The Gospel of John 20:2 When God Says...I Say, AMEN!

When God Says …

“Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.” (John 20:2 KJV).

The tomb is empty! Seeing the sepulcher wide open with the stone cover rolled away and without the benefit of hindsight, in her real-time observation, Mary Magdalene assumed the worst: the Lord’s body was stolen and moved to a place they do not know. She may have not been aware that the tomb was sealed and guarded for the past three days by Roman soldiers (Matthew 27:62-66). In panic mode, by instinct she ran to notify Apostles Peter and John, not knowing that behind her urgency she was bringing the Good News of eternal ramifications.

Again, here Apostle John refers to himself as the "disciple whom Jesus loved" (John 13:23). God so loves us (John 3:16). This indirect reference to himself was his usual declaration to yield and boast of the Lord's love, as we should. Peter, James, and John were the closest of the Lord's first followers (Matthew 17:1; 26:37). Why James was not mentioned here is not clear. It is likely, he simply wasn't present when Mary Magdalene broke the news. Hearing her serious report, they weren't waiting to clarify. They're ready to run and see.

The open tomb proclaims the victory. The grave is stripped of its power to hold those whose faith is in Christ Jesus. This passage reminds us of the foundational truth “…that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,” (1 Corinthians 15:3b-4 ESV). This incident ushers in the hope and promise of salvation that is central to our faith, being born again by His grace. In Christ Jesus, we’re set free from the grip of death and the grave. It couldn’t hold Him, as it is written: “God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:24 ESV).

And I say, AMEN!

Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries

When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.

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