Verses 1-2 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. 2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
The first day of the week would be today’s Sunday. Mary Magdalen was a follower of Jesus as He had cast seven devils out of her and freed her from the bondage of sin, death, and Hell and from the infirmities the devils caused. She had remained as close to Jesus as she could during the crucifixion and now she was come to mourn and possibly, according to the Gospel of Mark, anoint Jesus’ body with sweet spices. Perhaps she was unaware that this anointing had already been done. Imagine her surprise to find the sepulchre empty. Her immediate concern was that Jesus’ body had been taken, so she ran back to tell the apostles Peter and John, the author of this Gospel book.
Application: The stones that covered the opening to these sepulchres were huge and weighed tons. So the story that the Jewish elite spread that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body in the night with 16 Roman soldiers guarding it was ridiculous as they could not have rolled the stone back uphill and secured it, yet incredibly, many people believed it and still do today. This stone was usually set on a slope and wedged in place. When the wedge was removed, the stone would roll down and take its place over the mouth of the sepulchre. The fact that it had been removed in the night and either set back up with its wedge or just moved away all together was a miracle. Scripture often refers to a sinner’s heart as stony, meaning that the unrepentant sinner is hard hearted. Hard hearted people are difficult to reach with the Gospel. When the Holy Ghost/Spirit calls a stony hearted sinner to repentance and there is a conversion, the heart of this sinner is softened and the world is seen in a different light and the character of this sinner is made new. This is just as great a miracle of God as the moving of the stone covering the sepulchre as the sinner is now born again and has a new life in Jesus.
Verses 3-5 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
Did the disciples remember Jesus’ words telling them that He would be killed and then rise from the dead on the third day? Did they remember them, but not believe them? Don’t know, but both Peter and John ran to see for themselves what Mary Magdalene had reported. The Apostle John does not tell us why he stopped at the entrance of the sepulchre and did not go in. One can only imagine that he was overwhelmed with this discovery and trying to mentally and emotionally process what had happened.
Verses 6-7 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
Peter, on the other hand, remained true to his impetuous nature and rushed right into the sepulchre, and what he saw must have brought him great joy. You see, the Jews had a tradition that when the master of the house was sitting at a meal and being waited upon by his servants, the cloth napkin that he was using was the signal to the servants indicating when he was finished with his meal. If the master merely threw the used napkin onto the table or some place when he rose to leave, the servants would know they could clear the table and clean up as the master was not returning. If the master folded the cloth napkin and laid it on the table it meant that he was leaving for a time but that he would return and the servants knew not to remove the food and plates, but to wait for their master to return. By the LORD Jesus Christ folding the napkin that had covered His face and placing it in a place by itself where it would be seen, He was signalling His servants that He was going to return and that they should wait for Him. All the disciples would have known what was meant by the folded napkin.
Application: Converted Christian believers today are, by faith, waiting for the Master to return. The significance of the folded napkin should bring believers great joy. As this writer has said repeatedly in this study of Scripture, every word is important and every detail, no matter how insignificant it may seem, is important and included in God’s Word for a reason. So the believer should not rush through the reading of the Bible, but read it slowly and ask God to reveal the meaning and significance of those passages that are difficult to understand or that seem to be not very important.
Verses 8-9 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
The Apostle John simply says that when he entered the sepulchre, he believed. He saw the situation and knew that no man had spirited away the body of Jesus and that a miracle of resurrection had occurred. It is interesting that both he and the Apostle Peter just went home. If they had stayed a while, perhaps they would have seen another miracle as recorded in the next few verses.
Verses 11-12 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
Mary Magdalene must have followed Peter and John at a slower pace, and she stayed at the sepulchre shedding tears after they both left. And then she saw the angels in the sepulchre where they had not been when the apostles were inside.
Application: It is interesting that the two angels were seated at the head and at the foot of the stone slab that the body of Jesus had been laid upon. The Ark of the Covenant in Old Testament days was made with two cherubim on either end and their wings protectively covered the top of the Ark in which was the 10 commandments written by the finger of God in stone, and the rod that the first high priest, Aaron, had used that budded with flower blossoms. The Ark was representative of the Old Covenant. Here the two angels are present and positioned on either end most likely protecting the body of Jesus for a time, and Jesus Christ established a New Covenant with His blood. Jesus Christ was/is now the High Priest forever and the priesthood of Aaron was/is ended. And under the New Covenant, God’s laws are written in the heart of His people and not in stone tablets. The angels ministered to Jesus at various times during His earthly ministry, and they were here now to minister to brokenhearted Mary Magdalene.
Verses 13-14 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him. 14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
Notice that Mary was neither frightened nor surprised by the presence of the angels and that she conversed with them readily. Her heart was broken at what she perceived was the loss of Jesus, both to death and now to a missing body, yet her heart was right with the LORD so that she had no fear of His messengers. She just wanted to know where the body of Jesus was.
Application: Why did Mary Magdalene not recognize Jesus? Was it because she did not understand the promise of resurrection or that she did not believe it could happen? Or was it because the body of Jesus was so damaged and marred that he was unrecognizable? “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men:” Isaiah 52:14
Verse 15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
Again, Mary was asked why she was weeping. The amazing thing here is that the Son of God, the LORD Jesus Christ, the Creator of the world, was mistaken for a gardener. Again, Mary just wanted to know where the body of Jesus was.
Verses 16-17 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
When Jesus spoke her name, which she had not told to Him, her eyes were opened and she knew she was standing before the LORD Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Mary most likely wanted to fall at Jesus’ feet and touch Him, but He had to complete His mission and show Himself to Father God. Verses like these confuse people into believing that God is somehow three different “persons” in one. Well, the principles of mathematics alone should demonstrate that three cannot equal one. So the Christian believer needs to understand and remember that Jesus was both God and man. God, being a Spirit, can be everywhere at once (omnipresent) and that He was throughout the world and in Jesus at the same time. The body of flesh that He inhabited while ministering on Earth was fully man. It was the body or the resurrected man (Son of God) that was to ascend into Heaven and be presented to the Spirit (Father) as the sacrifice and atonement for sins was complete. So there is only one God who manifests in three different ways: Father, Jesus or Son, and Holy Ghost
Verses 18-19 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her. 19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
What were the disciples afraid of? The Jews. Why? Because they had murdered Jesus, an innocent man, who had done no wrong against Roman law or the law of God. So the disciples knew that the Jews could come after them and make up charges, support those charges with paid witnesses, and deliver them up to be killed also, simply because they were followers of Jesus. Sounds like the situation in the world today where innocent people are framed for political and religious purposes. So the disciples were essentially hiding. Notice that it was the first day of the week, which would be today’s Sunday, the same day that in the morning the discovery of Jesus’ resurrection had occurred by Mary Magdalene. Notice also that Jesus came to the disciples but did not enter where they were assembled through the door which was shut. In those days, it was common to have doors that could not be opened from the outside if they were shut and secured on the inside. If a dwelling was vacated for a time, the door was not secured. But when people were in the dwelling, it could be secured from the inside. So Jesus must have simply come through the door or the wall in His resurrected body that was no longer a body of flesh that could not come through a solid door or wall.
Application: Three time Jesus said, “Peace be unto you”. These were the first words He spoke unto His disciples. He did not announce Himself or explain anything to them or inquire as to what they were doing and why. Why? Because He knew they were fearful. What dispels fear? The peace that passes all understanding. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” John 14:27 Jesus had already promised His disciples peace, but due to the events of the last few days, they had let their flesh, the Devil, and the world rob them of that peace. Like the disciples, every converted Christian believer can and should have peace in their lives as the LORD is in charge and, like the disciples, He gives that peace to all who trust in Him. “And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus..” Philippians 4:7
Verses 20-23 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
Remember that the LORD Jesus Christ had been tortured and that His face and His body was not recognizable to Mary Magdalene and presumably not recognizable to the disciples when He appeared amongst them. Showing them His nail scarred hands and feet and the wound in His side which He alone received while the thieves had their legs broken, assured them of His identity.
Application: For the second time Jesus said, “Peace be unto you”. But now He told them He was sending them forth into the ministry of the Gospel. They then knew that the Jews were not going to have the pleasure of killing them. At least not at that present time.
Application: When God/Jesus created man as recorded in the second chapter of Genesis, He breathed into man the breath of life. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.” Genesis 2:7 And all mankind has breathed from the time of birth until the time of death when that breath is taken away. “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:9-10 “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.” Job 33:4 “Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:” Isaiah 42:5 So God gives breath to mankind when physically born. But the converted Christian believer is “born again” of the water and of the Spirit which means receiving water baptism and being filled with the Holy Ghost/Spirit. Jesus who is God, very God, breathed on His disciples and they received the Holy Ghost as part of their new birth into the spiritual kingdom of God. And with it, they received power from on high.
Verses 24-25 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
The name, Thomas, means “a twin”, and the name, Didymus, means “two fold or twain”. So perhaps the disciple Thomas had a twin sibling. Scripture does not reveal if this was the case. Thomas was absent when Jesus first appeared to His disciples, and so he was not readily accepting of the report that Jesus was indeed alive. He wanted proof and he wanted to see Him for himself before he would believe that Jesus had raised up from the dead.
Application: The disciple and Apostle Thomas has been given the name, “doubting Thomas”, which is an unfair characterization of the man. All the disciples doubted Mary Magdalene’s report that first day of the week after the crucifixion, yet they have not been labeled as has Thomas. There is not a Christian believer alive today that can claim that their faith is so great that they have never doubted the Word of the LORD Jesus Christ. It is a natural desire of the flesh to have proof or to be sure of the facts in any situation. The Apostle Thomas was just wanting to be sure that what he was being told was true. He was questioning the narrative, and Jesus did not chastise him for doing so. As a believer, it is alright to question that which is not understood or that which is supernatural and hard to accept as long as it is remembered that God does not lie and His Word is true.
Verse 26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
So it appears that the disciples remained cloistered together, unsure of what to do next. The number 8 in Scripture represents resurrection or a new beginning. Once again the LORD Jesus Christ appeared to His disciples without entering into their dwelling by the door, and once again He commands peace to be with them. But this time, Thomas is able to see for himself that Jesus was really there with them.
Verses 27-28 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Jesus, who is God, very God, and who is omnipresent and transcends time had heard Thomas’ statement regarding not believing unless he could see and touch the wounds on Jesus’ body. So the first thing Jesus did was to invite Thomas to do as he had said and feel His wounds so that he would have faith. But Thomas no longer doubted that Jesus had risen from the grave and acknowledged this by addressing Jesus as his LORD and God.
Application: Just as Jesus had told in a parable about a shepherd leaving the 99 sheep to find the one lost sheep, Jesus sought out Thomas so that he would believe and not doubt and stray away from the Faith. The Christian Faith rests upon the resurrection of the LORD Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul stated in 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17-20 “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.” It is only through the assurance of the LORD’s resurrection that Christian believers have the hope of eternal life in Heaven. So Jesus wanted to be sure that Thomas knew the truth and that he had the assurance and hope of life after death with the LORD for eternity.
Verses 29-31 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20)
Today’s converted Christian believers are called blessed by the LORD because they do not have the advantage that the disciples had of seeing Jesus with their own eyes and touching and speaking face to face with Him. Faith is a gift from God, and so unto each believer is given a measure of faith which can shrink or grow based on whether it is used or not. But to believe that Jesus is who He said He was, the I AM, and that what He did at Calvary saves the soul, one must have faith and one must exercise that faith through following His commands and being obedient to His Word.