John 20:27

We have no proof from John as to whether Thomas actually touched Jesus. There are those who say that Jesus commanded it, and therefore he had to have done it. However, It is just as likely that Jesus saying this and showing His hands and sides were enough for Thomas. It is likely that just seeing Jesus was enough. Thomas testifies to the truth of the resurrection. This is important because unless this truth is confirmed, the whole of the Gospel is in doubt. If Christ is not risen, we are in trouble (1 Corinthians 15:12-28).

John 20:26

There is a wrong idea that the belief of the resurrection was slow to come to the church. This idea is set forth by those who would say the resurrection was a story invented by the church, but the opposite is actually true. In fact, the resurrection was not welcome in the church, according to the account of Thomas here in John 20. Jesus appeared five times the first day of His resurrection, then there are just five more appearances in the next 40 days, and only one more when He appeared to Saul on the Damascus road. God uses Thomas not as a negative example, but to show that the resurrection was real. Thomas believed because he saw the risen Christ. We have his testimony!

John 20:24-25

There are plenty of people who want to beat up on poor Thomas for not believing the report of the other disciples. What should we make of Thomas? I think we often see ourselves. Doubt is not the opposite of belief. We can hold fast to our belief while still having some lingering questions. In Mark 9:24, the man states that he believes, and asks for help with his unbelief. The Christian life is one of growth. We come to understand more and our faith grows stronger as we experience the saving grace of Jesus Christ day by day. 

John 20:22-23

This verse is open to a serious misinterpretation that the Apostle’s had the right by private absolution to save or not save people. There is no Biblical argument or support for this. J.C. Ryle wrote, “…whatever men may assert about private ministerial absolution, there is not a single precedent for it in God’s Word.” It is the preaching of the Gospel that is the point of these verses. The Apostles and the church proclaim a message of forgiveness in the Gospel and all that hear and believe will be saved and all the do not believe will not be saved. This is the power of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit at work in the ministry of the church. We are responsible to proclaim, but the Spirit, he is responsible to do the saving work.

John 20:21

We are called to follow Jesus. We are told in the scriptures to take up our cross and follow Jesus (Mark 8:34). Jesus gives this command to his disciples and to us as his people. Just as the Father has sent Him to the World. So now He is sending his disciples into the world. We too are sent into the world to be God’s light and witness. We are to be a city on a hill (Matt 5:14). We are to be like stars on a dark night in this dark world (Phil. 2:14-18). This is not a cakewalk! Jesus has had a hard life and it ended in the cross. Only one of the Apostles would die a natural death. Our lives are made more complicated because of our faith and our calling to take our faith into the world. But remember, you have been sent!

John 20:19-20

Now, it is important to understand that Jesus is not a ghost. He is not floating through doors. He, in the power of God, is able to be brought into the locked room were the disciples were gathered. This had to be a shock and a joy at the same time. Jesus was alive. He shows them His hands and side as proof that He is the risen Savior. Peace is a full term. It carries the idea of fullness. He pronounces this blessing over his people as He revels himself to them. It is peace that Jesus came to give His people. Peace with God and peace with the church. May we always seek peace as much as we can.

John 20:16-18

Jesus spoke, and immediately she knew it was Jesus. This is how it works in the hearts of believers. When the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and hearts to the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, then we see Jesus. We do not see Him as a historical figure or as a legend, but like Mary saw here in the garden. We see Him as the risen Lord sent by the Father to die for our sins. He is arisen and ascended to the Father in power and in glory. Praise God that He has loved us enough to give us Jesus and has opened our eyes to see Him.

John 20:11-15

Mary is distraught. She too thinks that someone has taken Jesus’ body. She too does not yet understand what God has done in bringing Jesus to life. This idea that Jesus has risen from the dead is too hard for even His closest associates to comprehend even when He is right there in front of them. There are many people to whom this is the stumbling block of becoming a Christian. They refuse to believe that someone could rise from the dead. It is hard because it goes against what we see and know from life. Yet God is greater than what we see and know. He has power over life and death as we will see next.

John 20:3-10

You see it clearly! Christ has risen from the dead. Here we see that these major people in Jesus’ life did not at first understand that He rose from the dead. They thought His body had been stolen. They are upset and do not see what God has done. What was the problem? They did not yet understand the scriptures. This is one of the biggest problems in the life of the Christian. We are called to know God through His word. While on one hand this is easy, on the other hand we are called to work and study, to know and understand the scriptures by relying on the help of the Holy Spirit. Are you doing this?

John 20:1-2

We know more about this account from the other gospels (Luke 23-24). We know that Jesus appeared to the women and then to the disciples. This shows that Jesus counts women as important parts of the church, just as He had counted children as important. Though we each have different roles, all are important and all are saved by the risen Christ.

John 19:38-42

It is interesting to see that someone has the strength to go up and ask for the body of Jesus. Christ is someone you would probably not want to be associated with if you were in Jerusalem at this time. He had been crucified as a possible enemy of the state. Here we see Joseph of Arimathea. He was a disciple and is only mentioned here. We also see that Nicodemus, who had earlier come by night, now comes by day. Though the twelve had deserted him, these two care for the body of the Lord and place it in the tomb. God had raised up two to come and care for the body of the Lord.

John 19:31-37 (again)

Another thing we see in this passage is that Jesus was truly dead. There are many who want to argue that He was in some type of coma, yet the Romans saw He was dead and did not break His legs. They also pierced His side. Ryle says the description of this means they probably punctured His heart. Jesus was dead. He truly conquered sin and death by dying a real death to pay the price of our sins. He then come back from the grave in the resurrection three days later.

John 19:31-37

Crucifixion is a horrible, slow death. The victim cannot breath and must push up on their legs to breathe. The Jews did not want the crosses up on the holy day, so they asked the Romans to break their legs so they would die faster. But when they came to Jesus he was already dead. We see the fulfilled scriptures. John is constantly pointing out where the scriptures are fulfilled by Christ. His death is no different.

John 19:28-30

 “It is finished.” These are some of the most powerful words of Jesus on the Cross. These are the last words He spoke before He died. What was finished? We are not sure, and it could be any of several things that were finished by Jesus at this point. His work was finished. The payment of sin was finished. What is clear is that Christ did finish the work of salvation. Salvation is all in Christ and there is nothing we can add to it or have to do to make it so. It is finished.

John 19:25-27

There are a lot of misunderstandings concerning the mother of Jesus. There are some who want to make her the fourth person of the Trinity. There are others who would make her another way to go between God and man. Here we see clearly that she was neither of these. She was a blessed woman to be the mother of our Lord. However, as Jesus is dying He makes provisions for His mother to be cared for by one of the disciples. “She needed the care and protection of another, thus she could not be divine or a mediator between God and man.”, says JC Ryle.

John 19:23-24

To give us even more proof, we see the Scriptures of the Old Testament being fulfilled in the account of Jesus’ passion and crucifixion. Here John points out one of these fulfillments from Psalm 22:18. The tunic was one piece and woven. The soldiers cast lots for it because they would have destroyed it trying to cut it into four parts. The Old Testament is full of prophesies fulfilled by Jesus Christ. Read Isaiah 53-55 and see who the Christ was suppose to be when He came. If you read it, you will see that it is speaking of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

John 19:20-22

The Jews are embarrassed by the sign which was written in all the major languages. It declared Jesus to be the King of the Jews. Maybe Pilate wanted to report back to Rome or have reports get back to Rome that he had crucified the so-called King of the Jews. This would have made Caesar happy with him. It could also be that he did it to annoy the Jews. Either way, it continues to honor Christ who is the King of kings and Lord of lords. All men serve the Lord and His purposes, no matter what there motivation is.

John 19:17-19

Jesus is forced to carry His own cross and is taken to the place of the Skull called Golgotha. He is crucified between two others, one on either side. Even in this place of misery and death God still acknowledges Him as King. Pilate puts above him a sign that reads, “King of the Jews”. There is an old hymn that says, “O that my God would die for me!” Jesus came and died for you even though He was a king. By His death and resurrection He set us free. We are now able to know and live for God through Christ’s work for us.

John 19:12-16

The Jews put Pilate in a position where he cannot do anything more. They cry out that Jesus declares Himself a king. They cry out that He is opposed to Caesar. Pilate brings Jesus forth again and says, “This is your king.” The chief priests answered that they had no king but Caesar! So Jesus is lead to be crucified. Here we see the great sin of the Jewish leaders. Their real king is before them and they choose the king of Rome who they hate over the real King, Jesus.

John 19:5-11

Pilate tells the Jews to go and crucify Jesus themselves. He reiterates that he finds no guilt in the man. The Jews go further and say that He has made himself into the Son of God. Pilate asks him who He is. Jesus has numerous chances to declare who He is and have Pilate release him, yet it is His plan to go to the cross. This passage shows that the cross could have been avoided. Christ  was not truly captured and killed against His will. In fact, it was His will to go to the cross for His people.

John 19:1-4

It is interesting to point out that Jesus is acknowledged for who He is and at the same time declared not guilty by the Roman governor. It is indeed a true statement that Jesus is the King of the Jews and that He also is sinless. Pilate knows that Jesus is not guilty, yet he does not set Him free. Jesus is mocked with a crown of thorns and a purple robe of royalty. This has to be humiliating for Jesus. We have often been humiliated by a slight offense, yet here is the all powerful God taking abuse because He knows it is the only way for us to be saved. He withheld His power to destroy His enemy so that He might destroy our great enemy of sin and death. 

John 18:37-40

Pilate is a wise politician. He has Jesus admitting He is a king. However, Pilate knows that this charge is being fueled by the jealousy of the Jewish rulers. It is trumped up. He puts off Jesus by saying, "What is truth?" Pilate then goes to the Jews with a plan to let Jesus go and not cause any undo grief for himself. He says, “I find no guilt in Him.” He then offers to release Him as is the custom at the Passover, but they do not want Jesus set free. They choose Barabbas, so Pilate hands Jesus over to be crucified.

John 18:33-36

In this interchange between Jesus and Pilate we see the truth that Jesus’ Kingdom is not of this world. This is why the church is not a military force. This is why we do not lead military crusades to conquer the world. We do not have Jihad as one of our core beliefs. Christ’s kingdom transcends this world. Have no doubt. Christ is King of this world, yet it is not a political kingdom. It is a spiritual kingdom. He could throw out the Romans and kill the false leaders, but He wins a more important battle on the Cross. He conquers sin and death for His people.

John 18:28-32

The hearing before the High Priest has been an easy one for the Jews as he is in on the plot. Now they have to convince the Roman governor. We see their outward show of holiness. They did not want to make themselves ceremonially unclean, yet at the same time they have murder in their hearts. The logic of their charge is lacking and Pilate knows it. He does not want to be bothered, but they press him because otherwise they can put no one to death. Jesus is going to die. He has not be captured or betrayed; He is willingly going to die for you and for me. All of this is part of God's saving plan.

John 18:25-27

The scene cuts back to Peter. He is close by, warming himself by a fire. When he is recognized, he denies Jesus a second time. Then one of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man who's ear Peter had cut off, sees him. Now if someone chopped off an ear of your relative, I think you would probably remember what he looks like. He asks, "Did I not see you in the Garden with Him?'' Peter denies it. Then the rooster crowed. Poor Peter wanted to stay with Christ and follow Him all the way, even to death, but he could not go even as far as this point. Christ’s words came true and Peter denied Him three times. Only Christ could go to the cross to be our Savior and Lord! Peter is restored in John 21:15-19. Know that we go not in our own strength, but only in and by the power of Christ.

John 18:22-24

We see that Jesus is not getting a fair trial. Jesus has spoken the truth, but He is struck by one of the High Priest's officers. Jesus asks him a simple but direct question. “If what I said is true, why do you strike me?” This is a kangaroo court. The Jewish rulers and leaders want Jesus gone. They need Him out of the way because He is messing up their power and authority. We should always seek truth in dealing with all matters, especially those that are of importance. They rushed to judgment and missed seeing the Savior of the world.

John 18:20-21

Jesus’ teaching was open and public. The miracles He worked were not hidden; the people and leaders saw them. Jesus testified to them, "I have spoken openly to the world...taught in the synagogues and in the temple." He was saying that His teaching was not a secret. They did not have to ask Christ. They could have asked anyone who had been around and heard His teaching.

The teaching of Jesus is not secret today. It is given to the world in the scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. We proclaim it and give it to the world freely.