SERMON: “The Surprise of the Empty Tomb” (John 20:1–10)
“The
Surprise of the Empty Tomb”
(John 20:1–10)
Series: “John: Life in Christ’s Name” #104 Text: John 20:1–10
By: Shaun Marksbury Date: May
25, 2025
Venue: Living Water Baptist Church Occasion: AM Service
I.
Introduction
The resurrection is the most significant event in all of
world history. It is proceeded by the
incarnation, where the Creator takes on the flesh of sinful humanity to live a
righteous life in our stead. If that
were not momentous enough, He then willingly suffered on a cross as a penalty
for our sin, even submitting His flesh to death and burial to bring an end to
those sins. Then, He gave the fullest
proof of His person and mission by raising Himself from the grave three days
later.
There’s no event more studied and discussed in history than
the resurrection of Jesus Christ. There
is debate, of course, every generation.
Some young person gets online and claims that there is no evidence of
Jesus even having existed, though the testimony of each Gospel writer as well
as Roman historians such as Tacitus and even Josephus state otherwise. The vast majority of historians and scholars
accept Jesus’s existence, even though they don’t claim to be Christians.
Many attack Christianity on the grounds of the
resurrection. Such attacks are so common
that they have even filtered into the seminaries for decades. There are scores of pastors filling pulpits
on Sunday mornings who state that Jesus didn’t literally rise from the dead,
assigning some manner of allegorical or spiritualized interpretation to the
text.
Should we believe in the resurrection? Many who disbelieved came to the conclusion
that there was no other explanation than what we read here. For instance, Simon Greenleaf (1783–1853), a
Harvard Law School professor and a founder of the Harvard Law Review was
initially skeptical of Christianity. He
took up his students’ challenge for him to apply his expertise to the New
Testament accounts of Jesus’s resurrection.
Greenleaf not only concluded the Gospel accounts were reliable testimony
and would hold up in a court of law, his study led him to embrace Christianity
and the historical reliability of the resurrection narratives. There are many others who reached the same
conclusion from various fields of study.
The Apostle John is one of the witnesses of the
resurrection, and he would have us believe.
He spends the next two chapters focused on this topic. Of course, the other Gospel writers give
their own detail, and Acts 1 as well as 1 Corinthians 15:5–8 detail the many
evidences of Christ’s resurrection. Of
course, we’re mainly sticking with John’s account, but we will dip into the
others where necessary. We want to see
the evidence that this apostle lays out for us.
And we encounter a surprise at the start of this chapter: the
empty tomb surprised everyone! Yet, even
this is evidence of the most important event in human history. As we stoop in to consider the empty tomb
this morning, we’ll examine three points with John’s account. First, we’ll consider the discovery of the
empty tomb (vv. 1–2). Second, we’ll
consider the inspection of the empty tomb (vv. 3–7). Third, we’ll consider the verdicts of the
empty tomb (vv. 8–10).
II.
First, the Discovery of the Empty Tomb (vv. 1–2)
Now on the first
day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark,
and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the
other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the
Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
John begins by mentioning that this is the first day of the
week. The significance of this day is
immortalized in the weekly worship of God’s people. This is the first Lord’s Day morning, the day
that would forever mark Christian worship (Rev. 1:10). Christians from the first century onward
would choose to make the first of the week a chief day of worship, on which
believers gathered to celebrate Christ’s resurrection (Acts 20:7 and 1 Cor.
16:2). Early Christians, as Justin
Martyr notes, saw Sunday as “the day of the Sun,” distinct from the Jewish
Sabbath, a day to honor the risen Lord through worship and the Lord’s Supper (Apology
67).[1] We worship on Sunday as a testament to the
Lord’s resurrection!
John mentions that it was Mary Magdalene who arrives “while
it was still dark,” as paralleled in the other Gospels (cf. Matt 28:1–8; Mark
16:1–8; Luke 24:1–10). She demonstrated her
devotion to Jesus which drove her to the tomb before dawn. She had been delivered from seven demons (Luke
8:2) and stood faithfully at the cross (John 19:25). Now, she comes to anoint Jesus’ body with
spices (Luke 24:1), a final act of love. But what she finds shocks her: “the stone
already taken away from the tomb.” This
massive stone, sealed by Roman authority (Matt. 27:65–66), was rolled away — not
by human hands, but by divine power (Matt. 28:2).
Before going any further, even though this is a common area
of attack by skeptics, it's natural for any of us to want to reconcile this record
to the other accounts. The other Gospels
mention other women also being there, but she apparently arrived first.[2] John is not contradicting the other Gospels,
which he would have known mentioned the other women, because he records Mary as
saying “we” in the next verse. He simply
focuses on her in the account, perhaps because she was the one who ran to get
Peter and himself.
The fact that Mary and the other women are the first
witnesses is an embarrassment to those trying to evidence the historicity of
the event. Their testimony would be
viewed with scorn by the world, stories told by silly, gullible women. However, the fact that there are such
apparent “weaknesses” in the case are, in reality, strengths; since this may
the point at which someone in the classical world would laugh, this evidences
that Jesus’s resurrection was not simply invented by people crafting a tale. Not only does this “absurdity” in the account
provide evidence, in God’s providence, Christianity elevates women to be
spiritual equals in the faith (Gal. 3:28).
Mary’s early morning trek, despite darkness and danger,
challenges us. Though she did not yet
believe in the resurrection, she still showed her love for Jesus by coming
early. There is an imperfect example for
us to follow — seek Christ early, and do so regardless of the dangers or opinions
of others. Do we seek Christ with such
devotion, even rising early to get to church in the morning, even when
circumstances seem bleak?
Note how v. 2 captures the surprise of the moment,
though. When Mary witnessed the empty
tomb, she ran to get help from Peter, the leader among the disciples, and John,
who was there at the cross with the women.
We might think her urgency was from excitement that Jesus might be
risen, but instead, she expresses frustration and doubt. Mary’s first thought was that either Jewish
or Romans officials, or grave robbers, spirited away the Jesus’s body.
Mary’s misunderstanding underscores a key truth: the
disciples were depressed and scattered, not scheming. As one study notes, her statement
indicates that the early Christians
had no sense that the tomb would have been empty. The contemporary thought that they could
create a resurrection hoax or experience a joint encounter with some mystical
Christ as some have suggested is absurd, given the defeatism that enveloped
Jesus’ followers after they realized Jesus was truly dead. The only possibility that crossed Mary’s mind
was that the body must have been stolen in clear violation of Jewish burial
integrity and of Roman practice.[3]
It’s sad that her first thought was not that the Lord had
risen, and that would not be the disciples’ first thoughts, either. We, too, grow forgetful of spiritual truths,
and may the Lord give us extra grace and mercy in such times. Hopefully, when life’s trials hit, we do not assume
the worst but trust in Christ’s promises.
III.
Second, the Inspection of the Empty Tomb (vv.
3–7)
So Peter and the
other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other
disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping
and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also came, following him,
and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the
face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but
rolled up in a place by itself.
Of course, Mary’s report of the empty tomb called for
investigation, as it still does today.
They were stirred by her words, and we read that they began to run. John’s testimony here records much anxiety
and movement, with Mary first running to them, and then the disciples running
to the tomb in turn. This evidences
confusion on their part, not a plot.
Peter and John were the first people to evaluate the state
of the tomb inside. Luke 24:12 confirms
Peter’s visit, but John includes himself, highlighting their shared urgency to
investigate. John even records that in
v. 4 that he, likely younger, outruns Peter. While we sometimes joke that this is a word of
competition, the reality is that this detail isn’t boasting but a historical
note, perhaps reflecting Peter’s hesitation after his denial (John 18:27). Whatever the case, they both respond with
zeal to investigate the circumstances of the empty tomb.
In v. 5, we read about the first glance. John arrives first, “stooping and looking in,
he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in.” The verb here suggests only a cautious peek. He does see the linen wrappings, the same
cloths used in Jesus’ burial (19:40). His
hesitation at the entrance may reflect concern for ritual defilement, his
deference to Peter’s inspection, or simple awe at the scene.
The presence of the linens is critical. Grave robbers wouldn’t unwrap a body for a
couple of reasons. First, they obviously
wouldn’t want to waste time and risk being spotted. Second, the linen wrappings already contained
expensive spices, so they would have seen that as valuable (Luke 23:56). Likewise, if it was a secret supporter of
Jesus who somehow overcame the guards, moved the stone, and stole the body
without the knowledge of the other disciples, it would be inconceivable that
such a one would then strip the body of Jesus naked before removing it. There is reason for awe at this initial
inspection.
Peter catches up in v. 6 and does not seem to hesitate to
enter. The contrast between John’s
caution and Peter’s boldness illustrates how God uses diverse personalities. As Calvin notes, “John could out-run Peter,
but Peter could out-dare John.”[4] Perhaps this is his impulsiveness, or his
ongoing love for Jesus despite his previous statements of denial.
Whatever the case, the Greek word for “saw” in v. 6 is
different than the word in v. 5. Peter
engages in a careful, reflective observation,[5] distinct from John’s initial
glance.[6] Peter confirms the linens are present,
undisturbed, without the body.
This gives us something else to think about. When Jesus called Lazarus from the grave,
Lazarus was still bound by these wrappings.
As the MacArthur Study Bible notes here, “While Lazarus came forth from
the grave wearing his graveclothes, Jesus’ body, though physical and material,
was glorified and was now able to pass through the graveclothes much in the
same way that He later appeared in the locked room (see vv. 19, 20; cf. Phil.
3:21).”[7] Moreover, as Henry notes here, “Lazarus came
out with his grave-clothes on, for he was to use them again; but Christ, rising
to an immortal life, came out free from those incumbrances.”[8] The wrappings remain where Jesus was laid,
but without Him inside them, because He would no longer need them.
In v. 7, Peter notes something else that John initially
missed. They placed a face-cloth on
Jesus during His burial, like the one Lazarus wore (John 11:44). However, it was not thrown aside or lying
with the other wrappings. Someone had
taken the time to roll it up and place it by itself. This further tells us that there were no
signs of haste or theft.
Now, this brings us to a contradiction of evidence that is
commonly presented. Some see the Shroud
of Turin as proof of the resurrection.
This is a single cloth that bears the image of a man in repose that is
reportedly Jesus, who left His imprint miraculously on the sheet. However, the text indicates that Jesus was
wrapped in linen strips, plural, with a separate face-cloth — a description
quite unlike the shroud. While it’s
tempting to use tangible evidences for the Scripture like this, we only want to
use the very best evidence we have.
The folded face-cloth is, itself, a powerful apologetic. Grave robbers wouldn’t pause to tidy up, and
the disciples wouldn’t dishonor Jesus’ body by unwrapping it (Matt. 28:11–15).[9] Indeed, the tomb’s orderliness reflects
Christ’s victory over chaos, His life over death.
IV.
Third, the Verdicts of the Empty Tomb (vv. 8–10)
So the other
disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and
believed. For as yet they did not
understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own
homes.
We read next that John, who continues to refer to himself in
the third person, seems emboldened to enter.
Sometimes, as Henry notes here, the good works of others can lead us to
a greater boldness.[10] He now sees better the arrangement of the
items left in the tomb.
This leads John to a moment of realization. We read here that this is the moment he
believed. He was apparently the first to
do so, because as Luke notes, Peter would leave this scene still wondering
about these things (Luke 24:12). It’s
not that John understands everything, but something clicks for him that Jesus’s
body is absent because Jesus is no longer dead!
He is the first disciple to believe without seeing the risen
Lord.
I say that he doesn’t fully understand yet because we read
that neither of them understood the Scripture.
The Old Testament prophecies are only clear in hindsight. Psalm 16:10 says, “For You will not abandon
my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay,” such as
the decay of death. Isaiah 53:10 says, “But
the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him
to grief; if He would render Himself as
a guilt offering, He will see His
offspring, He will prolong His days, and
the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand,” meaning that the
suffering servant will live to have long days and prosperity despite being a
sin offering. Jesus had also predicted
His resurrection (John 2:19; Matt. 16:21), but their grief clouded their
understanding (Luke 24:25–27). They
didn’t quite grasp yet what’s clearer to us.
So, John wasn’t thinking about these passages, concluding
that this is the most rational explanation.
This gives hope to the rest of us, because sometimes we believe without
full understanding. That doesn’t mean
that we don’t need greater knowledge; Jesus called people out for not knowing
the Scripture (Matt 22:29). Yet, the
Lord is gracious in allowing us to believe despite our limitations.
John’s belief challenges us to trust the evidence God
provides. The empty tomb is a historical
fact, corroborated by multiple witnesses. Will we, like John, believe based on God’s
testimony, even before we see all the answers?
Both disciples return home.
Perhaps John returns to speak with a different Mary, the mother of our
Lord (cf. John 19:27). Peter, on the
other hand, is still grappling with the meaning of all these things.
This may seem like an odd place to end, but this is an
important point for us to also do some grappling.
V.
Conclusion
The disciples have at this point the same proof we have today:
the empty tomb. They haven’t yet seen
the risen Lord. They haven’t seen the
angels. All they have seen is the
inexplicable find of an unguarded tomb with a stone removed, a tomb without a
body but with the valuable grave clothes.
All they could ascertain at that point is that the idea of someone
having stolen the body of our Lord is ridiculous.
That was enough for John.
Is this enough for you to believe?
For those who are curious, I hope they will stoop down, look into the
empty tomb, and make an examination themselves.
Because the truth is that Jesus is alive, and this isn’t a myth or a
hoax. This is a historical reality, the
most important fact to know (and believe) of all.
[1] Cf. Joseph L. Trafton, Evangelical Dictionary of
Biblical Theology (1996), 488–489.
[2] Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald Barclay Allen, and H. Wayne
House, The Nelson Study Bible: New King
James Version, (Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers, 1997), Jn 20:1.
[3] Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, The New American Commentary, (Nashville: Broadman &
Holman Publishers, 2002), 25B:291–292.
[4] Matthew Henry, Matthew
Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible: Complete and Unabridged in One Volume,
(Peabody: Hendrickson, 1994), 2050.
[5] A. T. Robertson, Word
Pictures in the New Testament, (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn
20:6.
[6] Radmacher, et. al., Jn 20:6.
[7] John MacArthur Jr., Ed., The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed., (Nashville, TN: Word
Pub., 1997), 1626.
[8] Henry, 2050.
[9] John F. MacArthur Jr., John 12–21, MacArthur New Testament Commentary, (Chicago, IL: Moody
Publishers, 2008), 369.
[10] Henry, 2050.
