John 20

John 20 describes the events surrounding the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It begins with Mary Magdalene discovering the empty tomb and informing the disciples, leading to Peter and John running to see for themselves. Jesus then appears to Mary and later to His disciples, showing His wounds as proof of His resurrection. Thomas, initially skeptical, believes after seeing Jesus himself. The chapter ends by stating the purpose of the Gospel of John: to foster belief in Jesus as the Son of God.

John 20:1-10 (NKJV)
1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.
2 Then 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.”
3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.
4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.
6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,
7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.
9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

Mary Magdalene, arriving at the tomb early, finds it open and empty, and she quickly alerts Peter and John. The two disciples run to investigate, with John arriving first but waiting for Peter. Inside, they observe the grave cloths left behind, a sign of an orderly departure rather than a grave robbery. John believes, even without fully understanding the prophecy of Jesus’ resurrection, yet both disciples leave without a clear understanding of the events.

John 20:11-13 (NKJV)
11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.
12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 Then 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.”

Mary stays behind, filled with grief. When she looks into the tomb, she encounters two angels who ask why she is crying. Her sorrow reflects her deep attachment to Jesus and her misunderstanding of His resurrection, as she assumes someone has moved His body, unaware that He is alive.

John 20:14-16 (NKJV)
14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” She, supposing Him to be the gardener, 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, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

Mary does not initially recognize Jesus, mistaking Him for the gardener, possibly because of her tears or the changed nature of His resurrected body. When He calls her by name, she immediately knows it is her beloved Teacher, responding with the term "Rabboni," a respectful and intimate title for a teacher.

John 20:17-18 (NKJV)
17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

When Jesus said, "Do not cling to Me," He was gently telling Mary Magdalene not to hold on to Him in a way that delayed the mission ahead. While He was not forbidding physical touch entirely (as seen later with Thomas in John 20:27), He was emphasizing that His time on earth was limited, and He needed to ascend to the Father soon to complete His mission. His statement, "I am ascending to My Father," highlights the urgency of His work and the necessity of His ascension to finalize the plan of salvation and send the Holy Spirit (John 16:7). Jesus redirected Mary’s focus from clinging to Him emotionally or physically to her role in spreading the good news of His resurrection to the disciples. This passage emphasizes the urgency of the gospel mission and the shift from reliance on Jesus’ physical presence to faith in His continuing work through the Spirit.

John 20:19-23 (NKJV)
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, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
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 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send 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 retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

Jesus appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, bringing them peace and showing them His hands and side to confirm His victory over death. He commissioned them, saying, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you," entrusting them with the mission of spreading the gospel. When Jesus breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit," it symbolized their preparation and empowerment for the mission, foreshadowing the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, accompanied by a mighty rushing wind (Acts 2:2). This act highlighted the life-giving power of the Spirit, necessary for their work.

Regarding the authority to forgive or retain sins, this does not mean the disciples had personal or priestly power to forgive sins, as practiced in some traditions. Instead, it refers to their role in proclaiming the gospel. Through the gospel message, those who accept Christ and repent are assured of forgiveness, while those who reject Him remain in their sins (John 3:18, Acts 13:38-39). This authority was about declaring God’s terms of forgiveness, pointing people to Jesus as the sole source of salvation. It emphasizes the responsibility of believers to share the message of forgiveness through Christ, aligning with God’s authority and Word.

John 20:24-29 (NKJV)
24 Now Thomas, called the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.
25 The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”
26 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”
27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”
28 And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Thomas doubted Jesus' resurrection, declaring he would only believe if he could touch Jesus’ wounds. When Jesus appeared a week later, He addressed Thomas directly, inviting him to touch His hands and side. While the text does not explicitly state that Thomas touched Jesus, his immediate response, "My Lord and my God!" shows that seeing and hearing Jesus was enough to overcome his doubt. Thomas' declaration acknowledges Jesus as his Lord (Master) and also addresses "my God" in reference to God the Father. This reflects the understanding that Jesus perfectly represents and reflects the Father’s character, as well as the Father's personal presence being in Jesus. It connects to Thomas’ earlier request in John 14:8, where he asked Jesus to show the Father. Jesus explained that by knowing Him, they had seen the Father, as He reflects the Father’s character and works (John 14:9-11). Thomas' statement here signifies his full acceptance of this truth, and Jesus blesses those who believe without needing physical evidence, emphasizing faith in His Word and promises.

John 20:30-31 (NKJV)
30 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;
31 but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

The author explains that Jesus performed many other signs not recorded in the Gospel, but the ones included were carefully chosen to inspire belief in Him. The passage emphasizes that believing in Jesus as the Christ (the Messiah and Savior) and the Son of God is essential for receiving eternal life. As the Christ, Jesus is the anointed one sent by God to save humanity from sin, fulfilling the promises of the Old Testament. As the Son of God, He reveals the Father’s character and divine authority, demonstrating His unique relationship with God. By presenting these signs, the Gospel aims to lead readers to a transformative faith in Jesus, trusting in Him as both Savior and the divine Son, the only source of eternal life.