John 20: 1- 18
So close, yet so far away
1 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then 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.” 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. 11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 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. 13 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.” 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 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.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’?” 18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
I want to give you some homework to help you solidify in your minds the various appearances that our Lord Jesus’ did after His Resurrection. Here are the passages from the other 3 Gospel writers which I hope you will look up and read;
Matthew 28:1–10
Mark 16:1–8
Luke 24:1–12
Now to assist you in understanding the proper sequence of our Lord’s appearances I want to take all 4 Gospels and put them in the order they occurred.
The Resurrection occurrences begin with Our Lord Jesus Christ rising from the dead very early Sunday morning.
We next come to John’s remarks we see in today’s study along with Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1and Luke 23.55-24.1
1 Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
Notice please the statement -‘The first day of the week’. Here we find the reason why the church established Sunday as the day to meet for services.
Very early in the morning while it was still dark a group of several women gathered to anoint the body of Jesus. Mary has been sent ahead with ‘the other Mary’ by the women who were preparing spices and ointments for Jesus’ burial. Their greatest concern would be as to how they could roll the stone from the entrance so as to minister to Jesus’ body. To their amazement they found that the large stone had been moved. Not sure what this meant one Mary went back to report to the women while Mary Magdalene raced to let Peter and John know.
The stone had in fact been removed by an earthquake connected with an angelic visitation. It was not necessary for the resurrection of Jesus that the stone should be taken away, but it was necessary so that the emptiness of the tomb could be seen.
2 Then 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.”
John mentions only Mary Magdalene because it was she who came to Peter and himself breathless with the news. He is concentrating on Mary’s involvement. Thus his account is only about Mary.
Mary Magdalene did not know what to make of the rolled away stone and assumed that it meant that someone had taken away His body. She knew that the Roman guards had been stationed at the tomb and therefore did not suspect grave robbers. It could thus only be the authorities who had moved Him. So, in distress, she races to consult with the leading disciples. Unless they could find His body they could not anoint Him. The women knew nothing of the activities of Joseph and Nicodemus. They probably knew where the tomb was because they had kept watch from a distance when His body was removed from the cross.
Now from the Gospels of Mark 16:2-8; Luke 24:1-8, Matthew 28:5-8 we find that the women who were preparing the spices and ointments now arrive at the tomb. To their surprise, these women see two angels, only one of which speaks, telling them that Jesus has been raised and that they should tell this to the brethren. They are filled with fear at first and depart from the tomb afraid to speak. Recovering their courage they decide to go to the Apostles.
3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.
Mary’s news startles Peter and John and they immediately set out for the tomb to find out what had happened. John remembers the race to the tomb, and how he outran Peter. When Peter and John arrive at the tomb John would not enter it but looks into it while Peter goes right inside. All he finds are the burial clothes.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
At this point John says he believes in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. In one moment of illumination John realized the significance of what he was seeing. The fact that the cloths were still there was evidence against the body having been removed, for why would any people responsible have removed the cloths from the body on removing it? And had they done so, why would they have arranged them so carefully? Even the chief priests and their minions would have reverenced those, and grave robbers would have wanted them for their value. Besides had they stripped them off they would have cast them to one side not laid them out neatly.
Mary Magdalene followed them back out to the tomb arriving after they had just left. The other women now have reported the message the angel said for the other Apostles. Peter and John have not yet returned and so the remaining apostles are not receptive of the women’s story as Luke 24:9-11 reveals.
11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. 12 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.
Mary followed John and Peter, but returned back to the tomb more slowly. She could not keep up with the intense running of the men, especially as she had already had the journey the other way in order to tell them. She would thus arrive back after the two had left. They, of course, had left her standing, not thinking of whether she would follow.
Deeply distressed she bent to look into the tomb. And then she froze in amazement. For there she saw two figures in white sitting where the body had been lying. Stop and think how you would react if you experienced the same thing?
13 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.” 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
Mary did not realize that the men in white were angels. So while the angels were seeking to deal with the source of her distress, she was too overwhelmed to listen to them. Her mind was filled with the question of what had happened to her beloved Master, and she turned away having automatically answered their question. The two men were irrelevant to her. She did not even ask herself what they were doing there. She was too overcome with sadness.
So she turned away, not really heeding their words, and saw another man standing there. It was Jesus, but she did not realize it. She only dimly saw the man outside. The day was still just beginning and the light was not up, and Mary’s eyes were flooded with tears. She saw but a vague figure standing before her. I mean, after all the last thing that she was expecting to see was Jesus alive. He would have looked very different from when she last saw Him, a broken bleeding figure on the cross. Indeed His appearance seems to have made Him partially unrecognizable. The Resurrection had clearly changed His appearance somewhat as we would expect.
15 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.”
When the man asked her what was wrong, and why she was crying, she could only ask in tears what they had done with Jesus’ body. Her only concern was that it be treated with reverence. These words lay bare the heart of Mary. She did not stop to consider the difficulties. She longed only to ensure that the body of her crucified Master was given proper burial. Let this attendant but tell her what they had done with the body and she would take it off their hands.
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (Which is to say, Teacher)?
Then The Lord Jesus broke into her distress. ‘Our Master and King Jesus say to her, “Mary”.’ The well remembered voice brought her up with a jolt. That she had to ‘turn herself’ indicates that she had not been looking at Him properly. Now the name and the voice broke through her emotions. Surely, she must have thought, it could not be? No one can be unmoved by the replay of this moment. Suddenly her eyes were opened and she saw Him as He was. We cannot even begin to grasp what that revelation meant to her at that point in time. Her whole being must have been filled with wonder and gratitude and to such an extent that, crying ‘Master’, she flung her arms around Him and would not let Him go.
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’?”
These kindly words were intended to make clear to her that the old relationship no longer held. He was not to be seen as a man restored to life to live again on this earth. Rather He was about to ascend to His Father. Thus she must not cling to Him and retain Him. She must let Him go to become both Lord and Christ.
Now we see something very important here. We see that our Holy Lord Jesus informs Mary not to cling to Him because He has not yet ascended to Father God. We read in the beginning of Acts that He ascends to Heaven in a cloud. What our Lord Jesus says here is probably not speaking of the later ascension were read about in the book of Acts after the resurrection appearances but an immediate ascension as He took His throne as the Son of Man, receiving all dominion and power and authority (Matthew 28.18; Daniel 7.13-14), and receiving the Holy Spirit Whom He would now pass on to His disciples. He had now been glorified and the Holy Spirit could now be poured forth.
In our finite minds we think that wow our Lord had to travel to Heaven and then back again to do all these visits with people - how did He do that? How much time does it take to get back and forth between Heaven and Earth? Well, for one consideration is to think on how time is a dimension outside of His worry. Time is something we have to deal with. He dwells outside time. Is Heaven close yet so far away? I think we find the following answer will sooth our thinking as we look at what our Precious Holy Spirit lists in Psalm 139.
O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. 3 You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O LORD, You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is high, I cannot attain it.7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.”
As a reminder for all to remember is that our Holy Lord and Master Jesus Christ Is Omnipotent [all powerful], Omniscient [all knowing], and Omnipresent [He Is everywhere].
The Lord Jesus instructs Mary to go and speak to The Disciples -‘Go to my brothers. The term brother is a new one in their relationship with Him. They have moved from servant to friend to brother. They ran away from Him but in His love He honors them.
Matthew 28:9-10 teaches us that our Lord Jesus then appears to the other women who saw the angels. Jesus tells them to communicate that the disciples were to prepare to travel to Galilee.
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.
Mark 16:10-11 and Luke 24:9-11 reveal that the women, joined by Mary Magdalene, report their meeting with Jesus to the disciples, but they write it off as nonsense.
Matthew teaches in chapter 28:11-15 of his Gospel that the Roman guards now go and report what they had witnessed to the chief priests. They were bribed to say that someone stole the body of Jesus while they were asleep. The priests promised the soldiers protection from military discipline through their positions of influence.
Later that Day, two disciples on their way to Emmaus are pondering what they have heard about rumors of his resurrection. Jesus comes up behind them but they are prevented from recognizing him. First Jesus breaks open the word for them, then sits at table with them and as He breaks the bread their eyes are opened and they recognize Him.
The two disciples returned that evening to Jerusalem and went to the ‘Eleven’. At first the eleven disbelieved them just as they had the women. Nevertheless they continue to relate what they had experienced. At some point Peter drew apart from the others (perhaps he stepped out for some alone time?) and the Lord appeared to Peter as Luke lets us know in chapter 24:34. Thus the disciples from Emmaus (still lingering with the apostles) were now told (perhaps by way of apology) that it was in indeed true that Jesus had risen.
Almost at the same moment The Lord Jesus appears to the small gathering of apostles and the two disciples from Emmaus. Thomas was absent. They had the doors locked, fearful that the Jews might plot against them and arrest them.
They presume He Is a ghost. He encourages them to look at His hands, feet, and side. He insists that they touch them. He eats with them, and the reality of the resurrection registers with them. They are overjoyed. Jesus breathes the Holy Spirit upon them. Jesus reassures them and opens the scriptures to them which refer to all the thing that have taken place as Luke 24:36 reports.
There is no biblical data that our Holy Lord Jesus appeared to them during the week that followed. The next account of the resurrection says, “Eight days later” namely the following Sunday. We do know that the apostles surely exclaimed to Thomas that they had seen the Lord but he refused to believe it. So, one week later, Sunday two, Jesus appears once again to the apostles gathered. This time Thomas is with them. He calls Thomas to faith who now confesses Jesus to be Lord and God.
The time frame of the next appearance is somewhat vague. John merely says “After this.” Likely it is a matter of days or a week at best. The scene is at the Sea of Galilee. Not all the Twelve are present. They have gone fishing and Jesus summons them from the lakeside. They come to shore and see him. Peter has an intense question and answers session with The Lord Jesus in this appearance and is commissioned to tend the flock of Christ which we will cover in chapter 21 of John.
Paul records in 1Corinithians 15:6 that The Lord appeared at one time to over 500 people. “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Of all the appearances you might think that this one would have been recorded in some detail since it was the most widely experienced appearance. Where did this take place? What was it like? What was the reaction? We simply do not know.
Paul also reports in 1Corinithians 15: 7 the appearance of our Lord Jesus to His step brother James. Here again we do not have a description of this appearance only a remark by Paul that it did in fact happen: “Then He appeared to James.
Jesus certainly had other on-going appearances with the disciples. Luke attests to this in Acts when he writes: Acts 1: 3 To them he presented Himself alive after his passion by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days, and speaking of the kingdom of God.
After forty days of appearances and instructions He led them out to a place near Bethany, gave them final instructions to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit was sent and then gives them the great commission. And then he was taken up to heaven in their very sight. (Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1).
Now some may think that His last appearance which is listed in 1 Corinthians 15:8 that He appeared to Paul, yet I do not agree.
I believe that He Is not finished appearing to people. We read in Acts chapter 2 verse 17 we read His promise to us that young men and women shall prophesy and see visions and your old men and women shall dream dreams. Yes, thank You Lord You still appear to us.
