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THE OF JOHN Small Group Discussion Guide Text: John 20:1-10

Theme/ Big Idea: Darkness gives way to understanding and joy. He has risen!

Context/ Background Information: The entire narrative of ' and resurrection from the dead is written in order to give weight and truthfulness to the .(1) After all, John's entire purpose in writing is so that we believe. For this reason, John makes it emphatically clear that Jesus died a real death (:30, 33, 34, 35). Then John gives multiple details that make clear Jesus was buried in a real grave (John 19:38-42). With that, John turns toward elaborating on the countless witnesses that saw the empty tomb and the resurrected body of Jesus. Summarily, Jesus died a real death, was buried in a real grave, and actually rose from the grave.

John's primary evidence for Jesus' resurrection are the multiple disciples who saw the empty tomb and his resurrected body. John begins in the most unlikely of places. He begins with a solitary woman alone in the dark. In her haste and confusion, she first perceives Jesus' body is taken rather than resurrected. The scene quickly grows, and two male witnesses run to the tomb and confirm along with the woman that the tomb is indeed empty. Then the woman personally encounters Jesus, and then multiple disciples see Jesus, then a skeptic, then hundreds (1 Cor 15:6), then his closest disciples share a meal with him. Witnesses and evidence continue to build until finally, there is no doubt, Jesus is alive, the tomb is empty, sin and death have been defeated, and the reader must decide. In structuring his narrative in this way, John presents evidence and witnesses that build layer upon layer to a crescendo declaring Jesus is alive!

DARKNESS TO LIGHT, CONFUSION TO BELIEF John begins the story of Jesus' resurrection in the most unlikely of places. He starts with a solitary individual alone in the dark. As Gerald Borchert notes, "It was indeed early morning when saw a sign of the resurrection—the removed stone—but she [as well as the disciples, were] still in the dark concerning its significance."(2) The scene, words, and pace of the narrative emphasize the darkness and despair of the disciples and this individual.

However, as the text progresses, Mary and the other disciples move from darkness to light. They move from crushing defeat to glorious victory, from confusion (John 20:2) to belief (John 20:8). Everything hinges on discovering the empty tomb and Jesus' resurrection from the dead. This indeed is the pattern of Mary Magdalene in John's Gospel and his aim for writing. This move from darkness to light on the first day of the week also reiterates that something brand new is happening. Jesus' death and resurrection initiated the re- creation of all things.

BEGINNING WITH THE MOST UNLIKELY OF WITNESSES John does not simply emphasize any solitary individual walking in darkness. No, he emphasizes the most unlikely of witnesses; Mary Magdalene. Though the other Gospel writers indicate there were multiple women at the tomb, John focuses solely on Mary. Mary is referenced in all four as a follower of Jesus and the first person to see Jesus' resurrected body, but as a witness, she is a curious place to begin.(3)

As Craig Keener notes, "Those inventing an empty-tomb tradition would hardly have included women as the first witnesses."(4) Why? "In Jewish eyes the testimony of women was unacceptable," says George Beasley- Murray.(5) Despite this, women play a prominent role throughout the Gospels as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus. Including a woman as a witness might not be the place to begin if someone were trying to impress people with a story in a first-century Jewish context. But it is something important to include if the gospel is true and if it is truly for every person. By doing so, "John illustrates the significance of women in the Christian church and in the heart of the Lord."(6) Furthermore, John includes a woman who was previously full of evil. Mark and Luke both say Jesus removed seven demons from Mary (:9 and Luke 8:2). Again, this is not where you begin if you are making up a story about Jesus' resurrection. A female, formerly demon-possessed in a first-century Jewish context, would seemingly undercut any plausible argument for the supernatural resurrection of Jesus. Mary is an unlikely place to begin if the story were about popularity or external performance. But if you are trying to communicate the power of Jesus over sin, darkness, and death, there is no better place to begin than with a woman so familiar with darkness and evil.

John strips everything and everyone else away to this single, unbelievable, and implausible witness (see footnote below on "we" in verse 2).(7) Walter Elwell notes, "John gives her the role of first to discover the resurrection, first to report to the disciples, and first to see the resurrected Christ as she lingers by the tomb weeping after all the others have gone."(8) Not only is John beautifully elevating the credibility and value of Mary and her testimony, but he is also highlighting the astonishing nature of the gospel.

Here is the Messiah who died on a cross in order to reign. Here is a formerly demon-possessed woman who is the first to witness Jesus' resurrection. And here are the disciples looking into the tomb and finding it empty. The gospel is indeed foolishness and astonishing. God has indeed "made foolish the wisdom of the world… saving those who believe through the folly of what we preach" (1 Cor 1:20-21, 25).

TWO WITNESSES SEE John starts the resurrection narrative with darkness, despair, confusion, and even a surprising and unlikely witness. But the darkness is soon replaced with light; despair with hope; confusion with understanding; and surprise with certainty. Only John provides this interesting narrative regarding Peter and John running to the tomb. John says, "So Peter went out with the other , and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself" (John 20:2-7).

Everything about the narrative builds on itself. Mary gives way to two more disciples who run to the tomb and confirm that it is empty. The pace of the narrative accelerates. Mary "ran," then "both [Peter and John] were running," and finally, "the other disciple outran" (John 20:2 and 4). The proximity in the narrative increases. John looked into the tomb, but Peter went into the tomb (John 20:6). And finally, the revelation in the narrative expands. This is seen in the three different Greek words John uses for "see" in verses 5-7.

John says the first disciple to arrive "saw" the linen clothes (John 20:5). The Greek word in verse 5 is "blepo," and it means "to notice something." Then Peter went into the tomb and "saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth" (John 20:6–7). This Greek word is "theoreo," which means Peter observed intently, paid attention, or pondered what he saw. And finally, John says, "Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed" (John 20:8). This Greek word is "eidon," and it means "to pay special attention, to perceive and comprehend, or to understand." The disciples saw, pondered, and understood.

THE RESULT IS CONFIDENT BELIEF The narrative began with darkness and now ends with understanding. As the disciples enter the tomb, they saw, and as they exit, they believe. Seeing and believing is a significant theme throughout the . John says, "Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead" (John 20:8-9).

What does John mean by "believed?" He clarifies with the qualifying statement, "for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead" (John 20:8-9). It must be remembered, John is writing from a post-resurrection perspective. He acknowledges that prior to entering the tomb and prior to the resurrection, neither he nor the other disciples understood "that [Jesus] must rise from the dead." Evidence for this can be seen in Mary's first thought that the body was stolen rather than Jesus had risen (John 20:2). Specifically, they did not understand the written word of God or the personal Word of God, Jesus, and what they taught regarding the resurrection (Isa. 25:8; 26:19; Hos. 6:2; 13:14; Ps. 16:10; 49:15; Dan 12:2). Though the Scriptures taught it, and though Jesus said it, the disciples did not yet understand it on that first day of the week as they ran to the tomb.

But after entering the tomb and after seeing with his own eyes the clear evidence (that his tomb was empty and the linen clothes were left undisturbed), John comprehended and understood Jesus was alive.(9). Peter and John saw "the empty tomb with their own eyes and, unlike Mary," Herman Ridderbos says, they "understood that it was not the hands of desecrators but the hand of Another that [had] been at work there."(10)

Though he may not have fully understood how, John understood that Jesus had risen from the dead. By the time John wrote his Gospel and Paul wrote his letters, the early Christians had come to understand all that the Scriptures taught regarding the resurrection and its importance and power. For example, Paul says the gospel message that he proclaimed to the Corinthian church was "that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures," and appeared to multiple witnesses (1 Cor 15:3-4).

In John's own writing, after Jesus cleansed the temple, the religious leaders asked Jesus, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?" Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (:19) They thought he meant the physical temple. But John gives his own commentary saying, "But he was speaking about the temple of his body" (John 2:21). How does John know that in chapter 2? Because John writes his Gospel after the resurrection, after he entered the empty tomb, after Jesus "was raised from the dead," after he "remembered that [Jesus] had said this," and after he "believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken" (John 2:22).

Interestingly, the greatest "sign" Jesus promised to give was his resurrection after three days (John 2:20). And the result should be belief. John says this happened in his own life. John looked in, John pondered, and John believed. John saw the empty tomb on the third day and understood. Jesus did exactly what he promised. Jesus rose from the grave, conquering sin and death. Jesus is alive. With this, John again encourages the reader to see the evidence, hear the testimony, and believe.

QUOTES TO CONSIDER: • "Thankfully, the gospel teaches me that dying is not an end, but a beginning. For after Christ took up His cross and died, God raised Him from the dead, exalted Him to the highest heaven, and drew Him into His bosom.These facts surrounding Christ’s resurrection stand as proof positive that God will not leave me for dead, but will raise me similarly, if I would only allow myself to die.” —Milton Vincent

Vincent, Milton. A Gospel Primer for Christians . Focus Publishing. Kindle Edition. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. John 20:1-10 escalates and builds layer upon layer. List the various progressions you observe in the text. How does the narrative begin and what is the climax of the text; what is everything building towards in verse 8? 2. John uses three different words for “see” in this narrative: 1) “blepo” to notice, 2) ”theoreo," to pay attention or ponder, and 3) ”eidon” to comprehend and understand. What is John pleading for us to do as readers (c.f. John 20:31)? 3. What is Mary’s first thought regarding Jesus’ body according to John 20:2? Why might she jump to that conclusion according to John 20:9? How do the undisturbed linens and John’s own eyewitness testimony provide evidence to the contrary? 4. When the religious leaders asked Jesus for a sign of his authority to cleanse the temple, what does he say in John 2:19? What did they think he was referring to according to John 2:20? But what does John say Jesus really meant (vs 21) and how did John know that (vs 22)? 5. When Paul reminds the Corinthian church of the gospel message he proclaimed, what are the summary elements he lists in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4? 6. Why is believing in the resurrection so central and crucial to Christian faith and the gospel (c.f. Rom 6:5)? What does Paul say twice in 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 and 1 Corinthians 15:16-17? 7. How does Jesus’ resurrection power have right here, right now implications for daily Christian living (c.f. 1 Peter 1:3; Rom 8:11)? Asked another way, if Jesus can conquer sin, death and the grave, then what else does he have power and authority over?

Footnotes: 1. D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John, Reprint edition. (Leicester, England: Grand Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans, 1990), 637. 2. Gerald L. Borchert, -21: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture (Nashville: Holman Reference, 2002), 291. 3. Carson, The Gospel According to John, 636. 4. Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of John, Volume One & Volume Two, Reprint edition. (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2010), 1180. 5. George R. Beasley-Murray, John, Volume 36: Revised Edition (Dallas: Zondervan Academic, 2015), 372. 6. Richard D. Phillips, John: 2 Volume Set (Phillipsburg, New Jersey: P & R Publishing, 2014), 626. 7. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all indicate that multiple women went to the tomb after the Sabbath, early on the first day of the week (Mark 15:47; 16:1-2; Matt 27:61; Luke 23:55-24:1). John, however, only highlights Mary. This is not to say he contradicts the other Gospel writers, for he acknowledges the fact that there were others there with the plural "we" in verse 2. 8. Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, "Mary," Baker Encyclopedia of the (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1412. 9. The undisturbed linens might be intended as a contrast with Lazarus' grave clothes. Colin Kruse notes, "Lazarus emerged from the tomb still 'wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face' and he had to be released by others (:44), whereas in the case of Jesus, the linen strips and burial cloth were simply left behind when he rose from the dead." Colin G. Kruse, John, Revised edition. (Downers Grove, Illinois: IVP Academic, 2017) 370. George Beasley-Murray sees the undisturbed linens as further evidence that Jesus' body was not taken. Beasley-Murray notes that has been the traditional understanding referencing Chrysostom who said, "If anyone had removed the body, he would not have stripped it first, nor would he have taken the trouble to remove and roll up the napkin and put it in a place by itself" Beasley-Murray, John, 372. 10. Herman Ridderbos, The Gospel According to John: A Theological Commentary, Translation edition. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 2018), Kindle Locations 15698-15699.