The Case for the Resurrection. (John 20:1-31)
Full Transcript.
When considering the resurrection of Christ, several major passages in the Bible come to mind. In previous Easter messages I have given in church I have drawn from various scriptures, including Matthew, John, and even Paul, to discuss the evidence for the resurrection.
While topical Bible studies have their place, particularly when you use them to mark a date in the calendar or a religious season overall I have the highest regard for what is called expository preaching, where we carefully move through a passage to see how the Holy Spirit guided the authors of Scripture.
As I reflected after preaching my most recent Easter sermon, I wondered if there was a single passage that comprehensively laid out the evidence for the resurrection of Christ. And I believe I concluded there is and we have reached that passage today.
John chapter 20 not only tells the story of Jesus' resurrection but does so in a way that presents evidence almost as if John were a lawyer laying out his case before a jury.
One todays episode I am going to ask you to imagine you are on a jury and I am going to attempt to present the evidence that John presents here to prove that the resufrrection really took place.
Welcome to TBPDP….
The major theme of John chapter 20 is the resurrection of Jesus.
Now, John also touches on other spiritual truths throughout these 31 verses. And as we quickly move through the chapter, I plan to highlight the primary evidence for the resurrection but also note the additional insights John provides.
Let's begin by looking at the first piece of evidence John gives us: the witness of the empty tomb, described in the opening verses. Verse, one begins...
1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.
(John 20: 1-4)
John begins by telling us that early on Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb where Jesus had been buried. To her astonishment, she discovered that the stone had been rolled away. Startled and confused, she ran to find Simon Peter and this, “other disciple, whom Jesus loved”.
This other disciple is not named in the Gospel, but for centuries, scholars have agreed that it is John himself, the author of this Gospel. Perhaps out of humility, John refrains from naming himself directly.
Mary’s reaction upon discovering the empty tomb was to assume that someone had taken Jesus' body. In fact, she says to Peter and John, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him." This is a significant observation because at this point, Mary had no thought of a resurrection. She quickly jumped to the conclusion that someone had stolen the body and relocated it.
This tendency to jump to conclusions without full information is not unique to Mary. It’s a common human trait. We often see a situation, gather a few facts, and hastily arrive at a conclusion. This happens in our families, among friends, and even within the church.
Mary had some evidence—the stone was rolled away—which led her to make what on the surface seems a logical but incorrect conclusion.
Similarly, we can easily base our assumptions on incomplete information. Mary’s initial conclusion that someone had stolen Jesus' body was reasonable given what she observed, but it was not the actual truth.
When Peter and John heard Mary’s report, they immediately ran to the tomb to see for themselves. Verse 3 tells us, The two are initially running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first." John, likely because he was younger, outran Peter and arrived first.
5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
(John 20: 5-10)
Verse 5 tells us, "Bending down and looking in, he sees linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in." John hesitated, perhaps out of fear or reverence. Peter, however, being more impulsive, went straight into the tomb.
What they found was remarkable. The linen cloths were lying there, and the cloth that had been around Jesus' head was neatly folded in a place by itself. This is significant for two reasons.
First, if the body had been stolen, it is unlikely that the grave robbers would have taken the time to unwrap it, let alone neatly fold the head cloth.
Second, the position of the linen cloths suggests that the body had not been hastily removed but had somehow passed through the wrappings.
John sees the grave clothes, and believed. The sight of the undisturbed grave clothes was enough to convince him immediately of the resurrection.
This is the first piece of evidence John presents: the witness of the tomb itself. The stone had been removed, the tomb was empty, and the grave clothes were left in an orderly fashion, suggesting that Jesus had risen. It was enough evidence for John himself to believe.
Next, John provides another piece of evidence: the witness of Mary Magdalene.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene.
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
In these verses, we learn that Mary stayed outside the tomb, weeping. When she looked inside, she saw two angels in white, sitting where Jesus' body had been. They asked her why she is crying, and she replied, "“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him”.
Turning around, she sees Jesus standing there but initially doesn’t recognize Him at first. Jesus asked her why she was weeping and mistaking Him for the gardener, she asked if He had taken the body. Jesus then speaks her name, "Mary”, and she turned and recognized Him, calling Him "Rabboni.” Jesus then tells her to go and tell the other disciples.
Mary then goes to the disciples, proclaiming that she had seen the risen Lord and relayed His message to them. This personal encounter with the risen Christ is a powerful testament to His resurrection.
John here presents this as further evidence to convince and reinforce the disciples of the reality of Jesus' triumph over death.
John effectively acts as an attorney, laying out his case for the resurrection of Christ. He first presents the physical evidence of the empty tomb and the grave clothes, then follows it with the personal testimony of Mary Magdalene. Both pieces of evidence build a compelling case for the reality of the resurrection, inviting us, the reader, the jury, to reach a verdict of belief.
In presenting this account, John, as a meticulous attorney, would point to Mary and say, "Here's the evidence: at first, she did not believe and thought someone had stolen the body. But she then became a witness, the first witness of Jesus' resurrection and the first one to tell others."
This is the second piece of evidence John provides: the witness of Mary. But there’s more.
If Jesus had appeared only to individuals, we might have concluded they were hallucinating or dreaming. However, He appeared on more than one occasion to entire groups. John next describes the witness of the other disciples.
In verses 19 to 23, John tells us about Jesus' appearance to the disciples:
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After He said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again, Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that, He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’”
(John 20: 19-23)
This appearance to the disciples in this narrative is significant. It was still the first day of the week, the day of His resurrection. The disciples were gathered in a room with the door locked, fearful of the what the Jewish authorities might do. After all they were the ones who had in effect crucified Jesus. They were afraid they might be next.
In this frightened state, Jesus suddenly appeared among them. This is presented as another miraculous event since the door was locked and bolted.
The first thing Jesus said to them was, "Peace be with you." The Bible frequently speaks of peace, and there are several types of peace. Here, Jesus refers to peace for their troubled souls.
Their fear of the Jews was intense and well founded, but His peace displaced their fear, replacing it with calm. Verse 20 tells us, "The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord again." Once their fear was replaced with peace, joy followed.
This interaction highlights the significant relationship between fear, peace, and joy. When there is fear, there can be no peace. Without peace, joy will always be absent. Jesus' presence brought peace to the troubled disciples, which in turn brought them joy.
In verse 21, Jesus again says, “Peace be with you.” This repetition suggests a different kind of peace than the one mentioned in verse 19. Initially, He provided peace to their troubled souls, calming their fears. But now, in verse 21, He grants peace for their service, preparing them for the mission ahead.
This peace that accompanies the Great Commission is found in the fact that the Father sent Jesus into the world and Jesus now send His followers into the world also.
“I am sending you," He says. Jesus isn't giving them a new task but a continuation of His mission—to reveal God and proclaim His truth.
Verse 22 states, "And with that, He breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'" This act isn't the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which occurs later at Pentecost, as described in Acts 2 and Acts 11. Rather, this is a foretaste of the empowerment they will receive.
The Old Testament prophets often experienced similar fillings of the Spirit for specific tasks. Here, Jesus gives them the Commission (verse 21) and the power (verse 22) to carry it out.
Jesus elaborates on their mission: "If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." This doesn't mean the apostles had the power to forgive sins in an absolute sense but rather that they were commissioned to preach the conditions for forgiveness.
Throughout the New Testament, it is clear that forgiveness is based on faith in Jesus Christ. If someone believes, they are forgiven; if not, their sins remain. The apostles’ role, our role is to preach this message of salvation.
The appearance of Jesus to the disciples is significant proof of His resurrection. He shows them His wounds, gives them peace, and commissions them to spread the gospel. And this commissioning includes the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, emphasizing the importance and seriousness of their mission.
All Christians still to this day share in this Commission. Just as the disciples were sent, we too are called to spread the message of forgiveness and salvation. We too are sent to share the message of forgiveness, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and granted peace for our service. Just as the disciples were transformed by their encounter with the risen Christ, we too are called to be His witnesses in the world, transformed also by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As John continues to build his case for the resurrection of Jesus, he now presents the testimony of Thomas, often referred to as "Doubting Thomas." In verses 24 to 29, we see Thomas's initial scepticism yet still leading to his eventual great confession of faith.
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” 28 Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
(John 20: 24-29)
We learn here that Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, was not present when Jesus first appeared to the others. When the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord," Thomas responded with scepticism. Saying, he would not believe unless he saw the nail marks in Jesus' hands and put his finger where the nails were and his hand into Jesus' side.
This extra account emphasizes the importance of faith while also at the same time acknowledging the very real human condition we all have to deal with, doubt.
Because Thomas was absent, he missed the opportunity to witness Jesus' initial appearance. Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. Again although the doors were locked, Jesus miraculously appeared among them and said, "Peace be with you." Jesus then directly addressed Thomas, inviting him to touch His wounds and encouraging him to believe.
Jesus' words to Thomas, "Stop doubting and believe," are crucial. The Greek text literally translates to "do not become unbelieving but believing," indicating that doubt can lead us down a path to unbelief if not addressed. Thomas responds with a powerful declaration of faith: "My Lord and my God!" (verse 28). This is the most profound declaration of faith because it goes beyond acknowledging Jesus' resurrection; it affirms Jesus' deity.
John concludes this chapter by providing the purpose of his gospel in verses 30 and 31. I have quoted these verses several time before in our journey through this gospel, even you may remember in the introductory episode where I tried to lay out for us the main purpose of this gospel that we were about to study.
30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
(John 20: 30-31)
He tells us that Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. However, the signs that are written are meant to lead readers to believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, they may have life in His name.
This passage underscores that the gospels are particular accounts, focused on conveying specific truths rather than exhaustive biographies. John's gospel aims to demonstrate the deity of Jesus Christ and His role as the promised Messiah.
In this chapter John has presented multiple witnesses to the resurrection of Christ: the empty tomb, Mary Magdalene, the disciples, and Thomas. Each witness adds another layer of depth and credibility to the claim of the resurrection.
· The Empty Tomb: The presence of grave clothes and the absence of Jesus' body.
· Mary Magdalene: Her personal encounter with the risen Christ.
· The Disciples: Their collective witness and commissioning by Jesus.
· Thomas: His initial doubt and eventual confession of Jesus as Lord and God.
John also emphasizes the importance of believing in Jesus as the risen Christ, the Son of God. And this belief is not presented as merely an intellectual assent but a transformative faith that grants eternal life.
For us today, this passage challenges us to examine our own faith. Like Thomas, we may have doubts, but Jesus meets us where we are, offering peace and evidence to bolster our belief.
As believers, we are commissioned to share this message of forgiveness and salvation with the world, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
We are called to represent Christ, to go where He sends you, and persist until the task is complete. Just as Jesus empowered His disciples, He empowers us today to fulfil this Great Commission, spreading the message of His resurrection and the promise of eternal life.
This Gospel of John: The entire book serves as a scriptural witness to Jesus’ resurrection.
While we do not have the empty tomb today. We do not have a grave for our faiths great leader as other religions do, but we do have the scriptures. Jesus Himself pointed out the power and sufficiency of the scriptures, stating that if people do not believe God's word, they would not believe even if someone were to rise from the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus is not a fable or an invention but is supported by substantial evidence.
Jesus is not merely a historical figure but the living God. Unlike other leaders whose influence ended with their death, Jesus' resurrection demonstrates His continuing power and lordship.
Our present reality is that Christ is alive, and this reality has profound implications for us today. He offers peace, joy, and purpose to those who believe in Him.
Belief in the resurrected Christ also is the thing which grants us eternal life. The croos grants us our forgivenss, the resurrection grants us our place in heaven.
But in the meantime on earth our life can be filled with peace, and out of that peace can rise joy, and a divine mission, and extends beyond the grave.
Encountering the risen Christ transforms lives. Just as the disciples experienced peace and joy, so can we, along with the responsibility to share this message with others.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a foundational truth that offers hope and assurance. Because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow with confidence.
John's gospel culminates with Thomas's declaration, "My Lord and my God!" This acknowledgment of Jesus' deity invites us to make a similar confession. Understanding who Jesus is and trusting in Him brings eternal life, which is not merely a future promise but a present reality.
In the words of others who have gone before us, the grave is not an end for us but a passage to eternal life. Jesus' resurrection transforms our understanding of life and death. Because He lives, we, too, shall live.
So, John in the closing chapters of his gospel account urges us to embrace the risen Savior, and experience His peace and joy, and embark on the eternal life He offers.
Jesus Christ walked into a dark tomb and emerged victorious, bringing light and life to all who believe in Him.
The call in this passage today is to trust in Him today and be assured of life now and forever.