Johannes 20

1 Am ersten Tag der Woche kommt Maria Magdalena früh, da es noch finster war, zum Grabe und sieht, daß der Stein vom Grabe hinweg war.

2 Da läuft sie und kommt zu Simon Petrus und zu dem andern Jünger, welchen Jesus liebhatte, und spricht zu ihnen: Sie haben den HERRN weggenommen aus dem Grabe, und wir wissen nicht, wo sie ihn hin gelegt haben.

3 Da ging Petrus und der andere Jünger hinaus zum Grabe. {~} {~}

4 Es liefen aber die zwei miteinander, und der andere Jünger lief zuvor, schneller denn Petrus, und kam am ersten zum Grabe,

5 guckt hinein und sieht die Leinen gelegt; er ging aber nicht hinein.

6 Da kam Simon Petrus ihm nach und ging hinein in das Grab und sieht die Leinen gelegt,

7 und das Schweißtuch, das Jesus um das Haupt gebunden war, nicht zu den Leinen gelegt, sondern beiseits, zusammengewickelt, an einen besonderen Ort.

8 Da ging auch der andere Jünger hinein, der am ersten zum Grabe kam, und er sah und glaubte es.

9 Denn sie wußten die Schrift noch nicht, daß er von den Toten auferstehen müßte.

10 Da gingen die Jünger wieder heim.

11 Maria aber stand vor dem Grabe und weinte draußen. Als sie nun weinte, guckte sie ins Grab

12 und sieht zwei Engel in weißen Kleidern sitzen, einen zu den Häupten und eine zu den Füßen, da sie den Leichnam hin gelegt hatten. {~}

13 Und diese sprachen zu ihr: Weib, was weinest du? Sie spricht zu ihnen: Sie haben meinen HERRN weggenommen, und ich weiß nicht, wo sie ihn hin gelegt haben.

14 Und als sie das sagte, wandte sie sich zurück und sieht Jesus stehen und weiß nicht, daß es Jesus ist.

15 Spricht er zu ihr: Weib, was weinest du? Wen suchest du? Sie meint es sei der Gärtner, und spricht zu ihm: Herr, hast du ihn weggetragen, so sage mir, wo hast du ihn hin gelegt, so will ich ihn holen.

16 Spricht Jesus zu ihr: Maria! Da wandte sie sich um und spricht zu ihm: Rabbuni (das heißt: Meister)!

17 Spricht Jesus zu ihr: Rühre mich nicht an! denn ich bin noch nicht aufgefahren zu meinem Vater. Gehe aber hin zu meinen Brüdern und sage ihnen: Ich fahre auf zu meinem Vater und zu eurem Vater, zu meinem Gott und zu eurem Gott.

18 Maria Magdalena kommt und verkündigt den Jüngern: Ich habe den HERRN gesehen, und solches hat er zu mir gesagt.

19 Am Abend aber desselben ersten Tages der Woche, da die Jünger versammelt und die Türen verschlossen waren aus Furcht vor den Juden, kam Jesus und trat mitten ein und spricht zu ihnen: Friede sei mit euch! {~}

20 Und als er das gesagt hatte, zeigte er ihnen die Hände und seine Seite. Da wurden die Jünger froh, daß sie den HERRN sahen.

21 Da sprach Jesus abermals zu ihnen: Friede sei mit euch! Gleichwie mich der Vater gesandt hat, so sende ich euch.

22 Und da er das gesagt hatte, blies er sie an und spricht zu ihnen: Nehmet hin den Heiligen Geist!

23 Welchen ihr die Sünden erlasset, denen sind sie erlassen; und welchen ihr sie behaltet, denen sind sie behalten.

24 Thomas aber, der Zwölf einer, der da heißt Zwilling, war nicht bei ihnen, da Jesus kam.

25 Da sagten die andern Jünger zu ihm: Wir haben den HERRN gesehen. Er aber sprach zu ihnen: Es sei denn, daß ich in seinen Händen sehe die Nägelmale und lege meinen Finger in die Nägelmale und lege meine Hand in seine Seite, will ich's nicht glauben.

26 Und über acht Tage waren abermals seine Jünger drinnen und Thomas mit ihnen. Kommt Jesus, da die Türen verschlossen waren, und tritt mitten ein und spricht: Friede sei mit euch!

27 Darnach spricht er zu Thomas: Reiche deinen Finger her und siehe meine Hände, und reiche dein Hand her und lege sie in meine Seite, und sei nicht ungläubig, sondern gläubig!

28 Thomas antwortete und sprach zu ihm: Mein HERR und mein Gott!

29 Spricht Jesus zu ihm: Dieweil du mich gesehen hast, Thomas, glaubest du. Selig sind, die nicht sehen und doch glauben!

30 Auch viele andere Zeichen tat Jesus vor seinen Jüngern, die nicht geschrieben sind in diesem Buch. {~} {~}

31 Diese aber sind geschrieben, daß ihr glaubet, Jesus sei Christus, der Sohn Gottes, und daß ihr durch den Glauben das Leben habet in seinem Namen.

Johannes 20 Commentary

Chapter 20

The sepulchre found to be empty. (1-10) Christ appears to Mary. (11-18) He appears to the disciples. (19-25) The unbelief of Thomas. (26-29) Conclusion. (30,31)

Verses 1-10 If Christ gave his life a ransom, and had not taken it again, it would not have appeared that his giving it was accepted as satisfaction. It was a great trial to Mary, that the body was gone. Weak believers often make that the matter of complaint, which is really just ground of hope, and matter of joy. It is well when those more honoured than others with the privileges of disciples, are more active than others in the duty of disciples; more willing to take pains, and run hazards, in a good work. We must do our best, and neither envy those who can do better, nor despise those who do as well as they can, though they come behind. The disciple whom Jesus loved in a special manner, and who therefore in a special manner loved Jesus, was foremost. The love of Christ will make us to abound in every duty more than any thing else. He that was behind was Peter, who had denied Christ. A sense of guilt hinders us in the service of God. As yet the disciples knew not the Scripture; they Christ must rise again from the dead.

Verses 11-18 We are likely to seek and find, when we seek with affection, and seek in tears. But many believers complain of the clouds and darkness they are under, which are methods of grace for humbling their souls, mortifying their sins, and endearing Christ to them. A sight of angels and their smiles, will not suffice, without a sight of Jesus, and God's smiles in him. None know, but those who have tasted it, the sorrows of a deserted soul, which has had comfortable evidences of the love of God in Christ, and hopes of heaven, but has now lost them, and walks in darkness; such a wounded spirit who can bear? Christ, in manifesting himself to those that seek him, often outdoes their expectations. See how Mary's heart was in earnest to find Jesus. Christ's way of making himself known to his people is by his word; his word applied to their souls, speaking to them in particular. It might be read, Is it my Master? See with what pleasure those who love Jesus speak of his authority over them. He forbids her to expect that his bodily presence look further, than the present state of things. Observe the relation to God, from union with Christ. We, partaking of a Divine nature, Christ's Father is our Father; and he, partaking of the human nature, our God is his God. Christ's ascension into heaven, there to plead for us, is likewise an unspeakable comfort. Let them not think this earth is to be their home and rest; their eye and aim, and earnest desires, must be upon another world, and this ever upon their hearts, I ascend, therefore I must seek the things which are above. And let those who know the word of Christ, endeavour that others should get good from their knowledge.

Verses 19-25 This was the first day of the week, and this day is afterwards often mentioned by the sacred writers; for it was evidently set apart as the Christian sabbath, in remembrance of Christ's resurrection. The disciples had shut the doors for fear of the Jews; and when they had no such expectation, Jesus himself came and stood in the midst of them, having miraculously, though silently, opened the doors. It is a comfort to Christ's disciples, when their assemblies can only be held in private, that no doors can shut out Christ's presence. When He manifests his love to believers by the comforts of his Spirit, he assures them that because he lives, they shall live also. A sight of Christ will gladden the heart of a disciple at any time; and the more we see of Jesus, the more we shall rejoice. He said, Receive ye the Holy Ghost, thus showing that their spiritual life, as well as all their ability for their work, would be derived from him, and depended upon him. Every word of Christ which is received in the heart by faith, comes accompanied by this Divine breathing; and without this there is neither light nor life. Nothing is seen, known, discerned, or felt of God, but through this. After this, Christ directed the apostles to declare the only method by which sin would be forgiven. This power did not exist at all in the apostles as a power to give judgment, but only as a power to declare the character of those whom God would accept or reject in the day of judgment. They have clearly laid down the marks whereby a child of God may be discerned and be distinguished from a false professor; and according to what they have declared shall every case be decided in the day of judgment. When we assemble in Christ's name, especially on his holy day, he will meet with us, and speak peace to us. The disciples of Christ should endeavour to build up one another in their most holy faith, both by repeating what they have heard to those that were absent, and by making known what they have experienced. Thomas limited the Holy One of Israel, when he would be convinced by his own method or not at all. He might justly have been left in his unbelief, after rejecting such abundant proofs. The fears and sorrows of the disciples are often lengthened, to punish their negligence.

Verses 26-29 That one day in seven should be religiously observed, was an appointment from the beginning. And that, in the kingdom of the Messiah, the first day of the week should be that solemn day, was pointed out, in that Christ on that day once and again met his disciples in a religious assembly. The religious observance of that day has come down to us through every age of the church. There is not an unbelieving word in our tongues, nor thought in our minds, but it is known to the Lord Jesus; and he was pleased to accommodate himself even to Thomas, rather than leave him in his unbelief. We ought thus to bear with the weak, ( romans 15:1 romans 15:2 ) . This warning is given to all. If we are faithless, we are Christless and graceless, hopeless and joyless. Thomas was ashamed of his unbelief, and cried out, My Lord and my God. He spoke with affection, as one that took hold of Christ with all his might; "My Lord and my God." Sound and sincere believers, though slow and weak, shall be graciously accepted of the Lord Jesus. It is the duty of those who read and hear the gospel, to believe, to embrace the doctrine of Christ, and that ( 1 John. 5:11 )

Verses 30-31 There were other signs and proofs of our Lord's resurrection, but these were committed to writing, that all might believe that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the Saviour of sinners, and the Son of God; that, by this faith, they might obtain eternal life, by his mercy, truth, and power. May we believe that Jesus is the Christ, and believing may we have life through his name.