Johannes 20

1 En op den eersten dag der week ging Maria Magdalena vroeg, als het nog duister was, naar het graf; en zag den steen van het graf weggenomen.

2 Zij liep dan, en kwam tot Simon Petrus en tot den anderen discipel, welken Jezus liefhad, en zeide tot hen: Zij hebben den Heere weggenomen uit het graf, en wij weten niet, waar zij Hem gelegd hebben.

3 Petrus dan ging uit, en de andere discipel, en zij kwamen tot het graf.

4 En deze twee liepen tegelijk; en de andere discipel liep vooruit, sneller dan Petrus, en kwam eerst tot het graf.

5 En als hij nederbukte, zag hij de doeken liggen; nochtans ging hij er niet in.

6 Simon Petrus dan kwam en volgde hem, en ging in het graf, en zag de doeken liggen.

7 En den zweetdoek, die op Zijn hoofd geweest was, zag hij niet bij de doeken liggen, maar in het bijzonder in een andere plaats samengerold.

8 Toen ging dan ook de andere discipel er in, die eerst tot het graf gekomen was, en zag het, en geloofde.

9 Want zij wisten nog de Schrift niet, dat Hij van de doden moest opstaan.

10 De discipelen dan gingen wederom naar huis.

11 En Maria stond buiten bij het graf, wenende. Als zij dan weende, bukte zij in het graf;

12 En zag twee engelen in witte klederen zitten, een aan het hoofd, en een aan de voeten, waar het lichaam van Jezus gelegen had.

13 En die zeiden tot haar: Vrouw! wat weent gij? Zij zeide tot hen: Omdat zij mijn Heere weggenomen hebben, en ik weet niet, waar zij Hem gelegd hebben.

14 En als zij dit gezegd had, keerde zij zich achterwaarts, en zag Jezus staan, en zij wist niet, dat het Jezus was.

15 Jezus zeide tot haar: Vrouw, wat weent gij? Wien zoekt gij? Zij, menende, dat het de hovenier was, zeide tot Hem: Heere, zo gij Hem weg gedragen hebt, zeg mij, waar gij Hem gelegd hebt, en ik zal Hem wegnemen.

16 Jezus zeide tot haar: Maria! Zij, zich omkerende, zeide tot Hem: Rabbouni, hetwelk is gezegd: Meester.

17 Jezus zeide tot haar: Raak Mij niet aan, want Ik ben nog niet opgevaren tot Mijn Vader; maar ga heen tot Mijn broeders, en zeg hun: Ik vare op tot Mijn Vader en uw Vader, en tot Mijn God en uw God.

18 Maria Magdalena ging en boodschapte den discipelen, dat zij den Heere gezien had, en dat Hij haar dit gezegd had.

19 Als het dan avond was, op denzelven eersten dag der week, en als de deuren gesloten waren, waar de discipelen vergaderd waren om de vreze der Joden, kwam Jezus en stond in het midden, en zeide tot hen: Vrede zij ulieden!

20 En dit gezegd hebbende, toonde Hij hun Zijn handen en Zijn zijde. De discipelen dan werden verblijd, als zij den Heere zagen.

21 Jezus dan zeide wederom tot hen: Vrede zij ulieden, gelijkerwijs Mij de Vader gezonden heeft, zende Ik ook ulieden.

22 En als Hij dit gezegd had, blies Hij op hen, en zeide tot hen: Ontvangt den Heiligen Geest.

23 Zo gij iemands zonden vergeeft, dien worden zij vergeven; zo gij iemands zonden houdt, dien zijn zij gehouden.

24 En Thomas, een van de twaalven, gezegd Didymus, was met hen niet, toen Jezus daar kwam.

25 De andere discipelen dan zeiden tot hem: Wij hebben den Heere gezien. Doch hij zeide tot hen: Indien ik in Zijn handen niet zie het teken der nagelen, en mijn vinger steke in het teken der nagelen, en steke mijn hand in Zijn zijde, ik zal geenszins geloven.

26 En na acht dagen waren Zijn discipelen wederom binnen, en Thomas met hen; en Jezus kwam, als de deuren gesloten waren, en stond in het midden, en zeide: Vrede zij ulieden!

27 Daarna zeide Hij tot Thomas: Breng uw vinger hier, en zie Mijn handen, en breng uw hand, en steek ze in Mijn zijde; en zijt niet ongelovig, maar gelovig.

28 En Thomas antwoordde en zeide tot Hem: Mijn Heere en mijn God!

29 Jezus zeide tot hem: Omdat gij Mij gezien hebt, Thomas, zo hebt gij geloofd; zalig zijn zij, die niet zullen gezien hebben, en nochtans zullen geloofd hebben.

30 Jezus dan heeft nog wel vele andere tekenen in de tegenwoordigheid Zijner discipelen gedaan, die niet zijn geschreven in dit boek;

31 Maar deze zijn geschreven, opdat gij gelooft, dat Jezus is de Christus, de Zone Gods; en opdat gij, gelovende, het leven hebt in Zijn Naam.

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.