“A JOURNEY THROUGH THE GOSPEL OF JOHN”

St. John 20:11-23

Christ’s Appearance Before His Own

It is profoundly significant that we have arrived to the triumphant resurrection of Christ and His mighty appearances to many that authenticated that He did triumph over sin, death and the grave.  From these mighty and wondrous appearances, our lesson from St. John 20 is focused on the first and fifth appearances that clearly proved that Christ was seen alive after His resurrection.  There are at least eleven appearances of Christ between His resurrection and ascension.  These listings are as follows:

1. First, He appeared to Mary Magdalene (St. John 20:14).
2. Second, He appeared unto various women coming from the sepulcher    (St. Matthew 28:9-10).
3. Third, He appeared to Simon Peter (Luke 24:34).
4. He appeared unto the two Emmaus disciples (Luke 24:13).
5. He appeared to the ten apostles in the Upper Room (John 20:19).
6. He appeared to the eleven apostles in the Upper Room (John

20:26-29).

7. He appeared unto the seven disciples fishing at the Sea of Tiberias  (John 21).
8. He made another appearance to the eleven disciples (Matthew 28:16).
9. He made an appearance to above five hundred brethren (I Corinthians 15:7).
10. He made an appearance to James (I Corinthians 15:7).
11. He made an appearance to His eleven apostles and other disciples

before He ascended from Mount Olive (Acts 1).

As our lesson opens, we find Mary’s profound love being evidenced through her weeping, for she was weeping because the sepulcher was indeed empty (v. 11).   However, she should have been rejoicing because Christ fulfilled His precious promise of rising from the dead!  Her love was really deep and affectionate; however, her love needed to be tendered with faith.  In the midst of Mary’s deep and abiding sorrow, God supplies two angels to reassure Mary’s faith (v. 12).  The angels’ presence in the sepulcher was proof positive that our Lord had risen from the grave!  Their profound presence was a witness from heaven that “all was well.”  In the depth of Mary’s sorrow, these heavenly visitants raised a question to Mary in order to stir her heart from weeping so needlessly (v. 13).  Mary, with her thoughts on the Saviour, now finds our Lord standing in her midst (v. 14).  Her deep and abiding devotion to the Lord is being rewarded!  Mary witnessed the Lord standing right there in her midst.

Our triumphant Lord in verse 15 spoke His first words from the grave to Mary, when He said – “Woman, why weepest thou?  Whom seeketh thou?”  In comforting love, our Saviour mends the broken heart of Mary with these soothing questions.  He still mends our broken hearts (Isaiah 61:1) and He will eventually wipe away tears from the faces of all His people (Isaiah 25:8; Revelation 21:4).  The questions raised by our Lord in verse 15 included a mild or gentle reproof – “you should be rejoicing rather than being overwhelmed with sorrow Mary.”  His second question is even more piercing – “Who are you seeking Mary among the dead.”  Yes, Mary had forgotten that the Lord of life voluntarily gave his life, only to pick it up again in three days!

As Jesus spoke to Mary in verse 15, she being overwhelmed with sorrow, thought that she was speaking to a gardener, when she said – “Sir, if thou have borne Him hence, tell me where thou hast laid Him, and I will take Him away.”  When Jesus calls Mary’s name in verse 16, she recognized the Saviour’s voice.  Not only does the Lord know the name of His sheep, but the sheep recognizes the voice of the Shepherd!  Jesus, in compliance with an Old Testament type (Leviticus 23:10-11), instructs Mary in verse 17 to – “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.”

As a further reward to Mary’s faithfulness and devotion, she was privileged to be a witness about what she had experienced (v. 17).  Mary, a bearer of the resurrection news, told the disciples that she had seen the risen Lord (v. 18).  In verse 19, the risen Lord appears to His disciples on the “first day of the week” (Sunday).  Although the doors were shut (barred), it was apparent that no doors could keep the Conqueror of death from entering!  In their midst, the mighty Conqueror of death issued these words of assurance – “Peace be unto you.”  Having assured His astonished disciples that He was in their midst, He showed them His hands and side (v. 20).  After the disciples saw their risen Lord, their fears turned to faith, their sorrows turned to supreme joy!  Our blessed Lord utters the expression – “Peace be unto you,” to His blessed disciples, signifying that they may experience sustaining peace as they commune with Him.

In verse 22, the Lord anointed His blessed disciples with the Holy Spirit as they presented the joyous message of His resurrection.  His disciples were given the authoritative power to declare and announce those whose sins are forgiven and not forgiven (v. 23).  Christ enjoins those disciples to proclaim forgiveness of sins in His name only!  May God Bless!