ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for John 20

John 20:1–29 Chapter 20 covers the aftermath of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial: the empty tomb, the risen Jesus’ encounter with Mary Magdalene, and Jesus’ appearances to his disciples and their commissioning (v. 21).

John 20:1 The first day of the week is Sunday, which therefore has become the day that believers set aside to worship the Lord (see Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2). Mary Magdalene left before dawn to go to Jesus’ tomb to complete the burial preparations (Luke 24:1), which had to be left undone due to the beginning of the Sabbath (see note on John 19:42). The other Gospels indicate that other women were with her (also see note on 20:2). while it was still dark. Compare the slightly different points in time of the process in Matt. 28:1; Mark 16:2; and Luke 24:1. Matthew’s Gospel explains that the stone had been “rolled back” by “an angel of the Lord” (Matt. 28:2).

John 20:2 At this point Mary has no thought of resurrection. The plural we suggests the presence of other women besides Mary. On the other disciple, see vv. 3–4 and note on 18:15–16.

John 20:5 stooping to look in, he saw. Apparently by now it is daylight. He (the “other disciple,” vv. 2–4) did not go in, perhaps because of Simon Peter’s status among the Twelve (e.g., 6:67–69).

John 20:6 The linen cloths lying there are clear evidence that Jesus’ body had not been taken by grave robbers or by his disciples (see Matt. 27:62–66; 28:11–15), or by his enemies, who would not have taken the time to remove these cloths (see John 19:40). The NT elsewhere affirms the real physical nature of Jesus’ resurrection body (see Matt. 28:9; Luke 24:30, 39, 42; John 20:17, 20, 27; Acts 10:41). Most likely Jesus unwrapped these cloths from his body when he awakened from death and left them behind.

John 20:7 The reference to the face cloth being folded up in a place by itself suggests that Jesus himself had taken it off and folded it neatly.

John 20:8–9 the other disciple . . . also went in. The presence of two male witnesses made evidence acceptable under Jewish law (see Deut. 17:6; 19:15). As yet they did not understand the Scripture proves that the disciples did not make up a story to fit what they thought was predicted by Scripture. Only later, aided by the Spirit’s teaching ministry (see notes on John 14:26; 16:13), were they able to understand. John may be thinking of specific OT passages (such as Ps. 16:10; Isa. 53:10–12; Hos. 6:2) or of broader themes in the whole of Scripture (Luke 24:25–27, 32, 44–47).

John 20:11–12 Mary (Magdalene, see vv. 1, 18) saw two angels in white. Angels often appear in pairs (e.g., Acts 1:10) and are often depicted as dressed in white (e.g., Dan. 10:5–6; Rev. 15:6).

John 20:15 Mary mistook Jesus for the gardener, perhaps because it was not fully light (see v. 1). She may also have turned and seen someone there but had then turned back toward the tomb as she spoke (in v. 16 she “turned” again to speak directly to Jesus). After his resurrection, the disciples did not always immediately recognize Jesus (see Luke 24:16, 31).

John 20:16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Hearing only her name, Mary recognizes the voice of Jesus (compare 10:3–4).

John 20:17 I have not yet ascended does not deny the fact that Jesus’ spirit went to the Father in heaven at the moment of his death (see note on 19:30). Rather, it means that his bodily ascension after his resurrection had not yet occurred (see Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9–11). To my Father and your Father maintains a difference between how God is Christ’s God and Father and how he is the disciples’ God (see note on John 1:14). But he also calls believers his brothers, implying a personal relationship.

John 20:19 Some interpreters understand the doors being locked to imply that Jesus miraculously passed through the door or the walls of the room. Since Jesus clearly had a real physical body with flesh and bones after he rose from the dead (see note on v. 6 and verses mentioned there), it is possible that the door was miraculously opened so that Jesus could enter (compare Acts 12:10).

John 20:21–22 These verses contain the “Great Commission” (compare Matt. 28:16–20). They provide the conclusion of the entire Gospel’s presentation of Jesus as the one sent from the Father (see note on John 3:17). The Sent One (Jesus) has now become the Sender. He sends his followers to serve as his messengers and representatives (see 17:18). All three persons of the Godhead are involved in this commissioning: as the Father sent Jesus, so Jesus sends his disciples (20:21), equipping them with the Holy Spirit (v. 22). When Jesus breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” it prepared them for what happened when the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost (see Acts 2). This does not mean that the Holy Spirit had no presence in the disciples’ lives prior to this point (see note on John 7:39).

John 20:23 The expressions they are forgiven and it is withheld both represent perfect-tense verbs in Greek and could also be translated, “they have been forgiven” and “it has been withheld.” The idea is not that individual Christians or churches have authority on their own to forgive or not forgive people. Rather, as the church proclaims the gospel message of forgiveness of sins in the power of the Holy Spirit (see v. 22), it simply reflects what God in heaven has already done (see note on Matt. 16:19).

John 20:25 Apparently, Thomas thinks the disciples may have seen a ghost (compare Matt. 14:26).

John 20:26 Eight days later refers to the following Sunday, one week after Easter (see v. 19), because the first day was also included in counting the number of days. the doors were locked. See note on v. 19.

John 20:28 Thomas’s confession of Jesus as his Lord and God confirms the references to Jesus as God in 1:1, 18. This is one of the clearest NT texts on the deity of Christ. Some false religious cults try to explain this away by arguing that Thomas’s statement was merely an exclamation of astonishment that, in effect, took God’s name in vain. Such an explanation is unthinkable, however, given the strong Jewish moral convictions of the day and because Thomas said these words to him, that is, to Jesus.

John 20:29 Note the possible echo of this text in 1 Pet. 1:8.

John 20:30–31 John’s purpose statement and conclusion repeat his major themes: Jesus’ identity as the Christ and Son of God (see 1:41, 34), his selected messianic “signs” (see notes on 1:19–12:50; 2:11), the importance of believing in Jesus, and the gift of eternal life (see 1:12; 3:16; 17:3). On Jesus’ unique status as “Son of God,” see note on 1:14.