The Report on the Resurrection John 20: 2-18 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

In this study we are going to focus on the eyewitness accounts of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and the disbelief of some who were a witness to it. In John 20:2 we see Mary running from the empty sepulcher to tell Peter and the disciple that Jesus loved (John) that the body of Jesus was missing. In Luke we learn that she reported the news to “the eleven, and to all the rest “(Luke 24:9) as well. The disciples did not believe the women. That happens to match the worldwide reception to the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke goes on to tell us that Peter ran to the sepulcher, saw the linen clothes laid by themselves,

and departed (Luke 24:12). In John we learn that John outran Peter and arrived at the

sepulcher before him (John 20:4). John peered into the sepulcher but did not enter until after Peter had arrived and gone inside to take a look. We also learn from this passage that Peter, “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.” (John 20:6-7). If someone had stolen the body, as the chief priests had claimed, then they would have been in a hurry to sneak past the slumbering guards and wouldn’t have taken the time to remove the clothes from the body. In Luke we are told, “stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves” (Luke 24:12). Then in John we see that John went in also and seeing the linen clothes in the sepulcher he now believed the report of the women (John 20:8).

The next verse informs us that the disciples did not know of the scripture foretelling that Jesus must rise again. In Psalm 16:10 David proclaims, “thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.” But David did not go to hell and his body did see corruption. Therefore, we know that this verse refers to Jesus Christ. Peter learned of this verse from Psalms because he preached it just fifty days later (Acts 2:27).

Then the disciples returned home but Mary remained weeping at the sepulcher (John 20:10-11). When she stooped down to look into the sepulcher she saw two angels in white sitting on each end of where Jesus had lain. After answering the angels query as to her sorrow Mary turned around and saw Jesus standing but did not recognize Him. After a brief exchange Jesus called Mary by name. Knowing her excitement at seeing Him and the accompanying desire to hold him, Jesus warned her not to touch Him. He explained, “for I have not yet ascended unto my Father” (John 20:17).

Compare John 20:17 with Matthew 28:9.  During the meeting in Matthew the women hold Jesus “by the feet, and worship him” whereas Jesus, in John 20:17, does not allow Mary to touch Him. Therefore, we understand that in this short timeframe Jesus ascended into Heaven and returned. In this relatively short time span Jesus relocated [raptured] all of the inhabitants of Abraham’s bosom into Heaven (Eph 4:8-11). The inhabitants consisted of all of the Old Testament saints except for Enoch, Moses and Elijah who were already there waiting for them.