John Calvin Commentary John 20:3

"Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb." — John 20:3 (ASV)

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.