John 20:1

Introduction

Mary Magdalene, coming early to the sepulchre, finds it empty, and runs and tells Peter, Joh 20:1, Joh 20:2. Peter and John run to the tomb, and find all as Mary had reported, Joh 20:3-10. Mary sees a vision of angels in the tomb, Joh 20:11-13. Jesus himself appears to her, and sends her with a message to the disciples, Joh 20:14-18. He appears to the disciples, gives the fullest proof of the reality of his resurrection, and communicates to them a measure of the Holy Spirit, Joh 20:19-23. The determined incredulity of Thomas, Joh 20:24, Joh 20:25. Eight days after, Jesus appears again to the disciples, Thomas being present, to whom he gives the proofs he had desired, Joh 20:26, Joh 20:27. Thomas is convinced, and makes a noble confession, Joh 20:28. Our Lord's reflections on his case, Joh 20:29. Various signs done by Christ, not circumstantially related, Joh 20:30. Why others are recorded, Joh 20:31.

All that John relates concerning the resurrection of our Lord he has collected partly from the account given by Mary Magdalene, and partly from his own observations. From Mary he derived the information given, Joh 20:1, Joh 20:2, and from Joh 20:11-18. From his own actual knowledge, what he relates, Joh 3:3-10, Joh 3:19-29, and the whole of John 21:1-25. It is supposed that he details the account given by Mary, without altering any circumstance, and without either addition or retrenchment. See Rosenmuller.

Verse 1

The first day of the week - On what we call Sunday morning, the morning after the Jewish Sabbath. As Christ had been buried in haste, these holy women had bought aromatics, Mar 16:1; Luk 24:1, to embalm him afresh, and in a more complete manner than it could have been done by Joseph and Nicodemus. John only mentions Mary of Magdala, because he appears to wish to give a more detailed history of her conduct than of any of the rest; but the other evangelists speak of three persons who went together to the tomb, viz. Mary of Magdala, Mary the mother of James, and Salome: Mat 28:1; Mar 16:1.
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