John Chapter 20
When reading about the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, it is good to read all four Gospels. Each one gives some detail that one of the other writers may not have included. Therefore, we will refer to all four when we look at the most important date of all time - WHEN JESUS CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD!
I Corinthians 15:20 - "But now CHRIST HAS BEEN raised from the dead, the FIRST FRUITS of those who are asleep."
Jesus' Burial:
In these passages mentioned, we are told that Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Jewish council asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. He took the body down, wrapped it in linen and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock and then rolled a stone against the entrance. It was Preparation Day and the Sabbath was about to begin (Luke 53:54). The Jew's Sabbath Day was on Saturday. Therefore, Jesus was crucified and buried on Friday, remained in the grave on Saturday, but...things would change on Sunday!
The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate and made a special request to guard his tomb.
Read Matthew 27:62-66.
Why did they want it guarded?
How did they secure the tomb?
When the Sabbath was over, who brought spices to anoint the body of Jesus? (Luke 16:1) -
This was EARLY that Sunday morning after the sun had risen. They were wondering who would help them roll the stone away.
When they arrived, what did they find had happened? Matthew 28:2 -
According to this verse, WHO had rolled the stone away from the grave?
Read Matthew 28:3
Continue reading Matthew's account of this event!
This is where JOHN begins to give us details about Peter and himself going to the tomb to see for themselves! John OUTRAN Peter (can you see them in your mind?) John stooped and looked in, but did not go in.
Peter arrived and went on inside the tomb.
John went inside the tomb also.
Up to this point Peter and John had not understood the Scriptures about Jesus raising from the dead, but now they BELIEVED! The disciples went away to their homes, but Mary Magdalene who had told these of Jesus missing was still weeping and looking into the tomb.
They asked her why she was weeping. She told them she didn't know where they had 'taken' Jesus' body. Another person, who she thought to be the gardener asked her why she was crying. She told him the same thing. And then she heard her name from this person: "MARY!" She turned and said to Him in Hebrew "Rabboni!" (translated: Teacher)
She then went to announce to the disciples: "I have SEEN the Lord" and she told them the things He said to her.
Read Luke 24:13-35.
This is an event that John does not tell us about in his gospel account. Before Jesus appeared in the room with his disciples, He walked down the road with two others that were discussing the events of the day. This was on the ROAD to Emmaus (about 7 miles from Jerusalem).Jesus walked with them and listened to them talk. They were prevented from recognizing Him.
They said it is the THIRD day since all this took place. Some women had amazed them with the story that they had gone to the tomb early that morning and didn't find his body. They had told them of the vision of angels and had said He was ALIVE. Then they said that their companions had gone to the tomb and found it the same way that the women said, but they did not see Him.
Luke 24: 27 - And beginning with MOSESand ALL THE PROPHETS,He (Jesus) explained to them what was said in ALL THE SCRIPTURES concerning Himself.
You will find the Old Testament Scriptures come alive for you as you realize that everything ever written was pointing forward to the first and second coming of the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the eternal plan of man's redemption.
They arrived at the village and they asked Jesus to stay with them.
As they ate together, when were their EYES OPENED to RECOGNIZE Who He was? (vs.30,31)
As soon as they did, what happened to Jesus?
What did these two men say to each other at that time? (vs.32)
Do you know what they are talking about?
Does your heart ever "burn inside" when the Scriptures are being explained to you and the Holy Spirit is teaching you God's truth?
When JESUS is being REVEALED to you through ALL THE SCRIPTURES, do you ever feel the burning inside?
That is the precious moving of God's Holy Spirit!
Well, they got up and returned at once to JERUSALEM and found the 11 assembled together. They said to them..."It is TRUE! The Lord has risen and appeared to Simon".
This tells us that Jesus had already appeared to Simon Peter and Peter was trying to convince the others he had seen Him.
This is on that same evening that He has risen.
John states that Jesus showed them his hands and side. We get more details from Luke, so let's look at Luke again. They thought they were seeing a ghost (since He just appeared inside the locked doors) Jesus said, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? LOOK at my hands and my feet. It is I Myself! TOUCH Me and SEE; a ghost does NOT have FLESH AND BONES as you SEE I HAVE." (Luke 24:39)
Then Jesus asked them for something to EAT and he ate a piece of broiled fish in their presence. The fact that He had a BODILY resurrection is so important as we think of how our new bodies will be at the resurrection when we are given our new bodies. He could eat! He was flesh and bones! He walked and talked on the road to Emmaus. And yet - He could simply "appear" in a room locked up - it gives us an idea of the fact that there were no limits of where He could go, and yet He appeared in a human form with human characteristics still.
The Resurrection Chapter For Believers Is I Corinthians, Chapter 15. Please go there now and READ the Chapter. The Gospel (the good news) is put in summary form. Write out below:
At the time of Paul's writing this letter to the church at Corinth, some of these people were still alive that had SEEN Jesus in His resurrected form!
And then, he says, Jesus appeared to JAMES .....
And then to ALL THE APOSTLES...
And then, who did Jesus appear to that was a chosen apostle of His own? I Corinthians 15:8 -
When we read the book of Acts, we will read about Jesus appearing to the apostle Paul and appointing Him to preach the GOSPEL to the Gentiles. As you continue to read I Corinthians 15, You will learn about our resurrected bodies and the order of the resurrection events.
Also, see and comment on:
These are such comforting Scriptures!
We could not encourage one another about our loved ones or ourselves being resurrected unless OUR JESUS first conquered the grave and was resurrected Himself !
In the remaining verses of John 20, we have the account of Thomas, who was not with the others when they first saw Jesus. He just couldn't believe them until he saw it himself! EIGHT DAYS LATER, Jesus appeared inside the room of shut doors again! Thomas was there this time.
Jesus said this:
"Because you have seen Me, have you believed? BLESSED are they who did NOT see, and YET BELIEVE."
This wonderful chapter ends with the PURPOSE that John wrote this GOSPEL for us. We have been looking at this verse from the BEGINNING. Write it out this one last time to seal it in your heart !
We will see in our LAST chapter of John - that Jesus continued to MANIFEST Himself to His disciples and then to COMMISSION them with spreading the GOSPEL and teaching His Word to others after His Ascension.
The beginning of the book of Acts gives us the account of HIS ASCENSION.
Then Jesus gathered them together and told them NOT to LEAVE Jerusalem but to WAIT for the PROMISE from the Father.
As we studied the FEASTS of the JEWS, we saw that the PASSOVER FESTIVAL had three parts to it: Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits..... FIRST FRUITS was the picture of the resurrection of Jesus, the first fruits of those to be resurrected.
Pente - means "50".... It was the Jewish festival called PENTECOST
Two loaves of leavened bread. This is a picture of the HOLY SPIRIT - the Promise of the Spirit -the mystery of the CHURCH - JEWS AND GENTILES IN ONE BODY!
If Jesus appeared for over 40 days, then in just a few days longer, the Jews will gather to CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF PENTECOST. On that day, the Holy Spirit will come upon them and empower them to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth! The account of the Holy Spirit coming is in Acts, Chapter 2. Also, see these Scriptures about the Spirit baptizing us all into ONE body of Christ, His body, the Church.
Write these out:
I Corinthians 12:13-
Ephesians 2:11-22 -
To read about the Festival of Pentecost (See Leviticus 23:15-21)
AFTER JESUS MAKES THE PROMISE TO THEM THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL COME, what did they ALL witness also? Acts 1:9 -
As they gazed up in the clouds, what did the two men in white clothing tell them? vs.10,11 -
Now, what are you to do?
Believe THE GOSPEL! Share the GOSPEL! He is coming back just the same way He left!
We will learn about Peter's COMMISSION in John, Chapter 21,
..... and each of us are under the same commission "to share the Gospel and God's Words with others until He comes"!
Today's Summary and Prayer:
Created For RTB msn group by B. LeMoine, used by permission only. Please join us at www.read-the-bible.webs.com
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