John’s Resurrection Account…
As I’m reading through John 20-21, I am reminded that in as much it is helpful to attempt a harmony between John and the other New Testament Gospels, it is likewise important for readers to keep in mind the deeply profound theological points John wants to communicate through his own telling of the post-resurrection accounts.
What strikes me is this Gospel has some of the more memorable eye-witness accounts to the risen Lord, which are united together with author’s purpose of presenting Jesus Christ as the Son of God so that those who believe might have eternal life (20:30-31). In these chapters Mary Magdalene, Thomas, and Peter come face to face with the resurrected Lord, and find comfort in their despair, but through their interactions they are revealed another dimension to the reality of the Son of God—Jesus Christ.
In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb and weeps over not knowing where the body of Jesus had gone. Even when the Lord appears before her eyes, she thinks He is a gardener, and inquires where the body had been placed, but once He calls her name, she finally recognizes Him. Mary clings to Jesus, but He lets her know that He has not yet ascended, which served as a polite way of asking her to let go, and that His ascension would mark a phase in the way the Son of God interacts with the Father and humanity (20:1-18).
The risen Lord appears to a group of disciples, breaths the Spirit upon them, and commissions them to minister the forgiveness of sin, which implies the proclamation of the Gospel (20:19-23). Since Thomas was not present to witness the risen Lord, he suspends his belief until he could examine for himself Christ’s wounds. The risen Jesus then appears and blesses ole Didymus, indicating he is blessed to see and believe, but notes how much greater it is for those who do not see yet still believe (20:19-29). As such, there are multitudes who believe in the resurrection with a faith based upon the evidence of the testimony of those who had witnessed the risen Lord, though not having actually seen nor felt the resurrected Lord.
There is also an epilogue to the fourth Gospel, wherein the resurrected Jesus appears, helps Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James, and John haul in a miraculous catch of 153 fish on the Sea of Galilee, after which the group shares breakfast together (20:1-11). Of course John uses this event to give further clarification on a couple of issues. One has to do with the restoration of Peter. After breakfasts, John describes a conversation between Peter and Jesus, wherein the Lord asks him three times, “do you love me?” but in doing this He also calls the fisherman to “Tend My lambs…Shepherd My sheep…Tend My sheep”. In repeating the same question thrice, Peter is painfully reminded of his own denial, while at the same time, Jesus demonstrates His forgiveness in thrice commissioning the disciple care for His flock (21:15-18). The Lord also lets Peter know about the kind of death he would face, but still bids him to follow (21:15-19).
Another issue that John wants to clear up concerns any confusion about his earthy life and the Lord’s return. He explains that when Peter inquired about what would become of John, the Lord responded that he need not be concerned on whether or not John would be alive at the His second appearance. It would appear that some within early Christian church through John would live until Christ’s return. As such, John stresses that Jesus only meant to tell Peter to mind his own business, but there is nothing in what Christ said that would communicate that the disciple whom Jesus loved would be alive at the second appearing of Christ (21:20-24).
So John offers many other details concerning the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus that the other Gospel writers do not mention. Moreover, he also closes his Gospel in pointing out that that Jesus Christ did may other things, and in vivid hyperbolic language describing the vast amount of testimonials out there in his own day, indicates that the world would not be able contain all that could be written (21:24-25). To be certain, there are myriads of testimonials by those whose lives have been transformed by Christ, which grows exponentially with each successive generation of new Christians, and this has been going on for over two millennia.
What strikes me is this Gospel has some of the more memorable eye-witness accounts to the risen Lord, which are united together with author’s purpose of presenting Jesus Christ as the Son of God so that those who believe might have eternal life (20:30-31). In these chapters Mary Magdalene, Thomas, and Peter come face to face with the resurrected Lord, and find comfort in their despair, but through their interactions they are revealed another dimension to the reality of the Son of God—Jesus Christ.
In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene discovers the empty tomb and weeps over not knowing where the body of Jesus had gone. Even when the Lord appears before her eyes, she thinks He is a gardener, and inquires where the body had been placed, but once He calls her name, she finally recognizes Him. Mary clings to Jesus, but He lets her know that He has not yet ascended, which served as a polite way of asking her to let go, and that His ascension would mark a phase in the way the Son of God interacts with the Father and humanity (20:1-18).
The risen Lord appears to a group of disciples, breaths the Spirit upon them, and commissions them to minister the forgiveness of sin, which implies the proclamation of the Gospel (20:19-23). Since Thomas was not present to witness the risen Lord, he suspends his belief until he could examine for himself Christ’s wounds. The risen Jesus then appears and blesses ole Didymus, indicating he is blessed to see and believe, but notes how much greater it is for those who do not see yet still believe (20:19-29). As such, there are multitudes who believe in the resurrection with a faith based upon the evidence of the testimony of those who had witnessed the risen Lord, though not having actually seen nor felt the resurrected Lord.
There is also an epilogue to the fourth Gospel, wherein the resurrected Jesus appears, helps Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, James, and John haul in a miraculous catch of 153 fish on the Sea of Galilee, after which the group shares breakfast together (20:1-11). Of course John uses this event to give further clarification on a couple of issues. One has to do with the restoration of Peter. After breakfasts, John describes a conversation between Peter and Jesus, wherein the Lord asks him three times, “do you love me?” but in doing this He also calls the fisherman to “Tend My lambs…Shepherd My sheep…Tend My sheep”. In repeating the same question thrice, Peter is painfully reminded of his own denial, while at the same time, Jesus demonstrates His forgiveness in thrice commissioning the disciple care for His flock (21:15-18). The Lord also lets Peter know about the kind of death he would face, but still bids him to follow (21:15-19).
Another issue that John wants to clear up concerns any confusion about his earthy life and the Lord’s return. He explains that when Peter inquired about what would become of John, the Lord responded that he need not be concerned on whether or not John would be alive at the His second appearance. It would appear that some within early Christian church through John would live until Christ’s return. As such, John stresses that Jesus only meant to tell Peter to mind his own business, but there is nothing in what Christ said that would communicate that the disciple whom Jesus loved would be alive at the second appearing of Christ (21:20-24).
So John offers many other details concerning the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus that the other Gospel writers do not mention. Moreover, he also closes his Gospel in pointing out that that Jesus Christ did may other things, and in vivid hyperbolic language describing the vast amount of testimonials out there in his own day, indicates that the world would not be able contain all that could be written (21:24-25). To be certain, there are myriads of testimonials by those whose lives have been transformed by Christ, which grows exponentially with each successive generation of new Christians, and this has been going on for over two millennia.
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