"I have seen the Lord" John 20:1-18

“…while it was still dark”

According to the ESV Study Bible, “The theme of John’s Gospel is that Jesus is the promised Messiah and Son of God. By believing in Jesus, people can have eternal life.”

Chapter 20 will support this theme.

Let me start with some questions.

Do you ever know how a story ends but get caught up in the action anyway?

Have you ever been crying or sad and not realized good things happening around you?

Whose voice would you recognize instantly?

John 20:1–18 CSB

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!” At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying. But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.” “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.

John 20:1–2 CSB

On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”

All three gospels describe the resurrection as happening at the “beginning” or “first day” of the week. Even though all describe Jesus as prophesying about rising on the “third day”, the resurrection is something new. A new week and a new era.

“it was still dark”: John uses light and dark as metaphors for good and evil throughout the book. Mark says “dawn” and Luke says “very early in the morning”. Verses 1:1-5: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

“we”: Mary wasn’t alone. Luke records Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and “other women”. The author, John, focuses his story on Mary Magdalene. He is sharing what he wants to tell us.

“the other disciple, the one Jesus loved”: John does not refer to himself in his Gospel until using this term at that Last Supper. There, the beloved disciple is reclining on Jesus when Peter asks him about who would betray Jesus (ch. 13). This closeness to Jesus is emphasized in contrast to Peter, who denied Jesus but is forgiven by Jesus. John believed without seeing, but Peter and the other disciples did not recognize Jesus on the beach, only the beloved disciple. John is the one who believed in Jesus before Thomas. Rather than the “Son of Thunder” that describes him other gospels, John wants us to imitate the faith he shows at the end of his Gospel, unlike Peter and Thomas who needed more help. [The “I know a guy” story.]

“running”: There is urgency. This is an emergency.

“taken the Lord”: Grave robbing was an attractive but serious crime. Rich tombs might have some expensive stuff in them. John likes to quote people who say more than they know. Mary says “Lord” here but may not yet mean “God” (called “Lord” throughout the OT).

John 20:3–10 CSB

At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first. Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there. The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself. The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed. For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.

“outran Peter”: John was younger than his brother, James, and probably several years younger than Peter. Looking at the linen strips but not going in probably meant John considered whether it was a grave robing (no linen left) or something else. Peter, like normal, runs in headfirst. John goes in and believes. We should believe based on the signs. Faith before sight.

You can believe without fully understanding the Scripture, as John does here, but it is better to understand. The men go back. They will get their commission later, but Mary is about to get hers.

We should not see this as competition, since the men are portrayed as friends throughout the gospel and the NT.

“The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself.” This is in contract to the account of Lazarus, who after 6 days was called out of the tomb by Jesus. Linen strips were wrapped around him and there was cloth on his face. The resurrection of Jesus is different than that one. Jesus folded the cloth.

The folding of the linen cloth might symbolize the order of the resurrection. Jesus, a man, folded the cloth because he had control over the resurrection. He was never not in control.

The two men seeing the folded linen cloth must have been amazing in the full sense of the word! John had witnessed the crucifixion and both had witnessed the scourging of Jesus.

John 20:11–18 CSB

But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus. “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.” “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.

Angels in white appear to the women after the resurrection in all four gospels. Matthew and Mark describe 1 angel, while Luke and John have two. The point is not the number, but the fact that angels are a testimony to God’s power.

We should not think of winged cherubim here. Angels are powerful ministering spirits (Heb. 1:14) that appear when God acts supernaturally.

“Why are you crying?”: This is not a real question as much as a gentle criticism. “You should know better.” The angel is not confused, but asking/rebuking on behalf of God.

The fact that Mary does not recognize Jesus is partly explained by the fact that Jesus’s body had risen, but changed. The sermon series we are in explains this in more detail in 1 Cor. 15:35ff.

“Sir [lit. Lord], if you’ve carried him away.” Mary says more than she understands here.

John had previously recorded Jesus’s teaching that his sheep know his voice in ch. 10.

“Rabboni” I think that this is what Mary called him. She recognized him!

“Don’t cling to me (as if you’ve grabbed my feet), I am not yet ascended … I’m not yet where I will be with you always.”

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