John 20:1-31 Options

[JayDawg]

The Resurrection of Christ

Matt. 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12

20 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.


Christ Appears to Mary Magdalene

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.


Christ Appears to the Disciples (Thomas Absent)

Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36-43

19 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." 20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you." 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 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."


Christ Appears to the Disciples (Thomas Present)

1 Cor. 15:5

26 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!" 27 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."

28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"

29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."


The Purpose of John's Gospel

30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.

[JayDawg]

20:1 while it was still dark: Apparently Mary Magdalene arrived ahead of the other women (see Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10). Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus had cast seven demons, was the last one at the Cross and the first one at the grave.

20:2 The other disciple, whom Jesus loved, was John, the author of this Gospel. They have taken away the Lord: Mary Magdalene jumped to the wrong conclusion. we: Other women were with Mary Magdalene (Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:10).

20:5 the linen cloths lying there: No one who came to steal the body would have taken the time to unwrap it and leave the cloths behind.

20:6 saw: The Greek term implies an intense stare, in contrast to the more casual look described in v. 5. Peter went into the tomb to get a good look. He carefully examined the place where Jesus' body had been.

20:7 folded together: The handkerchief around Christ's head had not been thrown aside, as might have been done by a thief. It had been folded and laid aside. Perhaps the implication is that Christ did not rush out of the tomb, but left His grave clothes neatly folded.

20:8 The other disciple, commonly believed to be the apostle John, saw the tomb and the grave clothes and believed that Christ had been raised from the dead.

20:9 they did not know the Scripture: The disciples believed because of what they saw in the tomb (v. 8), not because of what they knew from Old Testament passages describing the Savior's resurrection (see Luke 24:25). Jesus had prophesied His death and resurrection in the disciples' presence, but the disciples had not understood what He was talking about. Later Jesus would instruct them about how His life and death fulfilled the Scriptures (see Luke 24:13, 44).

20:16 When Christ uttered her name, Mary recognized His voice. Mary addressed Christ as Rabboni, an Aramaic term which John translates for his Greek readers.

20:17 Cling means "to fasten oneself to" or "to hold." Mary had grabbed Christ and was holding on to Him as if she would never turn Him loose. Christ explained to her that He could not stay because He had to ascend to His Father. My brethren referred to the disciples (v. 18). Jesus sent Mary to them with the first postresurrection testimony. Though it may be that Mary was formerly a woman of ill-repute, this did not keep Jesus from commissioning her to bring the gospel message to the apostles (see Mark 16:11). My Father and your Father: God is the Father of Christ and of believers (1:14, 18; 3:16, 18).

20:19 Jesus came and stood in the midst: Christ's appearance was miraculous, because the doors were shut. Jesus, as God, could perform a variety of miracles without requiring a change in His humanity. Here Christ's body was a physical body, the same body in which He died and was buried. The difference is that His flesh had been changed to take on immortality and incorruptibility (see 1 Cor. 15:53).

20:21 As indicates that the disciples were commissioned to carry on Christ's work, not to begin a new one.

20:22 Receive the Holy Spirit: The ministry to which Jesus called the disciples (v. 21; see also Matt. 28:16; Luke 24:47) required spiritual power. The reference here is to a special preparation of the apostles who were to become the foundation of the church at Pentecost. Here Jesus breathed the Spirit into the disciples. At Pentecost the Spirit unified the believers into one body and empowered them to testify of Jesus (see 1 Cor. 12:13). The reception of the Spirit here is reminiscent of the creative breath of God into Adam in Gen. 2:7. Yet the gift here was not a human spirit, but the Spirit of the living God.

20:23 If you forgive: The apostles did not take Jesus' words to mean that they had the power to forgive sins (see Acts 8:22). They knew that only God could forgive sins (see Mark 2:7). Neither the apostles nor the church had the power to forgive specific sins or to prevent forgiveness for any individual. Fundamentally Jesus was speaking of the responsibility of the church to declare the gospel to all the world, so that those who believe in Jesus can find the precious gift of forgiveness (see Matt. 16:19).

20:24, 25 Thomas was not present when Jesus appeared to the disciples in the closed room (vv. 19). Unless I see in His hands: When Jesus appeared to the other disciples, He showed them His hands and His side (v. 20). No doubt they told Thomas about it; hence his request.

20:28 My Lord and my God: In awestruck wonder, Thomas not only believed that Christ was risen from the dead, but he also saw that the Resurrection proved His deity.

20:29 Those who have not seen includes all who have believed in Christ since His ascension to the Father (see 1 Pet. 1:8, 9).

20:31 John states the purpose of his book. His purpose was to convince his readers that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah who fulfilled God's promises to Israel. Jesus is the Son of God, God in the flesh. By believing these things, a person obtains eternal life (1:12).



Word Focus

life

(Gk. zoe) (1:4; 6:35; 11:25; 14:6; 20:31; Eph. 4:18; 1 John 5:11) Strong's 2222: This word in classical Greek was used for life in general. There are a few examples of this meaning in the New Testament (see Acts 17:25; James 4:14: Rev. 16:3), but in most instances the word is used to designate divine, eternal life, the life of God (Eph. 4:18). This life resided in Christ, and He has made it available to all who believe in him. Human beings are born with the natural life, called psuche in Greek, which can be translated "soul," "personality," or "life." Eternal life can be received only by believing in the one who is Himself life, Jesus Christ.



"*John 20:8-9
Hearing Problem

When Peter and John saw the burial garments of Jesus, left as if His body had dematerialized out of them, they believed. "For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead."

This shows the blindness of preconceived ideas. Jesus had told His followers repeatedly that He would die and rise from the dead. Yet, when you don't want to hear something, you can just block it out of your mind. They wanted to see Jesus coming in His glory to establish His kingdom, and they just didn't catch on to what He was saying about death and resurrection.

It is so important for us to hear everything God is saying to us and not just what we want to hear or what we expect to hear.*"



"*John 20:16-17
Don't Cling To Me.

Mary Magdalene had a deep love for Jesus. He had delivered her from the horror of demon possession and had changed her life completely. Now Jesus had died, and she was intent on finding His body when she ran into Him in the garden.

She didn't recognize Him at first, in the dawn's early light and as she looked through tear filled eyes; but when He called her name, there was no mistaking it. Here He was. And Mary grabbed onto Him and just wouldn't let go. She had a death grip around His neck. Her attitude was probably, "You got away from me once, but You'll never get away from me again!"

He told her to stop hanging onto Him and go tell the disciples the news of the resurrection and that He would soon be ascending back to His Father in heaven.*"



"*John 20:22
Receive The Holy Spirit.

As Jesus breather on His disciples and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit," they were receiving the second part of the three-fold relationship of the believer with the Holy Spirit.

In John 14:16-17, Jesus told them that the Holy Spirit would be sent to them as a Helper. He told them, "He dwells with you and will be in you." So the Holy Spirit had already been with them, but Jesus said that in the future He would be in them. Then in Acts 1:8, Jesus said, "But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you."

So the Holy Spirit was always with them, as He is everywhere. Now the Holy Spirit came into them as Jesus breathed on them. This was their spiritual birth as they experienced the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. And on the Day of Pentecost, as the Holy Spirit would be poured out on them, they would experience the power that comes on a believer for service.

If you have never before accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, the Holy Spirit is with you. He is the One who draws you to God and convicts you of sin. If you have accepted Jesus, then the Holy Spirit is inside of you. But He wants to come upon you, as well, to give you the power to live the Christian life, and to serve Him in a fruitful way. Don't stop short of all that God has for you. Ask for the power ofthe Spirit to come upon you and to stay upon you.*"



John 20:1
I. "THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK COMETH MARY MAGDALENE EARLY, WHEN IT WAS YET DARK, AND SEETH THE STONE TAKEN AWAY FROM THE DOOR OF THE SEPULCHRE."
A. The Sabbath day was over, the time has come for the beginning of a new week.
1. In the scriptures, the number 8 is the number of new beginning.
a. Seven is the number of completion.
1. Seven notes on the scale.
2. Seven days in a week.
b. Significantly, 8 is the number for Jesus. Every name for Jesus in the Greek is divisible by 8.
2. He is the new beginning.
a. He brings to man a new beginning of relationship with God.
b. He brings a new beginning to your life.
3. On the seventh day God rested from His creative works, so that God blessed and hallowed the Sabbath day.
4. God rested from His work of redemption on the first day of the new week.
B. Mary Magdalene is the one from whom Jesus had cast out seven devils.
1. From that day onward, she followed Jesus and was one of the many women who went along to minister to the physical needs of Jesus and the disciples by preparing the food and mending the clothes.
2. She is named as one that was standing by the cross during the crucifixion.
3. She also followed to see where Jesus was entombed.
4. She was coming with the other ladies to the tomb to put spices on the body of Jesus. She evidently came on ahead and when she saw the stone rolled away assumed that they had moved the body of Jesus. She ran back quickly to tell Peter and John. When the other women arrived at the tomb, they saw the two angels who told them to go tell the disciples that Jesus had risen and would meet them in Galilee. They hurried off with their message. In the meantime, Peter and John had come running to the tomb, and Mary following as fast as she could. Peter and John having seen the evidence of the resurrection, left to go back to the other disciples. Mary arrived back at the tomb, and was weeping there when Jesus met her. Then as He left her, He met the other ladies on their way to tell the disciples of the resurrection.
C. The disciples were probably scattered all around Jerusalem, they were not anticipating the resurrection. The Shepherd had been smitten and the sheep had been scattered.
1. Mary ran to the house where she knew that John and Peter were staying. Mary the mother of Jesus was also there.
2. She informed them of the missing body of Jesus. Her thought was not of resurrection, but she assumed that someone had stolen the body, or moved it to a different location.
3. An interesting note at this point is the chief priests and the Pharisees had come to Pilate, and declared that they remembered that while Jesus was still alive, He said that He would rise the third day. They wished Pilate to put guards at the tomb to insure that the disciples would not come to try to secret the body of Jesus away.
4. They remembered the words of Jesus, but His disciples did not.
D. Peter and John ran to the sepulchre, and John did outrun Peter. It appears that John was probably the younger of the two. I think that they were also in competition with each other. John looked into the tomb and saw the linen clothes lying, yet went not in.
E. Then Simon Peter arrived and went into the tomb, and saw the linen clothes.
1. The Greek would indicate that the linen cloth was still wrapped in folds, the spices still between the folds, yet the body was missing.
2. It wasn't as though someone had unwrapped Him. More like His body just evaporated from out of the linen shroud.
F. The napkin that was about His head was not with the linen cloth, but was lying by itself.
1. It was the custom to wrap the head in a linen cloth separate from the body.
2. The part that was about His head was still in the folds, yet apart and separate by itself.
3. Had someone stolen or moved the body, they would have taken the wrappings with it.
4. Or as some have suggested that Jesus was just in a swoon, He would have had to unwrap the linen to get out.
5. Just the way the linen cloth was lying was proof of the fact that He had risen.
G. Different Greek words for see, are used in the text.
1. Verse 1: "Mary seeth." The Greek word is blepo, which means just that, to see.
2. Verse 5, when John looked in and saw, the same word is used.
3. When in verse 6, Peter came into the tomb and seeth the linen cloth lying there and the napkin that was about His head lying separately, the Greek word is theoreo, it is far more than just seeing, it is looking critically and carefully. It is a careful examination.
4. When John followed Peter into the sepulchre and saw, the Greek word used here is eido. The idea is not just to see, but to apprehend, to understand what it is that you are seeing.
5. It hit him that Jesus was risen from the dead. The intelligent apprehension produced absolute conviction.
6. The text tells us that he saw and believed.
H. John tells us that as yet they knew not the scripture that He should rise from the dead.
II. FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES THEY SHOULD HAVE REALIZED THIS.
A. Genesis 3, when God said that the serpent would bruise the heel of the seed of the woman, but then the seed of the woman would bruise the head of the serpent, this following the bruising of His heel made the resurrection a necessity.
B. The deliverance of Issac from the altar after he had been dead in the mind of his father for three days. Abraham accounted that God was able to raise him from the dead if need be to keep His promise.
C. Paul tells us that Israel was baptized in the Red Sea, the coming up out of the water of baptism is a symbol of the resurrection from the dead. They came up out of the water of the Red Sea, three days after the slaying of the Pascal lamb.
D. Psalm 16:9-11: "Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth my flesh shall also rest in hope, for thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither will you allow your holy One to see corruption."
E. The fact of the resurrection is the heart of the gospel, Paul said, "The gospel that I preach how that Christ was crucified according to the scriptures, and was buried according to the scriptures, and rose again the third day according to the scripture."
1. When Peter preached his sermon on the day of Pentecost, he stated seven things concerning Jesus. The fourth and central statement was that God raised Him from the dead.
2. He declared the message also on Solomon's porch to the thousands that had gathered out of curiosity of seeing the lame man walk, "You killed the Prince of life, but God raised Him from the dead."
3. Before the Sanhedrin he declared, "By the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead."
F. The three persons of the Godhead were all involved in the resurrection, "Whom God has raised from the dead." "I lay My life down, that I may take it up again." "But if the Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you, He shall also quicken your mortal bodies."
III. THEN THE DISCIPLES WENT AWAY AGAIN TO THEIR OWN HOME.
A. That is, John and Peter, they went home, but Mary lingered at the tomb.
B. What a day of excitement this must have been, and the day is just beginning.
1. It is no doubt still very early in the morning.
2. Before the day will pass, their personal night will have turned into the most beautiful and bright day they have ever experienced.
3. The resurrection will turn their sorrows into joy, it will bring them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for their mourning, and the garment of praise for their spirit of heaviness.
4. A new day has dawned, a new era, the power of sin has been broken, man is delivered, set free through Jesus Christ.

[JayDawg]

As we begin John chapter 20, we will now be discussing the resurrection of Jesus. And this is what separates Jesus from anyone else in His claim to deity. He is the only one to defeat death and that is because He was God all along! So as we begin,



20 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."



Now, the other gospels tell us that Mary came with several of the women. There is no need to think that there is a discrepancy here, nor to think that Mary did not come with several women early to the tomb. John makes mention of Mary because she is the one that ran to his house and brought Peter and him the news of the empty tomb. But notice what she said when she brought the news. "They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb and we..." not, "I know not," but, "we know not," inferring indeed that the other ladies were with her, as the other gospels relate. And they came to the tomb and found the stone rolled away. And so, this account is not contradictory to the other gospels as some people would suppose.

There are differences in the accounts of the resurrection morning and of the events that happened which can all be harmonized very easily. But some people see insolvable differences and, of course, the Bible critics like to play up the differences in the various accounts that are given. Instead of proving that the Bible is not the Word of God, it definitely proves that the writers did not get together in collusion, and say, "Alright, let's keep our stories straight, guys! This is the way we've got to tell it." And if every story was exactly the same and all of the details, then there would be great cause to question whether or not there was not collusion in the writing of the story. But because we get it from different angles, it precludes collusion.

So,



3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.



Mary, no doubt, was there at the home of John when Mary Magdalene came with the news, because John took her to his house, in the nineteenth chapter, and she stayed with him. So Peter and John went running to the tomb to find out just what had happened.



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,



Apparently Peter was not as fast as John but at the same time, he was a few years older too. As to why John included that part, I'm not really sure? Maybe there's an inside joke between John and Peter about who was faster and we won't get it until we get to heaven? In any event concerning the grave clothes of Jesus, the Greek construction indicates that the linen clothes that were wrapped around Jesus were still lying in a circular form as though a body were in them.



7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.



So that they could see that there was no body within the linen wrappings. This, of course, brings up the question of the shroud of Turin, as to whether or not it was actually the shroud that was wrapped around Jesus Christ. And there are many who do believe that it was indeed the shroud wrapped around Christ. I myself do believe that it very likely could be but with this verse in John, here is why I am also not sure of it and I have some reservations with that, inasmuch as John's gospel tell us distinctly that the linen cloth that was about His head was folded and over in a corner by itself. And in the shroud of Turin, it has the entire form including the head. And so, that it was indeed the shroud that was around Jesus, I seriously question myself.

I also think there is the possibility that the Lord has deliberately allowed all of those relics that involve in the life and the ministry of Christ to be lost in obscurity through the years. Because He knows that tendency of man to worship an object. And God doesn't want us worshiping objects; He wants us worshiping Him. And so, the silver chalice of Antioch, which they say was the very cup that Jesus drank from, or the disciples drank from at the last supper--Jesus did not drink from it--I question its authenticity. For years they sold splinters from the cross, and you could purchase little splinters from the cross. Of course, this was a practice that began around the year 400. When they had finally sold enough splinters, putting them together, you could have built a good-sized house. Someone was now pointing out the fact that there were enough splinters now to make a house, and so the church developed the dogma of the miraculous multiplication of the cross. And so, according to this dogma of the miraculous multiplication of the cross, every time they took a splinter out a new one would form, so that they could keep selling them.

It is tragic that man has such difficulty worshiping the unseen God and needs an object, which so easily becomes an idol. Or idolatry. And that is the worship of any object, is idolatry. And that is something that is forbidden by the scriptures. But it is something that man is so prone to do. And because of man's penchant towards idolatry, I do feel that the Lord deliberately just X'd out all of the stuff that related to Jesus Christ. Things that He may have touched, the coin that Peter took out of the fish's mouth, and all of these kind of things. And I believe that the Lord just deliberately has removed these artifacts to keep us from idolatry.

Now, whenever a person begins to worship an artifact, there's always a twofold revelation. Number one: it reveals that that man has lost the consciousness of the power and the presence of God in his life. The moment I am worshiping some artifact, it means I have lost that vital consciousness of God's presence. It means that I am somehow longing for that which I lost. And so, I have a reminder of what God had done. But idolatry, any idolatry, always speaks of a degraded state of spiritual experience. Well, of course, just the very way that the shroud of Turin is treated as an artifact of which great reverence and all is placed upon, is just a classic indication of why the Lord, I think, allowed all of the things to deliberately be lost or discarded. So even though I have spoken in past sermons about believing that the shroud of Turin is the burial cloth of Jesus, I do leave some reservations. If it is, I will only look at it as physical evidence what Jesus went through for me and every other person in the world so our sins could be forgiven but I will not worship or hold in regard that piece of material because it is not God it only held the body of God in the flesh for three days. And if it is not the burial cloth of Jesus, then it is a fantastic item that I have no idea how it was made or faked.

Now,



8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.



So, John bears record of his own belief. When he saw the clothes lying there, he realized that Jesus must have risen.



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.



Probably back to tell Mary what they had discovered. That is, Mary the mother of Jesus who was staying at John's house.

To me, it is interesting; "for they did not yet know the scripture." And yet Jesus had told them that He would rise again the third day. Yet, they just did not still fully comprehend this.



11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping,



Now, John and Peter had run to the tomb. They went in, saw the grave clothes lying there, and went on back to John's house. Mary, after telling them that the tomb was empty, made her way back again to the tomb, this time alone.



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.



It is interesting to me how that Mary wasn't interested in the angels. These two men sitting there in white, saying, "Why are you weeping?" Now, what would be your response if you saw angels? I'm sure we would be very fascinated. We'd be intrigued. But you know, when your heart is longing for Jesus, even angels won't do! And she was longing for Jesus; she was wanting Jesus. And angels are not even a decent substitute when your heart is yearning after Jesus. And so, she turned away from the angels, not really interested in angels, maybe even not realizing they were angels and is basically telling them, "I want my Lord." And Jesus was standing there and she did not recognize Him.

Now, it is interesting how that there did seem to be a certain difficulty in recognizing the risen Christ, and the difficulty, it would appear, was on the part of the beholder. We read that the two that were on the road to Emmaus and Jesus joined with them, but they did not recognize Him. It said, "For their eyes were hidden that they could not see." In other words, there was an actual spiritual thing involved here, where the recognition of Him was something that was held back by God. And it was not until He had broken the bread and they probably saw the nail prints in His hands that they recognized Him.

When we get into the next chapter of John's gospel here, when Jesus had prepared the fish for them on the shore, again it said, "And none of them dared ask Him, 'Who are you?,' knowing that it was Jesus." So, there was probably a difference in His physical appearance, enough in His resurrected body that He was not easily identifiable by just the appearance alone.

Now, Mary did not know that it was Jesus. She thought maybe He was the gardener standing there. It is possible that it was early in the morning, and because she had been weeping so much that her vision was distorted by the tears in her eyes. Though she did not recognize that physical form, she sure did recognize the voice. But first of all, He said unto her the same thing that the angels had said,



15 Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?"



I heard a guy not to long ago say that Jesus did not know everything while He was in this body on the earth, therefore He asked questions. For He really didn't know the answers. And just be careful what you hear; it isn't always sound biblical doctrine. The Bible says, "Prove all things and hold fast that which is good." I think that it is very presumptive for a person to make that declaration, and I think that it borders on blasphemy of Jesus Christ.

Do you think that Jesus said to Mary, "Why are you weeping?" because He didn't know why she was weeping? Of course He knew why she was weeping! Questions are often used in teaching methods; not so that the teacher can find out the answer, but so that the person can find out what they know or can express what they know. And it is a very common teaching practice to ask questions, not because you don't know the answers, but you want people to start thinking. Our minds are lazy oftentimes, and if someone asks a question, they think, "Well, what is that?" And it starts you thinking, and it starts drawing out from you. And it's a very common teaching practice.

In fact, I heard of a little kid who went home from kindergarten. And his mother said, "Well, how was your first day of school?" He said, "It was terrible, I'm never going back to that place again. That teacher is the most stupid person in the world." And the mother said, "What do you mean?" He said, "All day long all she did was ask questions. 'What's one and one?' She doesn't know anything!"

And to say, "Well, Jesus asked questions because He didn't know" is absolutely wrong. That is an assumption that is not correct. In fact, it's unbiblical because John told us that Jesus didn't need for any man to testify to Him about other men, because He knew men and He knew what was in men. And when Jesus the third time said, "Peter, do you love Me?" Peter said, "Lord, you know all things." Yet Peter had just been asked a question. Peter recognized that Jesus wasn't asking the question for His own benefit; He was asking it for Peter's benefit. "Lord, you know all things." And so, to suggest that Jesus was asking questions in order that He might gain information is unbiblical and manifestly wrong.

"Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" He knew good and well why she was weeping and who she was looking for.



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."



In this I see the strength of love. We're all familiar with the picture of the little guy carrying the boy in his arms, and he's looking up to the man and saying, "He ain't heavy, mister. He's my brother." The power of love, the strength of love. I imagine that Jesus was a fairly robust person physically. And a limp, dead body is hard to lift. But yet, Mary says, "Hey," and I don't suppose she was that big, she said, "If you'll just tell me where you've taken Him, I'll carry Him away." And I'll bet she could have. The strength of love. She was so devoted to Jesus that in her mind, she was picturing the body of Jesus somewhere out of the tomb and probably be dishonored since the body was no longer in the grave and was no longer present. All she wanted to do was go and place Jesus' body in a place where it could be honored and prepared for burial and laid to rest permanently. Well, Jesus saw Mary's pain and didn't want her suffering any more so He says to her,



16 Jesus said to her, "Mary!"

She turned and said to Him, "Rabboni!" (which is to say, Teacher).



Now, there were many Mary's that followed Jesus. There was His mother Mary. There was that other Mary mentioned at the cross. There was Mary Magdalene. And with all of these Mary's around, it could get confusing. At my high school, it was confusing because of all of the guys named Jason that we had. Many times, if the teacher called the name "Jason", oftentimes both myself and another Jason would answer. So, I imagine that Jesus had a certain way of saying "Mary" in a personalized way for each of them. So that when He would say "Mary" or "Ma-r-y," that they would recognize from His intonation which Mary He was talking to. And I imagine that He had a way of saying "Mary" that was just specially and specifically for Mary Magdalene, this woman out of whom seven devils had been cast, who became a fervent disciple. And He said, "Mary!" in such a tone that she knew exactly who it was that she cried, "Rabboni! Teacher!"



17 Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to Me,



Now, here again the Bible critics have a field day, because in the other gospels it tells us that the women came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. And later on in this chapter, He is going to say to John, "Take your finger and put it into My hand. See if it isn't Me. Put it there in the prints. You say you won't believe until you see the prints and the scar in My side, go ahead! Do it, Thomas." So, the fact that the one gospel says the woman held Him by the feet and worshiped Him, and in John's gospel Jesus said to Mary, "Do not cling to Me," or in some translations it says, "Touch Me not." "Naturally the Bible can't be the Word of God; it's just the confused writings of men."

If you'll look more carefully at what Jesus said in the Greek language, He said to Mary, "Mary, don't cling to Me." I can imagine that when Jesus said "Mary" and she cried out "Master!" or "Teacher!" that she fell upon Him and grabbed Him around the neck in a chokehold, as if to say, "You got away from me once, but You'll never get away from me again. I'm not letting go." And thus, He said, "Mary, don't cling to Me." She also could have been bear hugging Jesus' feet as she was worshiping Him too and so Jesus told her "Mary, don't cling to Me." because of that as well. Jesus could have tripped. But then He continues and says to her,



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.



Though Mary had come and told the disciples, "I've seen the Lord. He talked to me, He told me to come and tell you that He hasn't yet ascended to the Father," I would imagine that they must have just passed it off as the hysterics of an excited woman. Also keep in mind that women in this day and age were not considered to have valid testimony so with that as a something all of the disciples were raised with in that culture, in may have been very easy to not believe Mary at first even though they knew she was of noble character.

At this point, Thomas was not the only doubter. They were, all of them, pretty much still doubting at this point. In fact, the two disciples, you remember, who took off for Emmaus, according to Luke's gospel, and who were walking on the road to Emmaus. When Jesus joined with them, and He said unto them, "Hey, guys, why do you look so sad?" Oh, here He is asking questions again. Doesn't He know anything? "What's wrong with you guys?" They said, "You must be a stranger around here if you don't know the things that have been happening lately in Jerusalem." And again, Jesus asked a question, "What things?" You really don't think Jesus didn't know what had happened in Jerusalem? And they said unto Him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people." Both His deeds and words, a mighty prophet. "And how the chief priests and our own rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death and have crucified Him, but we had trusted that it had been He which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this, it's the third day since these things were done. Yes, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, who went early to the tomb. When they found not His body, they came, saying that they also had seen a vision of angels which said He was alive. These ladies, they have visions of angels, and said He was alive! And certain of them which were with us," that is Peter and John, "they went to the tomb and found it even so as the women had said. But they didn't see Him." And he said unto them, "Oh, fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not the Messiah to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" You see, you still hadn't believed, though the women came and said, "Hey, we saw the angels," they said, "He's alive." Peter and John went; they found the tomb empty, but, you know, "no one's seen Him." Of course, at this point, they didn't have Mary Magdalene's story. They had taken off for Emmaus.

[JayDawg]

19 Then, the same day at evening,



Earlier in the afternoon, He appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. And it is interesting to me the very first person Jesus appeared to after His resurrection was a woman. And He appeared to her who loved ?Him so much. Jesus said, "He who is forgiven much, loves much." And His response to Mary's weeping, His response to her love, was that she was the first one that He appeared to. Then to the other women who held His feet and worshiped Him. And then to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. And now it's the evening. Jesus made a quicker trip back from Emmaus than the other two disciples, though I imagine that they were pretty fast getting back. "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."



So even by Sunday, three days after Jesus has been crucified, the disciples are still in hiding, fearing the Jewish leaders will grab them and execute them next, Jesus appears to them suddenly as says, "Peace be with you." Or in the original language, He says the typical Jewish salutation of peace, "Shalom."



20 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side.



Jesus at this point still is bearing the marks of the cross. He showed them His hands, His side. "It's Me." When He is in heaven, He will still be bearing the marks of the cross, for in Revelation chapter 5, when the scroll is in the right hand of Him who is sitting upon the throne and the angel proclaims with a loud voice, "Who is worthy to take the scroll and loose the seals?" And John is weeping because "no one is found worthy in heaven and earth under the sea to take the scroll, or even to look thereon." The elders said unto John, "Behold, weep not, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah has prevailed to take the scroll and loose the seals." And John said, "I turned and I saw Him as a lamb that had been slaughtered." Still the marks of the cross. Isaiah in chapter 52 tells us that all that look upon Him will be astonished, shocked, because His face has been so marred, you can't recognize Him as a human being. In the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah, he tells us that "we, as it were, hid our face from Him." The idea being that His appearance was so shocking that you can't really stand to look. But then he goes on to say, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities." Now, when Jesus returns, He will still be bearing the marks, "for they shall look on Him whom they have pierced." How long will He bear these marks? I don't know; surely not all of eternity. For John sees Him in the book of Revelation in chapter 1 in that glory of the kingdom, and he describes that glorious vision of Christ in Revelation, chapter 1. But for a time, and I'm sure, as a shocking reminder to us of just what He was willing to endure in order to bring us salvation, your first view of Jesus is apt to be a very shocking experience. Just be prepared for it. So often, we think, "Oh, to look upon the face of Jesus," and we behold a perfect face. The Rose of Sharon, the Lilly of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star, fairer than ten thousand. But your first view is apt to be very shocking, as shockingly you are reminded how much God loves you, as you see what He was willing to endure to bring you salvation.

So, Jesus showed them His hands and His side.



Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

21 So Jesus said to them again, "Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you."



"The Father sent Me." To what? "To serve, to give my life for others, so send I you." How? For what? To serve and to give yourself for others.

I cannot abide that teaching that declares that it is God's will that all of us be prosperous and healthy and, you know, "If you're not driving a Mercedes, it's because you lack faith. That it is never God's will for His children to suffer. God is never glorified by His children suffering." That is a denial of Jesus Christ and the cross. Surely it was God's will that He suffer for our sins. And Peter, writing his epistles said, "And those who suffer according to the will of God, just commit your souls unto Him as a faithful Creator." But he speaks of suffering according to the will of God. Such a thing is indeed possible. And that doctrine that is being taught is scriptural garbage. "As the Father has sent Me, so send I you." To give yourself, to serve; not to lord over people, but to give yourself.



22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.



"He breathed on them." It is interesting to me that the word for spirit in Hebrew is "Ruwach", which is the same Hebrew word for breath. The Greek word for spirit is "Pneuma", which is the Greek word for air. Pneumatic tires means tires that you fill with air. Pneuma--air. But it also the Greek word for spirit. So, in the Old Testament, when God formed man out of the dust of the earth, He breathed into man. Now, when the Hebrew scholars translated the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, which is known as the Septuagint, it's a translation of the Old Testament into Greek, done by seventy scholars some 200 years before Christ. When they made this Septuagint translation, the Greek word "breathed into man, and he became a living soul," is the same word that John uses here and it's the only place it's used in the New Testament. "Jesus breathed on them." Even as God breathed into that shell that He had formed out of the dust of the earth and man became a living spirit. But that spirit, you remember, died when man sinned and man lost fellowship with God. Now Jesus is restoring that which was lost by Adam, as He breathed in them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit, that life of God, that Spirit of God, that spiritual life." And so, that which was lost by Adam is now restored by Jesus Christ. The life of God within man, that God had breathed into man in the beginning now restored.

Jesus had said to His disciples just four nights earlier, "I will pray the Father and He will give you another Comforter, even the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot receive because it sees Him not, neither knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and shall be in you." And I believe that when Jesus breathed on them, and they became, at that point, once more living spirits, restored as was Adam in fellowship with God in the Garden of Eden. And I believe that that was the point when the Holy Spirit came into their lives.

Now, Jesus is going to be telling them, "Now you wait in Jerusalem, for in a few days the Holy Spirit is going to come upon you. You're going to be empowered now by the Spirit, empowered now for your service for God. Now you wait until you get this endowment of power for service." But I believe, at this point, when He breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit," that there was the born again experience. There was where God's life was again placed into man, the Spirit of God. And man came by that Spirit into the union and fellowship with God.

Then Jesus said,



23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."



Does this mean that Jesus gave His disciples the power to forgive sins?

When they had brought to Jesus a man who was bedridden as the result of palsy, you remember they tore up the roof and let him down in the midst of the room in front of Jesus? And Jesus said unto him, "Son, your sins be forgiven." And the Pharisees among themselves said, "Oh, that's blasphemy! Who can forgive sins but God?" They were correct in that statement. Only God can forgive sins. Jesus was only proving to them that He was God. They didn't recognize that. But their assumption was correct, only God can forgive sins.

You remember in the fifty-first Psalm, that penitent Psalm of David, after he had been faced by Nathan the prophet because of his sin with Bathsheba. "Have mercy unto me, Oh Lord, according to the multitude of Thy tender mercies, blot out Thy transgression and hide this sin from my sight. For against Thee and Thee only have I sinned and done this great iniquity in Thy sight. Against Thee, Oh God, have I sinned." Sin is against God, and thus, God is the only one who can forgive sins.

Then what did Jesus mean when he said to His disciples, "Whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted; whosoever sins you retain, they are retained"? I think that one of the most joyful experiences that a child of God has is to lead a person through the sinner's prayer. To me, it's always a joy to have a person who is come and say, "I want to receive Jesus Christ." And I'll say, "Alright, follow me in this prayer." And as we prayed that God would forgive our sins, and as we pray that the Holy Spirit would come and begin to indwell our lives, and that we might now have this new relationship with God as we invite Him to come in and take over, in Jesus' name; when they say their "Amen," it's always a joy to me to be able to look them square in the eye and say to them, "God has nothing against your account; you're completely forgiven, every sin you've ever committed." How I love to say that! What a thrill that gives to me to be able to say that to a person!

Now, on what basis do I say that? I make that statement on the basis of their confession by faith, that Jesus Christ is the Lord and they've invited Him to come in and be the Lord of their life. And upon the basis of what they have confessed with their mouths, and knowing that if we ask God anything in the name of Jesus, it will be done. And because they've asked the Lord in Jesus' name to forgive them and cleanse them of all of their sins, I can say according to the Word of God, "Your sins are forgiven!"

Now, if someone comes and says, "Well, I don't like Jesus Christ. I don't want to have anything to do with Him. He might cramp my style," I can't say to them, "That's alright, your sins are forgiven anyhow. I'm going to forgive them." No way! But to that person I can say, "Friend, one day, if you do not receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, you're going to have to stand before God and answer for your sin. And your sins are going to condemn you. You're still in your sin." And even if a person comes and says, "Well, I've done so many good deeds. Now, I know that I did some pretty bad stuff, but I've made up for it for all the good deeds that I've done." I say unto them, "Look, all of your good deeds cannot put away your guilt of sin; you're still guilty before God." "Well, I meditate and I go through my little thing." "You're still guilty before God. Until you receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you're still guilty." And so, "Whosoever sins you remit, they are remitted; whosoever sins you retain, they are retained." But I only do that on the basis of what they have done or declare.

Now, there's a lot of times that people who have even gone through the sinner's prayer are still reluctant to believe the Word of God. "Oh, but I'm such a horrible wretch; I can't believe that God can just forgive me just that easy, just that simply. Surely there's something that I've got to do, because I was so horrible." But it's glorious to be able to just say, "No, there's nothing you can do, except what you've already done, and that is just to believe in Jesus Christ and confess Him as your Lord. Your sins are forgiven." And many times that word of faith to them is the thing that triggers their faith, and causes them to realize.

A pastor friend of mine relayed a story to me of a woman who he spoke with after a service. He said, " I went down one night to a lady who had come forward to receive Jesus Christ. And I said to her, "How do you feel now?" And she started crying and she said, "I still feel miserable. I still feel all of my guilt and I still feel miserable." And so, I went through, "Now have you asked Jesus Christ to come into your heart?" "Oh, yes." "Did you ask Him to forgive you of your sins?" "Oh, yes." I said, "Then, your sins are forgiven. God has nothing against you. Now, if I should suddenly come and give you a glorious, fabulous gift, what would be your response?" She said, "Oh, I would thank you." I said, "Alright. God has just given you a glorious, fabulous gift of eternal life. Don't you think you ought to thank Him?" And as she started thanking the Lord, hey, the old burden of sin rolled off and the joy of the Lord and the power of the Spirit just came upon her life in such a glorious way." Your sins are forgiven. I can declare that to a person on the basis of the Word of God and the confession of their faith.



24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.



Thomas was a very practical sort. He was never one to pretend to believe something that he did not really believe. For instance, when Jesus was talking to His disciples that final night, He said unto them, "And if I go away, I'm going to come again and receive you unto Myself, that where I am there ye may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know." And Thomas said, "Wait a minute, Lord! We don't know where You're going and how can we know the way?" You see, he was never one to pretend to know something he doesn't really know, or believe something he doesn't really believe.

When Jesus was with His disciples down at the Jordan River, and they received word of Lazarus's illness and finally Jesus said, "Let's go that I might awake Lazarus out of his sleep." And the disciples said, "Lord, if he's sleeping, he's probably getting better." Jesus said, "No, he's really dead. But I'm glad for My sake I wasn't there, that you might really see the glory of God." And Thomas said, "Well, let's go and die with him." referring to knowing that the Jewish leaders wanted to kill Jesus and Thomas figured it was a suicide mission to return.



25 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."



"I've got to see it for myself." Now, you'd think that he would trust these guys. He had been around them for a long time. But Thomas was just the kind, "You've got to show me."



26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them.



Now, notice after eight days, they had gathered together on the first day of the week. Eight days later they were gathered together, which would have been the first day of the week again. And, it is believed that here is where the practice of gathering together on the first day of the week for worship actually began, right after the resurrection. That's how early Sunday became the day that the disciples gathered to worship the risen Lord, and thus, the church meets today on Sunday, rather than the Sabbath day, which is Saturday. The first two gatherings of the disciples were on the first day of the week. Eight days later would be the Sunday again, the first day of the week. They were gathered together again. This time,



Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" 27 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."



This indicated that when Thomas was expressing his doubts, Jesus was right there listening to his expressions. For the first thing Jesus said, "Hey, Thomas, okay, you want to do it? Go ahead." Now, what Jesus was actually seeking to train the disciples at this point was that He was present with them even as He said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." That He was present with them even though they did not see Him, and that is the consciousness He wants us to develop, the presence of Jesus with us. Though we do not see Him, He is with us always. And He wants us to be aware, to be conscious of His presence at all times. We also need to keep that in mind and remember that when we are out with people or our by ourselves and that sin nature wants to rear it's ugly head within our lives. Remember, Jesus is still there with us. Does He want to be a part of what is about to take place with conversations or television shows or movies? But will all that, it started right here, right after Jesus rose from the dead. He's was training the disciples now in this very way that they will realize that He is present with them, though they don't see Him.



28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!"



Thomas acknowledged Jesus as his God. John acknowledged Him as God, "In the beginning was the Word, the Word was with God and the Word was God" (John 1:1). Paul acknowledged Him as God, "For we look for the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). And even God Himself acknowledged Him as God, for in Hebrews we read that God declared Him, actually, to be God. Speaking of Him, He said, "But unto the Son He saith, 'Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever: a scepter of righteousness, the scepter of Thy kingdom" (Hebrews 1:8). Now, the Jehovah Witnesses do not want to acknowledge Him as God. But if Thomas says, "My Lord and my God," and John said He is God, and Paul the apostle speaks to Him as God, and if God Himself calls Him God, then who am I to believe, the Jehovah Witnesses? I would rather believe God.



29 Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."



That's good, you see and you believe, that's alright. But hey, blessed are they who believe without seeing. I believe that Jesus was referring to every single saved person who has put their faith in Him even though they have never seen Jesus face to face yet! We are truly blessed!



30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 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.



So, John was writing his gospel with a definite purpose in mind, and that is to make believers out of people. That's why this gospel was written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, or the Messiah, the Son of the living God, and by believing might have life in His name. That is why the gospel of John is the best thing you can put into the hands of a sinner to read. Encourage them to read the gospel of John, because God's Word will not return void. This gospel was written to convince people that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God, in order that by their believing they might have life through Him.



If you are someone who would like to invite Christ into your life and be forgiven of every sin you have ever done then all you need to do is say a simple prayer like this one.


Jesus,

I know I am a sinner and I know that You died to save me and forgive me of my sins. I ask You to come into my life right now and to forgive me of my sins. Thank You for loving me and for coming into my life. I ask You to help me grow in Your wisdom and knowledge daily.
In Your name I pray,
Amen

If you have just said that prayer, you are now saved and all of your sins have been forgiven. If you need any prayer, a Bible or anything else please pm me and I will do for you whatever it is that I can do.
God bless,
Jay