1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.
Commentary
Vs. 1 “Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.”
The first day of the week according to Jewish calendar would be Sunday. And so, it was on this day after the commanded Sabbath rest, that Mary went to the tomb early in the morning while it was still dark. (we need in Matthews Gospel that both Marys’ observed where they laid Jesus body, Matt 27:51) And having arrived at the tomb Mary now to her surprise finds that the stone which covered the entrance of the tomb had been taken away!
Vs. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
Having discovered the empty tomb Mary now runs to tell Simon Peter and John (i.e. the disciple whom Jesus’ loved), that she just came from Jesus’ tomb and found it empty, saying: “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
Vs. 3-4 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.
Therefore, upon hearing the Good News from Mary that Jesus’ tomb is empty, both Peter and John now go out to see the tomb, however their excitement at this news will not allow them to walk, and so they both race to see it, now John outran Peter to the tomb, and thus arrived there first.
Vs. 5 “And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.”
When John arrived at the tomb he had to stoop down to look inside, now when he did he saw the linen graves clothes lying there, yet for whatever reason John (likely stunned by the sight) hesitated to go in.
Vs. 6-7 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.
Now Peter following John, when he arrived at the tomb, he went into it and there he saw the linen cloths lying there by themselves, as well there was the handkerchief that was around Jesus’ head neatly folded up and placed by themselves. This then was not something someone would have done if they had taken the body of Jesus, that is first remove the graves clothes from Him and then carefully fold up His linen handkerchief!
Vs. 8 “Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.”
When John saw that Peter had gone into the tomb, he also entered it, and when he saw that Jesus was not there and how everything was he also believed! That is both he and Peter believed that Jesus has Risen from the dead!
Vs. 9 “For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.”
Up until that moment the disciples though Jesus had told them that He was going to rise again, (Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; 24:7 etc.) but they had not been able to understand what all this entailed, or even how this would or could take place. And so not until they saw Jesus Christ’s empty Tomb did the pieces of their understanding start to fall into place, for in the Scripture this was even foretold them (consider Luke 24:44; Psalm 16:10).
Vs. 10 “Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.”
Having seen Christ’s empty Tomb both John and Peter now depart each to their own homes, for as yet they did not know what was still to come!
Scripture Quotations
New King James (1982):Thomas Nelson.
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