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    John 20:11-23
    ​Lesson 214

    Read both the "King James Bible" and the "New Living Translation."

    In this lesson:
     
    The good news!
     
    The resurrected Christ greets Mary Magdalene and the disciples.
    Mary Magdalene recognizes Jesus. 
     (By English artist William Hole 1846-1917).
    Study Tip: 
     
    Don't accept other people's interpretations of the Bible. 
    Not even these lessons. 
    Let God speak to you, then form your own conclusions. 

    The Gospel According to St. John

    The King James Bible    ​

    John 20:11-23 
    "She had seen the LORD."

    11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
     
    12 And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
     
    13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my LORD, and I know not where they have laid him.
     
    14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus. 
     
    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 have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. 
     
    16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
     
    17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. 
     
    18 Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
     
    19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
     
    20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the LORD.
     
    21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
     
    22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
     
    23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. 
    ​Margin notes: 
     
    "Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping." (20:11) - "Mary (Magdalene) stood outside the tomb crying."  It is early Sunday morning, Peter and John left for home (John 20:10), but Mary stayed at the empty tomb to mourn.  
     
    "And when she had thus said, she turned herself back." (20:14) - "And when she said this, she turned around."
     
    "Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where." (20:15) - "Sir, if you have taken him (Jesus) away, tell me where."
     
    "Touch me not." (20:17) - Apparently Mary was so moved to see Jesus alive, she reached out to touch Him.
     
    "Then the same day at evening." (20:19) - It is now Sunday evening.
     
    "The doors were shut." (20:19) - Fearing the authorities; the disciples had locked themselves in.
     
    "He shewed unto them his hands and his side." (21:20) - Jesus showed the disciples the nail wounds in His hands and the spear puncture in His side (John 19:34).
     
    "As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you." (20:21) - Just as God sent Jesus into the world, the Messiah now commissions His disciples (past, present, and future) to spread the Gospel.  Jesus is repeating this message from John 17:18 (lesson 206). 
     
    "Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them." (20:23) - Jesus is reinforcing this message from Matthew 16:19 and 18:18.​
    To read Luke's report on Jesus' first appearance before the disciples, see Luke 24:36-49 (lesson 163).


                                                  New Living Translation 
     

    John 20:11-23
    Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
     
    11 Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.

    12 She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.

    13 "Dear woman, why are you crying?" the angels asked her.
     
       "Because they have taken away my Lord," she replied, "and I don't know where they have put him." 
     
    14 She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him.

    15 "Dear woman, why are you crying?" Jesus asked her. "Who are you looking for?"
     
       She thought he was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him." 
     
    16 "Mary!" Jesus said. 
     
      She turned to him and cried out, "Rabboni!" (which is Hebrew for "Teacher"). 
     
    17 "Don't cling to me," Jesus said, "for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
     
    18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord!" Then she gave them his message.
     
    Jesus Appears to His Disciples
     
    19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! "Peace be with you," he said.

    20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord!

    21 Again he said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you."

    22 Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.

    ​23 If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
    ​This second Bible text from the "New Living Translation" (Tyndale House, Publishers, Wheaton, Illinois) is a paraphrase and not an accurate word for word translation of the Bible.  However, it is a helpful tool when read with the "King James Version."
    Today's question:
     
    1. Why did Jesus breathe on the disciples? (20:22)



    A vital purpose of these lessons is to create an interest in learning more about the Bible, so spend time exploring the Scriptures on your own.
    Answer: (Do you agree?)
     
    1.     Jesus was preparing the disciples to go into the world spreading the good news of redemption (20:21).  Just as God created mankind by breathing life "into his nostrils" (Genesis 2:7), the disciples were spiritually born with Jesus' breath.



    Application thought for the day:

    Imagine you're at Jesus' grave with Mary Magdalene.
    How would you feel sitting at Jesus' tomb? 
    How would you feel when you saw Jesus resurrected?
    Thanks to the writings and commentary of John Wesley and Adam Clarke. Also, "The Layman's Bible Study Notebook" by Irving Jensen published by Harvest House Publishing, Irvine, California; the "Life Change Series" published by NavPress Books, Colorado Springs, Colorado; the "Life Application Study Bible" published by Tyndale House Publishing, Carol Stream, Illinois; the "Quest Study Bible" published by The Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "Robertson's New Testament Word Studies;" "The MacArthur Bible Commentary" by John MacArthur published by Thomas Nelson, Nashville, Tennessee; "Wisdom of the Bible" CD by Topics Entertainment, Inc., Renton, Washington for their inspiring pictures; "My utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers published by Barbour Publishing, Inc., Uhrichsville, Ohio; The "Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge" by Reuben Archer Torrey; "Hope For Each Day" by Billy Graham published by J. Countryman, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc., Nashville, Tennessee; "Easton's Bible Dictionary" by Matthew George Easton; "Unger's Bible Dictionary" by Merrill F. Unger, published by Moody Press, Chicago, Illinois; "Halley's Bible Handbook" by Henry H. Halley, Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids, Michigan; "The Everyday Bible" published by World Wide Publications, Minneapolis, Minnesota; "The Living New Testament" published by Tyndale house; "The New Living Translation" published by Tyndale House; "The New Testament" translated from the Latin Vulgate, published by Guild Press, New York, New York; BibleGateway.com for all their wonderful links; and of course the "King James Bible."  All were critical in putting these lessons together.
    ​    © 2023 evolke ​