John 20

Chap. XX. Ver. 1—18. Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre.—Besides Mary Magdalene, Matthew mentions another Mary, (meaning, most probably, Mary the wife of Cleopas, who stood with her at the foot of the cross, (John 19:25),) and Mark mentions other women; so that it appears there were at least three: but John’s narrative concerns one only, though at the same time her language implies that there was at least another; for she says, verse 2, “‘We know not,”’ &c. Notwithstanding all that Jesus had intimated about rising from the dead, it does not appear that any one of his disciples, male or female, anticipated such an event; and how they interpreted his language on such occasions, is to us incomprehensible.

It should seem as if Providence had cast, as it were, a mist over the eyes of their minds, that they might fall under no suspicion of acting a part to deceive others. Had they but suspected that he were risen, they would not have carried spices to embalm him, nor would they have been under any anxiety about rolling away the stone; much less would they have been alarmed when they found the stone removed, lest the body should have been stolen. Nor does even Mary Magdalene, with all her sanguine attachment to him, seem to have entertained an idea of his resurrection, till Jesus spoke to her; and then, though she did not recollect his person, (perhaps not being dressed as usual,) she in a moment recognised his voice, the well known sound of which vibrated in rapture on her ear, and perhaps she was eager to embrace him; but he desires her not to stop at present, for he was not yet ascended, nor about immediately to leave them.

Shortly, however, he should “ascend to his Father and their Father—to his and their God.” The text does not say that she did not touch him; her laying hold of him might be the reason of his desiring her not to hold him at the present. Ver. 19—31. Jesus again appears to his disciples, and afterwards to Thomas, and shows them his hands and his feet.—It is worthy of observation, that while our Lord Jesus shows the utmost anxiety to satisfy his own disciples of the reality of his resurrection, by repeated appearances and conversations, accompanied by circumstances decidedly miraculous, as in the present instance, he does not in any one instance appear to his enemies, the priests and unbelieving Jews.

This has been objected to by infidel writers as a suspicious circumstance: it should be considered, however, that he had in his lifetime, and even at his death, wrought a great number of miracles, which, when they could not deny their reality, they perversely attributed to demons, though at the same time they were of the most benevolent character: and, after all this, not only refused to credit them, but persecuted him to death on account of them. What claim could these men have to more miracles? In the next place, it should be considered that this is in harmony with the conduct of God, as respects the principles of what is called natural religion. On the doctrine of a future state, for instance, though reason furnishes a variety of arguments sufficient to convince men who are not unwilling to see it, the evidence is not of that overwhelming nature as to preclude the possibility of doubt, or to counterbalance the influence of the corrupt passions of mankind.

As it is hard in secular things to convince a man against his will, so is it difficult to convince a libertine that he will be called to account before the bar of God, when his hopes, his wishes, his passions, all say—No! Those who would not be convinced, were justly left to perish in their sins. But let us consider the incidents here related. The evening of the same day on which our Lord had appeared early in the morning to Mary Magdalene and others, he appeared to the body of his disciples, who were assembled with closed doors, on account of the Jews. A report had been raised that these disciples had stolen the body of their Master, and it was natural to expect that the Jews would prosecute them with the same virulence as they had done him.

The doors being fastened, however, seems mentioned for the purpose of showing that our Saviour’s entrance among them was miraculous; and the exhibition of his wounds was evidently designed to demonstrate the identity of his person. The Salaam he pronounced, “Peace be unto you!” was in perfect harmony with his farewell discourse, ((John 14:27),) in which he promises them peace and happiness. At first, however, Luke informs us (ch. xxiv. 37) they were much alarmed, under the idea that it was his ghost, till he allowed them to handle his limbs and inspect his wounds. “A spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have;” and, for their farther conviction, he did eat before them, ((Luke 24:42-43);) for it must be recollected that, though our Lord was raised from the dead as Lazarus and others had been, his body, probably, did not undergo its final change, so as to become spiritual and glorified, till the time of his ascension into glory.

Then, as St. Paul says of those who shall be found alive at the sounding of the last trumpet, “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye,” that mysterious change might be induced. On the same occasion our Lord breathed upon them, as indicative of the gift of the Holy Spirit, which, not many days after this, they were to receive, and whereby they were qualified to “discern spirits,” or to read the hearts of men, and to announce their pardon, or otherwise, as the case might be. Farther than as every minister of God’s word is authorized to denounce his judgments against all sin, and promise pardon to all penitent believers. This clearly refers to miraculous powers, and is confined to apostolic times.

But to return to our history.—Thomas not being present on the above occasion, was so incredulous as to protest against the truth of what was stated to him by the other apostles; but Jesus, knowing his objection did not arise from infidelity of heart, but from a fear that the news was (as we sometimes say) too good to be true, was pleased to appear to them again on that any week, when Thomas himself was present; and so far was he from persevering in his objection, that he no sooner saw the Lord than he both confessed and adored him—Thomas answered, “My Lord, and my God!” These words have indeed been variously explained, and to avoid the evidence resulting from them in favour of our Lord’s divinity, some have supposed this to be the language merely of surprise and passion, a vain, and, indeed, a profane exclamation!

But the text says, “Thomas answered and said unto him,” that is, unto Christ himself—“My Lord, and my God!” and our Lord himself plainly so understood it, for he replies, “Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed.” So the learned Reformer, Beza: “From the pronoun ‘to him,’ it appears that the words which follow are not merely the expression of the Apostle’s admiration, as the Nestorians used to evade this passage; but the words represent him addressing Jesus himself as the true God and his Lord:…. and there is not a more express instance in the Gospels, of the invocation of Christ as the true God.” (See Dr. Smith’s Messiah.) It is not necessary to suppose that Thomas’s incredulity so far prevailed as to induce him to feel the Saviour’s wounds, but rather the contrary; for Jesus adds, “Because thou hast seen me thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed”—that is, as Doddridge judiciously explains it, who “have believed on the credible testimony of others; for they have shown a greater degree of candour and humility, which renders the faith it produces so much the more acceptable.” The chapter closes with stating that Jesus did many more things than are stated in this Gospel, (or indeed in all the Evangelists,) and the end of all is—not to gratify curiosity, or furnish an amusement, as is the case of most other writings; but that we “may believe that Jesus is the Christ, and that believing we may have life through his name;”

for “the end of all true faith is the salvation of our souls.” Disciples at the sea of Tiberias.—This sea was no other than the lake of Gennesaret, so often mentioned in the Gospels. It is evident from this narrative, that the greater part of the disciples had returned to their former occupation, that of fishing, and perhaps were compelled to do so for their support. Their dreams of temporal honour were now vanished, and it does not appear that they yet understood any thing of their future destination or employment. It was a night scene, (or rather very early in the morning,) like that in which Jesus once before appeared to them, walking on the water—now they saw him standing on the shore. The moon beams silvered over the waves, and they were probably lamenting, as they had once done before, that after toiling all night they had caught nothing.

A voice from the shore now directed them to cast the net on the right side of the ship, when, lo! they were not able to draw it ashore, from the multitude of fishes which it enclosed. The similarity of these circumstances to those of the former miracle, to which we have above alluded, probably led the beloved disciple, John, to conclude that it was the same voice that had before given them the like success, and he intimated this to Peter, who, with his usual impetuosity, threw an upper garment over him, and, jumping into the water, waded eagerly through it somewhat more than the distance of a hundred yards, while the other disciples in the boat dragged the full net with them to the shore. Upon the land they found a fire with fish laid to broil thereon, and bread with it.

They were now directed to bring some of the fresh caught fish, when Peter ran hastily to fetch them from the boat, and though the net was so heavily laden it did not break; another circumstance that must call to mind the former miracle, and confirm the opinion they had formed. This opinion must arrive to certainty when Jesus, in his usual manner, distributed to them food, and ate with them—the great pledge of friendship among the eastern nations. This was as much as to say—You may count on the continuance of my favour. Ver. 15—25. Our Lord puts the attachment of Peter to the test, and reproves his curiosity. The conclusion.—Dinner being over, our Lord thus addresses Peter: “Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these?”

Than these what? The expression has been generally understood as pointing to the other disciples; “Simon, lovest thou me more than Thomas, and Nathanael, and the sons of Zebedee?” If so, “feed my sheep.” But it may bear another interpretation:—“Lovest thou me more than thy means of livelihood? Canst thou again forsake thy boats and nets, and, abandoning those means of support, devote thyself to feed my scattered sheep?” And Peter’s reply may be thus understood: ‘Lord, notwithstanding my cowardice and ingratitude, in forsaking and denying thee, thou knowest that I love thee.” The repetition of this question seems designed to give him time to reflect on his former conduct. Thrice had he denied his Master, thrice therefore is he put upon considering: as if his Lord had said—‘Simon, be not hasty in thy reply—consider what it may cost thee to be my disciple.”

Peter was now wounded to the quick, and replied, with all his energies, “Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I should deny thee; and now thou knowest, notwithstanding all my cowardice—thou knowest that I love thee.” “Jesus saith unto him, (again,) Feed my sheep.” Our Lord then adds this alarming prediction: “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.” This spake Jesus Christ testifying by what death Peter should glorify God.” Ecclesiastical History informs us that this was fulfilled in Peter’s crucifixion, about A.D. 68; and that, by his own request, he was executed with his head downward, conforming to the custom for the vanquished person to stretch out his hands to the conqueror, signifying that he declined the battle, acknowledging that he was conquered, and submitting to the direction of the victor. Orient. Cust. No. 1308. Ver. 25. The world could not contain, &c.—[This is a very strong eastern expression to represent the number of miracles which Jesus wrought. But however strong and strange it may appear to us of the Western world, we find sacred and other authors using hyperboles of the like kind and signification. See (Numbers 13:33). (Deuteronomy 1:28). (Daniel 4:11). Eccles. lxvii. 15. Basnage gives a very similar hyperbole taken from the Jewish writers; in which Jochanar is said to have “composed such a great number of precepts and lessons, that if the heavens were paper, and all the trees of the forests so many pens, and all the children of men so many scribes, they would not suffice to write all his lessons.”]—B.

“Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
If stretch’d from sky to sky.”
THE GOSPEL OF ST. JOHN.

His readers, by employing in the expression of them, both an affirmative proposition and a negative. It is manifestly not without design that he commonly passes over those passages of our Lord’s history and teaching, which had been treated at large by the other Evangelists, or, if he touches them at all, he touches them but slightly, whilst he records many miracles which had been overlooked by the rest, and expatiates on the sublime doctrines of the re-existence, the divinity, and the incarnation of the Word, the great ends of his mission, and the blessings of his purchase.]—Bagster.

• OUR LORD’S RESURRECTION.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XX. Ver. 1. Cometh Mary Magdalene.—[Mary Magdalene, as well as Peter, was evidently at the sepulchre twice on the morning of the resurrection. The first time of her going was some short time before her companions, the other Mary and Salome, ((Matthew 28:1);) and observing that the stone had been removed, she returned to inform Peter and John. In the meantime, the other Mary and Salome came to the sepulchre, and saw the angel, as recorded by Matthew and Mark. While these women returned to the city, Peter and John went to the sepulchre, passing them at some distance, or going another way, followed by Mary Magdalene, who stayed after their return. This was her second journey, when she saw two angels, and then Jesus himself, as here related; and sees after, Jesus appeared to the other women, as they returned to the city.

((Matthew 28:9-10).) In the meantime, Joanna and her company arrived at the sepulchre, when two angels appeared to them, and addressed them as the one angel had done the other women. ((Luke 24:1-10).) They immediately returned to the city, and by some means found the apostles before the others arrived, and informed them of what they had seen: upon which, Peter went a second time to the sepulchre, but saw only the linen clothes lying. (Luke 24:12).]—B.

Ver. 8. Saw, and believed.—Were convinced that he must indeed be risen from the dead.

Ver. 10. Unto their own home.—Doddridge and Campbell, “To their own home.”

Ver. 17. Touch me not.—Sherlock, “Hang not about me.” Doddridge, “Embrace me not.” Campbell says, “The verb (haptes/hai) in the use of the LXX., denotes not only to touch, but to cleave to, as in (Job 31:7). (Ezekiel 41:6), and other places.” The sense here plainly is, “Do not detain me at present….. Lose not a moment in carrying the joyful tidings of my resurrection to my disciples.”

Ver. 19. Same day at evening.—This verse, compared with ver. 1, may help to settle the question as to the time when the Christian Sabbath commences. “Mary went early the first day”—this verse says, evening of the same day: this was the evening of the Christian Sabbath.

Ver. 23. Whose soever sins ye remit.—The ministerial sentence of absolution, except where it relates to ecclesiastical censures, is merely a declaration of what God has done.

Ver. 26. And after eight days—i.e. on the eighth day, or the first of the following week. So “after three days,” (Matthew 27:63); (Mark 8:31), means evidently on the third day.

Ver. 28. My Lord and my God.—[The disbelief of the apostles is the means of furnishing us with a full and satisfactory demonstration of the resurrection of our Lord. Throughout the divine dispensations, every doctrine and every important truth is gradually revealed; and here we have a conspicuous instance of this progressive system. An angel first declares the glorious event, The empty sepulchre confirms the women’s report. Christ’s appearance to Mary Magdalene showed that he was alive; that to the disciples at Easter proved that it was at least the spirit of Christ; that to the eleven proved the reality of his body; and the conviction given to St. Thomas, proved it the selfsame body that had been crucified. Incredulity itself is satisfied, so the convinced apostle exclaims, in the joy of his heart, “My Lord and my God!”]—Bagster.