Our Bible Text …
1 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. 2 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.
3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre. 5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, 7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed. 9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.
Someone noticed this parallel …
“Let there be Light!” (First day of creation week!)
“Let there be more Light” (First Day of Resurrection Week, truly a SUNday!)
(Remember, Jesus is the Light of the world, John 8:12.)
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Jesus did not sneak out of the tomb, as if an escaping criminal! God sent an angel who rolled back the stone, and Jesus (if He so chose) walked out, openly and unashamedly!
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Oh, the lovely “differences” among God’s children!
John, having been fleet of foot, arrived at the gravesite first in chapter 20.
(Just see the Text above.) The younger disciple outran the older one! But then Peter got to the shore of the Sea Galilee first in chapter 21!
John 21:7 … Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
John 21:11 … Simon Peter went up, and drew the net to land full of great fishes, an hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken.
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I still might make a chart and share this data in class. Prior to our completing John chapter 20, of course. Five “Meetings” …
The “Empty-Tomb” Meeting (verses 1-10)!
The Mary Magdalene Meeting (verses 11-18)!
The Great Commission Meeting (verses 19-23)!
The Doubting Thomas Meeting (verses 24-29)!
The “You the Readers” Meeting (verses 30-31)!
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I alluded to these three prophecies of Jesus in the Lesson. Now, here are the exact references …
Mark 8:27-32 … “And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am? 28 And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets. 29 And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. 30 And he charged them that they should tell no man of him. 31 And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32 And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.”
Mark 9:31-32 … “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.”
Mark 10:32-34 … “And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: and they were amazed; and as they followed, they were afraid. And he took again the twelve, and began to tell them what things should happen unto him, 33 Saying, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests, and unto the scribes; and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles: 34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.”
For three consecutive chapters … the Cross is looming!
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John, but not by name …
John 13:23 … “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.”
John 19:26 … “When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!”
John 20:2 … “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 21:7 … “Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.”
John 21:20 … “Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?”
(Note … 4 of these 5 times, in association with Peter!)
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Calvary does not exhaust the Gospel!
The Resurrection is essential, too!
Romans 10:9-10 … “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Romans 4:25 … “Jesus, Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
Romans 5:10 … “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” (He is alive!)
And let’s add Hebrews 7:25 … “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
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Looks like Jesus, as it were, “changed His clothes,” prior to leaving the Tomb that glorious morning! (His linen garments were still wrapped, undisturbed!)
So did (Old Testament) Joseph prior to leaving his “prison!”
Genesis 41:14 … “Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.”
(Another of the nearly 100 ways Joseph is a “type” of Jesus!)
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I found this information in an on-line commentary I bought …
“The whole chapter (John 20) unites various responses to Jesus, illustrating the diverse ways people can become believers in the resurrection: the beloved disciple believes when he sees Jesus’ grave clothes (John 20:1–10); Mary believes when Jesus calls her name (John 20:11–18); the disciples believe when they actually see him (John 20:19–23); Thomas, more skeptical, believes when called to probe Jesus’ Hands and Side (John 20:24–29); and finally, the Gospel praises most highly those who believe without seeing (John 20:29).”
(I thought this was powerful! The quoted author is Craig Keener, I believe his name is spelled correctly. And, by the way, this does not mean I agree or endorse everything Dr. Keener wrote!)
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Best yet, though I seem to have not had time to include all I studied … watch the video, the whole class …
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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