John 20

Thought on This Chapter

JN 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

JN 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

JN 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

There was something special about the linen clothes that caused a disciple to believe that Christ had risen (vs 8). The linen was not made of anything special. The linen had no special powers or anything crazy like that. They were simply strips of cloth that were used to wrap the body for burial, as was the custom of that day.

What was so amazing about the linen was as the Bible says, "the linen clothes lie." They were just lying there without the body. They were not wadded up in a corner. They were not in disarray like they would be if someone unwrapped the body. They were simply lying there where they were put. However, the body of Jesus was gone. Now what is so amazing about that you say. Well the body of Jesus was a mess. He was beaten and had wounds all over His body. After 3 days the body fluids and blood would have dried attaching the linen to the body. It would have been very difficult to remove the linen from the body. The disciple I believe to be John who stood by the cross. He saw the state of the body. He knew that those grave clothes could not be taken off and still be lying like they were, unless Jesus rose from the dead and in the power of God came up out of the grave clothes. The testimony of the linen clothes lying the way they were was startling enough to make the disciple believe. Remember at this point they do not yet understand the resurrection.

JN 20:9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Christ had plainly told them that he would rise again, but they did not understand it. It was an idea that was foreign to their thinking. Jesus will explain the scriptures to them over the next 40 days before He ascends. But at the tomb John did not understand yet and still he believed when He saw the grave clothes. They were a strong undeniable testimony of the resurrection of Jesus. They were left in the tomb by Jesus as proof of His resurrection.

Thought On This Chapter

JN 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

Thomas was a great doubter. This is where we get the saying your a doubting Thomas. But when he seen Jesus all doubt was gone. And after he seen Jesus he made a profession of faith.

JN 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.

He very clearly declared who Jesus now was to him. His Lord and his God. He finally realized that Jesus was deity. He was God manifested in the flesh. Now if Jesus was not God, then a rebuke would be necessary. But no rebuke would come. This is further proof that Jesus was God.

JN 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Thomas was a great doubter and he needed to see to believe. We do not get that opportunity today. Jesus is sitting on the throne in heaven at the right hand of the Father. He does not physically show Himself so that people will believe. The fact is that seeing Jesus is not necessary for us to believe. We have been given plenty of proof. In fact we have something that Thomas did not have. We have the completed, perfect, pure, preserved Word of God. It is all that is necessary to believe. Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God and Jesus said blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Have you believed in Jesus?

King James Bible Main Index:

John 20 [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21]

JN 20:1 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.

JN 20:2 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.

JN 20:3 Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

JN 20:4 So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

JN 20:5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

JN 20:6 Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

JN 20:7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

JN 20:8 Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

JN 20:9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

JN 20:10 Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

JN 20:11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,

JN 20:12 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.

JN 20:13 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.

JN 20:14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.

JN 20:15 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.

JN 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

JN 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

JN 20:18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her.

JN 20:19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

JN 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD.

JN 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

JN 20:22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

JN 20:23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

JN 20:24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

JN 20:25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the LORD. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

JN 20:26 And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

JN 20:27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

JN 20:28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My LORD and my God.

JN 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

JN 20:30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

JN 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

JN 20:31 But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

The scriptures were written so that we might believe in Jesus and thereby have eternal life.

It is because of the Bible that we know about Jesus.

It is because of the Bible that people get saved.

Rom 10:17 So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Faith comes by hearing the word of God. God chose the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

But without the Bible pastors would have nothing to preach. Without the Bible there would be no foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Without the Bible men would not know for sure how to be saved from an eternity in hell.

This fact alone makes the Bible the most precious book ever written.

How precious is the Word of God to you?