XX. [6. THE CLIMAX OF FAITH. RESURRECTION AND APPEARANCES OF JESUS (John 20). (1) ST. PETER AND ST. JOHN AT THE EMPTY SEPULCHRE. THEY SEE AND BELIEVE (John 20:1). (2) MARY MAGDALENE AT THE SEPULCHRE. THE ANGELS. “RABBONI.” CHANGED CONDITIONS OF LIFE (John 20:11). (3) THE FIRST APPEARANCE TO T... [ Continue Reading ]
For the visit of the women to the sepulchre, and their announcement to the disciples (John 20:1), comp. generally Notes on Matthew 28:1; Matthew 28:8; Mark 16:1; Mark 16:8; Luke 24:1; Luke 24:9. Each of the three narratives separates the return from the visit by an account of the appearance of the a... [ Continue Reading ]
TO SIMON PETER, AND TO THE OTHER DISCIPLE. — St. Matthew has, “to His disciples;” St. Luke has, “to the Eleven, and to all the rest.” St. John relates only that announcement of which he had special personal knowledge. For “the other disciple” comp. _Introduction,_ p. 375. For the connection between... [ Continue Reading ]
The details of the visit of Peter and John (John 20:3) are peculiar to this Gospel. St. Luke mentions the visit of Peter only (24:12, but comp. John 20:23); but here we have the whole scene pictured with all the vividness and exactness of one who stated what he himself saw and took part in. PETER T... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY RAN BOTH TOGETHER: AND THE OTHER DISCIPLE DID OUTRUN PETER. — This is simply the result of the greater activity of John, who was probably younger than his companion. The thought that love outran doubt or fear, which has often been connected with the words, is not in harmony with the context,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE STOOPING DOWN, AND LOOKING IN, SAW THE LINEN CLOTHES LYING. — Better,... _seeth the linen clothes lying._ The tense still describes the scene as it actually occurred. The words “looking in” rightly complete the meaning. (Comp. Note on John 11:38, and for the word, Note on Luke 24:12.) It is u... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WENT INTO THE SEPULCHRE, AND SEETH THE LINEN CLOTHES LIE. — Better,... _beholdeth the linen clothes lie._ The word is not the same as that in John 20:5, but expresses the close observation of the linen clothes by St. Peter, while St. John did but see them from without.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE NAPKIN, THAT WAS ABOUT HIS HEAD. — Comp. Note on John 11:44. NOT LYING WITH THE LINEN CLOTHES, BUT WRAPPED TOGETHER.. — This was not seen from without (John 20:5), but was in a separate place, perhaps on the inner side of the sepulchre. In this description and in this verse the minute knowl... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR AS YET THEY KNEW NOT THE SCRIPTURE. — This explains in what sense it was that St. John now believed. Up to this time they knew not the meaning of the Scripture which foretold the Resurrection; but from that moment at least they recognised in the fact of the absent body of Christ the truth that H... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE DISCIPLES WENT AWAY AGAIN UNTO THEIR OWN HOME. — More exactly, of course, _to their lodgings in Jerusalem._ They had accomplished the object of their visit to the sepulchre. One, at least, had realised, and he must have told his thoughts to his friend, that the Lord was not to be looked for... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT MARY STOOD (better, _was standing_) WITHOUT AT THE SEPULCHRE WEEPING. — She had before gone back as soon as she saw that the stone was taken away (John 20:1), and had told the two disciples of what she found. She was left behind by them in their haste to reach the sepulchre, but has followed the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SEETH TWO ANGELS IN WHITE SITTING. — Comp. generally on the vision of angels, Notes on Matthew 28:5; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4. This is to be regarded as a distinct vision to Mary, which, from the fulness with which it is recorded, we must suppose that she herself related to the Evangelist. (Comp. _I... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAY UNTO HER, WOMAN, WHY WEEPEST THOU? — Comp. Matthew 28:5. BECAUSE THEY HAVE TAKEN AWAY MY LORD. — The passionate feeling of John 20:2 still has entire possession of her mind. It is now more fervent, for she is not addressing her own friends and the Lord’s disciples: “They have taken awa... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAW JESUS STANDING, AND KNEW NOT THAT IT WAS JESUS. — There is no need to imagine an external cause for her turning round, and if there was one it is useless for us to ask what it was. She has expressed her woe, and turns aside again to weep, when she sees another form. Weighed down by her sorro... [ Continue Reading ]
SIR, IF THOU HAVE BORNE HIM HENCE... — The word rendered “Sir” is generally a mark of respect, but like the corresponding word in most languages, was also used to a stranger, and even to an inferior. The “gardener,” moreover, corresponded more to what we should call a “bailiff.” He would have been a... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAITH UNTO HER, MARY. — It is to that devoted love that the first words of the risen Lord are spoken. He who knew her whole past, and knew that her devotion to Him had sprung from the freedom from the thraldom of evil which He had wrought for her, is near to that woman weeping by the grave-sid... [ Continue Reading ]
TOUCH ME NOT; FOR I AM NOT YET ASCENDED TO MY FATHER. — The probable explanation of these words is to be found in the fact that she had cast herself at His feet with the customary reverential embrace of the knees, and perhaps to make doubly sure the fact that it was the Lord’s body, and that His wor... [ Continue Reading ]
MARY MAGDALENE CAME AND TOLD THE DISCIPLES. — Better, _Mary Magdalene cometh, and announceth to the disciples._ The coming is described from the point of view of the writer, who was one of the disciples.... [ Continue Reading ]
For this appearance to the disciples (John 20:19) comp. Mark 16:14 and Luke 24:36. Between the last verse and this we must suppose to occur the bribing of the guard (Matthew 28:11), and the conversation on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13; see also Mark 16:12, and comp. _Chronological Harmony of the Go... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHEWED UNTO THEM HIS HANDS AND HIS SIDE. — In St. Luke’s account (Luke 24:39) we have “hands and feet.” The piercing of the side is related by St. John only. (Comp. John 20:25.) THEN WERE THE DISCIPLES GLAD, WHEN THEY SAW THE LORD. — Better, _the disciples therefore were glad_... Their _joy_ aros... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID JESUS TO THEM AGAIN, PEACE BE UNTO YOU. — These words may be here a solemn repetition of the greeting in John 20:19, by which our Lord’s own message of peace is immediately connected with that which the Apostles were to deliver to the world. It is, however, more natural to understand the w... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOSE SOEVER SINS YE REMIT, THEY ARE REMITTED UNTO THEM... — Comp. for the “power of the keys,” the Notes on Matthew 16:19; Matthew 18:18. Assuming what has there been said, it will be sufficient to add that this power is here immediately connected with the representative character of the disciples... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THOMAS, ONE OF THE TWELVE, CALLED DIDYMUS... — Comp. Notes on John 11:16; John 14:5. It is in harmony with the desponding character that looks upon the visit to Jerusalem as necessarily leading to death, that he now is as one who has given up the common hope of the band of disciples, and is not... [ Continue Reading ]
EXCEPT I SHALL SEE IN HIS HANDS THE PRINT OF THE NAILS, AND PUT MY FINGER INTO THE PRINT OF THE NAILS. — This demand for the evidence of his own senses, and refusal to admit the testimony of eyewitnesses, though these were the whole of his ten brethren in the Apostolic band, remind us of the demand... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER EIGHT DAYS AGAIN HIS DISCIPLES WERE WITHIN. — That is, on the octave of the first appearance to them; as we should now say, on the first Sunday after Easter. There is no reason for thinking that they had not met together during the interval, and that their meeting was a special observance... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAITH. HE TO THOMAS... — This implies a knowledge of the words of John 20:25, which in itself would carry conviction to the mind of Thomas. This repetition must have carried with this conviction a sense of shame at his unbelief. AND BE NOT FAITHLESS, BUT BELIEVING. — Better, _and become not un... [ Continue Reading ]
THOMAS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM. — It is implied that he did not make use of the tests which his Master offered him, but that he at once expressed the fulness of his conviction. This is confirmed by the words of the next verse, “Because thou hast seen Me.” MY LORD AND MY GOD. — These words are pr... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, THOMAS, BECAUSE THOU HAST SEEN ME, THOU HAST BELIEVED. — The name “Thomas” is omitted in all the better MSS., and the order of the other words suggests that they should be read interrogatively — _Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen Me, hast thou believed?_ The tense of... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MANY OTHER SIGNS TRULY DID JESUS IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS DISCIPLES. — More exactly, _Yea, and indeed many and other signs did Jesus._ (Comp. Note on John 2:11.) We must understand the “signs” not of the proofs of the Resurrection only, but of the works wrought during the whole life. The writer’s... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THESE ARE WRITTEN, THAT YE MIGHT BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST, THE SON OF GOD. — We have here the writer’s own statement of his object in writing his narrative, and also the explanation of what seems an abrupt end. His object is that those for whom he writes may become believers, and read in... [ Continue Reading ]