Chapter 20

He’s alive!
The resurrection: myth or miracle?
Changed life: Dr Peter Williams – a faith challenged by doubt
Read John chapter 20

The Resurrection

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going towards the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Jesus and Thomas

24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The Purpose of This Book

30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

FROM DOUBTING TO BELIEVING

Jesus is alive! Yes, even his disciples find it hard to believe at first – especially Thomas. He isn’t going to believe a fairytale, he wants hard evidence – and he gets it! Faith in Jesus isn’t a blind leap in the dark; it’s a case of trusting reliable evidence. We can’t see Jesus’ wounds like Thomas does, but then that’s why this book was written, so that you might believe the evidence, and in believing his true identity and sacrificial mission, you might have life (v31).

Think it through…
  1. What do you think to the statement that faith in Jesus is not a blind leap in the dark?
  2. It’s often said, ‘seeing is believing’, but do you ever believe without seeing? What do you make of all the evidence?

Browse below for a selection of helpful verses from John’s gospel answering important questions

Questions about Jesus

BLANK - invisible
Who is Jesus?

JOHN 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

JOHN 1:14
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

JOHN 14:9-11
Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

JOHN 20:30,31
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Why did Jesus come?

JOHN 10:10
I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

JOHN 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

JOHN 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

JOHN 6:35
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.

JOHN 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

JOHN 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Why was Jesus hated?

JOHN 5:40
Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

JOHN 5:44
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

JOHN 8:47
Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.

JOHN 13:9,20
And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

JOHN 15:24,25
If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’

Why did Jesus have to die?

JOHN 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

JOHN 1:29
The next day he saw Jesus coming towards him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

How it affects you

BLANK - invisible
How can I be forgiven?

JOHN 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

JOHN 3:3
Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

JOHN 1:12
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.

JOHN 6:37
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out.

JOHN 10:9
I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

JOHN 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

JOHN 20:28,29
Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

What if I don’t believe?

JOHN 3:18-20
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgement: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

JOHN 3:36
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

JOHN 5:40
Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

JOHN 8:24
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.

Is Jesus the only way?

JOHN 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

JOHN 5:23
Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent him.

JOHN 10:1
Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.

I’m a good person – I don’t need Jesus

JOHN 8:34
Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.” 

JOHN 8:24
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.

Does life become easy if I follow Jesus?

JOHN 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

If I trust Jesus, what happens to me when I die?

JOHN 5:24
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, but has passed from death to life.

JOHN 10:28
I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

JOHN 14:1-3
Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

I’m afraid of what others might say if I become a Christian

JOHN 12:42,43
Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

JOHN 5:44
How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

Scripture quotations are from The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®, published by HarperCollins Publishers, ©2001 by Crossway). Used by permission. All rights reserved.