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Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers John 20:11–18. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
St. Mark tells us that Christ appeared first to Mary Magdalene (Mar 16:9); that appearance is here largely related; and we may observe,
I.The constancy and fervency of Mary Magdalene's affection to the Lord Jesus, Joh 20:11.
1.She staid at the sepulchre, when Peter and John were gone, because there her Master had lain, and there she was likeliest to hear some tidings of him. Note,
(1.)Where there is a true love to Christ there will be a constant adherence to him, and a resolution with purpose of heart to cleave to him. This good woman, though she has lost him, yet, rather than seem to desert him, will abide by his grave for his sake, and continue in his love even when she wants the comfort of it.
(2.)Where there is a true desire of acquaintance with Christ there will be a constant attendance on the means of knowledge. See Hos 6:2, Hos 6:3, The third day he will raise us up; and then shall we know the meaning of that resurrection, if we follow on to know, as Mary here.
2.She staid there weeping, and these tears loudly bespoke her affection to her Master. Those that have lost Christ have cause to weep; she wept at the remembrance of his bitter sufferings; wept for his death, and the loss which she and her friends and the country sustained by it; wept to think of returning home without him; wept because she did not now find his body. Those that seek Christ must seek him sorrowing (Luk 2:48), must weep, not for him, but for themselves.
3.As she wept, she looked into the sepulchre, that her eye might affect her heart. When we are in search of something that we have lost we look again and again in the place where we last left it, and expected to have found it. She will look yet seven times, not knowing but that at length she may see some encouragement. Note,
(1.)Weeping must not hinder seeking. Though she wept, she stooped down and looked in.
(2.)Those are likely to seek and find that seek with affection, that seek in tears.
II.The vision she had of two angels in the sepulchre, Joh 20:12. Observe here,
1.The description of the persons she saw. They were two angels in white, sitting (probably on some benches or ledges hewn out in the rock) one at the head, and the other at the feet, of the grave. Here we have,
(1.)Their nature. They were angels, messengers from heaven, sent on purpose, on this great occasion,
[1.]To honour the Son and to grace the solemnity of his resurrection. Now that the Son of God was again to be brought into the world, the angels have a charge to attend him, as they did at his birth, Heb 1:6.
[2.]To comfort the saints; to speak good words to those that were in sorrow, and, by giving them notice that the Lord was risen, to prepare them for the sight of him.
(2.)Their number: two, not a multitude of the heavenly host, to sing praise, only two, to bear witness; for out of the mouth of two witnesses this word would be established.
(3.)Their array: They were in white, denoting,
[1.]Their purity and holiness. The best of men standing before the angels, and compared with them, are clothed in filthy garments (Zac 3:3), but angels are spotless; and glorified saints, when they come to be as the angels, shall walk with Christ in white.
[2.]Their glory, and glorying, upon this occasion. The white in which they appeared represented the brightness of that state into which Christ was now risen.
(4.)Their posture and place: They sat, as it were, reposing themselves in Christ's grave; for angels, though they needed not a restoration, were obliged to Christ for their establishment. These angels went into the grave, to teach us not to be afraid of it, nor to think that our resting in it awhile will be any prejudice to our immortality; no, matters are so ordered that the grave is not much out of our way to heaven. It intimates likewise that angels are to be employed about the saints, not only at their death, to carry their souls into Abraham's bosom, but at the great day, to raise their bodies, Mat 24:31. These angelic guards (and angels are called watchers Dan 4:23), keeping possession of the sepulchre, when they had frightened away the guards which the enemies had set, represents Christ's victory over the powers of darkness, routing and defeating them. Thus Michael and his angels are more than conquerors. Their sitting to face one another, one at his bed's head, the other at his bed's feet, denotes their care of the entire body of Christ, his mystical as well as his natural body, from head to foot; it may also remind us of the two cherubim, placed one at either end of the mercy-seat, looking one at another, Exo 25:18. Christ crucified was the great propitiatory, at the head and feet of which were these two cherubim, not with flaming swords, to keep us fRom. but welcome messengers, to direct us to, the way of life.
2.Their compassionate enquiry into the cause of Mary Magdalene's grief (Joh 20:13): Woman, why weepest thou? This question was,
(1.)A rebuke to her weeping: "Why weepest thou, when thou has cause to rejoice?" Many of the floods of our tears would dry away before such a search as this into the fountain of them. Why are thou cast down?
(2.)It was designed to show how much angels are concerned at the griefs of the saints, having a charge to minister to them for their comfort. Christians should thus sympathize with one another.
(3.)It was only to make an occasion of informing her of that which would turn her mourning into rejoicing, would put off her sackcloth, and gird her with gladness.
3.The melancholy account she gives them of her present distress: Because they have taken away the blessed body I came to embalm, and I know not where they have laid it. The same story she had told, Joh 20:2. In it we may see,
(1.)The weakness of her faith. If she had had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, this mountain would have been removed; but we often perplex ourselves needlessly with imaginary difficulties, which faith would discover to us as real advantages. Many good people complain of the clouds and darkness they are under, which are the necessary methods of grace for the humbling of their souls, the mortifying of their sins, and the endearing of Christ to them.
(2.)The strength of her love. Those that have a true affection for Christ cannot but be in great affliction when they have lost either the comfortable tokens of his love in their souls or the comfortable opportunities of conversing with him, and doing him honour, in his ordinances. Mary Magdalene is not diverted from her enquiries by the surprise of the vision, nor satisfied with the honour of it; but still she harps upon the same string: They have taken away my Lord. A sight of angels and their smiles will not suffice without a sight of Christ and God's smiles in him. Nay, the sight of angels is but an opportunity of pursuing her enquiries after Christ. All creatures, the most excellent, the most dear, should be used as means, and but as means, to bring us into acquaintance with God in Christ. The angels asked her, Why weepest thou? I have cause enough to weep, says she, for they have taken away my Lord, and, like Micah, What have I more? Do you ask, Why I weep? My beloved has withdrawn himself, and is gone. Note, None know, but those who have experienced it, the sorrow of a deserted soul, that has had comfortable evidences of the love of God in Christ, and hopes of heaven, but has now lost them, and walks in darkness; such a wounded spirit who can bear?
III.Christ's appearing to her while she was talking with the angels, and telling them her case.
Before they had given her any answer, Christ himself steps in, to satisfy her enquiries, for God now speaketh to us by his Son; none but he himself can direct us to himself. Mary would fain know where her Lord is, and behold he is at her right hand. Note, 1. Those that will be content with nothing short of a sight of Christ shall be put off with nothing less. He never said to the soul that sought him, Seek in vain. "Is it Christ that thou wouldest have? Christ thou shalt have." 2. Christ, in manifesting himself to those that seek him, often outdoes their expectations. Mary longs to see the dead body of Christ, and complains of the loss of that, and behold she sees him alive. Thus he does for his praying people more than they are able to ask or think. In this appearance of Christ to Mary observe,
(1.)How he did at first conceal himself from her.
[1.]He stood as a common person, and she looked upon him accordingly, Joh 20:14. She stood expecting an answer to her complaint from the angels; and either seeing the shadow, or hearing the tread, of some person behind her, she turned herself back from talking with the angels, and sees Jesus himself standing, the very person she was looking for, and yet she knew not that it was Jesus. Note, First, The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart (Psa 34:18), nearer than they are aware. Those that seek Christ, though they do not see him, may yet be sure he is not far from them. Secondly, Those that diligently seek the Lord will turn every way in their enquiry after him. Mary turned herself back, in hopes of some discoveries. Several of the ancients suggest that Mary was directed to look behind her by the angels' rising up, and doing their obeisance to the Lord Jesus, whom they saw before Mary did; and that she looked back to see to whom it was they paid such a profound reverence. But, if so, it is not likely that she would have taken him for the gardener; rather, therefore, it was her earnest desire in seeking that made her turn every way. Thirdly, Christ is often near his people, and they are not aware of him. She knew not that it was Jesus; not that he appeared in any other likeness, but either it was a careless transient look she cast upon him, and, her eyes being full of care, she could not so well distinguish, or they were holden, that she should not know him, as those of the two disciples, Luk 24:16.
[2.]He asked her a common question, and she answered him accordingly, Joh 20:15.
First, The question he asked her was natural enough, and what any one would have asked her: "Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? What business hast thou here in the garden so early? And what is all this noise and ado for?" Perhaps it was spoken with some roughness, as Joseph spoke to his brethren when he made himself strange, before he made himself known to them. It should seem, this was the first word Christ spoke after his resurrection: "Why weepest thou? I am risen." The resurrection of Christ has enough in it to ally all our sorrows, to check the streams, and dry up the fountains, of our tears. Observe here, Christ takes cognizance, 1. Of his people's griefs, and enquires, Why weep you? He bottles their tears, and records them in his book. 2. Of his people's cares and enquires, Whom seek you, and what would you have? When he knows they are seeking him, yet he will know it from them; they must tell him whom they seek.
Secondly, The reply she made him is natural enough; she does not give him a direct answer, but, as if she should say, "Why do you banter me, and upbraid me with my tears? You know why I weep, and whom I seek;" and therefore, supposing him to be the gardener, the person employed by Joseph to dress and keep his garden, who, she thought, was come thither thus early to his work, she said, Sir, if thou hast carried him hence, pray tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. See here, 1. The error of her understanding. She supposed our Lord Jesus to be the gardener, perhaps because he asked what authority she had to be there. Note, Troubled spirits, in a cloudy and dark day, are apt to misrepresent Christ to themselves, and to put wrong constructions upon the methods of his providence and grace. 2. The truth of her affection. See how her heart was set upon finding Christ. She puts the question to every one she meets, like the careful spouse, Saw you him whom my soul loveth? She speaks respectfully to a gardener, and calls him Sir, in hopes to gain some intelligence from him concerning her beloved. When she speaks of Christ, she does not name him; but, If thou have borne him hence, taking it for granted that this gardener was full of thoughts concerning this Jesus as well as she, and therefore could not but know whom she meant. Another evidence of the strength of her affection was that, wherever he was laid, she would undertake to remove him. Such a body, with such a weight of spices about it, was much more than she could pretend to carry; but true love thinks it can do more than it can, and makes nothing of difficulties. She supposed this gardener grudged that the body of one that was ignominiously crucified should have the honour to be laid in his master's new tomb, and that therefore he had removed it to some sorry place, which he thought fitter for it. Yet Mary does not threaten to tell his master, and get him turned out of his place for it; but undertakes to find out some other sepulchre, to which he might be welcome. Christ needs not to stay where he is thought a burden.
(2.)How Christ at length made himself known to her, and, by a pleasing surprise, gave her infallible assurances of his resurrection. Joseph at length said to his brethren, I am Joseph. So Christ here to Mary Magdalene, now that he is entered upon his exalted state. Observe,
[1.]How Christ discovered himself to this good woman that was seeking him in tears (Joh 20:16): Jesus saith unto her, Mary. It was said with an emphasis, and the air of kindness and freedom with which he was wont to speak to her. Now he changed his voice, and spoke like himself, not like the gardener. Christ's way of making himself known to his people is by his word, his word applied to their souls, speaking to them in particular. When those whom God knew by name in the counsels of his love (Exo 33:12) are called by name in the efficacy of his grace, then he reveals his Son in them as in Paul (Gal 1:16), when Christ called to him by name, Saul, Saul. Christ's sheep know his voice, Joh 10:4. This one word, Mary, was like that to the disciples in the storm, It is I. Then the word of Christ does us good when we put our names into the precepts and promises. "In this Christ calls to me, and speaks to me."
[2.]How readily she received this discovery. When Christ said, "Mary, dost thou not know me? are you and I grown such strangers?" she was presently aware who it was, as the spouse (Sol 2:8), It is the voice of my beloved. She turned herself, and said, Rabboni, My Master. It might properly be read with an interrogation, "Rabboni? Is it my master? Nay, but is it indeed?" Observe, First, The title of respect she gives Him: My Master; didaskale - a teaching master. The Jews called their doctors Rabbies, great men. Their critics tell us that Rabbon was with them a more honourable title than Rabbi; and therefore Mary chooses that, and adds a note of appropriation, My great Master. Note, Notwithstanding the freedom of communion which Christ is pleased to admit us to with himself, we must remember that he is our Master, and to be approached with a godly fear. Secondly, With what liveliness of affection she gives this title to Christ. She turned from the angels, whom she had in her eye, to look unto Jesus. We must take off our regards from all creatures, even the brightest and best, to fix them upon Christ, from whom nothing must divert us, and with whom nothing must interfere. When she thought it had been the gardener, she looked another way while speaking to him; but now that she knew the voice of Christ she turned herself. The soul that hears Christ's voice, and is turned to him, calls him, with joy and triumph, My Master. See with what pleasure those who love Christ speak of his authority over them. My Master, my great Master.
[3.]The further instructions that Christ gave her (Joh 10:17): "Touch me not, but go and carry the news to the disciples."
First, He diverts her from the expectation of familiar society and conversation with him at this time: Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended. Mary was so transported with the sight of her dear Master that she forgot herself, and that state of glory into which he was now entering, and was ready to express her joy by affectionate embraces of him, which Christ here forbids at this time. 1. Touch me not thus at all, for I am to ascend to heaven. He bade the disciples touch him, for the confirmation of their faith; he allowed the women to take hold of his feet, and worship him (Mat 28:9); but Mary, supposing that he was risen, as Lazarus was, to live among them constantly, and converse with them freely as he had done, upon that presumption was about to take hold of his hand with her usual freedom. This mistake Christ rectified; she must believe him, and adore him, as exalted, but must not expect to be familiar with him as formerly. See Co2 5:16. He forbids her to dote upon his bodily presence, to set her heart on this, or expect its continuance, and leads her to the spiritual converse and communion which she should have with him after he was ascended to his Father; for the greatest joy of his resurrection was that it was a step towards his ascension. Mary thought, now that her Master was risen, he would presently set up a temporal kingdom, such as they had long promised themselves. "No," says Christ, "touch me not, with any such thought; think not to lay hold on me, so as to detain me here; for, though I am not yet ascended, go to my brethren, and tell them, I am to ascend." As before his death, so now after his resurrection, he still harps upon this, that he was going away, was no more in the world; and therefore they must look higher than his bodily presence, and look further than the present state of things. 2. "Touch me not, do not stay to touch me now, stay not now to make any further enquiries, or give any further expressions of joy, for I am not yet ascended, I shall not depart immediately, it may as well be done another time; the best service thou canst do now is to carry the tidings to the disciples; lose no time therefore, but go away with all speed." Note, Public service ought to be preferred before private satisfaction. It is more blessed to give than to receive. Jacob must let an angel go, when the day breaks, and it is time for him to look after his family. Mary must not stay to talk with her Master, but must carry his message; for it is a day of good tidings, which she must not engross the comfort of, but hand it to others. See that story, Kg2 7:9.
Secondly, He directs her what message to carry to his disciples: But go to my brethren, and tell them, not only that I am risen (she could have told them that of herself, for she had seen him), but that I ascend. Observe,
a.To whom this message is sent: Go to my brethren with it; for he is not ashamed to call them so. (1.) He was now entering upon his glory, and was declared to be the Son of God with greater power than ever, yet he owns his disciples as his brethren, and expresses himself with more tender affection to them than before; he had called them friends, but never brethren till now. Though Christ be high, yet he is not haughty. Notwithstanding his elevation, he disdains not to own his poor relations. (b.) His disciples had lately carried themselves very disingenuously towards him; he had never seen them together since they all forsook him and fled, when he was apprehended; justly might he now have sent them an angry message: "Go to yonder treacherous deserters, and tell them, I will never trust them any more, or have any thing more to do with them." No, he forgives, he forgets, and does not upbraid.
b.By whom it is sent: by Mary Magdalene, out of whom had been cast seven devils, yet now thus favoured. This was her reward for her constancy in adhering to Christ, and enquiring after him; and a tacit rebuke to the apostles, who had not been so close as she was in attending on the dying Jesus, nor so early as she was in meeting the rising Jesus; she becomes an apostle to the apostles.
c.What the message itself is: I ascend to my Father. Two full breasts of consolation are here in these words: -
(a.)Our joint-relation to God, resulting from our union with Christ, is an unspeakable comfort. Speaking of that inexhaustible spring of light, life, and bliss, he says, He is my Father, and our Father; my God, and your God. This is very expressive of the near relation that subsists between Christ and believers: he that sanctifieth, and those that are sanctified, are both one; for they agree in one, Heb 2:11. Here we have such an advancement of Christians, and such a condescension of Christ, as bring them very near together, so admirably well is the matter contrived, in order to their union. [a.] It is the great dignity of believers that the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is, in him, their Father. A vast difference indeed there is between the respective foundations of the relation; he is Christ's Father by eternal generation, ours by a gracious adoption; yet even this warrants us to call him, as Christ did, Abba, Father. This gives a reason why Christ called them brethren, because his Father was their Father. Christ was now ascending to appear as an advocate with the Father - with his Father, and therefore we may hope he will prevail for any thing - with our Father, and therefore we may hope he will prevail for us. [b.] It is the great condescension of Christ that he is pleased to own the believer's God for his God: My God, and your God; mine, that he may be yours; the God of the Redeemer, to support him (Psa 89:26), that he might be the God of the redeemed, to save them. The summary of the new covenant is that God will be to us a God; and therefore Christ being the surety and head of the covenant, who is primarily dealt with, and believers only through him as his spiritual seed, this covenant-relation fastens first upon him, God becomes his God, and so ours; we partaking of a divine nature, Christ's Father is our Father; and, he partaking of the human nature, our God is his God.
(b.)Christ's ascension into heaven, in further prosecution of his undertaking for us, is likewise an unspeakable comfort: "Tell them I must shortly ascend; that is the next step I am to take." Now this was intended to be, [a.] A word of caution to these disciples, not to expect the continuance of his bodily presence on earth, nor the setting up of his temporal kingdom among men, which they dreamed of. "No, tell them, I am risen, not to stay with them, but to go on their errand to heaven." Thus those who are raised to a spiritual life, in conformity to Christ's resurrection, must reckon that they rise to ascend; they are quickened with Christ that they may sit with him in heavenly places, Eph 2:5, Eph 2:6. Let them not think that this earth is to be their home and rest; no, being born from heaven, they are bound for heaven; their eye and aim must be upon another world, and this must be ever upon their hearts, I ascend, therefore must I seek things above. [b.] A word of comfort to them, and to all that shall believe in him through their word; he was then ascending, he is now ascended to his Father, and our Father. This was his advancement; he ascended to receive those honours and powers which were to be the recompence of his humiliation; he says it with triumph, that those who love him may rejoice. This is our advantage; for he ascended as a conqueror, leading captivity captive for us (Psa 68:18), he ascended as our forerunner, to prepare a place for us, and to be ready to receive us. This message was like that which Joseph's brethren brought to Jacob concerning him (Gen 45:26), Joseph is yet alive, and not only so, vivit imo, et in senatum venit - he lives, and comes into the senate too; he is governor over all the land of Egypt; all power is his.
Some make those words, I ascend to my God and your God, to include a promise of our resurrection, in the virtue of Christ's resurrection; for Christ had proved the resurrection of the dead from these words, I am the God of Abraham, Mat 22:32. So that Christ here insinuates, "As he is my God, and hath therefore raised me, so he is your God, and will therefore raise you, and be your God, Rev 21:3. Because I live, you shall live also. I now ascend, to honour my God, and you shall ascend to him as your God.
IV.Here is Mary Magdalene's faithful report of what she had seen and heard to the disciples (Joh 20:18):
She came and told the disciples, whom she found together, that she had seen the Lord. Peter and John had left her seeking him carefully with tears, and would not stay to seek him with her; and now she comes to tell them that she had found him, and to rectify the mistake she had led them into by enquiring after the dead body, for now she found it was a living body and a glorified one; so that she found what she sought, and, what was infinitely better, she had joy in her sight of the Master herself, and was willing to communicate of her joy, for she knew it would be good news to them. When God comforts us, it is with this design, that we may comfort others. And as she told them what she had seen, so also what she had heard; she had seen the Lord alive, of which this was a token (and a good token it was) that he had spoken these things unto her as a message to be delivered to them, and she delivered it faithfully. Those that are acquainted with the word of Christ themselves should communicate their knowledge for the good of others, and not grudge that others should know as much as they do.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
9 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
By all these circumstances, as though a door was being opened for her, she was led by little and little to the knowledge of the Resurrection. And the manner of their sitting invited her to question them, for they showed that they knew what had taken place; on which account they did not sit together either, but apart from one another. For because it was not likely that she would dare at once to question them, both by questioning her, and by the manner of their sitting, they bring her to converse.
(Hom. lxxxvi) Be not astonished that Mary wept for love at the sepulchre, and Peter did not; for the female sex is naturally tender, and inclined to weep.
(Hom. lxxxvi) The sight of the sepulchre itself was some consolation. Nay, behold her, to console herself still more, stooping down, to see the very place where the body lay: And as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre.
(Hom. lxxxvi. 1) As her understanding was not so raised as to be able to gather from the napkins the fact of the resurrection, she is given the sight of Angels in bright apparel, who sooth her sorrow.
(Hom. lxxxvi) The Angels who appear say nothing about the resurrection; but by degrees the subject is entered on. First of all they address her compassionately, to prevent her from being overpowered by a spectacle of such extraordinary brightness: And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? The Angels forbad tears, and announced, as it were, the joy that was at hand: Why weepest thou? As if to say, Weep not.
(Hom. lxxxvi) As yet she knew nothing of the resurrection, but thought the body had been taken away.
Full of feeling somehow is the female sex, and more inclined to pity. I say this, lest thou shouldest wonder how it could be that Mary wept bitterly at the tomb, while Peter was in no way so affected. For, "The disciples," it saith, "went away unto their own home"; but she stood shedding tears. Because hers was a feeble nature, and she as yet knew not accurately the account of the Resurrection; whereas they having seen the linen clothes and believed, departed to their own homes in astonishment. And wherefore went they not straightway to Galilee, as had been commanded them before the Passion? They waited for the others, perhaps, and besides they were yet at the height of their amazement. These then went their way: but she stood at the place, for, as I have said, even the sight of the tomb tended greatly to comfort her. At any rate, thou seest her, the more to ease her grief, stooping down, and desiring to behold the place where the body lay. And therefore she received no small reward for this her great zeal. For what the disciples saw not, this saw the woman first, Angels sitting, the one at the feet, the other at the head, in white; even the dress was full of much radiance and joy. Since the mind of the woman was not sufficiently elevated to accept the Resurrection from the proof of the napkins, something more takes place, she beholdeth something more; Angels sitting in shining garments, so as to raise her thus awhile from her passionate sorrow, and to comfort her. But they said nothing to her concerning the Resurrection, yet is she gently led forward in this doctrine. She saw countenances bright and unusual; she saw shining garments, she heard a sympathizing voice.
"They have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid Him." She speaks very warmly and affectionately. "What sayest thou? Knowest thou not yet anything concerning the Resurrection, but dost thou still form fancies about His being laid?" Seest thou how she had not yet received the sublime doctrine?
(Tr. cxxi) But why did one sit at the head, the other at the feet? To signify that the glad tidings of Christ's Gospel was to be delivered from the head to the feet, from the beginning to the end. The Greek word Angel means one who delivers news.
(de Con. Evang. iii. xxiv) Here the Angels must be understood to rise up, for Luke describes them as seen standing.
For look she did, "and saw two angels in white, sitting, the one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain." Why is it that one was sitting at the head, and the other at the feet? Was it, since those who in Greek are called angels are in Latin nuntii [in English, news-bearers], that in this way they signified that the gospel of Christ was to be preached from head to foot, from the beginning even to the end?
The angels appeared sitting at the head and at the feet where the Body of Jesus had lain; thereby, as it were, signifying to the woman, who thought that the Lord had been taken away, that no one could have done despite unto the holy Body while angels kept watch and holy powers encompassed the Temple of God, for they knew their Lord. One may raise the question, not unreasonably, how it was that the blessed angels said nothing to the holy disciples, and did not even appear unto them, but were both seen by the woman and also spake unto her. We reply, then, that it was the object of the Saviour Christ to instil into the minds of those who loved Him the perfect knowledge of the mystery concerning Him; but that this perfect knowledge was in different ways given unto them, and adapted to the requirements of those who stood in need of it. The course of events itself, as compared with the expectations raised in Holy Writ, sufficed to give the holy disciples adequate knowledge, and begat in them a confidence that did not admit of doubt. For they went home trusting in the Holy Scriptures, and it would have been superfluous for those, whose faith was thus firmly grounded, to be taught by the mouth of the holy angels; but it was very necessary to the woman, who knew not the Holy and Divine Scripture, and by no other means could apprehend the deep mystery of the Resurrection.
And so she who loves thus, who bends down again to the tomb she had looked at, let us see by what fruit the force of love redoubles in her the work of seeking. It follows: "She saw two angels in white, sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been laid."
What does it mean that two angels are seen in the place of the Lord's body, one sitting at the head, and the other at the feet, except that in the Latin language an angel is called a messenger, and he was to be announced through his passion, who is both God before all ages, and man at the end of the ages? It is as if the angel sits at the head, when through the apostle John it is proclaimed that "in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And it is as if the angel sits at the feet, when he says: "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us."
We can also understand the two Testaments by the two angels, one earlier and the other following. These angels are joined to one another through the place of the Lord's body, because indeed both Testaments, while they announce with equal meaning that the Lord became incarnate and died and rose again, sit as it were the earlier Testament at the head, and the later Testament at the feet. Hence also the two cherubim that cover the mercy seat look upon one another with their faces turned toward the mercy seat. For cherubim means "fullness of knowledge." And what is signified by the two cherubim except both Testaments? And what is figured by the mercy seat except the incarnate Lord? Of whom John says: "For he is the propitiation for our sins." And while the Old Testament proclaims that this was to be done which the New Testament declares was done concerning the Lord, it is as if both cherubim look upon one another, while they turn their faces toward the mercy seat, because while they see the incarnate Lord placed between them, they do not disagree in their view, for they narrate the mystery of his dispensation in harmony.
(Hom. xxv. in Evang. c. 1, 14) The Angel sits at the head when the Apostles preach that in the beginning was the Word: he sits, as it were, at the feet, when it is said, The Word was made flesh. By the two Angels too we may understand the two testaments; both of which proclaim alike the incarnation, death, and resurrection of our Lord. The Old seems to sit at the head, the New at the feet.
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Summary
John 20:12 captures a pivotal moment in the resurrection narrative, as Mary Magdalene, overwhelmed by grief and searching for the body of Jesus, peers into the empty tomb and is met by an unexpected divine encounter. She beholds two angels, radiant in white garments, seated precisely where Jesus' body had rested, signifying a profound shift from sorrow to the dawn of resurrection revelation. This encounter serves as a divine confirmation of the empty tomb and prepares Mary for her subsequent encounter with the resurrected Christ.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is deeply embedded within the climactic events of John's Gospel, immediately following the discovery of the empty tomb on the first day of the week. John 20:1-2 recounts Mary Magdalene's initial alarm and her report to Peter and John. Their subsequent investigation, described in John 20:3-10, confirms the body's absence and the orderly arrangement of the grave clothes, leading them to believe. However, Mary remains at the tomb, weeping, as highlighted in John 20:11, unable to comprehend the situation. It is in this state of profound sorrow and persistent seeking that her gaze into the sepulchre once more yields a supernatural sight, bridging the gap between human despair and divine revelation. The angels' appearance is a direct precursor to Mary's personal encounter with the resurrected Jesus in John 20:14-18, serving as a crucial transitional moment.
Historical & Cultural Context
First-century Jewish burial customs involved wrapping the deceased in linen cloths, often with spices, and placing them in a rock-hewn tomb. The tomb would typically be sealed with a large stone. The expectation was that the body would remain there. Therefore, an empty tomb was not merely unusual but deeply perplexing and, for the disciples, initially suggested theft rather than resurrection. The presence of angels in human history, particularly as divine messengers, is well-documented in both Old and New Testaments, often appearing at significant junctures of God's redemptive plan (e.g., announcing births, delivering messages, intervening in crises). Their appearance at the tomb of Jesus, a sacred space, underscores the monumental importance of the event. The "white" garments worn by the angels would have immediately signified purity, holiness, and a heavenly origin to any Jewish observer familiar with scriptural imagery.
Key Themes
John 20:12 contributes significantly to several overarching themes in the Gospel of John and the broader biblical narrative. Firstly, it powerfully reinforces the theme of the empty tomb as evidence of resurrection. The angels' presence and their specific location confirm that the body is truly gone, not merely misplaced or stolen, but supernaturally removed, preparing the way for belief in the resurrection. Secondly, it highlights the transition from grief to hope and understanding. Mary's profound sorrow over the perceived loss of Jesus' body is met with a divine manifestation that begins to shift her perspective, foreshadowing the joy of encountering the living Christ. This mirrors the broader journey of the disciples from confusion and fear to faith and proclamation. Thirdly, the verse underscores the ministry of angels as divine messengers. The Greek word for "angel" (G32 ángelos) literally means "messenger," and here they fulfill their role perfectly, acting as heavenly witnesses and preparing the human recipient for the ultimate message of new life. This aligns with other Gospel accounts where angels are present at the tomb, such as in Matthew 28:2-7 and Luke 24:4-7.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This verb means "to be a spectator of, i.e. discern, (literally, figuratively (experience) or intensively (acknowledge)):--behold, consider, look on, perceive, see." Mary's act of "seeing" here is not a casual glance but an intense, focused gaze, indicative of her deep emotional state and desperate search. It implies a perceptive observation, suggesting that she truly discerns the presence of these supernatural beings, even if she doesn't immediately grasp their full significance.
This word translates to "a messenger; especially an 'angel'; by implication, a pastor:--angel, messenger." The presence of "angels" immediately elevates the scene from a mere empty tomb to a divine intervention. Their identity as messengers is crucial, as they are about to convey the most significant message in human history: Jesus is risen. Their appearance validates the extraordinary nature of the empty tomb.
Meaning "white:--white." This description of the angels' attire is highly symbolic. In biblical contexts, white garments frequently symbolize purity, holiness, heavenly glory, divine presence, and victory. The "white" signifies the angels' celestial origin and the sacred, pure, and triumphant nature of the event they are witnessing and announcing. It sets a visual tone of divine majesty and purity for the resurrection revelation.
Verse Breakdown
"And seeth two angels in white sitting,"
Mary Magdalene, in her persistent grief and search, looks into the tomb again. Her gaze is met not by the expected sight of a body, but by two celestial beings. Their appearance "in white" immediately signals their divine nature and the purity and holiness associated with the resurrection event. Their "sitting" posture suggests a calm, authoritative presence, as if awaiting her discovery, rather than being startled or in motion.
"the one at the head, and the other at the feet,"
The precise placement of the two angels is highly significant. They are seated at either end of the stone slab where Jesus' body had previously lain. This specific arrangement evokes powerful Old Testament imagery, particularly the two cherubim on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:17-22). This subtle allusion transforms the empty tomb into a new "mercy seat," a place of divine revelation and atonement, where God's presence is manifested and the greatest act of redemption has just occurred.
"where the body of Jesus had lain."
This final clause firmly grounds the supernatural encounter in the reality of the empty tomb. It emphasizes the exact location where the crucified body of Jesus had been laid to rest, making the absence of the body and the presence of the angels all the more striking. The past tense "had lain" underscores that the body is no longer there, setting the stage for the understanding of resurrection. This detail confirms the physical reality of the tomb and the profound spiritual reality that has now superseded it.
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices. Symbolism is prominent, most notably in the "white" garments of the angels, which universally symbolize purity, holiness, and divine glory, reinforcing the sacred and supernatural nature of the encounter. The angels themselves are symbols of divine messengers and witnesses to God's redemptive work. The specific positioning of the angels, "one at the head, and the other at the feet," strongly evokes an allusion to the cherubim guarding the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:17-22). This subtle but profound parallel transforms the empty tomb into a new holy of holies, a place of divine presence and the ultimate revelation of God's redemptive plan. The scene also contains a degree of irony, as Mary, weeping over a perceived loss, is confronted by beings whose very presence signifies triumph and new life, setting up her journey from sorrow to joy.
Theological and Thematic Connections
John 20:12 serves as a powerful theological bridge, connecting the despair of the cross with the triumph of the resurrection. The presence of the angels, divine witnesses in white, confirms the supernatural nature of the empty tomb, signaling that Jesus' disappearance was not a theft but a divine act. This moment underscores God's active involvement in the resurrection, providing heavenly testimony to the most pivotal event in salvation history. It also highlights the transition from the Old Covenant's sacrificial system, symbolized by the mercy seat, to the New Covenant established by Christ's ultimate sacrifice and resurrection, where the empty tomb becomes the new locus of divine revelation and grace. The angels' silent witness at the head and feet of where Jesus' body lay transforms the grave into a throne room, signifying Christ's victory over death and His inauguration as King.
Reflection and Application
Mary Magdalene's persistent weeping and her repeated looking into the tomb, even after Peter and John had departed, offer a profound lesson in seeking God amidst sorrow and confusion. Even when our circumstances seem bleak and our hopes shattered, maintaining a posture of seeking and looking to the divine can open our eyes to unexpected revelations. Mary's grief was legitimate, yet her continued presence at the tomb positioned her to be the first to encounter the angelic messengers and, subsequently, the resurrected Christ. This reminds us that God often meets us in our deepest pain, transforming our mourning into joy, and our confusion into clarity. In our own lives, when faced with loss, unanswered questions, or seemingly empty spaces, this verse encourages us to persist in faith, to keep looking, and to remain open to God's surprising and comforting presence. The divine is often revealed in the very places we expect only absence or despair, leading us to a deeper understanding of His sovereign plan and the ultimate triumph of His love.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were there two angels, and what is the significance of their placement?
The presence of two angels is consistent with biblical patterns of divine testimony, as the Law often required two or three witnesses (Deuteronomy 19:15). Their specific placement, "one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain," carries profound symbolic weight. This arrangement strongly alludes to the two cherubim on the mercy seat of the Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:17-22), which was the holiest place in the tabernacle, where God's presence was manifested and atonement was made. By placing themselves in this manner, the angels signify that the empty tomb has become the new "mercy seat," the place where the ultimate act of atonement and redemption has occurred through Christ's death and resurrection, making it a new locus of divine presence and revelation.
What is the significance of the angels being "in white"?
The description of the angels as being "in white" (Greek: en leukois) is highly significant and consistent with biblical imagery. White garments in scripture frequently symbolize purity, holiness, divine glory, and victory. For example, angels often appear in white (Matthew 28:3), and the redeemed in heaven are depicted in white robes (Revelation 7:9). In this context, the white attire signifies the angels' celestial nature, their purity, and the sacred, triumphant nature of the resurrection event they are witnessing. It underscores that this is no ordinary event but a divine, glorious, and pure act of God.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
John 20:12, with its depiction of angels guarding the empty space where Jesus' body lay, powerfully points to Christ's ultimate fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. The angels' presence, echoing the cherubim over the mercy seat, signifies that the empty tomb is the new "holy of holies," where the true and final atonement has been accomplished not by animal blood, but by the precious blood of the Lamb of God. The absence of Jesus' body, confirmed by these heavenly witnesses, proclaims His victory over death and the grave, fulfilling Old Testament prophecies of a suffering servant who would rise again (Isaiah 53:10-12). Christ's resurrection is the cornerstone of Christian faith, validating His claims to deity and securing eternal life for all who believe (1 Corinthians 15:20-22). The angels, as messengers, prepare Mary for the encounter with the resurrected Christ, who is now not merely a historical figure, but the living Lord, ascended to the right hand of God (Acts 2:33) and interceding for His people (Romans 8:34). The empty tomb, attested by angels, is the ultimate sign that Jesus is indeed the Christ, the Son of God, who has conquered sin and death, offering new life and an imperishable hope to all humanity.