John Calvin Commentary John 20

Now, on the first day of the week. As the resurrection of Christ is the most important article of our faith, and without it the hope of eternal life is extinguished, for this reason the Evangelists take greater care to prove it, as John here collects many proofs, in order to assure us that Christ has risen from the dead. It may be thought strange, however, that he does not produce more competent witnesses; for he begins with a woman; but in this way the saying is fulfilled, that

God chooses what is weak, and foolish, and contemptible in the world, that he may bring to nothing the wisdom, and excellence, and glory, of the flesh (1 Corinthians 1:27).

There certainly was nothing more of earthly grandeur in the disciples than in the women who followed Christ; but as Christ was pleased to count them the principal witnesses of his resurrection, on this single ground their testimony is entitled to the greatest deference, and is not liable to any objection. As to the priests, and scribes, and the whole people, and even Pilate, nothing but gross and willful blindness prevented them from firmly believing that Christ had risen. All of them, therefore, deserved that seeing they should not see; yet Christ revealed himself to the little flock.

Before proceeding further, however, it is necessary to show how the Evangelists agree with each other; for, at first sight, there appears to be some contradiction in their words. John mentions only one woman, Mary Magdalene;Matthew 28:1 mentions two, Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary;Mark 16:1 mentions three, Mary Magdalene, and Mary (the mother) of James, and Salome;Luke 24:10, 22 does not fix the number, but only relates that women came, who had followed Christ from Galilee.

But the difficulty is easily solved in this manner. As Matthew inserts the names of two women who were best known, and had the highest reputation among the disciples, so John satisfies himself with mentioning the name of Mary Magdalene alone, yet he does not exclude the others. Indeed, it is evident, from viewing his words in their context, that she was not alone, for, shortly afterwards, Mary Magdalene says, in the plural number, WE know not where they have laid him. Although, therefore, John says nothing about her companions, yet the other Evangelists, who relate that there were many along with her, say nothing that is contradicted by John’s narrative.

The discrepancy as to the time may be easily solved. When John says that they came before daybreak, we must understand that they had set out on their journey during the darkness of the night; that, before they came to the sepulcher, the day had dawned; and that in the evening, after sunset, when the Sabbath was ended, they had bought the spices. In this way the narrative of the other Evangelists must be reconciled.

It may be thought that there is another appearance of contradiction in its being stated by John, that Mary spoke to no one but John and Peter, while Luke 24:10-11 relates, that she came to the eleven Apostles, and that her words appeared to them to be idle tales. But this is easily explained, for John intentionally omitted mentioning the rest of the Apostles, because it was only John and Peter who came to the sepulcher.

As to Luke mentioning Peter alone, it is for the same reason as we have just given in reference to Mary Magdalene and the rest of the women. It is also probable, that the other nine disciples were restrained by fear, lest they should be too easily observed if they went as a group.

Nor is this inconsistent with what Luke appears to suggest, that they despised Mary’s words; for immediately afterwards he adds, that Peter ran (Luke 24:12). He therefore means simply that, when they first heard it, they appeared to be astonished, but that eventually Peter took courage, and followed her for the purpose of seeing.

When Luke relates that Christ appeared to Mary before she had informed the disciples that the grave was empty, the order of the narrative is inverted. This is evident from the context, for he adds what John tells us happened before she saw Jesus; nor is there anything strange in this, for the Hebrew writers frequently relate first what is later in the order of time.

On the first day of the week; or, literally, on the first day of the Sabbaths. The Evangelists do not relate when or how Christ rose; for it was enough for them to explain at what time, and to what persons, his resurrection was made known. John therefore says, that Mary came on the first day of the Sabbaths. Literally, the words may be rendered, on One (μιᾷ) day of the Sabbaths; but it is customary with the Hebrews to use the word אהד (ehad) one, instead of first, because in reckoning we begin with one.

Now, as every seventh day was dedicated to rest, they called the whole week a Sabbath, conferring this honor on the sacredness of the day, so that the rest of the time was named from it.

The women, therefore, came to the sepulcher on the day after the Sabbath, having on the same day (but after sunset) bought spices. They afterwards went out of the city secretly, and during the darkness of the night, as people are accustomed to do when they are afraid.

Now, it was the first day of the Sabbaths, with respect to the following Sabbath, because it was the commencement of the week, of which the Sabbath was the close.

Peter therefore went forth. With so little faith, or rather almost no faith, in both the disciples and the women, it is astonishing that they had such great zeal; indeed, it is not possible that religious feelings led them to seek Christ.

Some seed of faith, therefore, remained in their hearts, but quenched for a time, so that they were not aware of having what they had. Thus the Spirit of God often works in the elect in a secret manner. In short, we must believe that there was some concealed root from which we see fruit produced.

Though this feeling of piety which they possessed was confused and accompanied by much superstition, still I give to it — though inaccurately — the name of faith, because it was only by the doctrine of the Gospel that it was produced, and it had no tendency but towards Christ. From this seed, true and sincere faith, eventually sprang, which, leaving the tomb, ascended to the heavenly glory of Christ.

When Scripture speaks of the feeble beginnings of faith, it says that Christ is born in us, and we, in turn, are born in Him. The disciples, however, must be placed almost below infancy, for they are ignorant of Christ’s resurrection; yet the Lord nourishes them as a mother nourishes the child in her womb.

Formerly, they resembled children and had made a little progress, but the death of Christ had rendered them so weak that they must be again begotten and formed, as Paul says of the Galatians:

My little children, of whom I Travail In Birth again until Christ Be Formed in you, (Galatians 4:19).

When we find that Peter, though he made less haste, is the first to enter the tomb, let us learn from it that many persons have more given to them in the end than appears at the beginning. And indeed, we sometimes see many, who were full of fervour at the beginning, give way when conflict arises; while others, who appeared to be slow and indolent, assume new courage when danger is near.

And seeth the linen clothes lying. The linen clothes might be regarded as the spoils, intended to lead to the belief of Christ’s resurrection; for it was not probable that his body had been stripped naked, in order that it might be removed to another place. This would not have been done by a friend, nor even by an enemy.

And the napkin which was about his head. When the Evangelist says that a napkin was wrapped about his head, this refutes the falsehood of the Papists, who claim that the whole body was sewn up in one linen garment, which they present to the wretched populace, calling it “the holy winding-sheet.”

I say nothing about their gross ignorance of the Latin language, which led them to suppose that the word napkin — denoting what was used for wiping sweat from the face, such as a handkerchief — signified a covering for the whole body; nor do I say anything about their impudence in boasting that they have this very napkin in five or six different places.

But this gross falsehood is intolerable because it openly contradicts the evangelical history. To this is added a fictitious miracle, which they have contrived, to the effect that the likeness of Christ’s body remained visible on the linen cloth.

I appeal to you: if such a miracle had been performed, would the Evangelist — who is so careful to relate events of lesser importance — have said nothing about it? Let us be satisfied with this simple view of the matter: Christ, by laying aside the signs of death, intended to testify that he had clothed himself with a blessed and immortal life.

And he saw and believed. It is a poor exposition which some give of these words, that John believed what he had heard Mary say, namely, that Christ’s body had been carried away; for there is no passage in which the word believe bears this meaning, especially when it is used simply and without any addition. Nor is this inconsistent with the fact that Peter and John return home, while they are still in doubt and perplexity; for in some passages John had employed this phraseology, when he intended to describe the increase of faith. Besides, Luke 24:12 relates that Peter wondered at seeing the sepulcher in such good order; meaning by this, that Peter thought of something greater and loftier than what Mary had told him.