A Few Thoughts on John 20:8 The Empty Tomb

This Blood Landmark Baptist Church Shelby NC featuring Ashley Blanton

John 20:8 GW Then the other disciple, who arrived at the tomb first, went inside. He saw and believed.

Happy Resurrection Day

The setting

B1 Jesus was murdered by crucifixion by the Romans with the blessing of the Jewish leaders.

B2 Despite all protections by the Roman guard, the tomb is empty.

B3 Now it is early Sunday morning.

B4 The eastern sky had just begun to show its glow of the coming sun.

B5 Mary Magdalene came to the tomb.

B6 She saw the stone which had been covering the opening to the tomb rolled away.

B7 Not entering, she ran to find Simon Peter and John.

B8 Mary was confused and perhaps distraught.

B9 She told Peter and John, “They have removed the Lord from the tomb, and we don't know where they've put him."

B10 Peter and John left her and started running towards the tomb. Note, they knew where it was.

B11 John was faster than Peter. Arriving, John looked in, saw the linen clothes, but did not go in the tomb.

B12 Peter arrives and goes into the tomb.

B13 Peter sees the folded cloth that had been on Jesus’s head.

B14 John then goes in, sees the empty tomb, and believes.

B15 They didn’t understand the Scriptures which spoke about the resurrection of the Messiah.

B14 They left.

B15 Mary stayed and looking in starts to weep, not understanding the resurrection.

The empty tomb

B1 Foretold

C1 Soul in Sheol and body not decayed: Psalm 16:10 NASB For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.

C2 We learn: Isaiah 53:10-12 ESV Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

D1 It was Yahweh’s decision for Messiah to be crushed (suffer disfigurement).

D2 It was Messiah’s soul that was an offering for sin. My sin, your sin, everyone’s sin. Forgiveness comes when conditions are meet, namely, if we believe and trust in Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

D3 Even though Messiah goes through all these things, He will see His offspring, that is, He will be raised from death and see those who did believe and trust in Him.

D4 Messiah’s soul suffered anguish.

D5 He is righteous, that is, sinless.

D6 He is the satisfactory payment for the penalty of sin. Either each individual suffers eternal torment or Messiah.

D7 Messiah died, dead.

D8 Messiah was considered as evil. He carried our sins and the punishment for our sins.

D9 Bore the sin of many, that is, the multitudes of all humans. It is clear from this statement that Messiah did not bare (punished) for his sins; He did it for the sins of all other humans.

D10 He is the Mediator between God and humans (makes intercession for the transgressors).

B2 Fulfilled (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20)

B3 Significance of

C1 Proves His deity. He is God. Romans 1:2-4 ESV which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,

C2 Proves God’s power, ability, is the life-giver. Acts 3:14-15 BSB You rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. 15 You killed the Author of life, but God raised Him from the dead, and we are witnesses of the fact.

C3 Proves Jesus is the Messiah: John 20:30-31 BSB Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.

C4 Proves His salvation is true salvation: 1 Corinthians 15:14-15 BSB And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is worthless, and so is your faith. 15 In that case, we are also exposed as false witnesses about God. For we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead, but He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised.

C5 Proves His death completed the punishment for sins and His resurrection granted justification: Romans 4:25 ESV who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification.

C6 Proves He is the intercessor for believers: Romans 8:34 NIV Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

C7 Proves He is the resurrecting power for believers. The believers will be resurrected. 1 Corinthians 15:20-23 NIV But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

C8 Proves He is lord of both the living and the dead: Romans 14:9 NLT Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.

Romans 5:1 NLT Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us.

Peace with God

Jesus Christ is risen. Yes, He is risen indeed.