John 20

The Evangelist St. John, giving a fuller account than the other Evangelists, of Christs Resurrection, and his Converse upon the Earth forty days, until he Ascended up into Heaven; we have in our notes on the other Evangelists been shorter, reserving our selves for a fuller account of it, till we should come to these two last Chapters of this Evangelist.

THe first day of the week Matthew says, In the end of the Sabbath, as it began to dawn, toward the first day of the week; he also mentioneth another Mary in company with Mary Magdalene Mark tells us, that other Mary was the mother of Iames and Salome. Luke says, Chap. 23.55. They came, referring to the Women, tbat came with him from Galilee. For the time, Luke says, it was upon the first day of the week; Mark says, it was when the Sabbath was past. cometh Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre Our Evangelist says, it was while it was dark; so that Matthew's, which we translate, in the end of the Sabbath; must be interpreted by Mark, when the Sabbath was past; and indeed Matthew plainly expounds himself; adding, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week; which must be seven or eight hours after the Iewish Sabbath was ended; (for that ended, with the setting of the Sun the night before) The other Evangelists tell us, that the design of their coming, was to show their last act of love, in anointing, or imbalming the body of Jesus; for which purpose they had brought materials the night wherein he was Crucified, but rested on the Sabbath-day, which ending about Sunset, probably, they slept some hours, and early in the morning, in the twilight, they come with their Spices. Hence appears, that there is no contradiction at all betwixt the four Evangelists, about the time of these womens coming to the Sepulchre. Matthew says it was about the dawning of the first day of the week; Mark says, it was when the Sabbath was past; Luke says, it was upon the first day of the week; so says Iohn; which would make one admire, that so many words should have been spent by Divines, in untying a knot here, where there is indeed none., and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre Tho Iohn in his History of our Saviours Burial, says nothing of any stone rolled to the mouth of the Sepulchre; yet Matthew does; and of the Iews sealing of it, and setting a watch, Matth. 27.64, 65, 66. Mark Chap. 16 3. tells us also, that these women were thoughtful as they came who should roll the stone away; and also tell us, how it came rolled away, viz. by an Angel: Iohn says nothing, but that the stone was rolled away. So than the History runs thus; Early on the first day of the week, an Angel in a glorious appearance (described by Mark) cometh down, rolleth away the stone from the mouth of the Sepulchre, and Christ ariseth; soon after, these women came with Spices, and were thoughtful as they came, who should roll away the stone; but when they came to the Sepulchre, they found that, as to that, their cares were needless, for the stone was rolled away to their hands..

Then she runneth That is, Mary Magdalene ran into the City to tell Peter; and that seemeth to be the reason why Iohn mentions only her going to the Sepulchre: but yet Luke 24.10. makes not Mary Magdalene only, but Ioanna and Mary the Mother of Iames, the reporters of the news to the Apostles; but possibly she was the forwardest and first reporter of it., and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved She came to the eleven, and told all these things to them, Luke 24.9. but possibly, her chief discourse was with Simon Peter, and Iohn the beloved Disciple:, and says unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him she complains to them that her Lord was removed out of the Sepulchre, whither and by whom she knew not. But how did they know what? Mark says, they entred into the sepulchre, Chap. 16.5. Or if that were after, as it should seem by ver. 11. of this Chapter. They guessed that the body was gone when they saw the stone rolled away, and the door open..

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre Luke Chap. 24.12. mentions Peters going, only upon Mary Magdalenes report; but he must be expounded by this Evangelist..

So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre Who expresly says, that Peter and Iohn went together, and that Iohn outrun Peter, and got first to the Sepulchre..

And he stooping down and looking in, saw the linnen clothes lying; yet went he not in Iohn stooped down and looked into the Sepulchre, and saw the linnen clothes lying, but he would not adventure to go in..

Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linnen clothes lie;

And the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linnen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by it self But Peter, who all along the Gospel appears to have been the boldest Spirit, goeth into the Cave, and seeth all the linnen clothes lying there, and the napkin that was about his head lying by it self..

Then went in also that other disciple which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed Iohn seeing Peter adventure in, adventureth also, and seeth the same things, and believeth that Christ was risen from the dead; or (as some think) that as the women had said, some body had taken him away..

For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise a ain from the dead That is, not fully understand those Scriptures of the Old Test ent, Psal. 2.2. and 16.10. and 110. and the Types of the ld Testament, by which Christs Resurrection was fore old and prefigured..

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home Peter and Iohn when they had been within the Sepulchre, and seen that the body was not there, they went home; believing verily, that what the women at first told them was true, that some body had removed the body out of the Sepulchre; whither, they knew not..

¶ But Mary stood without at the sepulchre, weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the sepulchre That the Mary here mentioned, was Mary Magdalene, appeareth from ver. 14. compared with Mark 16.9. which says, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene.,

And seeth two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had layen:

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She says unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him The other Evangelists differing in their accounts of this part of the History, have raised some questions here not easily to be resolved; Matthew reports thus, Matthew 28.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Iesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said: come, and see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and behold, he goeth before you into Galilee, there shall ye see him; lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy, and did run to bring his disciples word. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Iesus met them, &c. Mark says, Chap. 16. ver 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, &c. And very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. (Where by the rising of the Sun, must not be understood its rising above the Horizon; but after midnight (as the Learned Causebon has noted) when the Sun, and Stars begin to ascend.) 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 (And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away) for it was very great. 5 And entring into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment, and they were affrighted. 6 And he says unto them, Be not affrighted; ye seek Iesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is ris n, he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you. 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled, and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid. Luke reports this part of the History thus, Chap 24. ver. 1st. to the 13th. 1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entred in, and found not the body of the Lord Iesus. 4 And it c me to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, the Son of man must delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembred his words, 9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Ioanna, and Mary the mother of Iames, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre, and stooping down, he beheld the linnen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondring in himself at that which was come to pass. Concerning the persons that went to the Sepulchre, and the time of their going, there is (as we have showed) little difficulty in reconciling the Evangelists. The greatest difference seemeth to be about the Angels that Mary saw; whether she saw two apparitions of Angels, or but one; and one Angel, or two, and concerning the time when she saw them, whether before or after that Peter and Iohn had been in the sepulchre. Matthew says, the stone was rolled away, and the Angel sate upon the stone; (this must be without the Sepulchre.) Mark says, they entring into the Sepulcre, they saw (an Angel in the shape of) a young man sitting, &c. Luke and Iohn speak of two Angels, but seen in the Sepulchre, not without it. There is no doubt, but the apparition was of two Angels; one of which might be seen without first, sitting upon the stone, to let the women know that he had rolled it away: Both of them within, sitting one at the head, the other at the feet of the place, where the body of Jesus lay. But the greatest question is, Whether the women aw the Angels, before that Peter and Iohn had been at the Sepulchre, or after? Some think that it was before, but it is no way probable; for it can hardly be thought, but that if they had seen the Angel at the first, they would have told the eleven of it, or Peter and Iohn at least; nor would Mary have told Peter and Iohn, (as ver. 2) They had taken away her Lord, &c. for the Angels told them, He was risen. So, that altho by some of the others relation, who say nothing of Peter and Iohns coming to the Sepulchre, it seems as if the women saw the Angel before their coming to satisfie themselves, yet indeed it was after. The women first came, saw the door open, the stone rolled away, &c. In a fright they run back, and told it the Disciples; Peter and Iohn came to see, and being satisfied return, leaving Mary still standing at the Sepulchre weeping; then she stooping down and looking into the Sepulchre, both saw the Angel sitting on the stone, and also the two Angels within the Sepulchre, who fully revealed the Resurrection to her..

And when she had thus said, she turned her self back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus And presently Christ himself appeareth to her, tho at first she did not know him..

Jesus says unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She supposing him to be the gardener, says unto him, Sir, if thou have born him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away Either these words passed before the Angels had told her that he was risen, Mark 16.6. Luke 24.5, 6. Or (which is most probable) Mary was hard to believe what the Angels had told her so lately; but coming out of the Sepulchre, Christ appeareth to her, whom she knew not, but thought him to have been the person that had the charge of that garden where Christ was buried, and that he for his own conveniency had removed the dead body; she therefore desires to know, where he had disposed of it, having a mind to remove it to some honourable place of Burial..

Jesus says unto her, Mary Christ calleth her by name, making such a sound as he certainly knew she understood;. She turned her self, and says unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, Master she calleth him Rabboni, which is, as much as to say my Master..

Jesus says unto her, Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father There are in this Verse two, no mean difficulties, the one about the sense of the Prohibition, when our Saviour forbad this woman to touch him; when after his Resurrection, Matth. 28.9. he suffered the Women to hold him by the feet; and himself, ver. 17. of this Chapter, called Thomas to thrust his hands into the hole of his side. There are many opinions about it, the best, seems to be the opinion of those, who think that our Saviour saw Mary too fond, and too much in the imbraces of her Lord, as if she thought he had been raised up to such a converse with them, as he had before his Death; and this error is all which he tasks her of, not forbidding her any kind of touching him, so far as to satisfie her self that he was rruly risen from the dead: but restraining any such gross conception; The other difficulty, What force of a reason there could be for her not touching him, because he had not yet Ascended? Is much solved by that answer to the former; minding Mary, that he was to Ascend to his Father, tho he had not yet Ascended; and therefore not to be injoyed by them with so much freedom and familiarity as before.: but go to my brethren But (says he) go and tell my Brethren, that is, my Disciples, whom the Apostle tells us he is not ashamed to call Brethren, Heb. 2.11, 12., and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God That I Ascend, that is, I shall shortly ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God. Tho I shall very suddenly leave them, yet I shall go but to my Father, and my God, and to their Father and their God.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples, that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her This was that first appearance of our Lord after his Resurrection to Mary Magdalene, after that he was risen from the dead, mentioned Mark 16.9, 10. which she reported to the Disciples; but Mark says, they believed her not, ver. 11. Matthew tells us of another appearance of his, Chap. 28. ver. 9. to the women as they went from the Sepulchre, when they held him by the feet, and worshipped im. Luke tells us of a third appearance to the two Disciples as they were going to Emmaus; which is also shortly touched by Mark, Chap. 16.12, 13 but it is there said, That they believed them not Iohn mentioneth neither of these; these were all the same day that he rose, so was also the next, which is mentioned by our Evangelist in the following Verses..

¶ Then the same day at evening being the first day of the week Luke expounds this Verse, Chap. 24.29. Where the two Disciples told Christ, It was towards evening, and the day was far spent; for the Iews called the afternoon evening, as well as the time after Sunset; and Iohn tells us expresly, it was yet the first day of the week. This appearance is unquestionably the same, mentioned Luke 24.36. For it is said, the two Disciples went immediately to Ierusalem, where they found the eleven gathered together, and discoursed of the Lords appearance to them; and while they spake, Jesus came and stood in the midst of them, and says unto them, (as here) Peace be to you., when the doors were shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews The Disciples had shut the doors of the place where they met, for fear of the Iews., eame Jesus and stood in the midst, and says unto them, Peace be unto you Here is a great question betwixt the Lutherans and Calvinists, how Christ came in amongst them when the doors were shut? whither he went through the doors remaining shut, (which the Lutherans stiffly maintain, as a strong proof of the possibility of the real presence of the body of Christ, in, with, or under the Elements of the Lords Supper; tho we object, that this is to destroy the nature of Christs body, and to assign him a body which indeed is no body, being not obvious to the sense, nor confined to a place; and which must pierce another body, which is contrary to the nature of a body according to our notion of bodies.) The Lutherans object, 1. That here is a plain mention of the doors being shut. 2. No mention of the opening of them. 3. Nor of Christs entrance upon opening any doors, windows, roof, or by any ordinary way, as men use to enter into houses. 4. Nor had he so entred, would there have been any occasion for the Disciples taking him for a Spirit, as it is plain they did, Luke 24.37. The Calvinists on the other side object, 1. That it is not said, that he went through the doors. 2. That if he had gone through the door, he would not presently have called to them to have seen him, and handled him; by which he evidenced, that his body had such dimensions as our bodies have, and so could not go through a door shut. In the Lutherans reason, the fourth is only considerable, the three first have no force; because all circumstances of actions are not recorded in Holy Writ. Nor is there much force in the 4th. for the doors by his miraculous Power opened and shut, and he showed himself in the midst of them, and used to them the usual salutation amongst the Iews, Peace be to you..

And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side Luke adds, his feet too. Those parts of his body where were the most undeniable marks of the death he had suffered upon the Cross.. Then were the disciples when they saw the Lord Then the Disciples, who gave little credit to what Mary Magdalene and the other Women, and the two Disciples going to Emmaus had reported, believed; seeing the Lord, and being exceeding glad at this confirmation of their Faith..

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you The repeating of this alutation, speaketh it more than an ordinary complement, o form of salutation. It signifieth his reconciliation to them, notwithstanding their error in forsaking him, and flying; it prepared their attention for the great things that he was now about to speak to them; it also signified, that he was about to Preach the Gospel of peace to all Nations.: as my Father has sent me, even so send I you I have now fulfilled my Ministry, and am now going to my Father who sent me; now by the same Authority that I am sent, I send you, to gather, instruct, and govern my Church; I send, or I will send you clothed with the same Authority with which I am clothed, and for the same ends in part for which I was sent..

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and says unto them, Receive ye the holy Ghost The Apostles could not be appr ensive how great a work their Lord had laid upon them, sending them as his Father had sent him, to carry the Gospel over the World; Who (said Paul afterward) is sufficient for these things? Our Lord therefore fortifies them with an earnest of that more plentiful effusion of the Spirit, which they afterward received in the days of Pentecost. They before this had received the Spirit, a a Spirit of Sanctification, and had received a Power to work miracles. They did not tell after this, receive the gift of tongues, &c. But he here assures them of the presence of the Holy Spirit with them, in their more ordinary Ministry, in instructing and Governing the Church. This conferring of the Spirit upon them, he confirms to them by breathing, as an exterior sign or Symbol. The name Spirit, signifieth a breath; and it is said, that in the Creation God breathed into Adam the breath of life. Christ breatheth into his Apostles the holy Spirit; thereby showing, that the holy Spirit proceedeth as from the Father, so also from him as the breath of a man proceedeth from him. He also useth words, expounding his action in breathing, and carrying with them an Authority, which being once spoke, the thing was done..

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained Whether Matth. 18.18. be a parallel text to this, I doubt, (see the notes on that Verse.) Our Lord here speaks of the sins of persons; whose sins soever you remit, &c. he says there, whatsoever you shall bind or lose. This Text has caused a great deal of contest. All remission of sins is either Authorative; so it is most true, that none can forgive sin but God; and if we had no Scripture to prove it, yet reason will tell us, none can discharge the Debtor but the Creditor, to whom the debt is owing: or else Ministerial. Thus he who is not the Creditor, (amongst men) may remit a debt by virtue of a Letter of Attorny made to him, Authorizing him so to do. The question therefore amongst Divines is, Whether Christ in this text, has given authority to his Ministers actually to discharge men of the guilt of their sins? Or only to declare unto them, that if their Repentance and Faith be true, their sins are really forgiven them. The former is by many contended for; but it does not seem reasonable, 1. That God should betrust men with such a piece of his Prerogative. 2dly. That God, who knoweth the falshood of mens hearts, and the inability in the best Ministers to judge of the truth of any mans Faith or repentance; as also the passions to which they are subject, should give unto any of the Sons of men an absolute power under him, and in his name to discharge any from the guilt of sin; for certain it is, that without true Repentance and Faith in Christ, no man has his sins forgiven; o as no Minister that knoweth not the hearts of men, can possibly speak with any certainty to any man, saying, His sins are forgiven. What knowledge the Apostles might have by the Spirit of discerning, we cannot say. But certain it is, none has any such certainty of knowledge now of the truth of any man, declaring his Faith and true Repentance; from whence it is to me apparent, That no man has any further power from Christ, than to declare to them, that if indeed they truly believe and repent, their sins are really forgiven. Only the Minister being Christs Interpreter, and Embassador, and better able to judge of true Faith and Repentance than others (tho not certainly and infallibly) such declarations from a faithful able Minister, are of more weight and authority than from others; and this is the most I can conceive should be in this matter; and that if those words any further power be granted to the Apos, it was by reason of that power of discerning Spirits, 1 Cor. 12.10. which ordinary Ministers since the Apostles times, or in latter Ages, cannot with any modesty pretend unto..

¶ But Thomas, one of the twelve called Didymus, was not with them, when Jesus came Whether Thomas had ever since they all forsook our Saviour in the garden and fled, returned again to a communion with the rest, or was absent through some occasion, is not said; but upon this, some have started a question, Whether Thomas being absent, received the Holy Ghost at this time as the rest did? Some think he did not, because of his unbelief. Some of the Ancients think he did; for Numb. 11.26 27. When God gave out the Spirit to the seventy Elders, Eldad and Medad (tho absent) had their share of it, ver. 27. the matter is not much..

The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe But Thomas eminently declareth his unbelief, which argues him as yet much ignorant of the Deity of Christ; and having given too little heed to what Christ had told them of his rising again the third day.: It is not said what Disciples, whether any of the Apostles, or some others, told Thomas of this appearing of the Lord unto them.

¶ And after eight days After eight days, signifieth here the eighth day from the Resurrection, counting the day wherein Christ rose for one; as we call those third days Agnes, which have but one days intermission, and those quartan Agnes which have but two days intermission; so Mark 8.31. It is said, after three days he shall rise, that is, the third day; This appears the most probable sense of the phrase; the Disciples beginning from Christs Resurrection to keep the first day of the week, for the weekly Sabbath; and having met on the Resurrection day, met again that day seven night, hoping (probably) for such a presence of Christ with them in their meeting, as they had before experienced; nor was their expectation vain. It appears also further, from Acts 20.7. and 1 Cor 16.2. That the Christians were wont ordinarily to meet together the first day of the week, for Religious exercises; which from Christs Resurrection, or Institution, or both, is thought to be called Rev. 1.10. the Lords day: Nor indeed do we find in all the Scripture of any Congregation of Christians, on the Iewish Sabbath, but upon this day; tho indeed, we find that the Apostles (and possibly some other Christians) did meet together with the Iews, in their Synagogues on their Sabbath; but we have not so much as one instance after the Resurrection, of any Congregation, where Christians only were assembled upon the Iewish Sabbath. Thomas at this time was with them;, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said It is said again that Christ came, and stood in the midst of them, the doors being shut; concerning which phrase, see the notes on ver. 19., Peace be unto you.

Then says he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not no faithless, but believing We had need take heed what we speak wherever we are, Christ had not after his Resurrection so ordinary and frequent a converse with his Disciples, as he had before. This is the fifth time that we read of Christs appearing to them since his Resurrection. He knew what words of unbelief Thomas had uttered, and accordingly applyeth himself to him, in a wonderful condescension to his weakness; he bids him reach his finger, and his hands, and behold his hands, and thrust his hand into his side. So pitiful is our Lord, and compassionate towards the infirmities of his people..

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God My Lord! to whom I wholly yeild, and give up my self; and my God in whom I believe. It is observed, that this is the first time, that in the Gospel, the name of God is given to Christ; he was now by his Resurrection declared to be the Son of God with Power, Rom. 1.4. So as Thomas did not show more weakness and unbelief at the first, than he showed Faith at last, being the first that acknowledged Christ as God over all blessed for ever; the object of peoples Faith and confidence, and his Lord to whom he freely yeilded up himself as a servant, to be guided and conducted by him..

Jesus says unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me thou hast believed Thou believest that I am risen from the dead, upon the testimony of thy senses, thou doest well in that, thou hast seen, thou hast felt me; but: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed it is a more noble faith to believe without any such sensible evidence. Faith is properly an assent given to a proposition, upon the testimony of Revelation, which if it be but human, it is no more than an human Faith; as we give credit to what our neighbours tell us, tho we have not seen it with our own eyes, nor heard it with our ears immediately, nor had it made evident to any of our senses. If the Revelation to which the assent is given be from God, we call the assent that is given to it a Divine faith: so that to give credit to a thing upon the evidence of sense, is properly no believing, otherwise than as sense confirms what we have before received by a Divine Revelation. This is a sure rule, that by how much our faith stands in lesser need of an external evidence of sense, the stronger it is.

¶ And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book This passage plainly refers to whatsoeve signs we read of in any part of St. Iohn's Gospel; and lets us know, that the Evangelist could have added abundance more to the History of the Miracles which Christ wrought upon the Earth..

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God But he had wrote these to introduce his Readers to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God; a thing of so great concernment to them, that their Eternal life depended upon it; for through his Name alone, Eternal life is to be obtained, Acts 4.12., and that believing ye might have life through his name.