In today’s study our titles are; Verses 1-10 The Resurrection. Verses 11-18 Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene. Verses 19-23 Jesus appears to his disciples. Verses 24-31 The unbelief of Thomas. John 20 is three days after the crucifixion, and verse 1 reads.
John 20:1] The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
This first day of the week is Sabathen in the Greek and means; the day after the sabbath. There are two sabbaths in the week of the high sabbath. Passover would have been on Thursday and their regular sabbath would have been on Saturday, making this the Sunday of the week. The day began at sundown the night before. Now, concerning this first day of the week. Here is where most churches today come to worship on Sunday’s. Let’s go to 1Corinthians 16 and verse 1 reads.
1Cor.16:1] Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.
For the collection for the saints, meaning the Apostles that are in Jerusalem.
1Cor.16:2] Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.
Provide a tithe or love offering, and gather them together for when I come. This does show that church was kept on Sunday’s and no longer on Saturday’s. Though here at TheChristMinistries.org we do not accept any tithes or love offerings because what was freely given, I will freely give. Matthew 10:8. Nonetheless, we here at TheChristMinistries.org provide Daily Scriptures for studies every day, and a Sunday lesson or Topical Teaching every week. Back to John 20 and verse 2 reads.
John 20:2] Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
This disciple that Jesus loved is the writer of this gospel, John. He is humbled.
John 20:3] Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
[4] So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
Again, John being humbled, speaks of himself outrunning Peter in the third person. Pay attention, John gives his witness of what he sees.
John 20:5] And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
[6] Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
Notice Peter ran straight inside, but John didn’t.
John 20:7] And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
[8] Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.
Remember it was Peter and John with his brother James that witnessed the transfiguration on the mount. Both Elijah and Moses were with Jesus, being transfigured at that time.
John 20:9] For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
Let’s go to Psalms 16 and verse 8 reads.
Psa.16:8] I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
[9] Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.
[10] For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
[11] Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
That the Lord would not see corruption, he would be transfigured like Moses and Elijah. In the last chapter we learned that the crucifixion was prophesied in Psalms 22, have you ever been taught that the resurrection was also prophesied in Psalms. Let’s go to Psalms 23 and verse 1 reads.
Psa.23:1] The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
[2] He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
[3] He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
[4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
[5] Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
[6] Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
We dwell in the house of the LORD when we stay in his Word. Then Jesus and the Father dwell within us. We can walk in this world without fear of the world, because the Lord has chosen us out of this world. That was the Psalm of resurrection, Jesus Christ overcame death as it is written in Hebrews 2:14, so that we can be protected from the evil that is in this world. In John 17 Jesus prays for us to the Father and verse 13 reads.
John 17:13] And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
[14] I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
[15] I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
[16] They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Back to John 20 and verse 10 reads.
John 20:10] Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
Because we have read his Word, we know he had told them he would be crucified and on the third day would rise again. Let’s go to Luke 18 and verse 31 reads.
Luke 18:31] Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.
Don’t overlook he said what was written by the prophets concerning the Son.
Luke 18:32] For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on:
[33] And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
He had told them he would rise again on the third day, but here is the reason for their blindness.
Luke 18:34] And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.
It was Jesus that hid this from them. Now see Jesus’s compassion for Mary. Back to John 20 and verse 11 reads.
John 20:11] But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
[12] And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
[13] And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
Imagine the anguish Mary must have had.
John 20:14] And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
[15] Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
She must have thought that they didn’t think Jesus was fit to be buried in a rich man’s tomb.
John 20:16] Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
[17] Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
One of the only places Jesus calls the Father God. Also, showing that Jesus can hide himself from anyone. He can open eyes or he can close eyes. How Mary must’ve been comforted. Now this touch me not, simply means; don’t hold me up, or don’t hold me back, Jesus needed to first go to the Father and receive his Glory.
John 20:18] Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
[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, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
Here is a good place to understand dimensions. Was the door there or was Christ there? Both were there yet Jesus walked through the door. The translated body is in a different dimension. Same place, same time, but different dimensions. Remember at sundown begins the next day, this is still the first day of the week, so the sun has not gone down yet.
John 20:20] And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
Notice that Jesus first showed them his hands and his side and they believed. Let’s not hold anything against Thomas.
John 20:21] Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
Here is where they are first called Apostles, Sent ones.
John 20:22] And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
Jesus gave the Holy Spirit to them here. At that moment these apostles had the Holy Spirit with them. This means that when the Pentecost tongue was given, the Holy Spirit was given for others to receive.
John 20:23] Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
If they forgave someone then the LORD forgave them also, and if not, then the LORD would not. A very serious gift for God’s Elect also. Let’s go to Matthew 16 and verse 19 reads.
Mat.16:19] And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Also given for dealing with evil spirits that we cast out of others. Back to John 20 and verse 24 reads.
John 20:24] But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
Didymus was Thomas’s surname. G1324 in the Greek and it means; Twins, or twofold, twain.
John 20:25] The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
The first thing Jesus did with his disciples was show them the print of the nails in his hands and his side. Then they believed also.
John 20:26] And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
We have more proof of the two dimensions here. Don’t overlook that the doors were locked.
John 20:27] Then saith he to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
Let’s go to Zechariah 12 and verse 10 reads.
Zec.12:10] And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.
And in Zechariah 13, verse 6 reads.
Zec.13:6] And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.
[7] Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.
Back to John 20 and verse 28 reads.
John 20:28] And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.
Thomas will not tempt the Lord, he now believes.
John 20:29] Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
This is written for your eyes to see and read. How blessed we are for not seeing yet believing that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is risen, is Risen Indeed. Let’s go to 2Corinthians 5 and verse 6 reads.
2Cor.5:6] Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
[7] (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
[8] We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
[9] Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.
Back to John 20 and verse 30 reads.
John 20:30] And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
[31] But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Let’s go to 1Peter 1 and verse 8 reads.
1Pet.1:8] Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
[9] Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
[10] Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
What a great chapter today, let’s go to his throne.
Father, we thank you for your word and ask that you bless all that love you in Jesus’s precious name, Amen.
KJV along with The New Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance of The Bible