"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. 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." (John 20:1-2)

           Early Sunday morning while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found the stone was removed from the tomb. Seeing the stone removed looked inside and saw the Lord body was not there. (Mark 16:4) Matthew records the greater details of the event, stating that there was a great earthquake and an angel, whose countenance was like lightning and clothes were white as snow, who descended from heaven and rolled by the great stone and sat on it. (Matt. 28:2) This happened prior to Mary arriving at the tomb.

           According to Matthew, the soldiers who were guarding the tomb were so terrified they shook and became as dead men. Apparently when they had recovered the guards went to the chief priests and told them what had happened. The priests then met with elders of the Sanhedrin and devised how they would explain that Jesus had arisen and the stone was rolled back and empty. They gave the soldiers a great deal of money and told them to report that the disciples had come and taken Jesus' body. A soldier who slept on duty and failed to guard his poisoner allowing him to escape would be put to death for his failure. The Jewish rulers assured them that they would intercede for them to Pilate and they would not be harmed. Matthew adds that this lie was still being told years later when Matthew wrote his Gospel. (Matt. 28:11-15)

           Luke explains that several women, while Jesus and His disciples were preaching in Galilee, provided food and shelter to them. One of the women was Mary of Magdala whom the Lord has cast out seven demons. "And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils" (Luke 8:2) John noted that she was at His crucifixion with Jesus' mother and several other women. (See Matt. 27:61, Mark 15:47, Luke 23:55)

           Mark states that Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James (the other Mary, Matthew 28:1), and Salome, had purchased spices to anoint the Lord's body and were come to the tomb before the sun arose. (Mark 16:1) they would have purchased them on Friday the day between Nisan 15 the Passover and Nisan 17 the regular Sabbath day. Luke states that Joanna was also with them. (Luke 24:10) There is no contradiction in these accounts when one understands that each Gospel report different details of the events.

           Mark states that as they approached they were concerned about who they could get to roll away the great stone that covered the entrance. However, when they arrived, they found the stone was rolled away so they looked into the tomb. Mary then leaves as John 20:2 explains and rushes to tell Peter and the disciples, which was approximately a half mile away. Mary was greatly upset upon not finding the Lord's body and she tells Peter, John and the disciples that Jesus was taken out of the sepulchre and she did not know where they had put His body.

           The women who went with Mary had remained at the tomb and Matthew 28:5 states that one of the angels spoke to them. (See John 20:12) Looking inside the tomb the women saw a young man setting on the right side of the sepulchre dressed with a long white robe and they were frightened. (Matt. 28:2-3, Mark 16:5) The young man (the angel) told them not to be afraid that Jesus who was crucified was not there having arisen and he pointed to place where Jesus' body had been laid. He further said they were to go and tell the disciples and that the Lord was going ahead of them unto Galilee. John adds that the angel instructed them to also tell Peter. (See John 20:2)

           The women then left running with fear and great joy to tell Peter, John, and the disciples. (Matthew 28:1-8) The women were told Jesus would go ahead to Galilee and they would see Him there. (See Mark 16:1-8)

           As the women hurried to tell Peter and the disciples, probably nearby in Bethany, Jesus appeared to them and told them not to be afraid and to go and tell the disciples they had seen the risen Lord. (Matt. 28:9-10) Mary Magdalene then leaves the disciples and heads back to the tomb a different way from that of the women who were going to tell the disciples.

           "Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed." (John 20:3-8)

           Upon telling the disciples that the tomb was empty Peter and the disciple ran together and arrived at the tomb. Peter, then stooped down looking into the tomb and saw the linen cloth the Lord has been wrapped in lying there. John says the napkin that covered the Lord's head was not with the linen wrap, but was lying by itself folded. John then went into the tomb also and seeing the Lord was not there knew He was resurrected at He has told them and he believed.

           "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. Then the disciples went away again unto their own home." (John 20:9-10)

           Jesus had repeatedly told the disciples that He would be killed and that He would rise on the third day. (Matt. 16:21) This verse confirms that they had not understood and therefore not believed what He has told them. The now believed that Jesus was arisen from the dead, but it was not because He had told them, but because they saw the empty tomb and grave cloths. They now saw visibly what Jesus had said and they believed. Seeing the Lord was arisen, the disciples then returned to Galilee expecting to see the Lord there as the angel had told the women.

           "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, 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. 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. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus." (John 20:11-14)

           After the disciples left the tomb, Mary Magdalene arrived for the second time. She did not know the Lord had arisen which confirms that she was not with the women whom Jesus had appeared to earlier. The entrance to the tomb was small and low to the ground and therefore she had to stoop down to see inside. As looked inside she saw two angels in white, one sitting where the Lord's feet had been and the other where His head had lain. The angel asked her why she was weeping and she replied that it was because they had taken away her Lord and she did not know where He had been laid. If she had know that Jesus had arisen from the grave certainly she would not have been mourning for Him.

           Sensing someone behind her she turned around and saw the Lord standing there but she did not recognize Him. In her grief she did not expect to see the Lord and probably did not fully look at the man standing behind her who she supposed to be a gardener. The Lord then repeated what the angels addressing her, but not using her name. "Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou?" We can only imagine the anguish she felt having loved the Lord so greatly who had delivered her from seven demons, forgiven her sins and given her eternal life. If we look carefully, we can see the comfort that those who knew the Lord experienced in His presence. Mary with great emotion appealed to the man she thought was a gardener that if he had taken the Lord's body to tell her where it was so she could take it away.

           "Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. 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. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her." (John 20:16-18)

           This time the Lord used her name and simply said "Mary." Oh, how she knew that voice! She turned herself fully to face Him and responded "Rabboni" meaning Master.

           She probably reached out to touch His feet, but the Lord told her not to touch Him because He had not yet ascended into heaven. Mary had followed the Lord during His ministry and would have certainly wanted to minister to the Lord as she had earlier, but now the situation was different. The word "touch" means to be attached to something. Jesus had not ascended into heaven and He had many things to do in the coming days before His ascension. As a man Jesus was present with them continuously, but now that was changed. He would only be with them when He appeared to them and He would not require their providing for Him as they had done.

           Jesus further told her to go to His brethren, which would include the disciples and all who believed on Him and tell them that He would " . . . ascend to His Father, your Father, my God and your God." The Lord told Mary to assure those who had believed on Him that His Father and God was also their Father and God. Although He would not physically be with them, they were still the children of God and assured their salvation and relationship with Him.

           We might imagine the excitement and joy Mary had in going to the disciples and telling them that she too had seen the Lord and that He has spoken these words of comfort to her to give to them. "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. 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." (John 20:19-20)

           Even though the Lord had been crucified by the Jewish elders, there still remained danger for His disciples. They now knew that Jesus was truly the Messiah and was the Son of God. They had know it earlier by His word, but know they knew it by experiencing Him in His resurrection. It was normal then that to these men who had received such a blessing in seeing their Lord resurrected would gather together for the evening meal. Thus they were assembled in the upper room rejoicing in the events of that day, but because of the threat of the Jews the doors of the room were shut.

           Jesus then appeared in the midst of them and comforted them with His greeting, "Peace be unto you." To ward off any question of who He was and that He was resurrected the Lord showed them Him hands, feet, and side. Upon seeing His wounds they were calmly happy in know now their Master was risen. "Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." (John 20:21-23)

           Jesus repeated the commission He had earlier given them assuring them that He gave unto them peace and that as the Father had sent Him so He was sending them. Jesus was returning to heaven and He was placing the ministry of preaching the Gospel now in the hands of His disciples. In the same way, with the same authority as the Father has sent Him, He was sending the disciples.

           Jesus then breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit. Jesus then commending the same power on all the disciples. He gave no special power to Peter as the Roman Catholic church purports. Jesus left no pope. The authority to Jesus gave to them was to act in His name according to the word of God. Only God can forgive sins and no man has been given the authority to forgive or not forgive sins. The apostles received from the Lord the doctrine of reconciliation, and the doctrine of condemnation. When they preached repentance and people responded in faith God would forgive their sins. It was not the messenger, but the message that caused men to see their sins and seek God's forgiveness. Only Jesus Christ is the intercessor between God and man. Paul explained to the Corinthians that the person who was committing fornication in that church was to be turned over to Satan. "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus." (1 Corinthians 5:4-5) Paul also turned Hymenaeus and Alexander over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.

           Some have mistaken concluded that this was the beginning of the institution of the local church. However, it is Acts 2 that records the founding event of beginning of the ekklesia. Their receiving the Holy Spirit is not the same thing as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told these same disciples just before He ascended into heaven to wait until they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. ("And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Acts 1:4-5) One can plainly see that if they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which means the permanent indwelling of the Spirit there would have been no need for the second indwelling as happened on Pentecost. What Jesus did was to give them the Holy Spirit in the same way that God had always done this in the Old Testament. Only David in the Old Testament was said to have received the Spirit permanently. Jesus was therefore empowering them to for the next fifty days until they received the permanent indwelling on the day He instituted His local church.

             Peter also exercised this authority when Simon saw the disciples laying hands on the people and they received the Holy Spirit and asked to receive the gift to make money. Peter responded saying ". . . Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money." Peter continued rebuking his sin and calling on him to repent. Only the disciples were given this authority, however, every child of God is to preach and teach the Gospel with the full authority of God's word.

           "But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 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." (John 20:24-25)

           The reason for Thomas' absence is not explained, but one cannot help but speculate what was the reason. Thomas, when Lazarus had died and there was danger in Jesus going to Bethany, had boldly proclaimed that he would go with the Lord to Jerusalem and die if need be. (John 11:16) We find a clue in his response to the other disciples telling him that the Lord had arisen and they had seen Him. Clearly, his faith waned and he replied he would not believe until he had seen his nail pieced hands and thrust his hand in the Lord's side.

           "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." (John 20:26)

           Eight days later the disciples were once again assembled as before behind closed doors and Thomas was with them. Once again Jesus appeared to them and greeted them saying "Peace be with you."

           "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. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed." (John 20:27-29)

           Jesus then spoke directly to Thomas and told him to reach with his finger and touch His hands and to reach forward and thrust his hand in the Lord's side. He told Thomas to do so with faith believing.

           Thomas' reply was to acknowledge personally who Jesus Christ was to him. He declared "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." (John 20:28) Thomas' statement was made directly to Jesus and is a clear affirmation of the His deity. Had Thomas' statement not been true, Jesus as a man of God would have surely rebuked Him. However, the Lord responded commending Thomas' belief in this truth. Jesus then proclaimed that those who would believe, who had not seen what Thomas had would be blessed. Their's would be the greater faith of believing the testimony of the Apostles and of God's word. Later Peter proclaimed the same truth "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: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you" (1 Peter 1:8-10)

           "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 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." (John 20:30-31)

           John then writes a summary of Jesus' ministry saying that He did many other miracles (signs) in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this Gospel. John states the purpose and theme of his Gospel in that it was written so that those who read it would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and that in believing by faith that truth, one might have life through His name. John's Gospel proves that Jesus was the Messiah and if one believed the proof they might have eternal life. The content of the Book was to bring men to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit John proclaims Jesus unto the day to the world.

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