Church Fathers Commentary John 20:1-9

"Now on the first [day] of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, while it was yet dark, unto the tomb, and seeth the stone taken away from the tomb. She runneth therefore, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him. Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. And they ran both together: and the other disciple outran Peter, and came first to the tomb; and stooping and looking in, he seeth the linen cloths lying; yet entered he not in. Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying, and the napkin, that was upon his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then entered in therefore the other disciple also, who came first to the tomb, and he saw, and believed. For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise from the dead." — John 20:1-9 (ASV)

St. John Chrysostom: The Sabbath was now over, a time when it was unlawful to be there. Mary Magdalene could rest no longer, but came very early in the morning to seek comfort at the sepulcher. On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came early to the sepulcher, while it was still dark.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Mary Magdalene was undoubtedly the most fervent in love of all the women who ministered to our Lord. For this reason, John deservedly mentions her only and says nothing of the others who were with her, as we know from the other Evangelists.

Una sabbati is the day which Christians call the Lord’s Day, after our Lord’s resurrection. Matthew calls it prima sabbati.

The Venerable Bede: Una sabbati, that is, one day after the sabbath.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Alternatively, the Jews called the days of the week "sabbath," and the first day, "one of the sabbaths." This day is a type of the life to come, for that life will be a single day, not cut short by any night, since God is the sun there—a sun that never sets. On this day, then, our Lord rose again with an incorruptible body, just as we, in the life to come, shall put on incorruption.

St. Augustine of Hippo: What Mark says, Very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun, does not contradict John’s words, when it was yet dark. At the dawn of day, remnants of darkness still remain, which disappear as the light breaks in.

We must not understand Mark’s words, Very early in the morning, at the rising of the sun, to mean that the sun was already above the horizon. Rather, we should understand it as we ordinarily use the phrase. When we want something to be done very early, we say "at the rising of the sun," meaning some time before the sun has actually risen.

St. Gregory the Great: It is well said, When it was yet dark. Mary was seeking the Creator of all things in the tomb, and because she did not find Him, she thought He had been stolen. Truly, it was still dark when she came to the sepulcher.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Now the events that only Matthew relates took place: the earthquake, the rolling away of the stone, and the flight of the guards.

St. John Chrysostom: Our Lord rose while the stone and seal were still on the sepulcher. But since it was necessary for others to be certain of this, the sepulcher was opened after the resurrection, and so the fact was confirmed. This is what roused Mary.

For when she saw the stone taken away, she did not enter or even look in, but ran to the disciples with all the speed of love. As yet, she knew nothing for certain about the resurrection, but thought that His body had been taken away.

Glossa Ordinaria: Therefore, she ran to tell the disciples so that they might seek Him with her, or grieve with her: Then she runs, and comes to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved.

St. Augustine of Hippo: This is the way in which John usually mentions himself. Jesus loved all, but He loved John in a special and familiar way. And she says to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid Him.

St. Gregory the Great: She speaks of the part as if it were the whole. She had come only to seek for the body of our Lord, and now she laments that our Lord—the whole of Him—is taken away.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Some of the Greek manuscripts have, taken away my Lord, which is more expressive of love and of the feeling of a handmaiden. But only a few have this reading.

St. John Chrysostom: The Evangelist does not deprive the woman of this praise, nor, out of shame, does he omit that the disciples received the news first from her. As soon as they hear it, they hasten to the sepulcher.

St. Gregory the Great: But Peter and John went before the others, because they loved most. Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But how did they come to the sepulcher while the soldiers were guarding it? This is an easy question to answer. After our Lord’s resurrection, the earthquake, and the appearance of the angel at the sepulcher, the guards withdrew and told the chief priests what had happened.

St. Augustine of Hippo: After saying they came to the sepulcher, John goes back and tells us how they came: So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher. He means himself, but he always speaks of himself as if he were another person.

St. John Chrysostom: Upon arriving, John sees the linen cloths set aside: And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying. But he makes no further search and did not go in.

Peter, on the other hand, being of a more fervent temperament, pursued the search and examined everything: Then comes Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher, and sees the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about His head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

These circumstances were proof of His resurrection. For if they had carried Him away, they would not have stripped Him. Nor, if anyone had stolen Him, would they have taken the trouble to wrap up the napkin and put it in a place by itself, apart from the linen cloths; they would have taken the body as it was.

John mentioned the myrrh earlier for this very reason: to show you that He could not have been stolen away. The myrrh would have made the linen adhere to the body, causing trouble for thieves, and they would never have been so senseless as to take such unnecessary pains.

After Peter, however, John entered: Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed.

St. Augustine of Hippo: Some think this means he believed that Jesus had risen again, but what follows contradicts this idea. He saw the empty sepulcher and believed what the woman had said: For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

If he did not yet know that He must rise again from the dead, he could not have believed that He had risen. Indeed, they had heard as much from our Lord, and very openly, but they were so accustomed to hearing parables from Him that they took this for a parable and thought He meant something else.

St. Gregory the Great: This account from the Evangelist must not be thought to be without some mystical meaning. By John, the younger of the two, the synagogue is represented; by Peter, the elder, the Gentile Church is represented. For although the synagogue was before the Gentile Church regarding the worship of God, in terms of time the Gentile world was before the synagogue.

They ran together because the Gentile world ran side by side with the synagogue from first to last in respect of their way of life, though they did not share a common understanding. The synagogue came first to the sepulcher but did not enter: it knew the commandments of the law and had heard the prophecies of our Lord’s incarnation and death, but would not believe in Him who died. Then Simon Peter comes and enters the sepulcher: the Gentile Church both knew Jesus Christ as a dead man and believed in Him as the living God.

The napkin that was about our Lord’s head is not found with the linen cloths. This means that God, the Head of Christ, and the incomprehensible mysteries of the Godhead are removed from our limited knowledge; His power transcends the nature of the creature.

It is found not only apart, but also wrapped together. Because the napkin is wrapped, neither a beginning nor an end is seen; likewise, the divine nature has neither beginning nor end. And it is in one place, for where there is division, God is not. They merit His grace who do not cause scandal by dividing themselves into sects.

But since a napkin is what is used in labor to wipe the sweat from the brow, we may also understand the napkin here as the labor of God. This napkin is found apart because the suffering of our Redeemer is far removed from ours, inasmuch as He suffered innocently what we suffer justly. He submitted Himself to death voluntarily; we do so by necessity.

But after Peter entered, John entered too, for at the end of the world, even Judea shall be gathered into the true faith.

Theophylact of Ohrid: Alternatively, Peter is practical and prompt, while John is contemplative, intelligent, and learned in divine things. Now, the contemplative man is generally ahead in knowledge and intelligence, but the practical man, by his fervor and activity, surpasses the other’s perception and is the first to see into the divine mystery.