John 20:1-10

§ 145, 146. WOMEN VISIT THE SEPULCHRE, AND ALSO PETER AND John 20:1-10 .

Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12.

In the histories of the resurrection, brought under one view, we may discern a divine, overruling plan, giving a unity to the whole. This symmetry of plan could not have been fabricated by the Evangelists, for each, with evident unconsciousness, furnishes his share without knowing what the other contributes; so that the whole is made up of unintentional parts. Some traits of this design are the following:

(1.) The female sex is here placed in a true position of love to Christ, and of recognition by him, of a kind transcendently raised above all possible imputation of impurity. Women could not be apostles; they could but distantly and reservedly serve our Lord in his life. But here the great compensation is given that they are first witnesses, apostles to the apostles, nighest to Jesus himself in his resurrection state. See note on Luke 1:2.

(2.) The unbelief to which the apostles abandon themselves is made the means of bringing out more fully our Lord’s self-manifestations at his resurrection. Their scepticism is made the instrument for removing the scepticism of all ages.

(3.) There are manifested the various natural degrees of faith. There is the simple faith, ready and sympathizing, of the women, meritorious and crowning because, from a pure heart, believing the testimony of the angels, and clinging in worship at the knees of our Lord. There is the scriptural and truly Christian faith of the two brothers of Emmaus, receiving with burning hearts the verification of prophecy unfolded in the words of Jesus. There is the long and hard unbelief of the apostles under the influence of a variety of feelings, until forced to faith by proof. There is the most exacting rationalism of Thomas, bent on not believing as long as a possibility of deception or doubt remains. Far in the background we descry the depraved, fickle ignorance of the Jewish multitude, the interested infidelity of the hierarchy, and the utter worldly indifference of the Roman power. And thus we have a specimen of pretty much every grade of faith and infidelity that ever exists in the world.