John 20 - The Evidence of the Empty Tomb!

Click Here to Read John 20
The Empty Tomb

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

In chapter 20, we see how Jesus' key disciples react to the empty tomb.  It is interesting to see that they all handle it differently reflecting their different personalities.  In examining each of them and how they come to believe in the resurrection of Jesus, we can see how people might come to faith in Jesus today.  

First, it is interesting to note that the first person to go to the tomb was Mary Magdalene. She went early in the morning on the first day of the week, which was Sunday.  She went while it was dark either showing she couldn't wait to see Jesus, or to avoid encountering those who killed Jesus. Although there are different theories about who Mary was, including the woman caught in adultery, the clearest evidence comes from Luke 8:2,

"The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out."

Regardless, Mary was one of Jesus' most devoted disciples and she shows her love for him by being the first to go to the tomb.  She runs and tells Peter and John, two of Jesus' closest disciples. Although John got to the tomb first and looked in and saw strips of linen lying there, it is Peter who actually enters the tomb and sees the cloth wrapped around his head as well.  Both of these are clues that Jesus' body was not stolen, because why would Jesus grave clothes be neatly folded and left.  As John goes back it says he "saw" and "believed".  For John "seeing" was "believing".  

Mary was still not convinced and quite sad about the whole thing thinking that someone had stolen the body.  As she peers in two angels were sitting there and asked her why she was crying?  Then, Jesus appears to Mary. At first she thinks he is the gardener but when Jesus says "Mary", she realizes it is him.  Mary hears Jesus call her by name she believes.

Finally, as Jesus appears to the rest of the disciples, Thomas is not in attendance.  So when the other disciples tell him they have seen the Lord, he isn't buying it.  He says, "Unless I can touch the wounds in his hands and side, I will not believe."  He gives Jesus an ultimatum.  So Jesus comes and holds out his hands and feet for Thomas to see. Thomas examines the evidence with his hands and says, "My Lord and my God".  Thomas touches the wounds and he believes.  

So here you have three people with three different ways of coming to faith in the Risen Jesus.  John sees and believes.  Mary hears Jesus' call her name and believes.  And Thomas examines the wounds and believes.  

What is so cool is that Jesus allowed each person to come to them in their own way.  He did not chastise them for not believing, but allowed them to come to and examine the evidence.  What an awesome Lord we serve.  

How did you come to believe in Jesus?  What was it that pushed you over the edge to move from unbelief to belief?  Who can you relate most to?  John, Mary or Thomas.  We will hear more about Peter tomorrow.  

This is a great thing to remember as we seek to lead others to Christ.  Those who will seek Jesus will find Him.  Jesus will meet them and give them the evidence they need to believe in Him.  For our part we can be like Mary when she came to believe she went back to tell her friends, "I have seen the Lord".