JOHN LESSON 52


     We will begin this lesson in John 20:1.

     V-1, "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."

     This was the very first time that she could leave her home.  From
6 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday was the Jewish sabbath.  They
could not go anywhere on sabbath.  Mary Magdalene was the Mary that
Jesus had cast seven devils out of.  This day mentioned is Sunday.
This day would soon be called the Lord's day.  This would be the very
first Easter Sunday.

     V-2, "Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the
other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken
away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have
laid him."

     The other disciple mentioned here is John.  Mary Magdalene was
astonished that the huge stone had been rolled away.  She, perhaps,
thought that the Roman soldiers or the Jewish leaders had taken His
body away.  John and Peter were undoubtedly very close friends, along
with James.  These three many times had gone aside privately with
Jesus.

     V-3, "Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and
came to the sepulchre."

     The excitement of the woman aroused Peter and John, and they ran
to the sepulchre.

     V-4, "So they ran both together:  and the other disciple did
outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre."

     We know that John was younger than Peter, and that coupled with
the excitment caused him to get there quicker than the older disciple,
Peter.

     V-5, "And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes
lying; yet went he not in."

     Perhaps, John was too frightened to go inside until Peter got
there so they could go in together.  John took a peep inside, but saw
nothing except the clothes of linen which had been on Jesus.

     V-6, "Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the
sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,"

     V-7, "And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the
linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself."

     Peter took time to look around and quickly realized these were
the things that Jesus had been wearing when He was placed in the
sepulchre.

     V-8, "Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to
the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed."

     John had been frightened, being a youth, but when Peter went in,
he felt safe in going in, also.  When John saw this, he believed.  He
believed Mary that Jesus was no longer there.

     V-9, "For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise
again from the dead."

     Why they didn't know is not explained, Jesus had told them over
and over while He was with them, but somehow it had not soaked into
their thinking:  that on the third day He would rise again.

     V-10, "Then the disciples went away again unto their own home."

     Surely they were thinking that something unusual had happened
here, but they had not been able to figure out what.

     V-11, "But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping:  and as
she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,"

     Even Jesus' body had been important to Mary.  Her thought must
have been that they had taken all contact with her Saviour away.  Her
sorrow would be turned into joy.

     V-12, "And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the
head, and the other at the feet where the body of Jesus had lain."

     Looking with the physical eye could, perhaps, not reveal these
two angels, but Mary was looking, broken in spirit.  Jesus will not
leave her without hope.  The sight of these two angels brought hope to
Mary.  Mary is not one who sees, but yet cannot see.  She believes and
can see the glories of God.

     V-13, "And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?  She saith
unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where
they have laid him."

     Mary was so grief stricken that she had failed to realize these
two angels had brought good news to her.  She is still interested in
finding the body of Jesus that she might be even that close to Him.
Even in death sometimes, we feel better when we visit the grave of the
deceased.

     V-14, "And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and
saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus."

     This seems to be a strange Scripture, but truly it is not.  Our
bodies will be changed from a fleshly body into a spiritual body
before they go to heaven.  My own personal belief is that the Spirit
of Jesus went immediately to the throne of God when He commanded His
Spirit to go to the Father.  On the third day, I believe, His Spirit
rejoined His body.  His body was transformed into a Spiritual body.
In I Corinthians, the 15th chapter verse 44, the natural body must be
transformed to spirit to go to heaven.  When He speaks to her, and
calls her Mary, she recognizes Him.  I Corinthians 15:51-52, "Behold,
I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be
changed."  V-52, "In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised
incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

     V-15, "Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou?  whom
seekest thou?  She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him,
Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him,
and I will take him away."

     Mary is so bereaved that she is still inquiring of Jesus' body.
He must have looked like a natural man, or she would not have thought
Him to be a gardener.  When Jesus called her woman, she represented
all of suffering humanity.

     V-16, "Jesus saith unto her, Mary.  She turned herself, and saith
unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master."

     There was something in the way He said her name that revealed to
Mary who He was.  Rabboni or Master means you are my Lord.  In this
moment, Mary is thrust from worshipping Jesus as Healer, Teacher,
Deliverer to worshipping Him as Lord of all.  T here is no doubt that
Mary saw Him in all His glory here.  There was such an awakening in
her spirit as to who He really is.

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                           John 52 Questions


1.  When did Mary Magdalene come to the sepulchre?
2.  What did she see that surprised her?
3.  When was Jewish sabbath?
4.  What would this day soon be called?
5.  Who did she run and tell?
6.  Which of the men arrived first at the sepulchre?
7.  Who was the first to go in?
8.  What did they see inside?
9.  Where did they return to?
10. Who stayed behind?
11. Why did they not realize what had happened?
12. What was Mary doing at the sepulchre after the men left?
13. Who did Mary see at the head and foot of where Jesus had lain?
14. What did they ask Mary?
15. When she turned she saw whom?
16. Who did she think He was?
17. In I Corinthians 15:44, what do we learn about the body?
18. In verse 51 of I Corinthians, what shall all do?
19. When does Mary recognize Jesus?
20. What does Mary call Jesus?
21. What major change has taken place in Mary?

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