Who Do You Want To Be? (John 20:1-18)

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Who Do You Want To Be? (John 20:1-18) Series

Contributed by Garrett Tyson on Apr 14, 2022 (message contributor)

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Scripture: John 20:1-18, 1 Corinthians 15:1-14

Summary: We see three different responses to Jesus' resurrection. And those three force us think about how we should respond to the reality that Jesus has risen, and ascended.

Let's start today by reading from 1 Corinthians 15 (NRSV):

15 Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters,[a] of the good news[b] that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2 through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.

3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4 and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters[c] at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died.[d] 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11 Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.

Everything in Christianity, and for us, rises or falls based on Jesus' resurrection. If Jesus didn't rise from the dead, everything we are doing is a massive waste of our life. It's for this reason that Paul, in 1 Corinthians, reminds them about the facts of Jesus' resurrection. Jesus was seen by lots of people, publicly, in lots of places.

Now, when we read the Gospel of John, our natural tendency, I think, is going to be to focus on the factuality of Jesus' resurrection. We will notice the specific details AJ (author of John) gives us. We will write down who Jesus appears to.

We can do this, and it's okay to do this. But if we stop at this, and think we've done our job, we are going to miss the point. I'm pretty sure that AJ doesn't give you these stories to defend the truthfulness of the resurrection.

These stories are written more to answer the "so what?" question. What difference does it make for you, on a practical, daily basis, that Jesus rose from the dead, and ascended to his Father in heaven?

As we read today's passage, we are going to find ourselves focusing mostly on how people respond to the risen Lord. And we are going to feel a pull, hopefully, to change how we live. It matters, today, that Jesus rose from the dead, and ascended to his Father.

Let's start in John 19:38, and then push ahead.

(38) Now, after these things, he asked Pilate-- Joseph from Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus-- now, a secret one because of the fear of the Judeans--

that he might take away Jesus' body,

and Pilate allowed it.

Then, he came,

and he took away his body.

(39) Now, also Nicodemus came--

the one coming toward him at night at first,

bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes of about 100 (Roman) pounds.

(40) Then, they took Jesus' body,

and they wrapped it in linen cloths with the fragrant/embalming spices,

just as the custom of the Judeans, it is, to prepare for burial.

(41) Now, there was at the place where he was crucified a garden,

and in the garden a new tomb,

in which no one yet was buried.

(42) Then, there, because of the day of preparation of the Judeans, because near, the tomb was, they buried Jesus.

Verse 1:

(1) Now, on the first day of the week, Mary the Magdalene comes early in the morning,

[while] dark still being, to the tomb,

and she sees the stone having been taken away from the tomb.

What time of day does Mary come to the tomb? AJ (Author of John) tells us, two different ways. It's early in the morning. And, while it's dark.

Last week, when Nicodemus helped bury Jesus, AJ reminded us that Nicodemus first came to Jesus in the dark. That's important for understanding who Nicodemus was-- he was someone who loved the darkness, who didn't want his wickedness exposed, who was scared of the Judeans. Darkness is a symbol for lots of negative things, but above all, it's symbol for a lack of faith.

Here, in John 20, AJ doesn't have to tell us that it's still dark out when Mary goes to the tomb. That's an unnecessary detail, historically. But theologically, it matters. At this point in our story, there is no faith. It's been said that the night is darkest, right before dawn. In our story, that's exactly where we are.

So it's dark, and Mary sees the stone having been taken away from the tomb. That's the fact. What significance does this have? Verse 2:

(2) Then, she runs and she comes to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus was loving,

and she says to them,

"They have taken away the Lord from the tomb,

and we don't know where they put him."

Mary knows that if the stone is taken away from the tomb, there is only one explanation. Right? And that explanation, is that someone took Jesus' body. She then goes on to say, that "we" don't know where they put him.

Who is "we"? In the gospel of John, Mary is by herself at the tomb. There's no other women mentioned. So when she says "we," she must be including Simon Peter and the beloved disciple. She looks at the three of them, and knows that "we" don't know where Jesus is. And when we look at the three of them, what we are supposed to see, is a total lack of understanding and faith.

Verse 3:

(3) Then, Peter and the other disciple go out,

and they were coming to the tomb.

(4) Now, the two were running together,

and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter,

and he came first to the tomb,

(5) and, bending over to peek in, he sees lying there the strips of linen cloth,

but he didn't enter in.

For centuries, people have talked about the race between Peter and the other disciple, and wondered why AJ talks about the beloved disciple running faster.

Maybe, the beloved disciple is younger. Maybe, Peter is haunted by how he denied Jesus three times, and his guilt slows him down. Or maybe, it just goes to show that the disciple closest to Jesus, is the quickest to look for him (H/T Raymond Brown). There's an urgency to his seeking Jesus, that isn't there for everyone. It's hard to say.

But what does the beloved disciple do, and see? This is important. What he does, is peek in to the tomb. Doesn't enter. Just peeks. And what he sees-- the fact-- is the strips of linen cloth Jesus was buried with.

Verse 6-7:

(6) Then, also Simon Peter comes,

following him,

and he entered the tomb,

and he sees the strips of linen cloth lying there,

and the facecloth that was upon his head,

not with the strips of linen cloth lying,

but separately wrapped up in one place.

When we read these verses, we are supposed to find ourselves contrasting Peter with the beloved disciple (in part because of the "following him" in verse 6). Unlike the beloved disciple, Peter actually enters the tomb. And Peter sees the same thing as the beloved disciple, but also something new: the facecloth. And this facecloth was carefully folded/wrapped up separately.

What explanation is there for this? What does it mean?

We aren't told. But what we are seeing, is progress. People are coming closer to Jesus, and closer to the truth.

Verse 8-9:

(8) Then, the other disciple also entered-- the one coming first to the tomb--

and he saw,

and he "believed."

(9) For they hadn't yet known the Scripture

that it was necessary for him, from the dead, to rise.

The beloved disciple sees the same set of facts as Peter, and he "believed." What does he believe? Verse 9 tells us: He believes that Jesus rose from the dead.

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Most commentators (Carson, Moloney, Whitacre, O'Day) really struggle with verse 9, with the "for." In what sense does verse 9 strengthen verse 8? Many say that the disciple "believes" something here, but not that Jesus rose from the dead. I think verse 9 answers a question: In what sense can the disciple now be said to "believe," in a way he previously didn't? He's been the model for discipleship throughout, so what was lacking? And the answer, is that he still didn't understand Jesus had to rise from the dead (despite everything Jesus has said about that).

The verb for "hadn't yet known" is a pluperfect, but commentators treat it like a present tense or aorist.

Francis Moloney is typical:

Yet despite this moment of faith at the empty tomb the narrator comments that as yet (oudepo) these disciples were not aware of the Scripture that told that Jesus must rise from the dead (v. 9: dei auton ek nekron anastenai). This is an important concluding statement from the narrator, directed to the reader of the story. Two foundational disciples have witnessed the action of God and one of them has seen and believed. But God also speaks through the Scripture: Jesus must rise from the dead. The disciples did not yet know this truth: “as yet they did not know the scripture.” They are in a “not yet” situation of ignorance that will be overcome by a later generation of believers who will read the Scripture and recognize the revelation of the action of God in the resurrection of Jesus.

Ernst Haenchen is a rare exception:

Verse 9* gives the reason it was necessary for the disciples to see the empty tomb, the bandages, and the like, in order to come to faith: they did not yet know that the scripture foretold the resurrection of Jesus.

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Verse 10:

(10) Then, they departed again to their own things/homes-- the disciples.

So at this point in the story, we've seen the reaction of three disciples to the empty tomb. Mary started all of this, by assuming the worst. Someone dishonored Jesus, by taking his body. We then found ourselves reading about the beloved disciple and Peter. These two disciples have seen the same set of three facts: (1) The tomb is empty, (2) the linen cloths are still in place, and (3) the head covering is rolled up separately.

But these two disciples leave the tomb in very different places spiritually. The beloved disciple sees these facts, and he comes to have faith: Jesus rose the dead. Peter, at this point, seeing the same thing, is a question mark.

But what they have in common, in verse 10, is that life goes back to normal. At this point, Jesus rising from the dead doesn't change anything for them, in practical, everyday life.

Does that bother you? If you believe Jesus rose from the dead, is that supposed to change something about how you live? Or do you just go home?

At this point, AJ brings our attention back to the one who started all of this-- Mary. She had seen the stone taken away from the tomb, assumed the worst, and ran to tell the disciples. Now, she's made her way back to the tomb, and her story picks back up.

Verse 11:

(11) Now, Mary stood at the tomb outside sobbing/weeping.

Then, while she was sobbing/weeping, she bent over to peek into the tomb,

(12) and she sees two angels in white being seated,

one at the head, and one at the feet, where Jesus' body was lying,

(13) and those ones say to her,

"Woman, why are you sobbing/weeping?"

She says to them (that),

"They have taken away my Lord,

and I don't know where they put him."

This is not the first time Mary has sobbed (??a?? ) in the gospel of John. Back in John 11:31, 33, when Lazarus was dead in the tomb, Mary sobbed. Jesus did something different-- he "wept" (John 11:35; da???´?) When loved ones die, we are a people who weep, and not sob. Sobbing demonstrates a lack of faith, and understanding. If you're sobbing, it's because you have no hope that resurrection is possible.

Here, when Mary sobs, this brings all of Lazarus's story back to us. Mary finds herself in the same position that she did, before Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. She sobs because she has no hope, no faith, no knowledge. At this point, now, she sees the same empty tomb, presumably the same linen cloths, and, on top of that, she sees two angels. And everything she has seen, does what for her? Nothing. The same set of facts, does nothing.

She's still in the same position that she was at first. Look at what she says: "They have taken away my Lord, and I don't know where they put him." She still thinks Jesus is a corpse.

What's striking here, is that her words are a little different than they were in verse 2. In verse 2, Mary included the disciples in her ignorance and lack of faith. She said, "We" don't know where they put him. Now, though, she's alone (?). She says, "I" don't know (H/T Moloney).

So what we've seen so far in chapter 20, is three responses to the empty tomb. We've seen Peter, the question mark. We've seen the beloved disciple come to a mature, complete faith. And we've seen Mary, with a total lack of faith. What Mary requires, to move to faith, is something more than an empty tomb, and linen cloths, and angels. The facts, are not what she needs.

Verse 14-16:

(14) These things saying, she turned around,

and she sees Jesus standing there,

and she didn't know that Jesus, it is.

(15) Jesus says to her,

"Who are you seeking?"

That one , thinking that the gardener he is, says to him,

"Lord/sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you put him,

and I, him, will take away."

(16) Jesus says to her,

"Mariam."

That one being turned around says to him in Aramaic,

"Rabbouni,"

which means "Teacher."

Let's pause here. What opens her eyes, so that she can see the truth, is Jesus' voice. Jesus is the Good Shepherd. He calls his sheep by their name, and they know his voice. Jesus here, calls Mary by her Aramaic (true) name. And she, recognizing his voice, turns from unbelief, to belief.

And when you read this, many of you probably think to yourself, "This is me." When you made the decision to commit to Jesus as Savior, and Lord, and King, you didn't do so through apologetics. [You're not like Lee Strobel, and The Case for Christ.] It wasn't through wrestling with the facts of Jesus' resurrection-- the empty tomb, the linen cloths, the facecloth rolled up separately. You came to Jesus, because you heard his voice calling you. And you found yourself coming closer and closer to Jesus, over a period of time. You just had this pull, drawing you. You found yourself praying in your bed at night. You found herself in church on Sundays. Jesus was calling you, and you answered.

Those of you are interested in apologetics may look at these people, and kind of shake your heads. You want to give them a better anchor for their faith. You want to give them more of an intellectual framework. But for some people, they know what they know, because they heard Jesus' voice. And those of us who lean toward the geek, need to respect this, and not look down on them. They hear Jesus, in a way that we maybe don't. To quote the old hymn, they know Jesus lives, because he lives in them.

[And lest you think I'm making a lot out of nothing here... Maybe you think that Mary had a huge advantage here, because she saw Jesus. Notice: seeing Jesus does nothing for Mary. It's the hearing, that leads to her faith. And Jesus still speaks, and still calls us.]

People are persuaded about the truthfulness of Jesus, and Christianity, in very different ways. And we need to be sensitive to that, and not frustrated, when what "works" for some people, doesn't "work" for others. Some people need signs (John 4:48). Others need to see our unity, and the love that we have for each other (John 13:35). Some need only the facts (the beloved disciple). And others need to hear Jesus' voice. There are many things that bring people to Jesus. And they are all okay, and legitimate.

Verse 17:

(17) Jesus says to her,

"Don't, me, cling to.

For I haven't yet ascended toward the Father.

Now, go to my brothers,

and say to them,

"I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and my God and your God."

(18) Mary the Magdalene comes,

announcing to the disciples that "I have seen the Lord,"

and these things, he said to her.

In verse 17, why does Jesus tell Mary not to "cling to" him? That's a tough question. The verb can just mean something more like "touch" (KJV). And if it just means "touch," then we wonder why Jesus won't allow Mary to touch him, but he invites his disciples to touch his hands and side later in the chapter (different verb, John 20:27).

Probably, Jesus is telling Mary not to "cling to" him (NKJV-- an interesting update here). Why? I think we are supposed to read into this here. What Mary expects, is a continuation of the way things were. She wants to abide with the earthly Jesus. But Jesus isn't simply rising from the dead. He is rising toward his Father in heaven-- his Father, and your Father, his God, and your God.

Since this is the case, Mary can't cling to Jesus. Instead, there are two different verbs she has to do. She needs to "go," and she needs to "tell" Jesus' brothers the good news about Jesus, that he is ascending to his Father.

Maybe we can call this the "Little Commission." "Go, and tell."

We tend to think of Jesus' resurrection as the end goal. Jesus died on the cross for our sins, was buried, and on the third day rose from the dead.

But when we read Jesus' words to Mary, it's a reminder that the good news about Jesus doesn't end there. It can't end there. The good news, is that Jesus returned to his Father, and our Father. And it's from his Father's side, that Jesus intercedes for us, and says "yes" to every prayer. And it's from his Father's side, that he (with the Father) gives us the Holy Spirit. So when you think about Jesus, and what he accomplished, make sure you don't stop short. Think about where Jesus is, and not just where he was.

[O'Day: It's not just a resuscitation, or resurrection. It's an ascension.]

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When we step back, and look at John 20:1-18 as a whole, what do we see?

First, and obviously, we see that Jesus has risen from the dead.

But these stories aren't designed to convince you about that. Jesus' resurrection is fact. We find ourselves focusing, instead, on how three disciples respond to this fact: Peter, the beloved disciple, and Mary.

And when we look at these three disciples, what we notice is this sense of progress. Throughout the gospel of John, people come to a full, mature [faith in/allegiance to] Jesus in steps. You come to Jesus, and abide with him, and follow him, over time. You may be like the Samaritan woman, or Nathaniel, and have some doubts, and skepticism. But you are open-minded enough to go to the right person for the answers, and see for yourself.

What we see, in John 20, is this process come to its natural conclusion. The beloved disciple has been committed to Jesus, and is loved by Jesus. But even he, up to this point, had an incomplete faith because he hadn't understood Jesus must rise from the dead. It's only now, on this side of the resurrection, that he truly, fully "believes in" Jesus.

And the same thing is true for Mary. Mary loves Jesus. She is committed to him. But she found herself, at the start of John 20, with no faith, living in the darkness. She still loves Jesus. She cares about him. But her faith is shot. And the empty tomb, and linen cloths, and angels, do nothing for her.

But Jesus, in kindness, pulls her out of this. She knows her Shepherd's voice. And hearing her name, opens her eyes to the truth. And then she shows progress over the other two disciples. They had gone back to their homes.

But she obeys the "Little Commission." She goes and tells Jesus' disciples where Jesus is going.

When you think about these three disciples, it forces you to think about yourself, and where you stand with Jesus. Maybe you are like Peter. You see the empty tomb, and the linen cloths, and the face cloth rolled up separately, and you... what? You aren't sure what to think. You're a question mark. But if you're here, you're making good progress. You're seeking answers in the right place, from the right Person.

Maybe you are like the beloved disciple. You see the same set of facts, and you've come to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. He is who he claims to be. He can truly give abundant life. You know all of this, and you believe in Jesus. But, at the end of the day, you go home.

Or maybe, you are like Mary. Jesus has called you by name. You've heard his voice, and recognize your Shepherd. And you, in obedience, tell others the good news about Jesus.

Who are you? And, more importantly, who do you want to be?

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