JOHN 20: 1-10
THE EMPTY TOMB
We have before us tonight the open sepulcher, the bewildered alarm it caused, and the faith it both elicited and excited. John's Gospel comes to a conclusion in chapter 20 with a proclamation of Jesus' victory over death and then is followed in chapter 21 by an epilogue or postscript. Each Gospel writer stresses certain aspects of the discover of the empty tomb. John began his resurrection story with a testimony of how he came to personal faith in the Resurrection by considering the evidence found in the open tomb (CIT). The empty tomb bore witness to a physical or bodily resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The first disciples where all too aware of the reality of Jesus' death on the cross. Some had witnessed it with their own eyes. The Jesus who had filled them with joy, hope, and purpose was now dead at the hands of angry religious authorities. They were devastated. Uncertain what to do they had retreated behind close doors [incase the authorities were after them.]
Then John saw the empty tomb. The reality of the empty tomb changed everything. He went from faltering to faith. The promises of Jesus then came alive to him and he believed that even over death itself, Jesus is Lord.
I. BEFORE THE DAWN, 1-2.
II. THE DAWNING OF FAITH, 3-8.
III. THE SOURCE OF FAITH, 9-10.
A group of ladies came in faith to the grave site because they desired to anoint the body with spices. Verse 1 notes that Mary's faithful follower-ship has now become leadership -- which will lead her to a most astounding discovery. "Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb.
"The first day of the week," Sunday, Mary of Magdala and other women (we in v. 2) came to the tomb. "Mary of Magdala" is a translation of the same Greek words which elsewhere are rendered "Mary Magdalene" (Mt. 28:1; Mark 16:1, 9; Luke 24:10). [Magdala is located north of Tiberias on the west coast of the Sea of Galilee.] She is mentioned in Luke 8:1–3 among a list of women in Galilee who followed Jesus devoutly and supported His ministry (Mk. 15:41). Her devotion to Jesus was based on her gratitude for His delivering her from bondage to Satan. Along with other women, she had followed Jesus to Jerusalem to supply His and His disciples' needs (Mt. 27:55). She was even so bold as to stand with Him on Golgotha (John 19:25). She had observed His death on the cross and now was the first person at the grave, arriving "while it was still dark."
The achievement of the resurrection took place before sunrise. It was fitting that He who was to scatter the darkness of the grave should rise while darkness covered the earth. No human eye would behold ‘how' the dead was ‘raised.' [The earthquake and the descent of angels and the rolling away of the stone were after the tomb was empty.] The greatest miracles are often done in the darkest times, when no one knows and no one is watching.
This tomb had been closed with a large rock door (Mark 16:3-4) and had been sealed by the authority of the Roman governor Pontius Pilate (Mt. 27:65-66). The women were surprised to see an open and apparently empty tomb.
The three days after the crucifixion of Jesus passed like an eternity. I imagine that the birds didn't sing, the sun didn't shine and joy was drained out of life. For 3 days, all the demons of hell rejoiced, and Satan and the forces of darkness thought they had won the great victory. For three days, the Jewish leaders and the demons of hell congratulated themselves on their brilliant scheme. But on the 3rd day, something wonderful and miraculous happened, as God the Father said to an angel in heaven, "Go get Him!" And when the angel's feet hit the ground, the stone rolled away, and up from the grave He arose..…never to die again! [Jerry Shirley, The Napkin is Still Folded]
Verse 2 reports Mary's immediate reaction of fear and dismay. "So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him."
She ran and told Peter and the beloved disciple (John 19:26) that a terrible thing had occurred. Her own words, ‘We know not,' show that she had spoken with others who had seen the empty grave. "We" must therefore indicate that she had she had come with others to the tomb, saw that the sacred corpse was gone and their spices useless, exchanged hurried words of alarm and bewilderment, and then had hastened away before the appearance of the angels. [Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1; Lk. 24:10].
Mary had seen the tomb empty, and springs to the conclusion that ‘they' — some unknown persons, perhaps the Jewish hierarchy, have taken away the dead body, which, with a devoted love that ignores death, she still calls Him ‘the Lord.' Mary thought the body had been removed by Jesus' enemies.
Mary's desperate tone so removed from anticipation of the resurrection provides a precious proof of the historical truth of the resurrection. For her shocked search for truth was not the soil from which a lie would spring, and such stricken people would not have believed Him risen unless they had seen Him living., which she shortly would.
So the corpse was gone, but that fact suggested no hope to her. How often do we, in like manner, misinterpret as dark what is really pregnant with light, and blindly attribute to ‘them' what Jesus does!
II. THE DAWNING OF FAITH, 3-8.
Responding to Mary's excitement, verse 3 reports Peter and John's reaction to the news of the empty tomb. "So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb.
Upon hearing her scoop Peter and John started a foot-race to the tomb. They wasted no time talking about it. Their quick physical response to verify the report shows they had no knowledge of who was responsible for removing the body. Had they known what had happened or who did it they would not have been so motivated by their concern.
Verse 4 states that the result of Mary's report is a foot-race to the tomb. "The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first;
The other younger disciple runs faster than his companion and beats Peter to the garden.
Verse 5 gives us the initial reaction of the disciple whom Jesus loved at the tomb. "and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.
So that He could get a clear view inside John "bends over and looks" (blepei) in but did not enter the tomb. His look into the tomb, reveals that it was not quite empty. The embalming cloths or "linen wrappings" (othonion) were lying there. Reverent awe holds him back in his wonder and envelops him in thoughts, also keeps him from venturing inside hallowed ground.
Verse 6 gives us Peter's characteristic reaction. "And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there,
When Peter . . . arrived he rushed in and saw (therei, "beheld attentively") the grave clothes and the separate facial cloth [mentioned in the story of Lazarus in Jn. 11:44]. He stays inside also puzzled over what he saw (from theré , "to behold attentively").
Peter did not look or even hesitate before entering. He loved with all his heart, but his love was impetuous and practical, so he went straight in, feeling no reason why he should pause. His boldness encouraged his friend, as the example of strong nature often does.
The grave cloths were in the same form they had been in when the body laid rolled up in them. Jesus apparently rose out of them or through them without disturbing them.
Verse 7 further describes the orderly scene found in the tomb. "and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.
Observe, too, the further witness of the separate and folded facial. John from outside had not seen the cloth used to reverently to cover the face, lying carefully rolled up apart from the other cloths. It was probably laid in a part of the tomb invisible from without. But when he saw the careful disposal of this cloth a great flash of illumination came to him. There had been no hurried removal. Here had been no hostile hands, or there would not have been this deliberation. Nor had friendly hands done this for there would not have been such dishonor to the sacred dead as to carry away the body nude. What did it mean? Could He Himself have done for Himself what He had asked them do for Lazarus? [Jn. 11:44] Could He have laid aside the garments of the grave because He needed them no more? ‘They have taken away' — what if it were not ‘they' but He? No trace of hurry or struggle was there. He did ‘not go out with haste, nor go by flight,' but calmly, deliberately, in the majesty of His lordship over death, He rose from His slumber and left order in this land of confusion. [Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture. Vol 11. p 303]
Embolden by Peter verse 8 states that John now entered the tomb also. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed.
After a short period of time John went in and saw [eiden, "perceived" (from horá ) is the third word used for "see" in these verses]. John truly "saw", meaning "understood the significance of the grave clothes" "and believed." Peter must have been thinking, "Why would a grave robber have left the clothes in this order? Why take the body of Jesus?" John saw what Peter had seen but saw so much more. John perceived that the missing body and the position of the empty grave clothes looking as if the body was still in them was not due to a robbery. He realized that Jesus had risen from the dead and had gone through the grave clothes.
The Apostle John connects the birth of his faith with the sight of the grave garments. What does ‘believed' mean? The next verse seems to imply that it means belief in the resurrection. For the tomb was open not to let Jesus' body out but to let the disciples and the world see that He rose. [Walvoord, John; Zuck, Roy; The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 341]
III. THE SOURCE OF FAITH, 9-10.
The source and substantiation of our faith comes from understanding the Scripture as verse 9 indicates. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
John commented that even after a long period of teaching by Jesus the disciples "still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead." Belief in the resurrection was due to experiencing the event before they realized the resurrection was inspired prophecy (Jn. 2:22; 11:25; 16:16, 22).
The Scripture, both the Old Testament (Pss. 16:10-11; 110:1, 4; Isa. 53:11-12; Hosea 6:2; Jonah 1:17) and the Words of Jesus which they ‘knew' as Scripture, was for John suddenly interpreted, and he was lifted out of the ignorance of its meaning, which till that moment he had shared with his fellow-disciples. Their failure to understand Christ's frequent distinct prophecies that He would rise again the third day has been thought incredible, but is understandable enough when we remember how many times we have never accepted the clear teachings of God's Word to us. We hear and yet not hear the clear truth of God to us. In the course of our lives We all have been lost in astonishment when things occur which we have been plainly told will happen. The fulfilment of divine promises is a surprise us also, and prior warnings do not teaches us so clearly as experience does.
Do you too sometimes find yourself "slow of heart to believe?" Do you wonder if God will do what He says He will do? Because God said it, it must take place.
John concludes this portion of the even with verse10. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
They did not hang around with Mary and therefore would miss an encounter with the risen Lord of Life. Each went away to their own homes, wrapped up in their own thoughts.
John had believed, but Peter still was in the dark. Again the younger had outrun his outspoken friend. John's more sensitive, intuitive nature, had gifted him with a more astute and swifter-working perception. Perhaps if Peter's heart had not been burdened by his sin of public denial of Jesus, he would have been more ready to feel the sunshine of the wonderful hope of a new dawn. For we condemn ourselves to the shadows when we deny our Lord by deed or word. [Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture. Vol 11. p 304]
CONCLUSION
This section of John's Gospel is a powerful eyewitness testimony which strikes the perceptive reader as being historically and innately true.
Had John's narrative of events ended with the crucifixion in chapter 19, we would not be here tonight. For death ends all human biographies. Had death ended Jesus' life, He would have been nothing more than a man of exceptional character and ability who made extraordinary claims of divinity. The major difference between the life and teachings of Jesus and those of any other great religious leader lies in the fact that Jesus rose from the dead, and the others did not, [no matter how persistent their influence may be.]
The empty tomb evoked faith in the resurrection which a fuller understanding of Scripture would confirm, substantiate and grow. The way the fact of the empty tomb and Jesus' resurrection from the dead influenced a certain group of disciples made its reality to them indisputable.
Does the way you live your life after you believed in Jesus, His death for your sins, and His resurrection from the dead relay clear evidence to others that you have accepted its reality by faith also? Or are you walking away like once Peter did, still in the dark despite the new dawn?
