John 20:1-10: a reflection

1Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!” 3Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb. 4They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first. 5Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he didn’t enter in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying, 7and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed. 9For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

On the first morning of the week, Mary Magdalene finds the tomb of Jesus open and empty, and runs to tell Peter and John. The two disciples race to the tomb; John arrives first and looks in, seeing the linen grave clothes lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head folded up by itself. Then Peter enters, and John after him, and John, seeing the empty tomb and the ordered grave clothes, believed. The evidence before him, the empty tomb, the undisturbed, folded clothes, brought him to faith in the resurrection.

Notice the detail that brought John to belief: not merely the empty tomb, which might have been explained by theft, but the grave clothes lying in order, the head cloth neatly folded by itself. A body stolen would not have been unwrapped, the clothes left folded; the scene spoke not of a stolen body but of a risen one. And John, seeing, believed. The evidence pointed to resurrection, and he came to faith.

That scene invites us, too, to consider the evidence and believe. The resurrection of Jesus is not a baseless hope; it is attested, by the empty tomb, the grave clothes, the many witnesses who saw the risen Christ. John saw the evidence and believed; and the same risen Christ, attested by such evidence, calls for our belief. Do not treat the resurrection as an idle tale. Consider the evidence, as John did, and believe. The tomb is empty, the grave clothes were left in order, Christ is risen, and that risen Christ calls you to faith. Come and see, as John came and saw, and believe that Jesus is risen indeed.

Lord Jesus, on the first morning of the week, John came to the empty tomb, saw the grave clothes lying in order, the head cloth folded by itself, and he believed. Thank you that your resurrection is not a baseless hope but attested, by the empty tomb, the grave clothes, the many witnesses who saw you risen. Help me, like John, to consider the evidence and believe. Keep me from treating your resurrection as an idle tale. The tomb is empty, the grave clothes were left in order, you are risen, and the risen Christ calls me to faith. Help me come and see, as John came and saw, and believe that you are risen indeed. Strengthen my faith in your resurrection, and let me live in the hope of the risen Lord.