"I Have Seen The Lord"

INTRO

John 19 was a tough passage yesterday as we looked at all that Jesus had to go through, and we ended by considering what we might also have to go through. We didn’t end on good news because John 19 didn’t end with good news. John 20 begins with the transformation to life and hope.

TEACHING

John 20:1–10: Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, and when she found the stone had been rolled away from the entrance, she ran to find Peter and John (v. 1). Note that John never mentions himself by name but as “the one whom Jesus loved,” which was a sign of humility on John’s part. Mary told the disciples that Jesus’ tomb was empty and that His body was missing (v. 2). Simon Peter and John ran to the tomb. John made it there first, but didn’t enter (vv. 3–5). Simon Peter entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths folded up (v. 6–7). John saw and believed, but they didn’t understand the Scripture that Jesus would rise from the dead (vv. 8–9). Then, the two left and went back to their homes.

John 20:11–18: Mary Magdalene also returned to the tomb and was crying, but no information is given about how she got there or if she saw the disciples there. Proverbs 8:17 says, “I love those who love me, and those who search for me find me,” which is a beautiful picture of Mary Magdalene coming back to the tomb. (Psalm 30:5.) When she looked into the tomb, she saw two angels (v. 12). Remember Luke 24:4 recorded two angels as well, and Mark 16:5 and Matthew 28:2–3 each recorded one angel at the tomb. The angels asked Mary why she was crying (but they knew why!). She turned around and saw Jesus, but she didn’t recognize Him. MacArthur suggests several reasons Mary might not have recognized Jesus: (1) possibly she couldn’t see Him through her tears; (2) possibly she still had the sight of Jesus’ bruised and beaten body on her mind; (3) possibly Jesus’ post- Resurrection appearance looked very different; and (4) possibly she was “supernaturally prevented from recognizing Him until He chose for her to do so.”¹Jesus’ disciples on the road to Emmaus also didn’t recognize Jesus after His resurrection (Luke 24:16–31), and John recognized Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee when the other disciples didn’t (John 21:7).

It’s important to note that Jesus first appeared to a woman. Constable states, “No Jewish author in the ancient world would have invented a story with a woman as the first witness to this most important event.”2 Jesus asked Mary the same question the angels asked her: “Why are you crying?” And He asked her who she was looking for (v. 15). She thought He might have been the gardener who knew where Jesus’ body had been taken. She obviously did not expect Jesus to be alive. In verse 16, Jesus said, “Mary,” and she knew who He was. John 10:27 says, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” Mary heard His voice and recognized the Lord.

Mary’s recognition of Jesus takes us back to His seven great “I am” statements, which are:

1. I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35).
2. I am the Light of the world (John 8:12).
3. I am the Door of the sheep (John 10:7, 9).
4. I am the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14).
5. I am the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).
6. I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).
7. I am the True Vine (John 15:1, 5).

Constable has identified all of the post-Resurrection appearances according to Jesus’ post-Resurrection time line³:

On Easter Morning, Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9–11; John 20:10–18), the other women (Matthew 29:9–10), and to Peter (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5).

2 Edwin A. Blum, “John,” in Bible Knowledge Commentary: New Testament, ed. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, (Wheaton, IL: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1983) p. 342; quoted in Thomas L. Constable, Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable, p. 521; available at https://planobiblechapel.org/tcon/notes/pdf/john.pdf.

On Easter Afternoon, Jesus appeared to two disciples on the Emmaus road (Luke 24:13–32).

On Easter Evening, Jesus appeared to about 12 disciples excluding Thomas (Mark 16:14; John 20:19–23).

On the Following Sunday, Jesus appeared to the 11 disciples including Thomas (John 20:26–28).

During the following 32 days, Jesus appeared to seven disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:1–23), 500 people (including the 11 disciples) at a mountain at Galilee (Matthew 28:16–20; 1 Corinthians 15:6), His half-brother James (1 Corinthians 15:7), His disciples in Jerusalem (Luke 24:44–49; Acts 1:3–8; 1 Corinthians 15:7), and His disciples on Mount Olivet (Mark 16:19–20; Luke 24:50–53; Acts 1:9–12).

The Resurrection appearance in today’s chapter was only the first one. There’s historical value to understanding that Jesus showed up to multiple people, groups, and crowds, on multiple occasions.

Mary is usually described as falling at Jesus’ feet when she saw Him. So when she encountered Jesus after the Resurrection, He told her not to cling to Him (John 20:17). Nelson’s Commentary defines the idea of “clinging to” as “to fasten oneself to” or “to hold.”⁴Possibly, Mary wanted to cling to Jesus because she didn’t want to lose Him again. Jesus sent her to tell His disciples that she had seen Him. Mary, the woman, was given the assignment to announce His resurrection to His disciples. She went immediately and announced, “I have seen the Lord.”

John 20:19–23: The disciples were gathered together behind a locked door because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews had killed Jesus, and they were afraid they might be next. Even though the door was locked, Jesus miraculously appeared before them and said to them, “Peace to you”—His ministry on earth had been completed. He showed them the scars in His hands and said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you” (v. 22). He commissioned them to do exactly what He had been sent to do—bring the gospel of peace (John 17:18). We are to be like Jesus in the world.

Then, “He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (v. 22). Nelson’s Commentary explains that this was “a special preparation of the apostles who were to become the foundation of the church at Pentecost,” and that Jesus “breathed the Spirit into the disciples” in a way to remind them of God’s breath giving life to Adam in Genesis.⁵The question is whether the disciples received the Spirit here or at Pentecost. Although there’s no way for us to know, I believe the disciples received the Holy Spirit in this moment, with Jesus, to prepare them for Pentecost (John 14:25–29), and that they received the baptism of fire at Pentecost. The Holy Spirit only comes through Jesus.

CLOSING

Jesus was constantly showing up to His disciples, and He is constantly showing up to us as well. And when we encounter Jesus, we will always have His peace.