A Few Thoughts on John 20:8 The Empty Tomb

This Blood Landmark Baptist Church Shelby NC featuring Ashley Blanton

John 20:8 GW Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside. He saw and believed.

Happy Resurrection Day

The setting

B1 Jesus was murdered by crucifixion by the Romans with the blessing of the Jewish leaders.

B2 Despite all protections by the Roman guard, the tomb is empty.

B3 Now it is early Sunday morning.

B4 The eastern sky had just begun to show its glow of the coming sun.

B5 Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.

B6 She saw the stone which had been covering the opening to the tomb rolled away.

B7 Not entering, she ran to find Simon Peter and John.

B8 Mary was confused and perhaps distraught.

B9 She told Peter and John, “They have removed the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they've put him."

B10 Peter and John left her and started running towards the tomb. Note, they knew where it was.

B11 John was faster than Peter. Arriving, John looked in, saw the linen clothes, but did not go in the tomb.

B12 Peter arrives and goes into the tomb.

B13 Peter sees the folded cloth that had been on Jesus’s head.

B14 John then goes in, sees the empty tomb, and believes.

B15 They didn’t understand the Scriptures which spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah.

B14 They left.

B15 Mary stayed and looking in starts to weep, not understanding the resurrection.

The empty tomb

B1 Foretold

C1 Soul in Sheol and body not decayed: Psalm 16:10 NASB For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

C2 We learn: Isaiah 53:10-12 ESV Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

D1 It was Yahweh’s decision for Messiah to be crushed (suffer disfigurement).

D2 It was Messiah’s soul that was an offering for sin. My sin, your sin, everyone’s sin. Forgiveness comes when conditions are meet, namely, if we believe and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

D3 Even though Messiah goes through all these things, He will see His offspring, that is, He will be raised from death and see those who did believe and trust in Him.

D4 Messiah’s soul suffered anguish.

D5 He is righteous, that is, sinless.

D6 He is the satisfactory payment for the penalty of sin. Either each individual suffers eternal torment or Messiah.

D7 Messiah died, dead.

D8 Messiah was considered as evil. He carried our sins and the punishment for our sins.

D9 Bore the sin of many, that is, the multitudes of all humans. It is clear from this statement that Messiah did not bare (punished) for his sins; He did it for the sins of all other humans.

D10 He is the Mediator between God and humans (makes intercession for the transgressors).

B2 Fulfilled (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20)

B3 Significance of

C1 Proves His deity. He is God. Romans 1:2-4 ESV which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

C2 Proves God’s power, ability, is the life-giver. Acts 3:14-15 BSB You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of the fact.

C3 Proves Jesus is the Messiah: John 20:30-31 BSB Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His 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.

C4 Proves His salvation is true salvation: 1 Corinthians 15:14-15 BSB And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith. 15 In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised.

C5 Proves His death completed the punishment for sins and His resurrection granted justification: Romans 4:25 ESV who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

C6 Proves He is the intercessor for believers: Romans 8:34 NIV Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

C7 Proves He is the resurrecting power for believers. The believers will be resurrected. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NIV But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

C8 Proves He is lord of both the living and the dead: Romans 14:9 NLT Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

Romans 5:1 NLT Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Peace with God

Jesus Christ is risen. Yes, He is risen indeed.

Devotional Notes Psalm 117+John 5

10 Apr 20

MORNING

Psalm 117

B1 What does this mean?

C1 All people are to praise Yahweh.

D1 God is not just God of Israel but all the universe and beyond.

D2 Nations are Gentiles.

E1 The Hebrew word for nations is גּוֹי gôwy. It means people who are not Jews, that is, the heathen.

D3 The people is a parallelism for all humans (nations as in the first part of verse 1).

C2 We are to praise Him in who He is (His attributes) and what He does (creation, laws, decisions).

C3 Verse 2 gives 2 specific reasons—His mercy and His faithfulness (the word has the ideas of truth, faithful, right, and sure).

C4 Adam Clarke comments: And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever - Whatsoever he has promised, that he will most infallibly fulfill. He has promised to send his Son into the world, and thus he has done. He his promised that he should die for transgressors, and this he did. He has promised to receive all who come unto him through Christ Jesus, and this he invariably does. He has promised that his Gospel shall be preached in every nation, and this he is doing; the truth of the Lord remaineth for ever. Therefore, Praise ye the Lord!

C5 The Old Testament Biblical Illustrator has: In God's worship it is not always necessary to be long; few words sometimes say what is sufficient, as this short psalm giveth us to understand.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? I need to do it. I need to make it a priority.

EVENING

John 5

B1 What does this mean?

C1 Jesus Heals the Man at Bethesda Pool

D1 It is not known which feast this is but most accept that it is the Passover.

D2 In John Lightfoot’s commentary, he writes: The other evangelists speak but sparingly of Christ's acts in Judea; this of ours something more copiously. They mention nothing of the Passovers from his baptism to his death, excepting the very last; but St. John points at them all. The first he speaks of chapter 2:13; the third, chapter 6:4; the fourth, chapter 13:1; and the second, in this place. It is true he does not call it by the name of the Passover here, but only a feast in general. However, the words of our Saviour mentioned above, chapter 4:35, do give some kind of light into this matter.

D3 Verse 6 seems like a dumb question.

E1 But I have taken care of patients who did not want to get well, for they used their sickness for sympathy.

E2 Lightfoot considers it an appropriate question being that it is the Sabbath.

E3 Perhaps the sick man may have become discouraged and simply gave up hope.

E4 Jesus may have wanted him to focus his attention on Himself (JFB).

D4 After the man answers, Jesus commands him to get up, pick up his mat, and walk. All of these things are considered work under the interpretations of the Scribes of Jesus’s time.

D5 Verse 10-12, immediately the man is healed and the Jewish teachers criticize Jesus.

D5 Verse 14, the man goes to the Temple probably to pray, thanking God for his healing. Jesus warns the man to not sin any more. Good advice for anyone.

C2 Jewish Leaders Start to Persecute Jesus

D1 Verse 17, Jesus teaches 2 things. One is that God is His father (see verse 18) and that since His Father is working, so will He. The Father may have finished creation in 6 days, but He has never stopped governing creation.

D2 Jesus teaches that as the Father has life and can give life, so Jesus can do also. We have been given life but cannot give life ourselves.

D3 Jesus is THE judge. See Daniel 7:10 and Revelation 20:12. So we must respect and fear this judge. Psalm 2:12 NLT Submit to God's royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities--for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him!

D4 Verse 23, if you Jews do not honor me now, you don’t honor the Father either.

D5 Verse 24 emphasizes faith and trust (believing) Jesus for salvation, not human effort as the Jews taught. The dead might be those dead in sins. I think if refers to 2 resurrections (see verse 29), the first for believers and the second for nonbelievers. Daniel 12:2 CSB Many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to eternal life, and some to disgrace and eternal contempt.

D6 Jesus does not seek His own will, but the Father’s will. So should we.

C3 Jesus Has Witnesses to His Identity

D1 The witnesses are Scripture (prophecies), John the Baptist, God the Father, and what He does (miracles authenticating that He is The Messiah).

D2 Verse 38, Jesus warns the listeners that they are not believers. It is a time of repentance and believing God. Note again, how Jesus deals differently with individuals. He wants all to believe the Gospel.

D3 Verse 40, it is not God who prevents them from believing (which would tend to be a Calvinist idea), rather it is people themselves.

E1 Numbers 14:11 NIV The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them?

E2 1 John 5:10 NKJV He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

E3 Isaiah 53:3 NIV He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.

D4 John 5:44 WEL How is it possible for you to believe when you get praise from one another and are not seeking praise from the only God? We learn

E1 If we praise ourselves (compare Luke 18:9-14), we cannot praise and believe God.

E2 If we are seeking praise for ourselves, we cannot believe either, for we think we are good enough for God.

D5 Verse 45, the Jews did not believe Moses, that is, take him at his word. We see this in what the Jews do. They add to God’s law their own commandments. Matthew 15:9 LEB and they worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.

D6 We are to read and study the Scriptures in its plain, normal sense.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? As above.

I hope to have a devotional every day on John’s Gospel starting with the last chapter of Luke’s Gospel. This is the way I do my devotions. You may notice grammatical and spelling errors. It is my hope you will also start or continue in your daily reading and thinking about the Scriptures. I do this Monday through Friday. It is a 3 year plan of reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the Old Testament, which takes 3 years, and reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the New Testament once a year for a total of 3 times. So, I read through the Old Testament 1 time and the New Testament 3 times over a period of 3 years. I do this Monday through Friday and use Saturday and Sunday for other devotions.

A Few Thoughts About Good Friday

Good Friday is when we remember the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.

What day did He die?

B1 Those who teach Friday, here is one example.

B2 Those who teach Thursday, here is one example.

B3 Those who teach Wednesday, here is one example.

B4 Personally, I don’t care. I am thankful that Jesus is the Passover Lamb.

C1 John the Baptist testifies: John 1:29 NIV The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

C2 Isaiah the prophet: Isaiah 53:7 NIV He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

C3 Philip, the evangelist, and the Ethiopian eunuch: Acts 8:32 NIV The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: "He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth.

C4 John the Apostle: Revelation 5:6 NIV Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.

C5 Peter the Apostle: 1 Peter 1:19 NIV But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

C6 Paul the Apostle: 1 Corinthians 5:7 ESV Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

Isaiah 53:7 A few references) GW He was despised and rejected by people. He was a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering. He was despised like one from whom people turn their faces, and we didn't consider him to be worth anything.

B1 Physical suffering: Isaiah 50:6 GW I will offer my back to those who whip me and my cheeks to those who pluck hairs out of my beard. I will not turn my face away from those who humiliate me and spit on me.

B2 Societal suffering: Psalms 22:6 GW Yet, I am a worm and not a man. I am scorned by humanity and despised by people.

B3 Emotional suffering:

C1 Psalms 69:19-20 GW You know that I have been insulted, put to shame, and humiliated. All my opponents are in front of you 20 Insults have broken my heart, and I am sick. I looked for sympathy, but there was none. I looked for people to comfort me, but I found no one.

C2 Matthew 27:39-44 GW Those who passed by insulted him. They shook their heads 40 and said, "You were going to tear down God's temple and build it again in three days. Save yourself! If you're the Son of God, come down from the cross." 41 The chief priests together with the scribes and the leaders made fun of him in the same way. They said, 42 "He saved others, but he can't save himself. So he's Israel's king! Let him come down from the cross now, and we'll believe him. 43 He trusted God. Let God rescue him now if he wants. After all, this man said, 'I am the Son of God.'" 44 Even the criminals crucified with him were insulting him the same way.

B4 Spiritual suffering: Matthew 27:46 ESV And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

A few other verses:

B1 Sins forgiven because Jesus took the penalty for our sins: Acts 13:39 NIV Through him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses.

B2 Jesus died for our sins: 1 Corinthians 15:3 NIV For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

B3 Jesus was sinless. God made Him to be sin for us: 2 Corinthians 5:21 NIV God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

B4 Jesus was a willingly, eligible volunteer to be the Passover Lamb for us: Galatians 1:4 NIV who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father,

B5 Jesus became a curse for us: Galatians 3:13 NIV Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole."

B6 Jesus gave Himself as a ransom for all people. He paid and suffered for our sins, becoming the ransom, that is, either we are to be punished or by meeting God’s conditions, Jesus took the punishment: 1 Timothy 2:6 NIV who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.

B7 Because of Jesus we are redeemed from all wickedness and are purified to serve God: Titus 2:14 NIV who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Hebrews 13:15 ESV Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

Devotional Notes Psalm 116+John 4

9 Apr 20

MORNING

Psalm 116

B1 What does this mean?

C1 The Psalmist praises God because God helped him.

D1 Heard his prayer asking for mercy and deliverance.

D2 He felt that he was going to die.

D3 He experienced pain and agony. This is probably emotional pain. Certainly, emotional can bring on physical pain because of stress.

D4 Notice verse 4, that the Psalmist kept on praying. It was not one prayer it was often. God does not become angry if we pray thus. He is the Counselor of all counselors, perfect in love, compassion, and wisdom.

D5 This deliverance had awesome results: more dedication, more prayer, more love and respect (fear) for God. God still answers prayer and hopefully, we still give God the credit for His help and thank Him.

C2 The Psalmist kept the faith

D1 Even in extreme trials, he remained steadfast and true. This is surely God’s grace in strengthening us.

D2 He was overcome with panic. Can we relate to this?

D3 Another result (beyond giving God the credit and being thankful), was to call on God’s name forever and to keep his vows. Vows are for a specific time, a specific result, with specific conditions, and God expects us to keep our word. Let us be careful with our vows.

D4 If and when we die, God will remain with us. We must remember. God help us.

D5 Thanksgiving is a sacrifice (verse 17).

E1 Psalms 50:14 GW Bring your thanks to God as a sacrifice, and keep your vows to the Most High.

E2 Hebrews 13:15 GW Through Jesus we should always bring God a sacrifice of praise, that is, words that acknowledge him

D6 The Psalmist kept his vows, so should we. Compare Hannah:

E1 Promise made: 1 Samuel 1:11 GW She made this vow, "LORD of Armies, if you will look at my misery, remember me, and give me a boy, then I will give him to you for as long as he lives. A razor will never be used on his head."

E2 Promise kept: 1 Samuel 1:25-28 GW Then the parents butchered the bull and brought the child to Eli. 26 "Sir," Hannah said, "as sure as you live, I'm the woman who stood here next to you and prayed to the LORD. 27 I prayed for this child, and the LORD granted my request. 28 In return, I am giving him to the LORD. He will be dedicated to the LORD for his whole life." And they worshiped the LORD there.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? As above.

EVENING

John 4

B1 What does this mean?

C1 Jesus and the Samaritan Woman

D1 Note verse 4, necessary to go to Samaritan village named Sychar.

E1 The Greek word for necessary/necessity/had to is δεῖ deî. It means must, necessary, has to, etc.

E2 Vine writes: an impersonal verb, signifying "it is necessary" or "one must," "one ought," is found most frequently in the Gospels, Acts and the Apocalypse, and is used...(b) of necessity brought about by circumstances, e.g., Matthew 26:35, RV, "must," AV, "should;" John 4:4; Acts 27:21, "should;" 2 Corinthians 11:30; in the case of Christ, by reason of the Father's will, e.g., Luke 2:49; 19:5;

E3 Why necessary? Jews usually traveled around Samaria. Perhaps to seek that which is lost (Luke 19:10 NIV For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost).

D2 Jesus’s humanity is seen in verse 6—He is tired. If we’re tired from service, sickness, or whatever, Jesus knows this. He is compassionate. We must be patient.

D3 Notice again the many ways Jesus dealt with people in preaching the Gospel. We can learn that it is not necessary to use the same method as if there is magic formula. We can use the weather or current events or needs or whatever the person is at.

D4 Note in verses 13-14, how Jesus strokes her curiosity.

D5 In verse 16, the Lord Jesus knows and exposes her past. She confesses that He is correct. This is important. God is light and exposes sins and convicts of sin to which we must respond not in pride (“I am a good person”) nor make excuses.

D6 In verse 20 we see the wrong teaching she has received. She questions Jesus about the correct place to worship. Jesus then teaches her.

D7 Robertson comments on the phrase “from the Jews” in verse 22: For salvation is from the Jews (οτ η σωτηρια εκ των Ιουδαιων εστιν). "The salvation," the Messianic salvation which had long been the hope and guiding star of the chosen people (Lu 1:69, 71, 77; Ac 13:26, 47). It was for the whole world (Joh 3:17), but it comes "out of" (εκ) the Jews. This tremendous fact should never be forgotten, however unworthy the Jews may have proved of their privilege. The Messiah, God's Son, was a Jew.

D8 Verse 23:

E1 Seek is to desire for oneself and/to look for/search. It is the Greek word ζητέω zētéō. The Father wants (seeks) this type of worshipper.

E2 True worshipers, that is, genuine. They are not doing the rituals, they with a true heart do worship, that is, recognize, believe, and are thankful for God, His ways, and His kingdom.

D9 Jesus confesses that He is THE Messiah.

D10 That the woman believes is seen in her action of evangelism in verse 29. She asks a question, not because she is not sure that He is Messiah, but to arouse their curiosity.

D11 Would that we all had the attitude of the Lord Jesus: John 4:34 NIV "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.

D12 In verse 37 we see that the work of evangelism and the Christian life is one of a family, not separate individuals. We are a family.

C2 Jesus Heals Religious Leader’s Son

D1 After staying in Sychar for 2 days teaching the people, he leaves for Galilee.

D2 In verse 48, Jesus is considered to only be a miracle worker, not Messiah. The people of Sychar believed he was the Messiah from His teaching.

D3 Compare the differences:

E1 The centurion: Matthew 8:8 NIV The centurion replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed.

E2 The people of Galilee: John 4:49 NIV The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."

D4 Notices how Jesus tests this man, and the man believes Jesus because he left for home. We have the words of Jesus today in the Scriptures. Do we believe it or explain them away by twisting their meaning?

D5 The account ends well: John 4:53 WEL Then the father knew that it was at that very hour when Jesus said to him, “Your son lives.” So, he believed, along with his whole family.

B2 How do I apply this to my life? As noted above.

I hope to have a devotional every day on John’s Gospel starting with the last chapter of Luke’s Gospel. This is the way I do my devotions. You may notice grammatical and spelling errors. It is my hope you will also start or continue in your daily reading and thinking about the Scriptures. I do this Monday through Friday. It is a 3 year plan of reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the Old Testament, which takes 3 years, and reading and thinking on 1 chapter in the New Testament once a year for a total of 3 times. So, I read through the Old Testament 1 time and the New Testament 3 times over a period of 3 years.