The empty tomb (2)

While the women were having this conversation with the angels in the tomb, Mary Magdalene had gone and told Peter and John that the tomb was empty. Presumably, by the time Peter arrived, the other women had left the tomb and were going to find the other disciples to tell them the good news.

So Peter, John and Mary Magdalene came back to the tomb. John arrived first (verses 4 and 5), did not go into the tomb, but saw the empty grave clothes. John was a deep thinker, as his gospel shows, and he had a lot to think about at this time. Peter then caught up, and did not stop to think outside, but went straight into the tomb (verse 6). Their actions at this moment show their different characters - John the thoughtful, Peter the man of action.

John also then went into the tomb and "believed". He was the first disciple of whom it is recorded that he believed. But as we have commented, John was the most thoughtful of the disciples, so it is not surprising to find that he was the first to realise the significance of what he saw - Jesus was indeed risen from the dead!

Peter and John then went to their home - probably excitedly discussing what they had seen. John, the deep thinker, would encourage Peter by recalling the relevant occasions in the past when Jesus had spoken of his death and resurrection.

Peter and John would have left Mary Magdalene behind in their haste to get to the tomb. Mary reached the tomb after Peter and John, maybe after they had gone. We read that Peter and John ran to the tomb. We don’t know how far away it was, but they could have arrived quite a while before Mary. She would not be inclined to hurry at all. Jesus was the one who cured her of her serious illness (Mark 16 v 9), so she would have had a special relationship with him. Now that he had been crucified and was dead, she would be very upset and in no real state of mind to think logically at all.