Seeing and Believing

Good Friday is a day that brought great sadness to the followers of Jesus because it was the day that Jesus died on the cross. But on Sunday morning, that sadness changed to joy. The earth grew dark at midday, fulfilling what Amos, the prophet, had predicted. All but John had fled, and now after Jesus’ death, the hours that followed were filled with confusion and hopelessness. The Friday that Jesus was crucified was the darkest day in the disciples’ lives. They had found hiding places for fear they would be next.

Four women, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus, Salome, and Joanna, came to the tomb early Saturday morning to finish preparing Jesus’ body. They found the tomb empty and were confused. Did someone steal his body? Did Joseph move the body? Mary Magdalene immediately returned to tell Peter about the empty tomb.

Peter and John ran to the tomb to see for themselves. John outran Peter, looked into the tomb, and saw the empty grave wrappings but stopped at the entrance to allow Peter to enter first. Peter studied the linen strips lying there and the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head all folded up.

While Peter was processing everything in his mind, John believed that Jesus was alive. The scriptures say that he saw and understood. That makes John the first person to believe in the resurrection of Jesus (John 20:6-8). John saw the wrappings—everything was in its appropriate place, but Jesus was gone, and there was nobody! To John, it was clear that no one had taken the body! Jesus was alive, and John knew it. “Can’t you see it, Peter!” This stone has been moved for our benefit. John was ready to sing with Mariam “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted. The horse and its rider he has hurled into the sea” (Exodus 15:21). That enemy was death, and Jesus had defeated him!