John 20:15

The Pulpit Commentary - John 20:11-18

The powers of holy love. The women rose early on the third day, but there was One who rose earlier. They were last at the cross, and first at the grave. Mary Magdalene was the first of the group. She ran back to Peter and John with the tidings. There was a race between the two to the tomb. John outran Peter. Love is swifter of foot than faith, but faith is more courageous and was in the sepulcher first. Love followed. Mary is for a moment lost in the narrative, but appears again as the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 20:15

Jesus saith to her , in the words of the angels, Woman, why weepest thou? These are the first words of the risen Jesus, for Mark tells us, "He appeared first of all to Mary of Magdala." And Matthew's summation of the entire narrative makes it clear that she was at least one of the first group who saw the risen Lord. He recalls her to herself. He seeks to assuage the grief of desolation, the bitterness of despairing love. As his first great Beatitudes had been "Blessed are the poor in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - John 20:15

Weeping for the wrong thing. I. THE CAUSE OF MARY 'S WEEPING . Try for a moment to think of the body of Jesus as being only that of a common mortal. Let the instance be that of one dear to yourself. The body has been safely laid away, and the earth heaped over it. Suppose, then, that in a morning or two you find the grave broken open and the body removed. Your feelings upon such an outrage would enable you to understand the feelings of Mary here. No feeling is more proper than... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - John 20:14-15

John 20:14-15. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back Probably hearing a sudden noise behind her, and being affrighted; and saw Jesus standing Near her; but knew not that it was Jesus His habit being changed, her eyes also overflowing with tears, and her mind being so far from any expectation of his appearance, and so much distressed, that she probably did not so much as look up to the face of the person who appeared; Jesus saith With his usual tone of voice and accent; ... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - John 20:1-18

RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION161. Morning of the resurrection (Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18)It is not surprising that there are differences in the accounts of what people saw on the Sunday morning when Jesus rose from the dead. The sight of the empty tomb and the heavenly messengers produced a mixture of reactions - excitement, joy, anxiety, fear, wonder. There was confusion as people rushed here and there to tell others. One writer records what he heard from some,... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - John 20:15

gardener . Greek. kepouros. Occurs only here. Sir. Greek. kurios. App-98 . B. b. if. App-118 . have borne = didst bear. hast laid = didst lay. read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - John 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 hast borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.Mary's failure to recognize the Lord is not a problem, for her attention was focused inwardly upon her own grief, from which not even the angels of God could divert it. Jesus asked exactly the same question as the angels, but with the additional question, "Whom seekest thou?" Some... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - John 20:15

John 20:15. She, supposing him to be the gardener, &c.— It is very probable that Jesus might speak low, or in a different way from what he usually did; and Mary's taking him for the gardener, seems to intimate, that there was nothing very splendid in his dress. Accordingly, when he appeared to the two disciples in their way to Emmaus, they seem to have taken him for a person of a rank not much superior to their own. Her eyes might also be withheld at first from knowing Jesus, as theirs... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - John 20:15

15. Sir, if thou have borne him hence—borne whom? She says not. She can think only of One, and thinks others must understand her. It reminds one of the question of the Spouse, "Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?" (Song of Solomon 3:3). tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away—Wilt thou, dear fragile woman? But it is the language of sublime affection, that thinks itself fit for anything if once in possession of its Object. It is enough. Like Joseph, He can no longer restrain... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - John 20:1-29

F. Jesus’ resurrection 20:1-29"If the Gospel of John were an ordinary biography, there would be no chapter 20. I am an incurable reader of biographies, and I notice that almost all of them conclude with the death and burial of the subject. I have yet to read one that describes the subject’s resurrection from the dead! The fact that John continued his account and shared the excitement of the Resurrection miracle is proof that Jesus Christ is not like any other man. He is, indeed, the Son of... read more

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