With so many Witnesses, how can we still doubt the Resurrection of Jesus!
3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
Word Study: Stopping means leaning over
Comment: According to Luke 24:9-11, when the women told the disciples what they had seen, they did not believe them. Hence Peter and John ran to the tomb to see what has happened. Again, another proof that even the eleven, did not know anything about the resurrection. So, Peter and John ran together but John out ran Peter and got to the tomb first but did not go in. John only leaned over and saw the linen clothes that Jesus’s body was wrapped in lying there. It is important to note that He did not go in, so, the tomb was not disturbed. Peter also arrived but then went in. Peter saw the linen clothes lying there but the face cloth folded up in a place by itself. This cloth could not have folded itself up. John also went in and He saw an He believed.
The words “he saw” is repeated three times in this passage. This is very important as it indicates that both Peter and john were eye witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In verse 1, Mary saw that the stone had been moved and we know she was not alone. She also is an eye witness to the resurrection. Since we know that John is the one who wrote the Gospel of John, this means that the Gospel of John is an eyewitness account of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to the Law of Moses, the testimony of two or three witnesses is good enough, here we have Mary Magdalene, Peter and John already together with Salome, Mary the mother of James and Joanna, all of which were eye witnesses. We have not only the testimony of two or three but we have double the number, six! Therefore why should we not believe that Jesus has risen indeed?
Deuteronomy 19:15 (ESV Strong’s)
15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
John went in and he saw and only then, did he believe, because until at that point, they still did not understand the scriptures that Jesus must rise from the dead. If they themselves as the apostles, did not believe that Jesus was to rise, how then could they have planned that Jesus must look like He has risen?
Message: So far, not only do we have two or three witnesses which would have been good enough to prove that Jesus had risen, we have double the number of testimonies. Jesus Christ our Lord has risen indeed!