PrevJohn 20:14Next

John 20

The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

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

And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

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

And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.

And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.

Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

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.

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Then saith 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 faithless, but believing.

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

What does John 20:14 mean?

Explanation

John 20:14 describes an event that follows the resurrection of Jesus. Mary Magdalene visits the tomb of Jesus and finds it empty. She is distraught as she believes someone has taken the body of Jesus.

While she weeps, she turns around and sees Jesus standing there, but she does not initially recognize him.

This verse underscores the idea that recognition of Jesus is not solely based on physical sight.

It suggests that spiritual discernment is required to truly perceive Him. The fact that Mary did not recognize Jesus right away implies that His resurrected form may have been different, or that her own state of distress obscured her recognition.

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

John 20:14 is set in the context of the Jewish festival of Passover, which commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from Egyptian slavery.

It was during this period that Jesus was crucified and subsequently rose from the dead. During this time, Jewish customs of burial and mourning would have been rigorously observed.

This event takes place in the early hours of the first day of the week, suggesting it was Sunday morning, after the Sabbath, when it was permissible to visit gravesites according to Jewish law.

Theological Insights

Different theological viewpoints offer various interpretations of John 20:14:

Traditional Christian theology sees this verse as a fulfillment of Jesus' promise of His resurrection. It speaks to the theme of life triumphing over death.
From a psychological perspective, it could be interpreted that Mary's grief and expectations prevented her from seeing Jesus as the resurrected Lord.
A symbolic interpretation could see Jesus' unrecognized presence as representative of His often unnoticed presence in the daily lives of believers.

Practical Applications

John 20:14 offers several practical applications:

It teaches the value of awareness and spiritual discernment, encouraging individuals to look beyond their immediate perceptions and be open to divine encounters.
It serves as a reminder of the hope and new life that comes after periods of loss and mourning, symbolizing that Jesus can be present with us in our times of distress.
It challenges believers to seek and acknowledge the presence of Christ in unexpected places and people.

Cross-References

Luke 24:16 - "But their eyes were holden that they should not know him."
John 20:16 - "Jesus saith unto her, Mary.

She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master."

John 21:4 - "But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus."

Language Study

In the original Greek text, the word "knew" (Greek: ἔγνω, "egnō") is significant.

It is more than mere visual recognition; it implies understanding or realization. The use of this word suggests that Mary's lack of recognition was more than just not seeing a familiar face; it was a lack of understanding about who Jesus was post-resurrection.

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Comparisons can be drawn between the story of Mary Magdalene not recognizing Jesus and other ancient myths where gods disguise themselves or are not recognized by humans.

These stories often emphasize the importance of divine revelation rather than simple physical appearance.

In Hinduism, for example, there are tales of deities appearing in different forms and not being recognized immediately, highlighting similar themes of divine encounters and realizations.

Scientific Perspectives

Science generally does not verify or deny events of a supernatural or miraculous nature, like resurrection or appearances post-death.

Thus, a scientific perspective would focus on the psychological aspects, perhaps exploring how extreme emotional states can affect perception and recognition.

Commentaries

Commentaries on John 20:14 offer varying insights:

Matthew Henry's Commentary reflects on Mary's deep sorrow preventing her from recognizing Jesus and notes the tenderness in which Jesus deals with her grief.
William Barclay suggests the resurrection body of Jesus might have been different in appearance, contributing to Mary's failure to recognize Him immediately.
The MacArthur Study Bible emphasizes the significance of Jesus' appearance to Mary as a demonstration of His care for his followers and His deliberate choice to appear to Mary Magdalene, a woman, as a powerful testament to His resurrection.

John 20

John 20

What does John 20:14 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?

What does John 20:14 mean?

Explanation

Top Rated John Books

Historical Context

Theological Insights

Practical Applications

Cross-References

Language Study

Cultural and Religious Comparisons

Scientific Perspectives

Commentaries

Want more context?