Week of April 5 (John 20:1-18)
John 20:1-18
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John 20:1-18
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John 20:1-18 〰️ John 20:1-18 〰️
With Malachi coming to a close last week, we now turn our attention to this week’s passage for Easter! This week we’re in John 20, focusing specifically on the Resurrection of Jesus. As a side note, this passage contains my all-time favorite verse of the Bible, John 20:4, where John says he’s faster than his friend, Peter. Throughout his Gospel account, John routinely refers to himself as “the disciple Jesus loved.” In this passage, he refers to himself as “the other disciple,” as Peter is present here as well. It’s well known that most of Jesus’ disciples were younger than we might imagine. Most of them were in their early 20’s at most, and I think it’s so funny and so timeless to read of a late-teen/early-twenties boy writing down how he outran his friend, and even funnier is that this passage of Scripture has been preserved for thousands of years by our Lord.
That aside, there are some interesting details in this passage that would have meant a lot more to the original hearers and readers than they do initially for us 2000+ years later. This passage begins with Mary going to the tomb early in the morning and finding that the stone sealing it had been moved. These stones were big and heavy, and it’s unlikely that they could have been done quietly. What is most interesting is that Mary was the first to witness this. In the customs of the day, a woman’s testimony was rarely taken seriously, but our Lord chose to reveal the first glimpse of this miracle to her. She then goes to John and Peter, and they race to the tomb to see for themselves.
The Mosaic Law has addressed witnesses and, in Deuteronomy 17:6 and 19:15, regarding crimes committed, but the significance of multiple witnesses for an event was embedded in the culture. Two or more witnesses made a witness account reliable. One person meant an unreliable witness. So we see this cool progression of Jesus’s resurrection being testified to: an individual woman makes a claim that would be considered unreliable → two men corroborate it and witness it themselves.
Afterwards, both John and Peter see for themselves, after completely missing Jesus’s previous foretelling of this. Three times in the Gospels does Jesus predict His own death (although not in the Gospel of John, interestingly). Once, in Matthew 16:21–23, again in Matthew 17:22-23, and for a third time in Matthew 20:17-19. Although they knew the Old Testament (as students under Jesus as their Rabbi), they could not see or connect the prophecies of Daniel, Micah, and Isaiah.
Mary then sees two angels inside the tomb and, turning around, sees Jesus Himself. Interestingly, she does not recognize Him at first. It’s unclear as to how or why, but John tells us that she mistook Him for the gardener (v14-15).
It truly is amazing that the Gospel is here today and stands as its own testament of God’s faithfulness and spread of His Church. We’ll move on to the book of Acts next, and we’ll see the beginnings of the church of Jesus as it spreads throughout the whole world. There are some amazing stories in Acts, and we’ll read of the Gospel being spread, despite all the odds and opposition.
For us today, we can read a passage like John 20, and either feel two extremes: this is all fiction, or so familiar that we miss the miraculous in it. Mary initially mistook Jesus for the gardener, only for the passage to conclude with her telling the others, “I have seen the Lord!” (v18). So, as we enter into discussion together, a question I want us to think about and discuss in community this week is: In what ways are you now able to say “I have seen the Lord!” where previously you did not recognize Him?
Discussion Questions
Could someone read John 20:1-18 for us?
What stood out to you from the passage?
Does this passage remind you of another part of Scripture?
Do you have any questions?
What does the text say about the disciples’ understanding of Scripture at this point? (v9)
At this time, they would have had access to the entire Old Testament— why do you think John and Peter were surprised by Jesus’ resurrection?
What’s significant about Mary not recognizing Jesus at first?
How do you sometimes “miss” Jesus even when He is near?
In what ways are you now able to say, “I have seen the Lord!” where previously you did not recognize Him?