Mary at the Tomb

Mary at the tomb of Jesus

JOHN 20 BIBLE STUDY ◄
John 20:2-10 He Is Risen

John 20:11-17 Mary at the Tomb

John 20:18 (A) Mary Magdalene

JOHN 20:11 11 But Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

Which Mary is at the tomb of Jesus?
"Mary Magdalene" (John 20:18).

How did Mary get back to the tomb?
She had run after Peter and John back toward the tomb, and either got there after they left or stayed behind after they left.

JOHN 20:12 12 And she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.

Whom did Mary see inside the tomb that Peter and John didn’t see?
"Two angels" (John 20:2), who either had been invisible to Peter and John (see He is risen) or showed up (again) after they left.

Where were they "sitting" in the tomb (John 20:12)?
At the left and right edges of the second photo.

JOHN 20:13 13 Then they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Why did the angels ask Mary, "Woman, why are you weeping" (John 20:13)?
Mary had been told Jesus has risen from the dead, so she should have been rejoicing, not weeping.

What does Mary's response to them indicate about them?
She doesn't recognize them as the angels who told her earlier that Jesus has risen from the dead.

JOHN 20:14-15 14 Now when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” 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.”

Why didn't Mary "know that it was Jesus" after seeing "Jesus standing there" (John 20:14) and even hearing His voice?
She was an emotional wreck at this point, she wasn't expecting Jesus to be alive, and her "weeping" (John 20:15) impaired her teary vision, her hearing (her answer in John 20:15 doesn't answer Jesus' questions), and her assessment (she thinks she can carry "away" (John 20:15) a dead man's body embalmed with 72 pounds (33 kilograms) of embalming materials.

What did Mary want?
She just wanted her Lord.

JOHN 20:16-17 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended to My Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God.’”

Is hearing Jesus' "Mary!" likely to have affected her emotions?

Why would Mary "cling" (John 20:17) to Jesus?
She conceivably could have been trying to keep herself from fainting, but more likely, she had found her Lord and didn't want to let go of Him.

If you had been in Mary's position, would you have clung to Jesus?

Do you cling to Jesus today?