An Amazing Discovery; An Empty Tomb John 20:1-10 Introduction

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1 Introduction Mary Magdalene braved the cold chill and the heavy darkness to make good on a promise. John the beloved Apostle was an eye-witness to the events he recorded. Peter was a real life participant in the greatest story ever told. John was not interested in writing a detailed account of the incidents of the resurrection to simply persuade the doubter, the skeptic and the unbeliever. John s account seems designed to accomplish two things; to relate the things that happened that caused him to immediately understand and believe the truth about Jesus Christ. Clearly John has another goal; to give enough evidence to lead anyone to immediate belief--if and only if the person is willing to believe. This chapter s focus is on three post-resurrection appearances of the Lord. Each appearance serves a purpose and provides support for the claims of Jesus; Jesus will appear to Mary (vv. 1-18); appear to the disciples (vv.19-25); and later appear to Thomas (vv.26-31). We are used to hearing this story on Resurrection Sunday. Three disciples descend on Jesus borrowed grave. All three expect a fresh body, a Roman Guard and a large stone. Millions attend church on Easter Sunday; they expect choirs to sing; they expect music to play; they expect trumpets to blow; and easter lilies to fill fragrant sanctuaries; but they don t expect a miracle, they don t expect anything unusual to happen. They expect to pay religious respect to the tradition that Jesus rose from the dead; but some secretly don t believe it s true. We are so familiar with the story; we know the stone will be rolled away; we know the grave clothes will be right on the crypts ledge; we know Jesus will be portrayed as alive. Mary expects to find a sealed tomb; Mary expects to find a dead body. Mary expects to finish some unfinished business; to make sure Jesus has a decent burial. Peter expects that something has happened; he wonders what Mary s story means; and what an empty tomb implies. John loves Jesus. John is willing to look with eyes of love into an empty tomb. One makes an unexpected discovery. One makes a surprising discovery. One makes a pensive discovery. The events surrounding the resurrection of Jesus tell us something about ourselves. An Unexpected Discovery: The Tomb Unsealed (vv.1-2) John 20:1-2 (NKJV) Now the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. Matthew s gospel says it was the end of the Sabbath ; meaning sometime between 3:00 AM and 6:00 AM (Matt. 28:1). The early church believed Jesus rose before dawn; before the sun rose on Sunday morning. The Jews never celebrated the birthdays of great men like Abraham or Joseph or Moses; they celebrated events like the Passover; but early on in the Book of Acts we see 1

2 believers gathering on Sunday, on the Lord s Day. Jesus rose on Sunday morning. Mary saw that the stone was already rolled back. Clearly the stone was not rolled back to let Jesus out of His grave but rather to let the curious inquirer in. An empty tomb--what does that mean? The French skeptic Renan said; You Christians live on the fragrance of an empty tomb. Indeed Monsieur Skeptic; how indeed did the tomb come to be empty? The skeptic replies; there could be any number of explanations. The disciples went to the wrong tomb. He was never there to begin with. His body was stolen. Packed on the body was a king s ransom in spices. This was sufficient motivation for even a detachment of troops to steal the body. You will note the skeptic rarely goes to the possibility that Jesus did in fact rise from the dead. But none of the claims seem credible. Did the soldiers steal the body? The soldiers were bribed to relate the story that the body was stolen by the disciples. Would the Jewish leaders steal the body? If so--all they had to do was produce the body when the disciples claimed he rose from the dead! Did the disciples steal the body? How did they get past the Roman guard? One Bible teacher writes;...his disciples did not believe that he was to be raised from the dead; it was His enemies that remembered His words (Matt. 27:62-66). They certainly would not have taken the body! The last they wanted was anyone believing that Jesus had indeed risen from the dead. If His friends could not steal the body, and His enemies would not, then who took it? (Wiersbe Vol. 1: TBEC; p.387). The fact of the empty tomb is testified by both the friends and enemies of Jesus. The Roman soldiers, the Jewish women, the followers of Jesus, the angels, all testified to the empty tomb. If Jesus had remained buried in that tomb; the story of his life and death would have largely remained with him. The book you are reading and the testimony you are hearing are largely the result of the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. The skeptic would have us believe the resurrection is an afterthought made by grieving disciples; desperate to keep the memory of their beloved Rabbi alive! The mythical end to a heroic life; or the product of mass hallucination. We reply the resurrection story did not grow out of wishful thinking, or grief gone wild; but rather of the historical fact of the resurrection. 2 (NKJV) Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him. Mary runs to Peter. Why is that important? In spite of the denial; Peter is still the recognized leader among the disciples. Mary runs to John; are the two disciples together? John identifies himself as the other disciple, whom Jesus loved. Or does Mary have to search out both? 2

3 Mary s statement They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him; reveals a deep affection for Jesus; but certainly not belief in the resurrection. Grief and passion have not caused her to fabricate a story; Mary has not invented the resurrection story as compensation for her grief. A Surprising Discovery: A Burial Shroud With No Body (vv.3-6) John 20:3 (NKJV) Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. The two go out to investigate the claims. An empty tomb--what does it mean? Clearly Christianity is the only religion on earth that claims its founder rose from the dead; Christianity invites all people to examine their own beliefs in light of that extraordinary claim. Paul claims in 1 Corinthians 15 that the empty tomb and the resurrection of Jesus is fundamental to the claims of the gospel. And if Christ be not risen; then our preaching is vain, and your faith is also vain (v.14). If Christ be not raised...you are yet in your sins (v.17). Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished (v.18). Remove the resurrection from Paul s message and Paul s message is gone. John 20:4 (NKJV) So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. Peter is older and slower. But both run--and it would appear the distance to where the disciples were staying the place where Jesus was buried could be accomplished in a single run. John 20:5 (NKJV) And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. John pauses. He does not cross the threshold of the tomb but glances in and sees the burial clothes lying there; and does not go in. The Greek word for looking in is blepo suggests a casual glance or a cursory glance; or perhaps an initial glance. The linen clothes are still in their folds; in other words--they do not appear to have been taken off or removed. They are simply there. It was as if the body of Jesus had some how exited the cocoon without benefit of unwrapping. It s as if the body of Jesus simply vanished or evaporated. John 20:6 (NKJV) Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, Earlier John saw or glanced; but here John uses a different verb for he saw --the Greek term is theoreo--our own term theatre comes from this root word. We are left with the impression that Peter took a good, long, lingering, careful look. 3

4 What does this mean? If the body were removed by robbers or taken by authorities; the cloth would have been taken as well. We are left with the impression that the two disciples do not discuss the implications or their thoughts with each other. To his credit at least Peter goes into the tomb. A Pensive Discovery: Perception and Persuasion (vv.7-10) John 20:7-8 (NKJV) and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. The word translated handkerchief is soudarion (same in Luke 19:20). Sometimes this word was used to describe a scarf or neckcloth; it was used to protect the back of the head from the ever present desert heat in the middle-east. Some suggest it could mean a face-cloth for wiping perspiration; but it probably means burial cloth (NIV). We are told this handkerchief had been wrapped around the corpse s head. The handkerchief is neatly folded together in a separate place! In the ancient world different cultures dealt differently with the dead. The ancient Egyptians embalmed their dead. In Roman and Greek cultures the dead were often cremated. The Jews in ancient Judea wrapped their dead in linen clothes; with dried spices; and they were placed on their backs on open ledges inside tombs. Once the body had decomposed they would gather the bones and place them in limestone boxes called ossuaries (or bone boxes). The body was not completely wrapped; but the shoulders, neck and head were left bare. Arms were crossed; and on the head a kerchief or turban was carefully wrapped on the head. Can you imagine? John s head is spinning; reeling, his mind is wondering, pondering, thinking. Do thieves vacuum the carpet, do the laundry and fold the towels when they ransack a home? 8 (NKJV) Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. Once again John uses a different verb in the Greek language for saw. John enters the tomb; the verb used is orao--which means to see with understanding. John believes. What does John believe? That the body is gone? Well yes--but not disturbed, or reinterred, or stolen, but resurrected. Jesus is alive. John believes what he sees. Mary is the first at the tomb. Peter is the first in the tomb. But John is the first to believe the resurrection. William Barclay is right; That must always be John s great glory. He was the first man to understand and to believe. Love gave him eyes to read the signs and a mind to understand (see Vol. 2; p.267). 4

5 John sees the linen; remembers the prophecy that Jesus would rise from the dead. John loves and believes. This is important. I have never met a single person who has come to believe that Jesus Christ is Lord; because of hearing profound philosophical arguments. It is true that philosophy can provide a rational basis or argument that belief in God and belief in Jesus is reasonable; but not conclusive. Love is able to sense and feel and know the truth. Again Barclay reminds us that Love can grasp the truth when intellect is left groping and uncertain. Love can realize the meaning of a thing when research is blind. Once a young artist brought a picture of Jesus to Gustave Dore for his verdict. Dore was slow to give it; but at last he did so in one sentence. You don t love him, or you would paint him better. We can neither understand Jesus nor help others to understand him, unless we take our hearts to him as well as our minds (See Vol. 2; pp ). Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 1 John 4:16 (NKJV) And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. John 20:9-10 (NKJV) For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. The previous predictions of Jesus had somehow eluded the thick disciples. Psalm 16:9-11 (NKJV) 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. 10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. 11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. That Scripture will form the basis of a sermon Peter will preach in the not to distant future in Acts 2: Psalm 49:15 (NKJV) 15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah John has taken the journey from unbelief to belief. Jesus is alive. A biography was written about R.W. Dale; the famous Congregational minister; The thought of the risen Lord broke in upon him as it had never done before. Christ is alive, I said to myself; alive! and then I paused--- alive! and then I paused again; alive! Can 5

6 that really be true? Living as really as I myself am? I got up and walked about repeating, Christ is living! Christ is living!...it was to me a new discovery. I thought that all along I had believed it; but not until that moment did I feel sure about it. I then said, My people shall know it; I shall preach it again and again until they believe it as I do now...then began the custom of singing in Carr s Lane on every Sunday morning an Easter hymn. (quoted from R. Kent Hughes commentary on John; p. 454). Do you remember when you first believed; really believed that Jesus was alive? I remember. I was sixteen years old. A young evangelist was preaching from John s gospel; the eleventh chapter. It was the story of Lazarus. The full implication of Jesus raising the dead body of Lazarus began to sink deep in my soul. Jesus was alive. Jesus could bring dead people back to life. I wondered if Jesus; the living Jesus would be willing to bring my dead heart back to life. I wondered if he would forgive my sins. I wondered if he would be willing to save someone like me. We have every reason to believe that John was a teenager when he visited that tomb. Did John understand the atonement was complete? God had raised Jesus from the dead. The empty grave becomes a place of hope. Graves are usually a place of grief and sorrow and bitter disappointment. Graves are not the place where you say hello but say good-bye. But the empty tomb of Jesus becomes the place where hope ripens into the fruit of salvation. But not for everyone. Peter s doubts still linger. Mary s pain and confusion are not yet gone. How many people do you know who buried their hopes and their dreams because their hopes and dreams were contained in the person who died? Graves exist--not only in the deep oceans, and manicured cemeteries; cold earth; and hot ovens; or the side of limestone cliffs; human hearts are sometime sepulchres; the place where people bury their hopes and their dreams. Every Sunday--someone comes to our church and their heart is empty; or broken; or scared by some unrealized hope or unfulfilled expectation. Have you come to realize that Jesus is alive? Did you know your sorrow can become joy and your disappoint can become hope; and your guilt can become a cleansed heart; and your fear can become love? The resurrection teaches us that the mission of Jesus was divine; and his willingness to enter into suffering on our behalf would bring healing; the resurrection assures us of God s unchanging character and our own eternal life. The resurrection of Jesus is a downpayment and assurance of our own resurrection; and the resurrection is Christ s pledge that we can trust the goodness of Jesus and the truth of His message. 10 (NKJV) Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. Mary remains. She is not prepared to leave the tomb just yet. She expresses her grief in tears. The sorrow and the separation are open sores. Women are remarkable. They seldom forsake those they love; even when the last few hours have been filled with darkness; even with the 6

7 promise that the peeking sun may offer a new day. The disciples have left. Whatever excitement the future holds for Peter and John it is not at this empty tomb. But Mary remains; and in a moment will have an unforgettable experience; she will have a rendezvous with an angel; and a reunion with her Lord. Mary s journey is not quite over. She remains grief-stricken, heartsick, ravaged, devastated; but in the space of few moments she will experience joy unspeakable and full of glory. The disciples also have a journey ahead; it means going from fear to courage; and for one disciple named Thomas it will mean taking a journey from doubt to assurance. Conclusion The resurrection is recorded in all four gospels. The resurrection was not immediately believed by all. The resurrection would become the theme of the gospel. The resurrection makes it possible and guarantees that we can take the journey from guilt to innocence; from separation to reunion; we can take the journey from weakness and impotence to power and strength (Eph. 1:18-2:10). The resurrection means that death will never have the final word; not for any of us; it means that we will exchange dishonor for glory (1 Cor. 15:43); the resurrection is the first stop on a non-stop journey through eternity; it marks the beginning of the Lordship of Jesus over His church; it warns the sinner of the coming Judgment Day; and it forever seals the doom of Satan. 7