The physical resurrection of Christ is the basis of our faith and certification that our sins have been dealt with. John 20 shows three post-resurrection appearances of Christ. When Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus wrapped the body of Jesus and laid it in a tomb, certain women from Galilee came after them and observed the tomb and how His body was laid. These women returned to their home and prepared spices and fragrant oils so that they could come back and finish preparing the body of Christ. The women rested on Saturday, for the Sabbath. Then before sunrise Sunday morning, they made their way to the tomb with the spices and oils they had prepared. Matthew, Mark and Luke describe this event and those who were present.
- Matthew said, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the tomb.
- Mark said Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices.
- Luke says certain women came to the tomb.When they told the eleven disciples and all the rest, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and other women with them told what the two men in shining garments said.
Apparently Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb before the other women.
John 20:1-18 gives an account of what happened.
John 20:1-2 NIV Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
All of these women had been dramatically changed by Christ’s ministry.
Luke 8:1-3 NKJV Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, and certain women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities—Mary called Magdalene, out of whom had come seven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others who provided for Him from their substance.
These “certain women” who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities had a history of following Jesus. Luke 7:47 says, “People who are forgiven much, love much.” Jesus had done much for each of them. During His ministry, these women provided for Him from their substance.
Now they were at the tomb. Mary was confused when she saw the dark tomb and the stone had been taken away. She jumped to conclusions and thought someone had stolen Christ’s body. She ran to tell Peter and John, who in turn ran to the tomb.
John 20:3-7 ESV So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.
What did they see in the tomb?
The appearance of things was not the scene of a grave robbery and chaos. The linen burial cloths lay where the body had been placed, but the body was gone! The handkerchief that had been around Christ’s head was carefully folded and laid in a place by itself.
When Jesus had returned to life in power and glory, He had passed through the grave clothes and the tomb itself!
Why was the stone rolled away?
The tomb was not an obstacle for the risen Lord. The stone was rolled away so everyone could see that Jesus was alive and not in the grave.
John 20:8 NKJV Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.
When the other disciple saw, he believed because he saw the empty tomb. The evidence was enough for John.
There are three things that validate spiritual matters:
- The first proof is the evidence that God gives.
- Second, there is the validation of what the Word of God says.
- Third, there is personal experience.
How can we know that the resurrection of Christ happened? We can know Christ is risen by the evidence and testimony of those who saw Him. You can tell Christ is real by reading the Word. We can also know by the personal experience of the power of His salvation.
John 20:9-10 NKJV For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
Their personal experience convinced them of the truth. Later when they met the resurrected Christ, the Scripture was opened to them. Mary was not satisfied seeing an empty tomb, so she waited.
John 20:11-13 NKJV But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
She saw two angels in the tomb.
Luke 24:4 calls them “two men in white apparel.” She was too overwhelmed with grief to be comforted by angels. The description of the two angels in verse 12 is a reflection of the mercy seat in the holy of holies (Ex. 25:17–19).
Mary turned from the angels, for she was seeking Christ.
John 20:14-15 NKJV Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, “Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where You have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”
She preferred the body of Christ over seeing angels! When she saw Christ, her eyes were so clouded with grief that she did not recognize Him. The one word “supposing” in v. 15 explains her sorrow. “She, supposing Him to be the gardener…” Often the trauma and circumstances of life can blind us from seeing what God is wanting to show us. Many Christians are miserable because they “suppose” something that is not at all true.
John 20:16-18 NET Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni” (which means Teacher). Jesus replied, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene came and informed the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what Jesus had said to her.
These verses are difficult to understand. In John 20:27, Jesus invited Thomas to touch His hands and side. When Mary recognized Jesus, her natural tendency was to reach out and touch Him and cling to Him. It appears that Mary was thinking that things were back to what they were before Jesus’ death. Jesus said, “Do not touch me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father.” “Do not touch or cling to Me” reinforces the changed position that exists between Master and Disciple. The message indicated that Jesus’ new and exalted position would be completed when He returned to heaven.
Then Jesus gave her an assignment to notify the disciples that He had arisen indeed.
After Mary saw the Lord, He was seen by the disciples.
John 20:19 NKJV 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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Christ came through the locked doors in His resurrected body and brought peace to the troubled disciples. The immortal and incorruptible body is not the same, He could appear, disappear, pass through material, and defy gravity.
Two times Jesus spoke of peace (vv. 19, 21).
- The first “peace” is with God, based on His sacrifice, He showed them His hands and side.
- The second peace is the peace of God that comes from His presence with us.
The disciples were filled with great uncertainty and fear. Their Lord had been crucified and now the tomb is empty. They were uncertain and fearful of what was really happening. Then Jesus appeared and said, “Peace be with you.”
John 20:20-22 NKJV When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus was taking preparatory steps to call and send disciples into the world. They would need the Holy Spirit to fulfill this call and commission, so, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The breath of God is full of “life giving” power. On the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit came upon them in power. Remember that Jesus had already told them, “If I go not away the Holy Spirit (the Comforter) will not come.” For believers to become the witness and representatives of the resurrected Christ, they must receive the Holy Spirit.
John 20:23 NKJV “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Jesus is indicating the redeeming power of believer’s witness. If they go and tell, sinners will turn and be saved.
Mark 16:15-16 NKJV And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”
John 20:24-25 NKJV Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
Thomas was not present at the first meeting. Many things are missed by being absent from the local assembly. Thomas’ said: “Except I see . . . I will not believe!” (v. 25) Thomas has many twins who will not believe unless they see.
Third, Thomas saw the Lord.
John 20:26-29 NKJV And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
When Jesus appeared again, He addressed Thomas. The Lord’s kindness and mercy is a witness to all of us. Sometimes we have problems, questions, and doubts, but when the Lord comes in, He is able to dispel doubts and fears. When Thomas saw the Lord he forgot his demands and said, “My Lord and my God!” The sight of Christ and His wounds won his heart.
John 20:30-31 NKJV And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.
Jesus did everything that was necessary to prove that He had indeed risen from the dead.
