How does John 20:1 connect with the resurrection prophecies in the Old Testament? The Dawn Scene in John 20:1 “On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.” (John 20:1) Immediate Observations • “First day of the week” – signals a new creation week beginning with resurrection life. • “Still dark” – marks the transition from darkness to light, matching the prophetic theme of deliverance after night. • “Stone had been removed” – physical sign that death’s barrier was literally broken. Echoes from the Law and Historical Narratives • Jonah in the great fish, “three days and three nights” (Jonah 1:17; 2:10). Jesus tied Jonah’s deliverance directly to His own resurrection (Matthew 12:40). • The Festival of Firstfruits: sheaf waved “the day after the Sabbath” (Leviticus 23:10-11). Jesus rises on that very day, becoming “the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep” (1 Corinthians 15:20). • Abraham’s journey to Moriah: “on the third day” he sees the place (Genesis 22:4). Hebrews 11:19 views Isaac’s near-sacrifice as a resurrection type. Prophetic Psalms • Psalm 16:10 – “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You let Your Holy One see decay.” Peter cites this as a resurrection promise (Acts 2:25-32). • Psalm 22 moves from forsakenness (v.1) to life proclaimed “to a people yet unborn” (v.31), reflecting the move from darkness in John 20:1 to testimony. • Psalm 118:22-24 – rejected stone becomes the cornerstone; “This is the day the LORD has made.” The rolled-away stone visually proclaims that reversal. Isaiah’s Suffering Servant Triumphant • Isaiah 53:10-12 – after making His soul a guilt offering, “He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days.” Resurrection life is the only way the Servant can see the fruit of His work. • John 20:1 shows those “offspring” beginning to gather: Mary, then the disciples, then the worldwide church. The “Third Day” Motif • Hosea 6:2 – “After two days He will revive us; on the third day He will raise us up.” The pre-dawn timing in John 20:1 meets this timetable exactly. • Jesus foretold, “destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19-21). The empty tomb validates that claim. From Promise to Fulfillment John 20:1 serves as the hinge between prophecy and history: 1. OT statements of a preserved body, prolonged days, and third-day life. 2. NT eyewitness detail that the tomb was empty at dawn on the appointed day. 3. The rolled stone confirms God’s power; the early hour underlines punctual fulfillment; the first-day setting introduces new-creation reality foretold in the Law, Prophets, and Writings. The verse is thus not an isolated narrative note; it is the precise, literal fulfillment of centuries-old prophetic threads, all converging before sunrise on the first Easter morning. |
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