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THE SAYINGS OF THE CRUCIFIXION (25)

 

The First Report of the Resurrection to the Apostles

Luke 24:10-12; John 20:2-10

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.    Summary of our previous lesson:

1.      The women who were disciples of Jesus eagerly made their way to the tomb of Jesus immediately after the Sabbath Day was past.

2.      When they arrived, they were astonished to see that the stone had been moved from the door of the sepulcher.

3.      To them appeared two angels, who told them saying:  “Fear not ye:  for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  He is not here:  for he is risen, as he said” (Matt. 28:5-6).

4.      They were then instructed to “Go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there ye shall see him” (Matt. 28:7).

5.      Matthew 28:8

 

And they departed quickly from the sepulcher with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.

 

B.      At this point, the gospel accounts get very interesting.

1.      Matthew only gives us 13 more verses in his gospel.

2.      Mark gives us only 12.

3.      Luke provides 44 verses to his readers.

4.      John reveals two complete chapters containing 55 verses.

 

C.     The parallel accounts cease to a great extent until they report the Great Commission and ascension of the Christ. 

1.      They each tell us about several different events and several appearances of the Christ following His resurrection.

2.      At times, it is somewhat difficult to follow the accounts chronologically.

3.      We will do our best as we sort through and study this valuable information regarding “The Sayings of the Crucifixion.”  The subtitle of this lesson is:  “The First Report of the Resurrection to the Apostles.”

 

I.                   THE WOMEN RETURN TO THE APOSTLES (Luke 24:10; John 20:2).

 

A.    The readings from Luke’s gospel and from John’s gospel.

1.      Luke 24:10

 

It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women with them which told these things unto the apostles.

 

2.      John 20:2

 

Then she runneth, 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 sepulcher, and we know not where they laid him.

 

a.      The “she” of this verse is Mary Magdalene according to John 20:1.

b.      John seems to indicate that Mary talked to only Peter and John.  But, Luke told us that Mary, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, along with other women reported the news “unto the apostles.”

 

B.      Reconciling the accounts.

1.      The women came to all the apostles and reported the fact that Jesus’ body was not in the tomb.

2.      The initial reaction of the apostles found in Luke 24:11.

 

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

 

3.      Mary, however, was persistent.  She took Peter and John aside and continued to tell them what had happened.  “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they laid him.”

4.      At this point, Luke and John come together again in their gospels.

a.      “Then arose Peter, and ran down unto the sepulcher…” (Luke 24:12).

b.      “Peter therefore went forth…” (John 20:3).

 

C.     The women gave their report to the apostles.  It is interesting that we only know specifically what Mary Magdalene said to Peter and John. 

1.      Listen to her words:  “They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulcher, and we know not where they have laid him.”

2.      This was not the message the angels had told her to report (Matt. 28:7).

a.      Was she hesitant to tell them about the holy messengers and their announcement? 

b.      Did she change her story somewhat after initially reporting it because of the unbelief of the apostles? 

 

D.    LESSON:  When there is a divine message to report, we must report the news accurately and with urgency (Jer. 1:17).

 

Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise, and speak unto them all that I command thee:  be not dismayed at their faces, lest I confound thee before them.

 

II.                THE APOSTLES RESIST THE REPORT (Luke 24:11)

 

And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

 

A.    Let’s assume that when the women first came to the apostles that they told them all they experienced.  The message they told was almost unbelievable.

1.      As we neared the tomb, there was a great earthquake.

2.      When we arrived at the tomb, the soldiers lay as dead men on the ground.

3.      The stone was rolled away from the door.

4.      When we entered the tomb, Jesus’ body was not there.

5.      Two angels in white apparel appeared unto us.

6.      They told us that Jesus was risen from the grave and that you were to meet Him in Galilee.

 

B.      Could this be the reason that “their words seemed to them as idle tales”?

1.      Idle talk

a.      Strong (3026):  twaddle, that is, an incredible story

b.      Thayer:  nonsense

c.       Vine:  foolish talk

2.      Things like this do not happen in the normal course of life.  If there are too many crazy details, the story become nonsense, twaddle, or idle tales.

 

C.     The messengers, however, should have been trusted.

1.      These women were trustworthy.

2.      Their stories were consistently told.

3.      These women were intelligent and in their “right minds.”

 

D.    Two lessons we learn:

1.      Unbelief does not nullify the truth.

a.      The disciples disregarded the message of these women.

b.      The fact of the matter was that the tomb was empty. 

2.      Unbelief is extremely dangerous.

a.      What if this had been the only opportunity these men had to hear the truth?

b.      There unbelief would have caused them to miss something that would change the course of their lives in the here-and-now and in the hereafter.

 

III.             TWO APOSTLES RUN TO THE TOMB (Luke 24:12; John 20:3-10)

 

A.    Luke just gives us an inkling of information about Peter’s trip to Jesus’ tomb. 

1.      He mentions only Peter having gone.

2.      He only tells us that Peter looked into the tomb to see the linen clothing.

3.      He tells us that Peter departed “wondering in himself” what had happened.

 

B.      John reveals much more information about Peter’s trip (John 20:3-10).

1.      The apostles who went to the tomb (John 20:3)

 

Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulcher.

 

a.      “That other disciple” most believe to be John.

b.      Mary pressed Peter and John enough that they decided to go view the tomb themselves.

2.      The arrival at the tomb (John 20:4-6a)

 

So they ran both together:  and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulcher.  And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went not he in.  Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulcher…

 

a.      John arrived first at the tomb, but did not go in.  He only looked in to see the linen clothes.

1)      Was he fearful?

2)      Was he being respectful of a place of burial?

3)      Was he being courteous and waiting for Peter?

b.      Peter, however, did not hesitate.  As soon as he arrived, he immediately went into the tomb.

3.      The articles of clothing (John 20:6b-8)

 

…and seeth the linen clothing, and the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.  Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulcher, and he saw, and believed.

 

a.      The placement of the clothing

1)      Joseph and Nicodemus had wrapped the body of Jesus in spices and a linen wrap after the manner of the Jews before putting the body in the tomb.

a)      It was wrapped in linen from the neck to the feet.

b)      A linen cloth was tied on the head and covered the face.

2)      Keep in mind that the clothes are in the sepulcher.  This will be important in lessons that will follow.

3)      The clothing is not all in one pile.

a)      The linen clothing is in one spot.

b)      The napkin was wrapped in a neat, orderly fashion in another spot.

c)      NOTE:  Whoever had done this took his time and properly folded the napkin that was on the face of Jesus.

b.      The perspective of John

1)      Once Peter had entered, John also entered the sepulcher.

2)      He looked upon the very clothing that Peter saw.

3)      The Bible tells us that “he saw, and believed.”  The question is:  “What did he believe?”

a)      They had not believed the report of the woman that the body had been taken.

b)      Now, having witnessed the tomb with his own eyes, John believed the body was gone.

4.      The awareness of the disciples (John 20:9)

 

For as yet they knew not the Scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

 

a.      Yes, the disciples knew the body of Jesus was not in the tomb.

b.      But, they still did not comprehend the Scriptures that foretold that Jesus would rise from the dead.

1)      One text that foretold of Jesus’ resurrection was Psalm 16:10.

 

For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

 

2)      Man is often slow to comprehend the meaning of passages of Scripture.  What should be clearly seen is hidden from the eyes of man.  Sometimes it is even hidden from those who are close to the Lord, like Peter and John.

5.      The abatement of the tomb (John 20:10)

 

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

 

a.      The apostles left the tomb that day and returned to their homes.

b.      As far as we know, they never visited the tomb again.  It was abated. 

c.       The only thing that made that tomb important was the body of Jesus.  Now that it was gone, there was no need to return to it.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.    Something definitely happened at the sepulcher of Jesus. 

1.      The women saw the body was gone.

2.      Peter and John confirmed the body was gone.

 

B.      Sadly, however, resurrection was not on their minds.  What would it take to convince the disciples of Christ that Jesus was alive and well?