John 20 - Printer Friendly

What does John 20 mean?

Chapter Commentary:

The last time Jesus was seen in public, He was a mangled corpse being hastily buried in a sealed cave (John 19:1–4, 30, 38–42; Matthew 27:59–66). Despite His predictions (John 2:19–22; Mark 9:31; Luke 18:33) and prior miracles (John 11:43–44), His followers will be hesitant to understand, let alone accept, that He is now alive.

John's account of Jesus' resurrection follows the same pattern as the rest of his gospel. He includes certain details, without repeating every nuance covered in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These can be challenging to intermingle, but don't present irreconcilable contradictions to each other. John focuses on the experience of Mary Magdalene. She approaches Jesus' tomb on a Sunday morning with the intent of further anointing His body. She sees that the grave is open and empty, suggesting the posted Roman guard (Matthew 28:4, 11) has already left (John 20:1).

The three closest members of Jesus' disciples are Peter, John, and James. Here, John continues to refer to himself anonymously (John 13:23; 19:26). John and Peter race to the tomb. It's likely they are worried that the body has been stolen or is being defiled further by Jesus' enemies. John was most likely much younger than Peter, so he arrives first, but hesitates. Peter proceeds with his usual aggressiveness and enters the crypt. John saw the grave clothes from the outside but doesn't notice the face covering until he follows Peter inside. This cloth is carefully folded, which triggers a realization for John. They leave, however, apparently without sharing their thoughts with Mary (John 20:2–10).

After the men leave, Mary looks deeper into the tomb and sees two men—angels—who ask why she is crying. She is not expecting to see Jesus at all, let alone someone vibrant and healthy. When she turns with blurred eyes and speaks with someone in the dim light, His identity escapes her. When Jesus says her name, she suddenly realizes what has happened. That Jesus chooses to appear to women first is significant. This speaks to Jesus' elevation of women as spiritual equals of men, and to the honesty of the gospel accounts. Jesus asks Mary to tell the others what has happened, and she obeys (John 20:11–18).

Despite Jesus' predictions and the eyewitness accounts of people like Mary, it seems the disciples are still resisting the truth. When Jesus miraculously appears inside a secured room, that changes. Jesus echoes God's act of creation (Genesis 2:7) by breathing a partial indwelling of the Holy Spirit on the disciples. As He has done before, Jesus notes their spiritual perspective: it includes the ability to perceive mattes of sin and salvation. The men are not given the power to directly forgive, only the ability to recognize that which has already been forgiven (John 20:19–23).

One of the disciples is especially resistant. Thomas makes an outrageous demand for proof, far beyond what should be necessary. This parallels the modern "skeptic" who insists on unreasonable levels of evidence, only to ask for even more if those requirements are met. Jesus appears and challenges Thomas with his own words, and Thomas responds in faith. Thomas even refers to Jesus as "my God," which Jesus does not dispute. Rather, Jesus notes the blessing of being given extra proof, and the greater measure of faith required by those who will come after (John 20:24–29).

John closes this segment with an aside, pointing out the motive behind his choices as a writer. Not every single detail has been recorded. Some of this is for reasons of space (John 21:25). It's also a matter of focus. John's intent is for those who read to be assured that Jesus is the Messiah, and to accept Him in salvation (John 20:30–31).

John 20:1–10 includes the first moments in which Jesus' followers realize He has been resurrected. Mary Magdalene brings Peter and John to the grave after finding it open. John sees the empty grave wrappings and realizes what has happened. Mary will remain behind and encounter a pair of angels, as well as Jesus, soon after. John's chosen details complement those found in Matthew 28:1–10, Mark 16:1–8, and Luke 24:1–12.

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).

John 20:19–23 is the first time Jesus appears to His disciples after being raised from death. They are hiding behind a locked door in fear when Jesus appears to speak with them. Jesus shows physical evidence of His crucifixion, then gives the men a partial measure of the Holy Spirit. This validates the earlier testimony of Mary Magdalene. Thomas is the only disciple not present, and the next passage shows his resistance to believe what has happened.

John 20:24–29 is the source of an unfortunate nickname: "Doubting Thomas." Thomas was not present when Jesus came through a locked door and proved to the other disciples that He was alive. He makes an exaggerated demand for proof before he will believe, insisting on more evidence than is reasonable. Once again, Jesus passes through a physical barrier to appear. Thomas is reminded of his earlier stubbornness, but humbly confesses that Jesus is God.

John 20:30–31 is an interesting side note from the apostle John. This summarizes the idea that Scripture does not include every possible detail. Not all possible words, deeds, or thoughts, of every event it describes, are preserved in these accounts. The last words of this gospel echo this same idea (John 21:25). John's gospel, like the rest of the Bible, includes certain details for certain reasons. In John's case, the motive is for readers to fully understand Jesus' divinity, and to accept salvation as a result.

Chapter Summary:

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.

Chapter Context:

Most of Jesus' disciples scattered and hid when He was arrested (Matthew 26:56). Only John and some women were present to see His death and burial (John 19:26–30, 41–42; Matthew 27:60–61). When Jesus' tomb is seen empty, there is further confusion. Jesus appears to His followers, proving that He is alive, and remarking that they are blessed to have so much proof. John will complete his account in the next chapter with another encounter and more reminders about the nature of his writing.

The gospel of John was written by the disciple John, decades later than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The author assumes that a reader is already familiar with the content of these other works. So, John presents a different perspective, with a greater emphasis on meaning. John uses seven miracles—which he calls “signs”—in order to prove that Jesus is, in fact, God incarnate. Some of the most well-known verses in all of the Bible are found here. None is more famous than the one-sentence summary of the gospel found in John 3:16.

Accessed 5/7/2024 9:16:19 PM