John 19:25-27 & 20:11-18

Easter Morning
Considerations in
John 19:25-27 &John 20:11-18
By
Alvin Mitchell
Copyright 2004

Without going into any detail or giving a single reason as to why these passages should be such a problem to him, one giving
his name only as “Subarayadu” wrote in an e-mail that he was “searching for a study on…” the above mentioned scriptures. I
am not, therefore, altogether sure what he (or she?) is looking “for” or what he had in mind, but will make the following
offering:

John 19:25-27

The situation here is such that, Jesus—per His forecast to His disciples—has been executed. His slow, excruciating death is
now well under way, as He hangs on a cross planted along a road well traveled so that all may see and take notice. As
predicted, the disciples have turned their backs on Him, only to have Peter re-surface at the trial before Pilate, where he flat
denies ever knowing Him! John, referred to in his own gospel account, as the “beloved” one, has re-appeared to witness His
execution.

In addition to John, several notables from among His followers, came to witness the Crucifixion—not the least of which was
His mother Mary, along with one named named Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary the Magdalene. Interestingly, in keeping
perhaps with their disbelief, none of His siblings showed up (Matt. 13:54-57; John 7:5; Acts 1:12-14). While the scriptures
themselves are silent, there is speculation that the chief reason for Joseph (His mother’s husband) not being here is that in all
likelihood, at this time, he was dead.

Seeing His mother and John standing—no doubt together, in close proximity—Jesus seized the moment to issue final
instructions for the care and welfare of His mother, now that He was departing. Had He lived, per the customs of the day (or,
so it has been said), this would have been His duty, as Mary’s oldest Son. This concern and provision on Jesus’ part further
confirms the probability that Joseph is either too old to care for her or is simply unavailable (through death). It also seems to
imply that Jesus may not have been able to rely on His own family to pick up the slack. What ever the case might have been,
John—upon assignment of that task—obeyed (apparently without fanfare or objection from His family), taking Mary under his
wings that very moment, as instructed by his Lord, and ours.

John 20:11-18

This section opens on a note which dramatizes the fact that no matter how close His followers were to Him in His walk among
men—whether men or women, whether apostles or disciples at large—none, even up to this juncture, grasped or even remotely
understood the resurrection, in terms of how or what was supposed to happen (:9). While the OT scriptures do record
several resurrections performed by the prophets Elijah and his protégé, Elisha, few living during this time has ever seem one.
The fact that His apostles and some of His disciples witnessed or knew of the several resurrections He performed personally on
others, and that He had sought repeatedly to prepare them for the inevitable beginning two or three days in advance (Matt. 16:
21; 17:9, 22-23; 20:18-19; 26:2), didn’t seem to help matters much. No one truly expected to see Him alive, again, after His
death and burial.

And so, we see Mary standing, then stooping as she sniffles outside the tomb where our Lord was laid to “rest”. This
appearance at the tomb is one of several following the burial of Jesus. While John chooses to focus the spot light primarily on
the woman from Magdala, Mary’s visit here is such that she is in fact not alone. The other gospels tell us that her presence is
part of an entourage of women who came to administer spices to the corpse of their, they thought, fallen Master/Teacher. In
addition to Mary, that early, before sunrise visitation included “…the other Mary…” (Matt. 28:1; whether this is the sister of
Lazarus and Martha is not clear); Mary the mother of James (?) and Salome (Mark 16:1); and “…Joanna…and other
women…” (Luke 24:1, 10).

In route to this moment, Mary and her companions discuss their common dilemma: who’s going to remove the stone so as to
allow them entry into the tomb (Mark 16:3). This fact, coupled with verses 1-8 and 11 & 12, offers compelling evidence that
Mary’s visit here in John is not her initial one, as rather it is one independent of all the “collective” visitation (which was the
first ever by anyone)—occurring afterwards, not before the joint delegation of women followers (see the second to last
paragraph, on last page). While the women’s journey to the tomb may well have begun in the dark of night (:1), Mark tells us
that their arrival time was at just about the time the sun was beginning to rise (Mark 16:4). It was by virtue of this dawning of
the morning that they were able to realize and see, from a distance, that the cause for their chief concern had been relieved.
The massive stone blocking the entrance, had been rolled aside. This means several things: 1) the ladies were not at the site
when the angel of the Lord descended, triggering the earthquake which caused the stone to roll out of its place and, 2) the
women appear to have been totally unaware of the earthquake.

At the tomb, Mary and her compatriots find the soldiers still trembling in their boots (over what they had just witnessed: a
being whose appearance, though human, was as bright as lightning, against the blackness of the dark, and whose garments
were visibly as white as snow, rolling away a stone that might otherwise have taken several men!). Apparently without giving
the soldiers much more thought, the women are greeted by the angel responsible for the opening of Jesus’ sepulcher, sitting
upon the stone (Matt. 28:2). The angel proceeds to calm their fears, giving assurance that he knows they have come in search
of the crucified Lord, who in fact is risen, for “He is not here”, said he. He then invites the women to come see for
themselves, by witnessing the place where He had once lain.

Matthew tells us that the women departed to tell the disciples what they had found, but does not imply that their departure was
immediate (as will be shown later, this departure of the “women” did not include Mary the Magdalene, nor did the disciples
informed, necessarily include Peter and John). Mark indicates that in response to the invitation from the angel outside (#1;
Matt 28:2), the women entered the tomb, where they were again greeted, subsequently, by yet another angel (#2), with very
much the same salutation as the first one, followed by an insistence to come in, to observe and consider (behold!) His place of
rest. Luke’s account (24:3-12) shows that, having entered completely and, having failed to find the object of their affections—
being perplexed and consumed with confusion—the women find themselves in the presence of two men (angels #3 & 4)
dressed in bright, light emitting garments. The welcome extended by these two angels is a slight departure from the ones
previous. “Why are you looking for Him Who lives, among those who are dead”, they inquire of the women? They are then
obliged to recall and remember the Lord’s own words in which He plainly told them all this would happen; which thing they did.

Of all those who entered the tomb, Mary the Magdalene (here in John 20:11-18) appears to be the only one who did not. Or if
she did go in with the others, as well she might have, then she also had to have left before any of the others. For, we are told
moreover here in John, it was she who triggered the events of verses 1-10 of this same chapter (20), drawing the elderly
Peter and the younger John into the mélange of earliest visitors—which in turn would mean that her departure and return could
not have but been between the initial entry into the tomb by the band of women and the point where we see her standing alone,
outside our Lord’s grave (her message to the apostles was that someone had removed the Body. This she would not have
known, nor is it likely she would have been satisfied or concerned unless she had seen the evidence for herself, firsthand). It is
also worthy of note that, by the time of the arrival of the apostles (ahead of Mary’s return), all the other women appear to have
gone. This is quite consistent with reason, given the apparent unobstructed view and ease of entry they seem to have had into
the grave (where they found nothing except the Lord’s burial garments and—interestingly—no angelic greeters!). In addition,
this would account for Mary’s evident ignorance of the Lord’s resurrection here, when we are told plainly (else where) that
“the women” of the flock of early risers had an encounter with Him (the Lord Jesus) as they returned to their village (Matt. 28:
9, 10), hustling to tell the disciples what they had found.

And so it is then, the party being over (all the other women and the apostles having gone their several ways), we find (:11) only
the perplexed, bewildered and uninformed Mary remained standing outside, until, weeping, she decided to stoop down to peer
inside. Upon looking, she saw two more angels (#s 5 & 6, assuming these are not the same as the prior two; the manner of
the physical appearances they manifested seems to imply strongly that they were in fact different (:12)), dressed in white
sitting, one each, at the head and the foot of the spot where Jesus had been laid (again, as with Peter and John, her view
appears to have had no obstacles, which means there was no one or anything else inside the cave at the time). Upon answering
the angelic inquiry, “woman, what are you crying about”, Mary expressed her ignorance of the resurrection by stating that the
body of Jesus had been moved, with no forwarding address (:13; the same thing she had told the apostles earlier)! After this,
she is greeted by the Risen Lord Himself (:14; see also Mark 16:9) (whom she, not recognizing, mistakenly assumes is the
gardener). He ponders in her hearing the same question as the angel, “woman, why are you crying”? As her rambling
confirms that she still does not get it, Jesus proceeds to call her by name, “Mary”, whereupon her eyes were opened, as it
were, and she perceived Him whom she had dismissed as the “gardener”, was in fact her “Rabboni” (i.e., the Master)(:15-16).

In commanding that Mary in her excitement not “touch” Him (:17), Jesus was not disallowing handling in the simple, usual
sense of the word. This is evinced by the passage in Matt. 28:9-10, where the other women of Mary’s group—having left her
at the tomb alone—are met by Jesus as they are returning to town. In their enthusiasm, they rush to Him and in an act of
worship, falling down before Him they seize (Grk, kratew--krat-eh’-o: to apply strength, power, or force to) His feet but are
not rebuked or brushed away. Similarly, in Luke 24:39, to allay their fears upon His sudden appearance behind closed doors
(John 20:19) where they hid out of fear of the Jews, He urged the disciples there to come, handle and physically examine
Him. Likewise, doubting Thomas, who was not present on this auspicious occasion, was afforded the same privilege (John
20:24-29). Rather, in the phrase “touch me not”, Jesus has something else in mind.

Insofar as the Lord is in transit (literally), and in keeping with what He knows is her prevailing lack of understanding of the
resurrection (and all that it involves or implies), the word Jesus uses here—translated “touch” in some Bibles—is the Greek
word “haptomai”, hap’-tom-ahee: to attach oneself to. Hence, what Jesus was asking of Mary was that she not “cling” to or
grow attached to Him, as if she expected Him to stay. While He was indeed alive and well, He still had work to do to cinch the
deal over sin, and Satan. That work involved ascending back into heaven to the side of His Heavenly Father, where His
physical, mortal (but sinless) body would be immortalized, glorified and retrofitted (so to speak) with all the attributes, powers
and authority He (being originally a Spirit being) gave up at the incarnation (Philippians 2:5-8). That accomplished, He being
fully human, would in the end be (and remains) all in a Man’s Body that God the Father and God the Holy Spirit are as Beings
of Spirit (John 4:24; Luke 24:39).

Following this encounter with the Freshly Risen Savior, Mary beats her second and final hasty retreat from the sepulcher to
inform the remaining disciples (:18; who by now know, having heard from the other women, although still, no one—having
not seem for themselves—believes that Jesus is alive (Mark 16:9-14; Luke 24:11, 21, 25, 41; John 20:24-29)!). Peter and
John were informed (of the missing “cadaver”) on her first departure, whereupon they came (:1-10). Mary returned behind
them, only to remain after every one else—the women included—have departed.

It is my sincere hope and prayer, Mr. (?) Subarayadu, that this discussion has been beneficial and more than adequate to quell
whatever concerns you may have had at the outset. I pray moreover, for God’s richest blessing upon you and your family
throughout this Holiday Season and, as you walk daily with Him, growing steadily in you knowledge and understanding of Him
and His Word.

Many thanks for giving me this opportunity to serve in this capacity.

In His Service,

Alvin

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