John 20
John 20 Focus: The Resurrection of Our Lord.
Jesus LIVES!
Our Living LORD says: “Peace be with you.”
JOHN 20: Insights, Highlights and Points to Ponder:
1. Keep in Mind: The doctrine of the Resurrection is also found throughout the Old Testament. Here are some examples:
Job 19: 25 For I know that my Redeemer lives,
and at the last he will stand upon the earth.
26 And after my skin has been thus destroyed,
yet in[c] my flesh I shall see God,
27 whom I shall see for myself,
and my eyes shall behold, and not another.
My heart faints within me!
Psalm 16: For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
NOTE: The official liturgical name for “Easter” is “The Resurrection of Our Lord.”
We now read: John 20 (interspersed with commentary and insights)
The Resurrection
20:1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.
NOTE: There are different explanations about why the face cloth was left behind folded. This detail does magnify that Jesus’ body was not stolen. Robbers would not have taken the time to fold it nor left behind such valuable linen or spices.
8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
NOTE the paradox: John “saw and believed” but he and the other disciples at this point still did not fully understand the Scripture which predicted Jesus must rise from death.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.”
14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”
Supposing him to be the gardener, she 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 in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
NOTE: Jesus opens the eyes, mind and heart of Mary to recognize Him by simply saying her name. Jesus also knows us personally and calls us by name to recognize and believe in Him. Jesus is our Good Shepherd and we know and follow His voice. In Holy Baptism God’s saving Name is joined with our name, our sins are washed away, and we are saved by grace through faith in our crucified and risen Lord and Savior.
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
NOTE: In verse 17 Jesus refers to His disciples now as His “brothers.” In John 15:14-15 Jesus had called them His friends (“philos”). Our living Lord makes us part of His family of Faith, and we have the same Father in Heaven!
18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
Jesus Appears to the Disciples
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
NOTE: Fear abounds. The disciples are huddled and hiding behind locked doors, yet Jesus appears and brings peace! Jesus says “PEACE You” which is the traditional Hebrew greeting--or SHALOM!
Our living Lord and Savior is the ultimate source of peace on earth and even forever! His peace, our peace, come from the forgiveness of sins and His Resurrection victory over death. Recall the powerful personal promises of PEACE (Shalom) Jesus gives us in John 14:27 and 16:33.
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 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending 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 withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
NOTE: Jesus BREATHES on His disciples and gives them a special portion of His Holy Spirit even before Pentecost. It interesting to recall the name SPIRIT (which is RUACH in Hebrew) also means wind or breath. In verses 22-23 Jesus grants the disciples and His Church His Holy Spirit and the Divine power to forgive and retain sin, which in the Small Catechism is The Office of the Keys. The essence of Christianity is the forgiveness of sins earned for us by Jesus.
Jesus and Thomas
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”
NOTE: This is the third time John records Jesus giving His greeting of PEACE (Shalom). Verse 26: “Eight days later”…try to imagine what Thomas was thinking and feeling during the eight days before Jesus appeared to him and removed his doubts!
27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
NOTE: The living Lord transforms Thomas from doubt (unfaith) to firm faith in Him. Thomas boldly professes the Divinity of Jesus--“My Lord and my God!” Jesus accepts this worship from Thomas. Jesus IS the great “I AM.” The resurrected Jesus and our living Lord is the same Word that IS God and living Word from heaven and Word made flesh in John 1:1-14.
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
+ We Pray: Dear God, by the power of Your Word and Spirit, remove our fears and doubts and give us peace and joy knowing that Jesus died to forgive our sins and rose from death and the grave to give us eternal life and victory! In the Name of our loving and living Lord Jesus. Amen.
The Purpose of This Book
30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
NOTE: John concludes this glorious Resurrection chapter by stressing he did not write down nearly everything he witnessed Jesus say or do. But what we have is what God guided John to record and is more than sufficient for God’s Spirit to grant us saving faith in our crucified and risen Lord.
WE REJOICE in Christ’s Resurrection using verse 1 of the Easter Hymn #466 from Lutheran Service Book:
Christ has arisen, alleluia,
Rejoice and praise Him, alleluia.
For our Redeemer burst from the tomb,
Even from death, dispelling its gloom.
Refrain: Let us sing praise to Him with endless joy;
Death’s fearful sting He has come to destroy
Our sin forgiving, alleluia!
Jesus is living, alleluia!
In the Service of Our Living Lord and Savior,
Pastor Scott Schmieding
