John 20:3

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) The details of the visit of Peter and John (John 20:3-10) are peculiar to this Gospel. St. Luke mentions the visit of Peter only (24:12, but comp. John 20:23); but here we have the whole scene pictured with all the vividness and exactness of one who stated what he himself saw and took part in.

Peter therefore went forth, and . . . came to the sepulchre.—In the original there is a change of tense here; the latter verb expressing the continuance of the journey towards the sepulchre.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

20:1-10 If Christ gave his life a ransom, and had not taken it again, it would not have appeared that his giving it was accepted as satisfaction. It was a great trial to Mary, that the body was gone. Weak believers often make that the matter of complaint, which is really just ground of hope, and matter of joy. It is well when those more honoured than others with the privileges of disciples, are more active than others in the duty of disciples; more willing to take pains, and run hazards, in a good work. We must do our best, and neither envy those who can do better, nor despise those who do as well as they can, though they come behind. The disciple whom Jesus loved in a special manner, and who therefore in a special manner loved Jesus, was foremost. The love of Christ will make us to abound in every duty more than any thing else. He that was behind was Peter, who had denied Christ. A sense of guilt hinders us in the service of God. As yet the disciples knew not the Scripture; they Christ must rise again from the dead.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For an account of the resurrection of Christ, see the notes at Matthew 28.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3-10. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came first to the sepulchre—These particulars have a singular air of artless truth about them. Mary, in her grief, runs to the two apostles who were soon to be so closely associated in proclaiming the Saviour's resurrection, and they, followed by Mary, hasten to see with their own eyes. The younger disciple outruns the older; love haply supplying swifter wings. He stoops, he gazes in, but enters not the open sepulchre, held back probably by a reverential fear. The bolder Peter, coming up, goes in at once, and is rewarded with bright evidence of what had happened.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Ver. 3,4. Luke, Luke 24:12, mentions Peter’s going only, upon Mary Magdalene’s report; but he must be expounded by this evangelist, who expressly saith, that Peter and John went together, and that John outran Peter, and got first to the sepulchre.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Peter therefore went forth,.... Out of the house where he was, upon hearing the account Mary gave:

and that other disciple; John, the Evangelist and Apostle; the rest of the disciples staying at home and continuing together, waiting to hear what account these two would bring:

and came to the sepulchre; to see with their own eyes what was done, and whether things were as Mary had related; and to make a more particular inquiry into, and examination of them.

Geneva Study Bible

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Meyer's NT Commentary

John 20:3-4. Note the change of the aorists and pictorial imperfects; comp. John 4:30.

Luke 24:12 mentions only Peter; but comp. also Luke 24:23. See in loc. The more rapid running of John, and then, again, the greater boldness of Peter, John 20:5-6, are individual traits so characteristically original, that here (comp. on John 18:15) it is highly inappropriate to charge the writer with an intention to place John before Peter (Strauss), or with the endeavour not to allow John, as opposed to Peter, to stand at least in the background (Baur).[260]

τάχιον τοῦ Π.] Love impelled both, and gave wings to their steps; but the youthful John ran more quickly forwards (προέδρ., comp. Xen. Anab. iv. 7. 10) than Peter, whose consciousness of guilt (Lampe, Luthardt), especially after his bitter repentance, hardly restrained his running, as little as it withheld him, John 20:6, from stepping before John. Euth. Zigabenus is simply correct: ὡς ἀκμαιότερος τὸν πόνον τοῦ σώματος.

[260] This also in answer to Späth in Hilgenfeld, ZeitsChr. 1868, p. 189 f.

Expositor's Greek Testament

John 20:3. At once the two men ἐξῆλθεν … καὶ ἤρχοντο, singular and plural as frequently, aorist and imperfect, the one referring to the passing beyond the city wall, the other to the whole course from the house to the tomb.

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

3. and that … sepulcher] Better, and the other disciple, and they were coming towards the sepulcher.

Bengel's Gnomen

John 20:3. Ἐξῆλθεν, went forth) from the city.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 3, 4. - Peter therefore went forth (ἐξῆλθεν, aorist). This is a fact affirmed also by Luke (Luke 24:12), "But Peter arose and ran to the sepulcher." John adds, and the other disciple joined Peter, filled with a common amazement, and (ἤρχοντο, imperfect) they went on their way toward the sepulcher. Now they were running (ἔτρεχον, imperfect) both of them together: and the other disciple did outrun - or, literally, ran in advance, more quickly than - Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. The opponents of this Gospel supply numerous suggestions, with the view of obliterating this natural and lifelike touch. (Αἰς is used instead of the πρὸς of ver. 2 or the ἐπὶ of Luke 24:1; but it is clear from the form of the following sentence, that η΅;θεν εἰς is different in meaning from εἰσῆλθεν εἰς, and does not mean "right into," but "towards.") John, as the younger man, would soon outstrip the elderly disciple; and he simply records what in one sense is an insignificant detail, but one that could never be forgotten by him. There is no disposition to magnify himself, as Peter's part is obviously the more conspicuous. John runs more rapidly from his youth, the fervor of his nature, and the warmth of his affection; the reflection that he might have directly to convey the strange news to the mother of his Lord assisted to hurry him. John 20:3

Vincent's Word Studies

Came to (ἤρχοντο εἰς)

Wrong. The tense is the imperfect; they were coming. Rev., they went toward.