A Personal Encounter with the Risen Lord – John 20:1-18
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. (2) So she ran to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him. (3) So Peter and the other disciple headed for the tomb. (4) Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. (5) Crouching down and looking into the tomb, he saw the strips of linen cloth lying there; but he did not enter. (6) Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He, too, saw the strips of linen cloths lying there, (7) as well as the face cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The face cloth was not lying with the strips of linen, it was folded up and lying by itself. (8) Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also entered. He saw and believed. (9) They still did not understand the Scripture that taught that he must rise from the dead. (10) So the disciples went back to their own home.
(11) But Mary stood outside the tomb weeping. As she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb. (12) She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’ body had lain, one at the head and the other at the foot. (13) They said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? She replied, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him. (14) After she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. (15) Jesus said to her, Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking? Assuming that he was the caretaker, she said to him, Sir, if you have removed him from this place, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. (16) Jesus said to her, Mary. She turned toward him and said in Hebrew, Rabboni; which means, Teacher. (17) Then Jesus said to her, Do not touch me; for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God. (18) Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples, I have seen the Lord; and she reported what he had said to her.
Now proceed to the next section of this study, entitled, Exploring the Passage.
