Please read chapter 20 with special attention to verses 4-9; 11-16; chapter 21 with verses 4-7.
John 20 begins with Mary Magdalene finding the tomb empty where the body of Jesus Christ had been laid by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Without question, this finding was unsettling to those closest to Him, but only because they did not understand what Jesus had told them: that He would arise after three days. He was talking but they did not understand. This happened also while He was alive when He admonished the disciples for their "little faith" when they could not deliver the demon-possessed. He was teaching them while with them and seemed to be concerned about their inability to perceive. Jesus said in that portion of scripture, "How long shall I be with you?" Did He know that, while He was with them, they would be too reliant upon His abilities? He said to Thomas, famous for doubting His resurrection, "blessed are those who, having not seen, believe".
V.4-9 "So they ran together, and the other disciple (John) outran Peter and came to the tomb first. And he (John), stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linens lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple (John), who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and BELIEVED. For as yet they did not KNOW the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead." John believed; not yet sure about Peter; and Mary, standing just outside the door had yet to receive.
V.11-16 "But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain. Then they (the angels) said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping?' She said to them, 'Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.' Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not KNOW that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, 'Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?' She, supposing Him to be the gardener, said to Him, 'Sir, if You have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.' Jesus said to her, 'Mary!' She turned and said to Him, 'Rabboni!' " And then she KNEW!
21 V.4-7 "But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not KNOW that it was Jesus (Peter and John are again the principals in this portion of scripture). Even after John's enlightenment, he did not recognize Jesus. He was learning to Know Him in a different way now. Jesus was transitioning His disciples and followers to hear Him as He reveals Himself; soon by the voice of the Holy Spirit who speaks to us only what He hears from our Lord. Soon, they would not have Him to be with in physical presence. Then He said to them, 'Children, have you any food?' They answered Him, 'No'. And He said to them, 'Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.' So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish. Therefore (or as a result), that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, 'It is the Lord' ". (He previously did not know but after Jesus spoke and it was so (regarding the fish), John KNEW!)
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