (othonion - Jn 19:40) lying there; but he did not go in - It is interesting that there is no description of smells, either spices or early decay of flesh, which we would not expect because of the prophecy in Ps 16:10+. Apparently it is still early in the morning (cf Jn 20:1+) The position of the wrappings would strongly suggest that they had not been unwound from Jesus’ body. Obviously this would have been confusing if they thought someone had stolen His body. Why would a grave robber have left the clothes and taken the body of Jesus?” Spurgeon Study Bible - “Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.” John knew they had not taken away the body of Jesus [as Mary had concluded in verse 2], for if they had, they certainly would not have taken off the linen clothes. It would have been difficult and would have taken considerable time to unwrap the cold grave clothes when they were bound to the body by the ointments that had been used. NET NOTE - Presumably by the time the beloved disciple reached the tomb there was enough light to penetrate the low opening and illuminate the interior of the tomb sufficiently for him to see the strips of linen cloth lying there. The author does not state exactly where the linen wrappings were lying. Sometimes the phrase has been translated “lying on the ground,” but the implication is that the wrappings were lying where the body had been. The most probable configuration for a tomb of this sort would be to have a niche carved in the wall where the body would be laid lengthwise, or a low shelf like a bench running along one side of the tomb, across the back or around all three sides in a U-shape facing the entrance. Thus the grave clothes would have been lying on this shelf or in the niche where the body had been. Stoop and look (3879) parakupto from pará = beside, aside + kúpto = bend forward, stoop) means to stoop or bend beside or sideways in order to look into. It means to look at with head bent forward, to look into with the body bent, to stoop and look into and figuratively to look carefully into, to inspect curiously or with a focus on satisfying one's curiosity. The idea was to down and look into in order to see something exactly. Parakupto - 5x/5v - look, 1; looks intently, 1; stooped and looked, 1; stooping and looking, 2. Luke 24:12; John 20:5, 11; Jas 1:25; 1 Pet 1:12 Saw (991) blepo basically means to have sight, to see, to look at, then to observe, to discern, to perceive with the eye, and and imply special contemplation (e.g., often in the sense of “keep your eyes open,” or “beware”) Blepo indicates greater vividness than horao, a similar verb meaning "to see", for according to W E Vine blepo expresses "a more intentional, earnest contemplation. TDNT says that like horao "blepo also means “to see” with a stronger emphasis on the function of the eye, so that it serves as the opposite of “to be blind.” It can also be used for intellectual or spiritual perception, and in the absolute for insight… (another word for seeing is) theaomai suggests spectators and denotes attentive seeing, i.e., “to behold.” BLEPO IN GOSPEL OF JOHN - Jn. 1:29; Jn. 5:19; Jn. 9:7; Jn. 9:15; Jn. 9:19; Jn. 9:21; Jn. 9:25; Jn. 9:39; Jn. 9:41; Jn. 11:9; Jn. 13:22; Jn. 20:1; Jn. 20:5; Jn. 21:9; Jn. 21:20 John 20:6 And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, John 6:67-69 18:17,25-27 21:7,15-17 Mt 16:15,16 Lu 22:31,32 PETER ENTERS THE TOMB And so Simon Peter also came, following (akoloutheo) him, and entered (eiserchomai) the tomb (mnemeion); and he saw (theoreo) the linen wrappings (othonion) lying there - So now we have 3 witnesses who have seen the empty tomb. Note the verb saw (theoreo) speaks of one gazing like an interested spectator at a sporting event, paying attention to the details and doing so with focused attention. Saw (beheld, observed) (2334) theoreo from theaomai = to look at closely or attentively or contemplatively - even with a sense of wonder; cp theoros = a spectator) (Gives us English = theater, theorize) usually refers to physical sight but can also refer to perception and understanding. It means to gaze, to look with interest and purpose, to carefully examine with emphasis on or attention to details. To behold intensely or attentively. Our English word scrutinize conveys this sense, for it means to examine closely and minutely. To observe something with sustained attention, be a spectator and thus to understand or perceive. To contemplate (Heb 13:7). Theoreo in some contexts can include the idea of to behold with amazement. For example, in Mark 5:15 theoreo is not translated merely "see" but "observe" for as