John 20. The Coming of the Risen Lord.
John 20:1-10. The Empty Tomb. The gospel, as contrasted with the Appendix (John 20:21), follows what is now generally known as the Jerusalem tradition, which makes Jerusalem and not Galilee the scene of the appearance to the disciples. It is often assumed that the Marcan Gospel recognised originally no appearance in Jerusalem. If the lost ending was used by Mt., it would seem that it contained an account of the appearance to the women on Easter Day. The present ending of Mk. is based certainly on Lk. and perhaps on Jn. But in any case the evidence for appearances in Jerusalem is too strong to be summarily set aside as later modification of stories originally confined to Galilee (1 Corinthians 15:4-7 *). Instead of the Synoptic account of two or more women, Jn. records the experiences of Mary Magdalene alone, a phenomenon of which this gospel presents several other instances. The narrative, however, shows traces of the presence of others (we know not, John 20:2). Mary comes early to the tomb to finish the work of Friday which the Sabbath had interrupted. Finding the stone removed she naturally assumes that the body, temporarily laid in Joseph's garden, has been removed, and returns to tell the disciples. The details of the visit of Peter and the Beloved Disciple show the former first in action, the latter in interpreting what is seen. The presence of the grave-clothes indicates that the body has not been stolen or removed. Their orderly arrangement suggests much more to the Beloved Disciple. The author reminds us that the Scripture proof of resurrection was a later growth. It was the experiences of Easter Day that first brought conviction, not the happening of what prophecy had taught them to expect.