Why did Mary Magdalene not recognize Jesus at first? Study John 20 with context, apologetic analysis, and cross-references.
Dr. Lucas D. Shallua Commentary · John 20
Mary did not recognize Jesus because she was grieving and her eyes were filled with tears. She was not expecting to see Him alive. She was thinking of a dead body. Her grief blinded her to the glory of the resurrection. But when Jesus called her by name, she recognized His voice. The Good Shepherd knows His sheep, and His sheep know His voice.
Jesus told Mary not to cling to Him because He had not yet ascended to the Father. He did not want her to hold on to Him as if He were going to stay in the same way. He had a mission for her. She was to go and tell the disciples. The relationship would continue, but in a new way, through the Spirit. Mary was not to keep Jesus for herself; she was to share the good news.
The breathing on the disciples is a symbol of the impartation of the Holy Spirit. The action echoes Genesis 2:7, where God breathed into Adam the breath of life. Jesus is the new Adam. He breathes on the disciples the breath of the new creation. The Spirit is given for their mission. They are empowered to proclaim forgiveness and to carry on the work of Jesus.
Jesus gave the disciples the authority to proclaim forgiveness. When the church declares the gospel, it announces that those who repent and believe are forgiven, and those who reject the gospel are not forgiven. The church does not have the power to forgive sins in the way that God does. It has the authority to declare what God has done. The disciples are ambassadors of reconciliation.
Thomas doubted because he was not present when Jesus appeared to the other disciples. He wanted empirical evidence. He was not willing to believe on the testimony of others. He wanted to see and touch. Thomas represents all who struggle with doubt. Jesus did not reject him. He invited him to touch and see. The King is patient with doubters.
Thomas's confession, "My Lord and my God!" is the greatest confession in John's Gospel. It affirms the deity of Christ. Thomas calls Jesus both Lord and God. He worships Him. The doubter becomes the confessor. The one who refused to believe becomes the one who sees most clearly. The resurrection confirms that Jesus is God.
Jesus blesses those who have not seen because faith is not based on sight. Faith is based on the testimony of the apostles and the Word of God. Those who believe without seeing are blessed because they trust the word of the King. The Gospel was written so that readers may believe. The blessing is for all who read and believe.
Chapter 19 ended with the burial of Jesus by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. The tomb was sealed, the stone rolled, and the body prepared with spices. The Sabbath has passed. It is now the first day of the week, the day of resurrection. The setting moves from the garden tomb to the upper room where the disciples are hiding. John's account of the resurrection is unique in several details: Mary Magdalene's personal encounter, the race between Peter and John, the breathing of the Holy Spirit, and the specific interaction with Thomas. The chapter is the climax of the Gospel. The King who was crucified is now alive. The tomb is empty. The disciples are transformed from fearful cowards into bold witnesses. The resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith.
Some critics argue that the resurrection is a legend or a hoax. But the evidence is overwhelming. The tomb was empty. The disciples were transformed from fearful deserters into bold proclaimers of the resurrection. They died for their testimony. The women were the first witnesses, which would have been socially awkward in a culture that did not accept women's testimony in court. The disciples did not believe the women's testimony. They had to be convinced. Thomas refused to believe until he saw and touched. The physicality of the resurrection is emphasized. Jesus ate broiled fish. He showed His hands and side. The most plausible explanation for the empty tomb, the resurrection appearances, and the transformation of the disciples is that Jesus actually rose from the dead. The detail of the folded face cloth is also historically significant. The tomb was not in disarray. The linen cloths were lying there, and the face cloth was folded. This is not the work of a thief. It is the work of the risen Lord. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory. The confession of Thomas is also historically significant. The fact that the early church preserved the story of Thomas's doubt is a mark of authenticity. If the Gospel writers were inventing stories, they would not have included the doubt of one of the apostles. The most plausible explanation is that it preserves genuine historical memory.
This study preserves the hard questions, explanations, context, apologetic note, and references from Dr. Shallua's Commentary.