11But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; 12and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13And 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.” 14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus 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.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.
19So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22And 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, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”
24But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”
30Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.
Interesting Words
must
(δεῖ – Greek) – dei ► absolutely necessary, inevitable; less frequently: it is a duty, what is proper, behooves, obligation – Matt 16:21;
rise again
(ἀνίστημι – Greek) – anistémi ► to raise up, set up; to rise from among (the) dead; arise, appear, from the Greek prefix ἀνά (ana, meaning “up” or “again”) and ἵστημι (histémi, meaning “to stand” or “to set”) – Mark 8:31, 9:31; Rom 6:9;
from
(ἐκ or ἐξ – Greek) – ek or ex ► from out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. It can denote physical separation, such as coming out of a place, or metaphorical separation, such as being delivered from a situation – Acts 3:15;
the dead
(νεκρός – Greek) – nekros ► dead, lifeless, subject to death, mortal, a dead body, a corpse – Rom 8:2; Heb 9:22;
ascend
(ἀναβαίνω – Greek) – anabainó ► to go up, mount, ascend; of things: to rise, spring up, come up – Acts 2:31-32, 33, 34; Eph 4:8;
Cross References
▪︎ Death on a cross – Phil 2:8;
▪︎ Raised in glory – Phil 2: 9;
▪︎ Exalted to heaven – Phil 2:10
Discussion Questions
1. Explain the situation in the tomb on Sunday morning. How do all the facts add to the account?
▪︎ Jesus was gone from the tomb when people showed up to take care of the body.
▪︎ Only two angels were present, maybe the two cherubims, symbolized by those in the temple.
▪︎ The wrappings from the body were in a separate place from the cloth that covered His head. It was folded neatly like one would fold a napkin denoting that you weren’t done with the meal but were coming back.
▪︎ They were all surprised by the turn of events and failed to understand or remember what events were to take place on the third day.
▪︎ This would be hard to fake. Imagine proposing to a person in that day to go along with a plot to fool society… from the heart of Judas Iskariot… “Just play along, we will get rich. Don’t worry about the Jews trying to kill you. I will protect you.”… or, Today… “We will get rich from the church. Don’t worry about Hamas or ISIS sending out bands of thugs and murderers to kill true believers. They know we are on their side. Trust me.”
▪︎ The disciples failed to logically put together that Jesus had to die, resulting in undo stress and sadness. If they couldn’t track God’s plan, how could they devise something craftier?
2. Consider all the definitions about the last phrase in John 20:9. What is the full meaning, and what is the sum of all parts?
▪︎ As Peter said in his first sermon (Acts 2:23, 24) , it was all part of God’s plan. Each aspect was part of the plan.
▪︎ It behooved us for this to happen. It was beneficial for all human beings regardless of outcome. We all had the opportunity, whether taken or not. We all benefited from Jesus’ control of everything and restraint of evil. This will be more and more evident as time moves on.
▪︎ Jesus really died, the same kind of death we all will die. He became part of “the dead” for us (2Cor 5:21; Heb 2:9;)
▪︎ Jesus came out from (ek) the dead. Death remains but Jesus is no longer a part in it; neither do those who put their trust in Him (John 11:25-26)
▪︎ He had to rise again from the dead. He had to display His victory over sin and death, 1Cor 15:13-14, 15;
3. What fear could Jesus’ ascension cause in the group of the disciples? Note also John 20:19.
▪︎ Once again, He is going to leave us alone! Abandoned.
▪︎ He hasn’t finished. The Jews are still in charge. The Romans still rule over the whole country, even the whole world.
▪︎ I am still the same rotten person I was from before.
▪︎ How come He isn’t right here with us now?
▪︎ We are still going to die a physical death? What? You said John 11:25-26.
▪︎ I guess faith is really going to play a very important role in this new administration.
4. What is the most convincing aspect of Jesus coming into the presence of the disciples?
▪︎ It wasn’t mass hysteria that got everyone caught up in Jesus’ appearance because Thomas had the clarity and firmness to question the others and demand more proof. Jesus gave him that proof.
▪︎ If you follow the whole drama, you see the transparency of every one (especially the women) and can see that it is no ruse. They were all very sincere in their feelings and reactions. Note Mary’s reaction, thinking He was the gardener and then clinging to Him.9
5. “What wrinkle did Thomas bring later? What was the result of that encounter?
▪︎ He refused to believe without seeing Jesus physically for himself.
▪︎ Jesus gave him his request and appeared before Thomas, allowing him to touch His wounds. Thomas is not the first person to touch Him physically; Mary clung to Him in the garden. This account may have been part of Thomas’ thinking, saying I won’t believe unless i get the same opportunity.
▪︎ Physical touch is a very strong form of evidence, ruling out visions and dreams.
▪︎ Just as Adam was our representative in the garden and failed, Thomas was a representative witness to the physical resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Others witnessed this as well (e.g. Mary and the other disciples). We live by faith and this may be the only evidence God give us in this era. It is legally sufficient.
6. What did Jesus challenge the disciples with in John 20:21?
▪︎ He wanted each of them to fulfill John 5:19 (among other references)
▪︎ He wanted them to walk and minister in the power of the Holy Spirit and to accomplish great things, greater things than His ministry (John 14:12-13, 16-17)
▪︎ He knew in their present state they were deficient, and so, He gave them a preview of the all-sufficient Holy Spirit that they would be receiving in a few days (John 20:22).
▪︎ Next He reinforced what the main objective for their ministry would be… to draw the world to a saving knowledge of God (John 20:23). Again, they should be reminded of the ministry of the Holy Spirit (John_16:5-15
12“I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13“But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14“He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15“All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.
▪︎ Jesus also was certain to give the necessary resources (see next question as well). He did not want them to be without the Holy Spirit even for just a few days, when it was in His power to give it.
7. What aspect of the last several verses do you hold dearest to your heart?
▪︎ Jesus did many more miracles than those that are described here.
▪︎ John documented these here for one reason… so that we may have eternal life and know that we have it (John 20:31-32).
▪︎ This is a common theme of John in all his writings – 1John 5:13
▪︎ The second most important aspect shown here is the fact that Jesus did not (and will not in the future) leave His children without sufficient resources to accomplish what He wants them to accomplish.
▪︎ Here Jesus gave them the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). Even if for just a few days, they needed it.. Even though He would give it formally to the body of all believers in just a few days (Acts 2:6-7, 17, 18)