Day 96, John 20
Our final account of the resurrection is from John. You may like to look back in your journal to read the details John captured for us in the days leading up to this moment. John’s account is the most detailed of the four gospel accounts of Jesus’ trials, death and resurrection. He is “the other disciple” mentioned in this chapter; an eyewitness of this pivotal event in history. I love the progression we see in John’s account. First Mary Magdalene goes to the tomb and finds it empty, then she hurries to tell the men, and Peter and John take off running to see what has happened. The younger (John) outruns the older (Peter) and gets there first. He describes what he sees (linen cloths) but doesn’t go in (it was not permitted for Jews to touch death). Peter is more headstrong and goes in. He sees more details (the separate folded head cloth), but there is still more to come. John follows Peter into the tomb and looks at the evidence, and believes. Remember this gospel is written to enable us to believe with John (see verse 31). There is a progression in the Greek words for seeing in that story: first John sees the cloths through the doorway (like you might see the color of the stoplight ahead of you on the road), then Peter sees more details (different word that implies closer examination, more like checking the expiration date on a package), but finally John sees differently and believes. The Greek word is horao, and it means to look closely and focus on the significance of what you see. Believing comes from looking closely and allowing the significance to sink in. Then Peter and John head back to the others.
Next Mary returns, not yet knowing the full significance of the empty tomb. She has an angelic encounter that draws out the depth of her grief over the missing body, and then she meets Jesus! Notice how women take the lead in discovering the resurrection as well as in meeting the risen Jesus. Mary is sent (literally apostled) to tell the men about this absolute change in the relationship between God and mankind.
Now that Jesus has been demonstrated to be victorious over death (and thus over sin), His Father is now our Father. Mary is commissioned first with that life-giving message.
By evening, all the disciples (except Thomas) have met Jesus in His risen body (the one that does not respect locked doors). They have been commissioned to proclaim forgiveness of sin so that everyone can enjoy this new life with Father God. Thomas remains doubtful because he was the only one not in the room. Although his friends told him about this encounter, he is unconvinced. But doubting hearts are as ineffective as locked doors for keeping Jesus out. He is the victor over ALL that hinders restored relationship with God, and eight days later Thomas also receives a personalized revelation of Jesus’s victory over death. This brings these words spilling out of his heart: “My Lord, and My God!”
Jesus lovingly teaches Thomas that seeing is believing, and that believing without seeing is even more blessed. God wants everyone to receive the gift of life. Whether they have to see to believe, or simply believe on the testimony and evidence they have.
How will you be blessed in believing today? And who will you introduce to the good news that Jesus is alive?
Have a great day!
Mark.