John 20:1-10 The first day of the week comes Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, to the sepulcher… The order of Christ's eleven appearances between His resurrection and ascension, I believe to be as follows: 1. To Mary Magdalene alone (Mark 16:9; John 20:14); 2. To certain women returning from the sepulchre (Matthew 28:9, 10); 3. To Simon Peter alone (Luke 24:34); 4. To two disciples going to Emmaus (Luke 24:13); 5. To ten apostles at Jerusalem, and some other disciples, Thomas being absent (John 20:19); 6. To eleven apostles at Jerusalem, Thomas being present (John 20:26-29); 7. To seven disciples fishing at the sea of Tiberias (John 21:1); 8. To eleven apostles on a mountain in Galilee, and perhaps some others with them (Matthew 28:16); 9. To above five hundred brethren at once (1 Corinthians 15:6); 10. To James only (1 Corinthians 15:7): 11. To all the apostles, and probably some others, on Mount Olivet, at His ascension.Most of these eleven appearances require little or no explanation. The only appearances about which there is any difficulty are the two first. The knot to be untied is this. St. Mark says that our Lord appeared first to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9). St. John also describes this appearance; and it is quite plain from his account that Mary Magdalene was alone (John 20:11-13). Yet St. Matthew says that Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to the sepulchre together, — saw an angel, and heard that our Lord had risen, — ran to bring the tidings to the disciples, and were met on the way by Jesus, and both saw Him at the same time. -Now how can the account of these three witnesses be made to harmonize? 1. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary did not go alone to the sepulchre. By comparing Mark 16:1, and Luke 23:55 and Luke 24:1, with Matthew 28:1, it is quite evident that several "other women" accompanied them. 2. On drawing nigh the sepulchre, the company of women saw the stone rolled away from its mouth. At once, on seeing this, it flashed on the mind of Mary Magdalene that the body of Jesus had been removed, and, without waiting a moment, she ran off to Peter and John, and told them, as recorded in John 20:1, 2. 3. While Mary Magdalene ran off to tell Peter and John, the other women went up to the sepulchre, found the body gone, saw a vision of angels, were told that Jesus had risen, and were commanded to go and tell the disciples. They departed to tell the news. Some went in one direction and some in another; Mary and Salome with one party; Joanna with another. 4. While this was going on, Mary Magdalene returned with Peter and John to the sepulchre shortly after the other women went away. Whether Mary got there so soon as Peter and John, perhaps admits of doubt. 5. Peter and John saw the empty sepulchre, and went away, leaving Mary Magdalene weeping there. 6. As soon as Peter and John went away, Mary Magdalene saw the two angels, and immediately after saw our Lord Himself, and was told to carry a message to His brethren (John 20:17). 7. In the meantime the other women had gone in two or three directions, to tell the other disciples who lived in a different part of Jerusalem from that where Peter and John lived. Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Salome, were yet on their way when Jesus met them, very shortly after He had appeared to Mary Magdalene. 8. One party of the women, with Joanna at their head, saw nothing of our Lord, but went to the disciples and told them the message of the angels. 9. Shortly after this, our Lord appeared to Peter, who very likely had gone again to the grave on hearing Mary Magdalene's report. 10. In the course of the same day our Lord appeared to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, who had left Jerusalem after Joanna and the women reported the vision of angels, but before our Lord had appeared to Peter. 11. In the evening of the same day our Lord appeared to the apostles, and others with them, Thomas being absent. Luke means by "the eleven apostles" the apostles generally, as a body. This was our Lord's fifth appearance OH the day that He rose. (Bp. Ryle.) Parallel Verses KJV: The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre. |
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