1._Now, on the first day of the week. _As the resurrection of Christ is the most important article of our faith, and without it the hope of eternal life is extinguished, for this reason the Evangelists are the more careful to prove it, as John here collects many proofs, in order to assure us that Ch... [ Continue Reading ]
3._Peter therefore went forth. _There being so little faith, or rather almost no faith, both in the disciples and in the women, it is astonishing that they had so great zeal; and, indeed, it is not possible that religious feelings led them to seek Christ. Some seed of faith, therefore, remained in t... [ Continue Reading ]
5._And seeth the linen clothes lying. The linen clothes _might be regarded as the spoils, intended to lead to the belief of Christ’s resurrection; for it was not probable that his body had been stripped naked, in order that it might be removed to another place. This would not have been done by a fri... [ Continue Reading ]
7._And the napkin which was about his head. _When the Evangelist says, that _a napkin _was wrapped _about his head, _this refutes the falsehood of the Papists, who pretend that the whole body was sewed up in one linen garment, which they hold out to the wretched populace, calling it “the holy windin... [ Continue Reading ]
8._And he saw and believed. _It is a poor exposition which some give of these words, that John _believed _what he had heard Mary say, namely, that Christ’s body had been carried away; for there is no passage in which the word _believe _bears this meaning, especially when it is used simply and withou... [ Continue Reading ]
9._For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. _They had often heard from the mouth of Christ what they now saw with their eyes, but this flowed from their hearts. Being now warned by the sight of a strange spectacle, they begin to think of Christ as having somethi... [ Continue Reading ]
10._Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. _It is possible that their minds were still in a state of doubt and uncertainty, when they returned home; for, though John says that _they believed, _yet their faith was not strong, but was only some confused remembrance of the miracle and r... [ Continue Reading ]
11._But Mary stood at the sepulcher without. _The Evangelist now begins to describe the manner in which Christ appeared both to the women and to the disciples, to testify his resurrection. Though he mentions but one woman, _Mary, _yet I think it is probable that the other women were also along with... [ Continue Reading ]
12._And seeth two angels. _What an amazing forbearance displayed by our Lord, in bearing with so many faults in Mary and her companions! For it is no small honor which he confers on them by sending his _angels, _and, at length, making himself known to them, which he had not done to the apostles. Tho... [ Continue Reading ]
13._Woman, why weepest thou? _From the statements of the Evangelists, it may be readily concluded, that the angel held a long conversation; but John gives a brief summary of what was spoken, because this was sufficient for proving the resurrection of Christ. The conversation consists of reproof ming... [ Continue Reading ]
14._And seeth Jesus standing _It may be asked, Whence arose this mistake, that Mary does not recognize Jesus, with whom she must have been intimately acquainted? Some think that he appeared in a different form, but I think that the fault lay rather in the eyes of the women, as Luke (Luke 24:16) says... [ Continue Reading ]
15._Lord, if thou hast carried him hence. _She calls him _Lord, _according to the custom of her nation; for the same appellation, _Lord, _( Κύριε (198)) is employed by the Hebrews in addressing laborers and other persons of low condition. We see that Mary has no view of this matter but what is earth... [ Continue Reading ]
16._Jesus saith to her, Mary! _That Christ allowed Mary, a short time, to fall into a mistake, was useful for confirming her faith; but now, by a single word, he corrects her mistake. He had formerly addressed her, but his discourse seemed to be that of an unknown person; he now assumes the characte... [ Continue Reading ]
17._Touch me not. _This appears not to agree with the narrative of Matthew; for he expressly says, that the women _held him _By The Feet,_and worshipped him, _(Matthew 28:9.) Now, since he allowed himself to be _touched _by his disciples, what reason was there for forbidding Mary to _touch _him? The... [ Continue Reading ]
19._When, therefore, it was evening. _The Evangelist now relates that the resurrection of Christ was proved to the disciples by his presence. It did not happen without the providence of God, that all were assembled in one place, that the event might be more certain and more manifest. It is worthy of... [ Continue Reading ]
20._He showed them his hands and his side. _It was necessary to add this confirmation, that by all these methods they might be fully assured that Christ was risen. If any person think it strange and inconsistent with the glory of Christ, that he should bear the marks of his wounds even after his res... [ Continue Reading ]
21._Jesus saith to them again, Peace be to you. _This second salutation appears to me to have no other object than that the Lord should receive such a degree of attention as was due to the greatness and importance of the subjects on which he was about to speak. _As the Father hath sent me. _By thes... [ Continue Reading ]
22._He breathed on them. _Not one of the sons of men is qualified for discharging so difficult an office, and, therefore, Christ prepares the Apostles for it by the grace of his Spirit. And, indeed, to govern the Church of God, to carry the embassy of eternal salvation, to erect the kingdom of God o... [ Continue Reading ]
23._To all whose sins you shall remit. _Here, unquestionably, our Lord has embraced, in a few words, the sum of the Gospel; for we must not separate this power of forgiving sins from the office of teaching, with which it is closely _connected _in this passage. Christ had said a little before, _As th... [ Continue Reading ]
24._But Thomas, one of the twelve. _The unbelief of _Thomas _is here related, that by means of it the faith of the godly may be more fully confirmed. He was not only slow and reluctant to believe, but even obstinate. His dulness of apprehension was the reason why Christ again permitted them both to... [ Continue Reading ]
25._Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails. _This points out the source of the vice to be, that every one wishes to be wise from his own understanding, and flatters himself beyond measure. _If I do not see, _says he, “and if I do not touch, _I will not believe. _” (214) These words have no... [ Continue Reading ]
26._Reach hither thy finger. _We have already spoken once about Christ’s entrance, and the form of salutation which he employed. When Christ so readily yields to the improper request of _Thomas, _(218) and, of his own accord, invites him to _feel his hands, and touch the wound of his side, _we learn... [ Continue Reading ]
29._Because thou hast seen me, Thomas. _Christ blames nothing in Thomas, but that he was so slow to believe, that he needed to be violently drawn to faith by the experience of the senses; which is altogether at variance with the nature of faith. If it be objected, that nothing is more unsuitable tha... [ Continue Reading ]
30._Many other signs also Jesus did. _If the Evangelist had not cautioned his readers by this observation, they might have supposed that he had left out none of the miracles which Christ had performed, and had given a full and complete account of all that happened. John, therefore, testifies, first,... [ Continue Reading ]
31._But these are written, that you may believe. _By these words he means, that he committed to writing what ought to satisfy us, because it is abundantly sufficient for confirming our faith; for he intended to reply to the vain curiosity of men, which is insatiable, and allows itself excessive indu... [ Continue Reading ]