by Lane Rogers


  John Chapter 20                                                                                              

The Story between John 19 and John 20 found in Matthew 27:62


 62Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate,63and said, "Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I am to rise again.'64"Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead,' and the last deception will be worse than the first."65Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how."66And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.


John 20: 1-2

 1Now 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.

 2So 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."

Matthew 28:1-8
 1Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.

 2And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.

 3And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

 4The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

 5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.

 6"He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.

 7"Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you."

 8And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.

Mark 16:1-8

 1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome,bought spices, so that they might come and anoint Him.

 2Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen.

 3They were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"

 4Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large.

 5Entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed.

 6And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him.

 7"But go, tell His disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He told you.'"

 8They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Luke 24: 1-11

 1But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

 2And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

 4While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing;

 5and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead?

 6"He is not here, but He has risen Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,

 7saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."

 8And they remembered His words,

 9and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

 10Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.

 11But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.

The facts from John and the account in Matthew 27 are these:

1. The stone had been rolled away and the tomb was standing open

2. The tomb itself was empty of Jesus's body

3. The grave cloths, in which Jesus was buried, were lying in the tomb, and

4. It was Sunday, the first day of the week; a fact not at all to be slighted. 

I. The Tomb was Open and Empty (from Ed Wharton's Evidence)

Reasoning from the facts to the cause makes us to ask who opened the door and removed the body of Jesus. It was necessarily either a human act or a supernatural act. Either Christ was raised from the dead or he was taken away from the tomb by human ingenuity. If we can satisfy a line of inquiry that eliminates the human element as the cause of the removal of Jesus' body from the tomb, then this will leave us with the conclusion that the cause was supernatural, and the resurrection claim will be sustained. Who then opened the tomb of Christ, friends or enemies?

A. Was it the Disciples of Christ?

This is precisely the question which evidence answers. Matthew records that sufficient steps were taken to prevent such a thing. He informs us that, "on the morrow," which is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together with Pilate saying, "Sir, we remember that deceiver said while He was yet alive, "After three days I rise again." Command therefore that the sepulcher be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal Him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: and the last error will be worse than the first. Pilate said unto them, you have a guard: go, make it as sure you can. So they went and made the sepulcher sure, sealing the stone, the guard being with them" (Matthew 27:62-66).

It is obvious that a Roman guard posted at the door of the tomb precludes the possibility of the disciples quietly stealing the body of Jesus. Furthermore, it became common knowledge that the Jews bribed the Roman guard to offer as an explanation for the empty tomb that the disciples stole the body while they slept! (Matthew 28:11-15). Of course such an explanation is fraught with the haunting suspicion that sleeping men simply do not know what is happening around them.

Could anyone ever seriously entertain acceptance of this explanation? It is doubtful. Who could believe the guards were all sleeping at once, and that not a single one of them was disturbed by noise of several men moving a stone that weighed up to several tons? (Mark 16:4) Yes, we are to believe from some sources that this massive stone was rolled away and the body of Jesus unwrapped and the burial cloths re-wrapped without disturbing a single Roman guard. Would not it be easier to believe in the resurrection???

There is no reason for believing that the disciples came and stole the body away. Any such idea is just speculation without any evidence to support such a concept.

B. Was it the Jews?

Did the Jews themselves take the body of Christ out of the tomb and put it in another place? Such an action would have been completely contrary to their own statement of intent to keep the body of Christ in the tomb until the third day after the crucifixion of Jesus. The claim that Jesus was to rise again on the third day was common knowledge among the Jews (Matthew 27:63). It occurred to them that if the disciples stole the body it would appear at least for a while and Jesus had made good on His claim. Logic told them to secure the body in the tomb until the third day at which time they could go to the tomb, exhume the body, and with great fanfare demonstrate that Jesus failed to rise from the dead. Christianity would have been stopped dead right then and there.

In answer to the question, who opened and emptied the tomb of Christ, we must conclude on the basis of the documentary evidence that the disciples of Jesus could not have done the deed, and the Jews certainly would not have done the deed.

On the outside chance that someone might suggest that a grave robber took away the body of Christ, it must be remembered that the same guards posed as much a problem for a grave robber as anyone else. In ancient times graves were robbed for the valuables that were buried with the deceased. In this case, the only thing of value was 65 pounds of spices that were poured into the folds of the burial cloths which were left behind in the tomb when Jesus vacated the premises (John 19:39-40; 20:5-7).

The logical implication of the facts as they have reached us through the gospels is that Jesus was raised from the dead.

II. The Grave Cloths

Christ's burial garments left behind in the tomb form one of the most interesting aspects of the evidence for the resurrection. There are two areas of consideration in this regard.

A. Their Position

John tells us that the grave cloths were left "lying" and indicating that Jesus had passed through them without disturbing their position. They were apparently lying in the same folded position which formed the outline of the body of Christ when He was "wound" in them for burial (Mark 15:46). The grave cloths were not disheveled but were found lying as they had been folded originally. Whether they were rather flat in position or whether the sticky spices, which would certainly have acted as a glue to hold the cloths in a slightly collapsed cocoon shape, they were nevertheless still there in the folds and pressing the mind for answers.

B. Burial Custom of the Jews

Jesus had been bound up in grave cloths for his burial. The manner in which the Jews dressed their dead for burial is described in John's account of Lazarus' resurrection. "He that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave cloths; and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, Loose him, and let him go" (John 11:44). Lazarus needed assistance to get out of the burial wrappings; he was helpless. Now Jesus was prepared for burial in the same manner. John says that "they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury" (John 19:40). When Jesus had been placed in the tomb he had been bound hand and foot with grave wrappings.

If Jesus was not raised from the dead then the question must be answered, who, by stealth, silently rolled back the stone without the notice of the guards, unwrapped the body of Jesus, then wrapped the grave cloths with such skill that eyewitnesses could not detect the deception, and then carried away the body without a single person noticing?

The so-called "swoon" theory says that Jesus did not really die on the cross but more or less passed out and was revived in the cool of the tomb. This is obviously without real strength. It totally disregards the fact that all four of the Gospels testify to the death of Jesus on the cross (Matthew 27:50; Mark 15:37; Luke 23:46; John 19:30, 33).

Mark even records that Pilate was surprised at the suddenness of Jesus' death after a few hours on the cross. Pilate was satisfied when he learned from a centurion who was in charge of the execution that Jesus was indeed dead (Mark 15:44-45). The swoon theory fails to answer the problem as to the humanity of Jesus. He was just a man. One who had been abused and battered severely through scourging and crucifixion. In such condition, how did Jesus manage to release himself from the graves cloths and roll back the stone?

Perhaps this line of reasoning will expose the folly of substituting mere speculation for historical evidence.

The Empty Tomb

1Now 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. 2So 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." 3So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. 4The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; 5and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. 6And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. 9For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

I. Mary Magdalene and Two Disciples Visit the Tomb of Jesus (20:1-10).

A. Verse 1______The time is given, it is the "first day of the week" and this is exactly the same time we are told about in 1st Corinthians 15:3-4. That is, if we accept that Jesus was crucified on Thursday and not Friday (Good Thursday and not Good Friday).  We are not told if there were other people with Mary when she first approaches the tomb. According to Mark, there were others with Mary.

II. Verse 2____It seems that Mary thought that either enemies or robbers had taken the body of Jesus. Robbing tombs was a common practice. A decree by the emperor Claudius AD 41-54____a copy of which was found in Nazareth, ordered capital punishment for those bothering tombs or removing bodies or displacing the seal or other stones.

An inscription found in Nazareth (compiled in 1939)

Ordinance of Caesar. (4)It is my pleasure that graves and tombs remain undisturbed in perpetuity for those who have made them for the cult of their ancestors or children or members of their house. If however any man lay information that another has either demolished them, or has in any other way extracted the buried, or has maliciously transferred them to other places in order to wrong them, or has displaced the sealing or other stones, against such a one I order that a trial be instituted, as in respect of the gods, so in regard to the cult of mortals. For it shall be much more obligatory to honor the buried. (10)Let it be absolutely forbidden for anyone to disturb them. In case of contravention, I desire that the offender be sentenced to capital punishment on charge of violation of a sepulcher.

There is an explanation given by Barret in his notes. This decree was a response from the Roman Empire to the missing body of Jesus. Capital punishment was unusually harsh for this crime. It has been explained that due to the desire to put down the incipient Christian movement which was maligned since the Jews told that the disciples of Jesus had stolen the body from his tomb (Matt. 28:13).

III. Verses 3-5___Now Peter and the Beloved Disciple hurry to the tomb. The latter reaches the tomb first. This probably wasn't because John was a faster runner than Peter but John was loved by the Lord and John also loved the Lord. John enters the tomb and surveys the situation. The linen wrappings that were around the body of Jesus were in one place and the napkin was rolled up apart from them. This is significant for apologetics for as John Chrysostom notes, "if anyone wanted to rob the body they would not have stripped it first, nor taken the time to roll the napkin up and place it by itself." Hom. 85.4 We need to remember the culture here. In Jewish eyes, the testimony of women was unacceptable. The "Two Men" then verify what the women reported. This same writer had penned the story of Lazarus knowing that Lazarus had help to remove his wrappings and now John is telling us that Jesus needed no help.

IV. Verse 8___The beloved disciple "saw and believed." (Notice, he didn't just have a good "feeling" in his heart.) His belief was based on evidence and facts.

V. Verse 9___How interesting it is to realize that at this late date the disciples still did not understand the Scripture. See the story of Emmaus (Lk. 24:25-27).

VI. Verse 10___The disciples went "to their homes." Note the plural.

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.


I. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene (20:11-18)

A. Verses 11-12__Mary is again at the tomb and crying. Not because of the death of Jesus but because the body is gone. Remember how Saul and his sons were treated by the Philistines and the bravery of the men of Jabesh-Gilead (1st Sam. 31:9-13). She now looks at the tomb. For the first time? We do not know. Her attention is caught by the "two angels." The scene recalls the synoptic accounts: in Mark 16:5 it is a "young man" dressed in white that appears to the women. In Luke 24:4, two men in flashing clothes; in Matthew 28:2-3 an angel with the appearance of lightning and wearing a garment as white as snow. In all cases, the appearance of angels wearing shiny white clothes are symbols of the heavenly world. Their position, one at the head and the other at the feet is a witness to us. God has taken the body.

B. Verses 13-14___The angels do not at once announce the good news that Jesus has risen. In each of the synoptics, they refer in some way to the seeking of the women (Mark 16:6; Matt: 28:5 and Luke 24:5). As with the other accounts, Mary does not recognize Jesus. The Emmaus couple returning home did not know the identity of the Stranger who joined them.

There are two concepts involved here. In the longer ending of Mark it is said that the Lord appeared to the two walking to Emmaus "in a different form" (Mark 16:12). Of the Emmaus couple Luke says "Their eyes were held so as to not recognize him, "24:16. Both concepts are important. Westcott observed, "A little reflection will show that the special outward forms in which the Lord was pleased to make himself sensibly recognizable by his disciples were no more necessarily connected with the glorified person than the robes he wore." That brings us to the next point.

C. Verse 17___There is clear contact between Mary and Jesus as in the scene in Matt. 28:9 where the women "seized him." Mary fell to the feet of Jesus and tried to "seize Him" but He did not allow her to do so. If we remember, Thomas did such a test, but she was not permitted. Not because her touching him might in some way damage His not yet glorified body, but because He wanted Mary and the other disciples to understand that this was not His permanent return to visible fellowship with them. They were allowed to see enough to know that Jesus lives and not enough to make a fatal mistake. After all, Jesus had promised that He was to return "in a little while" (Jn.16:16) and perhaps Mary thought the "little while" was here. A good paraphrase from Hendriksen might read as: "do not think, Mary, by grasping me so firmly that you can keep me from going to the Father."


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."


I. The Appearance to the Ten Disciples __20: 19-25

A. Verse 19-21__Between the appearance to the women and the appearance to the ten disciples in the upper room in Jerusalem, Jesus appeared to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus. These two disciples were despondent at the death of Jesus and their Messianic hopes were gone. Jesus met them or overtook them and walked with them but they did not recognize Him. "Their eyes were held." In John there was apparently some of the same problems since Jesus had to show them His hands and feet. Jesus began to remind them of OT prophecies and apply them to Himself. Their hearts began to "burn within them." It is worthy to note that Jesus never appeared after the resurrection on any other day except the "first day of the week." We should also notice that this appearance was made thorough doors that were locked.

John 20:21

Even so send I you (καγω πεμπω υμας). Jesus has often spoken of the Father's sending him using both αποστελλω and πεμπω. Here he employs both words in practically the same sense. Jesus still bears the Commission of the Father (perfect active indicative). For this balanced contention (as ... so) see 6:57; 10:15. This is the first of the three commissions given by the Risen Christ (another on the mountain in Galilee (Mt 28:16-20; 1Co 15:6), another on the Mount of Olives (Lu 24:44-51; Ac 1:3-11)

B. Verse 22_The statments of Jesus "Peace be with you" ought not be separated from the breathing of the Holy Spirit. 
Maximus the Confessor___AD 530-613

The Spirit Breathes Tranquility. Through his greeting of peace he breathes on them and bestows tranquility as well as sharing the Spirit.

The Peace of Christ___Cyril of Alexandria ____AD. 374-444

When Christ greeted His holy disciples with the words 'peace be with you,' by peace He meant Himself, for Christ's presence always brings tranquility of the soul. This is the grace that Paul desired for believers when he wrote, "The peace of Christ which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and minds." The peace of Christ which passes all understanding is in fact the Spirit of Christ, who fills those who share in him with every blessing. Commentary on the Gospel of John 12:1


If we look back at John 14:26ff, we see that the Spirit was promised to the disciples personally and notice the word play on "Peace I leave with you." Now move forward to 20:21 and Jesus' first words to the disciples are "Peace be with you" reminding them of their earlier conversation. I shall go out on a limb here but v.22 is the fulfillment in part of John 14. Jesus promised the disciples the Holy Spirit and now they have it. To be sure, Jesus also promised the Holy Spirit in a larger sense (to the church) and that is Acts chapter 2 as explained in John 16:5ff.

C. Verse 23__The Roman Catholic church has and still does use this passage to buttress their doctrine of apostolic succession and other forms of popery. Such a doctrine is called "absolution." The papists have granted themselves authority that the apostles did not have. All one needs to do is turn to Acts 8:14-24 and we have an example of an apostle being asked for absolution. The answer Peter gave the man was "repent therefore of this wickedness, and pray the Lord, if perhaps the thought of your heart be forgiven you." Likewise, this passage in John does not grant the apostles the power of absolution.

John 20:23

Who ever sins you forgive (αν τινων αφητε τας αμαρτιας). "If the sins of any you forgive" (αφητε, second aorist active

subjunctive with αν in the sense of εαν), a condition of the third class. Precisely so with "retain" (κρατητε, present active

subjunctive of κρατεω).

They are forgiven (αφεωντα). Perfect passive indicative of αφιημ, Doric perfect for αφειντα.

Are retained (κεκρατηντα). Perfect passive indicative of κρατεω. The power to forgive sin belongs only to God, but

Jesus claimed to have this power and right (Mr 2:5-7). What he commits to the disciples and to us is the power and

privilege of giving assurance of the forgiveness of sins by God by correctly announcing the terms of forgiveness.

There is no proof that he actually transferred to the apostles or their successors the power in and of themselves to

forgive sins. In Mt 16:19; 18:18 we have a similar use of the rabbinical metaphor of binding and loosing by

proclaiming and teaching. Jesus put into the hands of Peter and of all believers the keys of the Kingdom

which we should use to open the door for those who wish to enter. This glorious promise applies to all

believers who will tell the story of Christ's love for men.


What is a Perfect Tense Verb in Greek?

Perfect Tense
The basic thought of the perfect tense is that the progress of an action has been completed and the results of the action are continuing on, in full effect. In other words, the progress of the action has reached its culmination and the finished results are now in existence. Unlike the English perfect, which indicates a completed past action, the Greek perfect tense indicates the continuation and present state of a completed past action.

In short, whatever the apostles preached on earth has already been decided in heaven. The Apostles do not have the power to grant absolution.


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."

Thomas the Doubter____John 20: 26-29

I. Looking back at verse 24ff, we are told that Thomas was not at the first meeting with Jesus. We do not know where he was. But the other disciples ran to get him "we have seen the Lord" v.24. It seems to me that Thomas was not any more of a doubter than the other ten. He believed readily enough once he had some evidence to believe. Maybe there is a good lesson. Belief (faith) must be based on evidence. Another point, "thus after eight days" when this incident takes place is another Sunday. Jesus does not waste any time getting to the point of this appearance. He immediately commands Thomas to come forward and "touch and see and believe." And the question is often asked as to did Thomas actually touch His hands? I think that in all probability he did.

Why This Gospel Was Written

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.

These passages are the primary passages the Roman Catholic church uses to argue for "oral tradition." Since Jesus did many things that are not written in the New Testament, they must resort to oral tradition, so they claim. For a complete refutation of Catholic doctrine related to oral tradition please visitRoman Catholic Oral Tradition and Catholic Tradition Exposed.

We will add more on Catholic Tradtion as we go. Also see (Here)


Index         by Lane Rogers

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