Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary John 20:9

"For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise from the dead." — John 20:9 (ASV)

The teaching of Scripture, however, was not yet clear to the disciples, and they required fuller explanation by Jesus (cf. Lk 24:25-27, 44-47). To what “Scripture” does this passage refer? There is a parallel in Jn 2:21, which asserts that the disciples understood Jesus’ statement about raising the temple of his body in connection with Scripture. The gospel of John contains no specific text that might be interpreted as a prediction of the Resurrection. Perhaps Ps 16:10, quoted by Peter in Ac 2:24–31, is the “Scripture” being suggested.

For these two key disciples, the realization of the truth of the Resurrection began with material evidence, the significance of which dawned on them slowly. Their eagerness to visit the tomb showed their concern for Jesus. Had they dismissed him from their consciousness after his death, they would not have exerted themselves by running to Joseph’s garden early in the morning. Their understanding, however, was slow in spite of Jesus’ repeated predictions of his passion and resurrection.