Explanation of John 20
By Rev. John Clowes M.A.
Explaining the Inner Meaning of John 20
Verses 20:1, 2. That at the commencement of a new church, they who are in the affection of good, but not yet in the light of truth, are earnest about regeneration through the removal of false and evil principles, and therefore consult with those, who are in faith and love, about the Lord's glorification.
Verses 20:3, 4. Thus exciting attention, so that the principle of love is exalted above that of faith.
Verses 20:5, 6, 7, 8. Nevertheless the principle of love cannot enter into the regeneration without the principle of faith, since it is the office of this latter principle to discern and discriminate truths, by distinguishing between those which are exterior and those which are interior, in which case love and faith are united and become one.
Verses 20:9, 10. And are admitted to the knowledge of the glorification of the Lord's humanity, as it is taught in the Word, with which knowledge they are fully satisfied.
Verses 20:11, 12. But they who are in the affection of good, yet not in the light of truth, remain in an external state, until through humiliation it is given them to discover divine truth, both in its first and in its ultimate principles, proceeding from the Lord.
Verses 20:13, 14, 15, 16. 17. By which discovery they are led to a state of conversion, and thus to a view of the Lord, first as the giver of spiritual intelligence, and next as the source of all divine truth, and lastly as one with the divine good.
Verses 20:18, 19, 20. Which view they impart to those who are principled in truth, so that to them also the Lord is made manifest as the divine source of all good and truth, and as the giver of those heavenly principles to man.
Verses 20:21, 22, 23. And they are required to communicate to others what has been communicated to them, so that through the divine truth and divine good, proceeding from the Lord, all may be brought to the knowledge of their own natural evils, and to deliverance from their power.
Verses 20:24, 25. That they who are in sensual truth, are with difficulty persuaded to believe in the Lord's glorification.
Verses 20:26, 27. 28. Therefore the Lord in his mercy accommodates himself to their apprehension by the glorification of his body even to its ultimates, so that they confess him to be the only source of all divine good and divine truth.
Verse 20:29. Yet they are instructed that faith insinuated by an internal way is more blessed than that which is insinuated by an external way.
Verses 20:30, 31. For all that was said and done by the Lord, during his abode here on earth, was for this purpose, that he may be acknowledged by faith and love as the Supreme God of heaven and earth, and that through that acknowledgement mankind may attain conjunction of life with him.
John 20
1
Now on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went early, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb.
2
Therefore 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!"
3
Therefore Peter and the other disciple went out, and they went toward the tomb.
4
They both ran together. The other disciple outran Peter, and came to the tomb first.
5
Stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he didn't enter in.
6
Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying,
7
and the cloth that had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself.
8
So then the other disciple who came first to the tomb also entered in, and he saw and believed.
9
For as yet they didn't know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
10
So the disciples went away again to their own homes.
11
But Mary was standing outside at the tomb weeping. So, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb,
12
and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13
They told her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don't know where they have laid him."
14
When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, and didn't know that it was Jesus.
15
Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She, supposing him to be the gardener, said to him, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away."
16
Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him, "Rabboni!" which is to say, "Teacher!"
17
Jesus said to her, "Don't hold me, for I haven't yet ascended to my Father; but go to my brothers, and tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"
18
Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had said these things to her.
19
When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, "Peace be to you."
20
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.
21
Jesus therefore said to them again, "Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you."
22
When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit!
23
Whoever's sins you forgive, they are forgiven them. Whoever's sins you retain, they have been retained."
24
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn't with them when Jesus came.
25
The other disciples therefore said to him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe."
26
After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace be to you."
27
Then he said to Thomas, "Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don't be unbelieving, but believing."
28
Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!"
29
Jesus said to him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed."
30
Therefore Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book;
31
but these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
