What does John 20:13 mean?
The two men Mary Magdalene sees here are angels (John 20:12). She is looking into Jesus' empty grave (John 20:11), after Peter and John have left (John 20:10). They did so without, it seems, explaining what they saw inside (John 20:3–9), though it was Mary who came to get them in the first place (John 20:1–2).A typical reaction to seeing an angel is abject terror (Luke 1:11–13; 2:9–10; Acts 10:3–4), at least when they appear in a dramatic form. These angels seem to take on a more normal appearance, as they have sometimes done in Scripture (Genesis 19:1–3). Mary's grief doesn't seem to be interrupted by fear. Most likely, she thinks these men have been in the tomb since Peter and John were there.
Another common aspect of angelic encounters is rhetorical questions: they are either obvious or meant to make a point, rather than literally asking for information (Numbers 22:32; Zechariah 1:12; Luke 24:4–5; Acts 1:10–11; Revelation 17:7). Here, the angels know exactly why Mary is upset. But they also know who is standing right behind her, and the conversation which is about to happen (John 20:14–16).
John 20:11–18 describes a remarkable scene. In an era where women were ignored and often mistrusted, a woman becomes the first person to share her experiences with a risen Jesus. Mary Magdalene encounters two angels outside Jesus' empty tomb, followed by Jesus Himself. She obeys His commands to speak with the disciples. This event is another example of John including certain details, without repeating the exact same points as the other, older gospel writings (Matthew 28:1–10; Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12).
Peter and John get a report from Mary Magdalene that Jesus' body is gone. They arrive to find an open grave, and empty grave clothes, along with a folded face cloth. When the two men leave, Mary remains and suddenly encounters a resurrected Jesus. Though she tells the others, they resist believing until they see Jesus in person. Thomas is especially stubborn, and Jesus remarks on how blessed they are to have been given so much proof. John points out that his writing is meant to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, arranged to encourage those who read to come to faith.
