John’s witness of the resurrection is different from the other gospels because he had a unique perspective. He wrote his gospel much later than Matthew, Mark and Luke and tends to exclude details which were already well known to the church while including concepts and events which are particular to him. In chapter 20:1-18 we read his account of the resurrection.
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb (20:1).
John mentions only Mary Magdalene coming to the tomb though we know there were other women present. It may be that he omits the others because he is telling the story through Mary’s experience. Or it may be that they were with Mary but became weary and stopped to rest, in which case Mary pushed on, arriving alone.
John does not tell us why they had come to the tomb but we know from the other accounts that they may have believed that the burial preparations had been incomplete because of the lateness of the hour on Friday. Jesus had died on Friday afternoon. By the time Joseph had obtained permission from the Roman governor to bury the Lord, and by the time they had removed Jesus from the cross and transported Him to the tomb, it was late. The Sabbath began at sundown on Friday and no work could be done until the sun set on Saturday. So the burial preparations may have been somewhat hasty.
On Saturday evening the women had purchased burial spices and ointments (Mark 16:1). Sunday morning they walked to the tomb to add their personal act of devotion to Christ’s burial. They are not coming to witness a resurrection but to honor the body of their Lord. Although they knew that a stone had been rolled against the mouth of the tomb and it would be far too heavy for them to move, they have no thought of the impossibility of the task. They probably did not know that a guard of soldiers had been posted but even if they had known, they would not have turned back. Their only desire is to express their devotion to their Lord.
John says that it was still dark when Mary arrived. Luke says it was early dawn (24:1). Mark says that the sun had risen but it was very early (16:2). Matthew says, As it began to dawn (28:1). It seems that the sun was rising to the east and you might be able to see its glow over the Mount of Olives; but west of the mount would have been shadows. Different writers are telling the story from different perspectives; the details of lighting vary, depending on where someone was standing.
When Mary arrived, she saw that the stone had already been taken away from the tomb. She must also have seen that the tomb was empty, leading her to assume that Jesus’ body had been stolen. So 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 (20:2).
Mary ran back to Jerusalem before coming any closer to the tomb, hurrying to tell Peter and John. The other women must have stayed at the tomb, at which point they encountered the angelic messengers (described by the other Gospel writers.)
Arriving in the city, Mary said to the apostles, We do not know where they have laid Him (20:2). The word we tells us that the other women had been present with her at the tomb and may have still been there or may have begun their return to the city by now.
Evidently, Mary had run back to Jerusalem as soon as she saw the stone removed and before the angel had spoken to the other women. She did not hear the angel say that Jesus had risen, nor had she encountered the risen Christ yet.
So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself (20:3-7).
Having received the news from Mary, Peter and the other disciple — that’s John — ran to the tomb. John arrived first and stooped to look in. He saw only the linen wrappings. When Peter arrived, true to his bold nature, he burst into the tomb, finding the linen wrappings and the face cloth rolled up in a place by itself.
So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes (20:8-10).
The other disciple is John and when he entered, he saw and believed. What did he believe? Certainly he believed the tomb was empty. Possibly he believes, as does Mary, that someone has taken away the Lord out of the tomb (20:2). But it is more likely that he believes that something wonderful, miraculous has taken place, that Jesus truly has risen from the dead.
However, neither John nor Peter understood the Scripture, That He must rise again from the dead (the Scripture reference is probably Psalm 16:10.) John did not yet understand the necessity, the certainty of a resurrected Messiah. He believed, not because he understood but because the tomb was empty. But notice the hint of hope in these words, as yet they did not understand the Scripture. They did not yet understand the prophecy of a risen Messiah but they would, in time. For now, though, they returned to their homes, no doubt filled with wonder.
But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying (20:11,12).
Mary had followed Jesus through the years of His ministry. She may have been present when the multitude proclaimed Him as their Messiah at His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. She may have been present at the hall of judgment, as He was beaten and mocked. We know she followed to the cross and to the lonely place of burial as the Sabbath shadows gathered.
Now she returns to the empty tomb but because she moved more slowly than Peter and John and was surely weary, she arrived after they had departed. The other women had long since left. Mary is alone and weeping, heartbroken, exhausted, confused, despairing of all hope. She stoops to look inside the tomb and sees the two angels. (It is interesting that the angels did not appear to Peter and John).
And 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’ (20:13).
Mary’s answer to the question, Why are you weeping?, reveals her broken heart and her hopelessness, Because they have taken away my Lord and I do not know where they have laid Him. She only desires to minister one last act of kindness to the Savior who had lifted her out of her sin. She had followed so far and if the only act of worship she could still express would be to anoint the dead body of her Lord, then surely she would. But how could she? Someone had taken the body, or so she assumes. Notice again the complete absence of any hope or expectation that a resurrection has taken place.
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus (20:14).
Something caused her to turn and she saw someone standing nearby but did not recognize Him nor even His voice. It could have been the early morning shadows and mist, or the rising sun in her eyes or her tears or her complete lack of expectancy. The most probable reason is that Jesus, in His glorified body, could only be recognized as He chose to reveal Himself (see the walk to Emmaus, Luke 24:13-16,30,31).
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 (20:15).
How will she carry her Beloved? Love does not ask. She is not intimidated by the gardener nor the task at hand. She desires only that she might pour out her anointing oil and from the broken flask of her heart, lavish on Christ the greater perfume of her devotion. She is intent only on her purpose to worship and honor her Lord one final time.
Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means, Teacher) (20:16).
Jesus speaks, Mary recognizes Him instantly and replies, Rabboni, teacher. How is it that she did not know Jesus a moment ago but now she does? She recognized Him in the way He called her name. Although it seems that Jesus could only be recognized in His glorified body as He chose to reveal Himself, He chose to reveal Himself to Mary in the way He spoke her name.
Jesus had said, My sheep hear My voice and I know them and they follow Me (John 10:27). Jesus knows us. The word know is ginosko which refers to far more than intellectual knowledge of something or someone, more than possessing information or facts. Ginosko is an intimate knowing, relational knowing. Our Lord understands who we are, what we are experiencing, our trials and fears and hopes and dreams.
Many years before, the Lord had spoken prophetically to the covenant nation through Isaiah, Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine (Isaiah 43:1).
Jesus knows our names and knows how to speak in a way that we can hear, if only in our spirit. Mary knew Him by the way He called her name.
Jesus 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 (20:17).
Mary has fallen at the feet of Jesus in worship and adoration. It may also be that she fears losing His physical presence again and she is clinging to Him so tightly that He has to command her to release Him, For I have not yet ascended to My Father.
Evidently, Jesus has not yet appeared before the Father in His resurrection glory and we can only imagine the glorious moment when He stood before the Father and said, “Abba, I have finished the redeeming work You gave Me to do.” Surely the Father replied, “Yes my Beloved Son and Your resurrection is my vindication of your Sacrifice.” Is there a more precious scene in the history of the universe?
But this is also precious. Mary is holding to the Lord so tightly, with such outpoured love and worship, that Jesus cannot ascend! He has to tell her to let go. He then sends her to share the Good News with His brethren.
The word brethren reveals a new relationship now between Jesus and His followers. They are no longer merely disciples. They are now brothers and sisters. And God the Father is no longer merely His Father but your Father also; no longer only My God but also your God. Because of the atoning Sacrifice of Jesus, all the redeemed enter into a new, more intimate relationship with our Lord and our God.
Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord,’ and that He had said these things to her (20:18).
Mary obeys the command to go and proclaim. She and the other women are the first evangelists. She returns to the disciples and announces with the absolute confidence and assurance of a witness to the truth, I have seen the Lord.
Here is what we proclaim to the world around us:
Jesus Christ, Co-Creator of the universe
born in human form to be our holy, sacrificed Lamb
is risen from the dead and is alive today.
He knows our name, just as He knew Mary’s name.
He knows the unique person within that name.
He knows our struggles and failures and hopes and dreams.
He is alive. He is present. And He knows our name.
He said to the nation of Israel once,
But now, thus says the Lord, your Creator, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel, ‘Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine! When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you … Since you are precious in My sight, since you are honored and I love you (Isa. 43:1,2,4).
This living Lord who knows your name,
Have you searched for Him among the tombs
of dead religion and false philosophies?
Have you searched for Him among the tombs
of pleasure, wealth, power, success?
He is not there.
Why seek the living among the dead?
He is risen!
You may not hear Him calling your name audibly today
but you can know Him. You can open your life to Him,
surrender your life to His loving Lordship, trusting that He
took upon Himself all your sins and failures,
your separation from God and your death,
made a full, perfect and eternal offering of Himself
which opens to you the forgiving grace of God,
which reconciles you to God now and forever,
which opens to you the blessing of resurrection and everlasting life
in His living presence forevermore.
This Jesus is alive.
He is present.
Have you met Him?