1Mary Magdalene, seeing the stone taken away from the sepulchre, runneth to tell Peter and John, who go thither, and find not the body. 11Mary seeth two angels sitting in the sepulchre; Jesus himself appeareth to her. 19He appeareth to his disciples: 24the incredulity of Thomas. 26Jesus appeareth again to the disciples, and satisfieth the doubts of Thomas; who confesseth him. 30The sufficiency of what is written for a ground of faith unto salvation.
1THE1 firstaday of the week cometh 2Mary Magdalene 3early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth 4the stone taken away from the sepulchre.
1 Gr. on one of the sabbaths. See verse 19, Mat. 28:1; Mark 16:2, 9.
a Mat. 28:1; Mark 16:1; Luke 24:1.
2 And yet some other women with her, Mat. 28:1; Luke 24:1, 10; but it seems that Mary Magdalene went ahead, and came first to the sepulchre.
3 See the annotation at Mark 16 on verse 2.
4 Which was done by the angel before her arrival, Mat. 28:2.
2Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whomb Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have 5taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and 6we know not where they have laid him.
b John 13:23; 21:7, 20.
5 This she says because she was not yet informed by the angel of Christ’s resurrection, whom she saw afterward, being returned, verse 12.
6 That is, I and the other women, who followed me.
3Peterc therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.
c Luke 24:12.
4So they ran both together: and the other disciple did 7outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
7 Namely, because he was younger than Peter.
5And he stooping down, and looking in, saw thed8linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
d John 19:40.
8 Or, clothes, namely, wherein Christ’s dead body was wrapped; which was a sign that His body was not taken away as the women thought, for then the clothes also would have been taken away with His body.
6Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,
7And thee napkin,f that was about his 9head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
e John 11:44.
f cloth, handkerchief.
9 That is, in which His head had been wrapped. See John 11:44.
8Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and 10believed.
10 Namely, that the body of Christ was taken away, as the women had said, verse 2, as the following verse shows; although others think that John believed that Christ was risen from the dead, and that the following words must be understood only of the time gone before.
9For as yet they 11knew not theg scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
11 Or, understood.
g Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:25, 31; 13:35.
10Then the disciples went away again 12unto their own home.
12 Gr. unto themselves, that is, unto theirs, namely, where the disciples were assembled, as appears verse 19.
11¶Buth13Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
h Mat. 28:1; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4.
13 Namely, being returned to the grave with the other women, to whom altogether the appearance of the angels happened, Mat. 28:5; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4.
12And seeth 14two angels in white sitting, the one at 15the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
14 Matthew and Mark speak but of one because one conducted the conversation.
15 That is, the head end, where the head had lain.
13And 16they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto 17them, Because they have taken away 18my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
16 Namely, the angels, after that they had declared the resurrection to all the women, and the other women were gone away to declare the same to the disciples as the other evangelists testify; and Mary Magdalene remained standing there, and showed by her weeping and words that she could not yet well believe the same.
17 Namely, to the angels.
18 That is, the dead body of my Lord, as Psalm 16:10.
14Andi when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and 19knew not that it was Jesus.
i Mat. 28:9; Mark 16:9.
19 Namely, because her eyes were constrained as it also happened to the disciples going towards Emmaus, Luke 24:16.
15Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will 20take him away.
20 Namely, to anoint Him, and bury Him elsewhere, that He may not be in your way.
16Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She 21turned herself, and saith unto him, 22Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
21 Namely, forasmuch as she knew His voice.
22 This is the same word with rabbi, John 1:38, 49, and with Lord, Mark 10:51.
17Jesus saith unto her, 23Touch me not; 24for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go toj my 25brethren, and say unto them, 26Ik ascend unto 27my Father, and 28your Father; and to 29my God, and 30your God.
23 That is, hinder not thyself and Me with touching and holding Me by the feet.
24 That is, I shall not yet so speedily ascend and depart from you; thou shalt yet have time enough to see and speak with Me, and to do Me honor. Others think that He said this unto her to admonish her that she must not hang too much with her heart on His bodily presence.
j Psalm 22:22; Mat. 28:10; Heb. 2:11.
25 That is, disciples. The cause why He calls them so, see in the annotation at Mat. 28 on verse 10.
26 That is, I shall shortly ascend, namely, after that I have first instructed them of all things.
k John 16:28.
27 Namely, by nature, John 1:18.
28 Namely, by the grace of adoption unto children, John 1:12.
29 Namely, because I, as Mediator, have assumed the human nature for your sake, Heb. 1:9.
30 That is, Who has not only created you, but, moreover, has also taken you for His own peculiar people, Heb. 8:10.
18Mary Magdalenel came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
l Mat. 28:8; Mark 16:10; Luke 24:9.
19¶Thenm the same day at evening, being 31the first day 32of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, 33came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, 34Peace be unto you.
m Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36; 1 Cor. 15:5.
31 Here John follows the account of the days after the manner of the Romans. For, seeing this appearance happened late in the evening, when now the two disciples were come unto them from Emmaus, Luke 24:36, and therefore the sun was gone down a long time already, so should this, after the reckoning of the Jews, not have been the first but the second day of the week. See John 19:14.
32 Gr. of the sabbaths. See verse 1.
33 How Christ came in, is not expressed, neither is it needful to inquire, seeing He could do this by His Divine power in different manners, as may be seen, Acts 12:10, so that from this it cannot be concluded that His body would have gone through or pressed through doors which were shut.
34 This was the usual manner of salutation among the Jews, whereby they wished one another all happiness and prosperity.
20And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his 35hands and his side. Then were then disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.
35 Namely, with the scars of the wounds which were in them.
n John 16:22.
21Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: asomy Father hath sent me, even so 36send I you.
o Isa. 61:1; Mat. 28:19; Mark 16:15; Luke 4:18; John 17:18.
36 Namely, to preach the Gospel. See Mat. 28:19; Mark 16:15; John 17:18.
22And when he had said this, he 37breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye 38the Holy Ghost:
37 Namely, to represent by this outward sign the working of the Holy Ghost. See John 3:8; Acts 2:2.
38 That is, the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which are needful for you for the strengthening of your faith, until the fullness of the same, which will be necessary for you for the execution of your apostleship, shall be given you after Mine ascension on the day of Pentecost, John 16:7; Acts 2:4, 33.
23Whosep soever sins ye 39remit, they are 40remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
p Mat. 16:19; 18:18.
39 That is, according to My word and command, testify as My ministers that by God his sins are forgiven or retained.
40 Namely, in heaven, by God, Mat. 16:19, 18:18. For, only God has rightly the power to forgive sins, Isa. 43:25; Mat. 9:3; Mark 2:7.
24¶But Thomas, one of the twelve, called 41Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.
41 See John 11:16.
25The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see 42in his hands 43the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will 44not believe.
42 As Christ previously had persuaded the other disciples to do, Luke 24:39.
43 Namely, imprinted by the nails, which the Greek word also bears.
44 Namely, that He Himself is truly risen from the dead.
26¶And after 45eight days again his disciples were 46within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.
45 Which seems to be the second Lord’s Day from His resurrection, after that the entire feast of the passover was ended.
46 Namely, the same house, within Jerusalem, Luke 24:33.
27Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; andq reach hither thy hand, and 47thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.
q 1 John 1:1.
47 Gr. cast it.
28And Thomas answered and said 48unto him, My Lord and my God.
48 Then he speaks the following words to Christ and of Christ, acknowledging Him for His Lord and for His God.
29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: 49blessedrare they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
49 That is, truly as blessed, because they believe by the word, without having seen, which agrees better with the nature of faith. See Heb. 11:1; 1 Peter 1:8.
r 1 Peter 1:8.
30¶And manys other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in 50this book:
s John 21:25.
50 Namely, of this my Gospel, whereof some also are described by the other evangelists.
31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have 51life 52through his name.
51 Namely, eternal life, which begins here, and shall be perfect hereafter in heaven.
52 That is, through Him, and for His merits.