The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

  22Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

  23sThen the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took His garments and made four parts, to each soldier a part, and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top in one piece.

  24They said therefore among themselves, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be,” that the Scripture might be fulfilled which says:

  t“They divided My garments among them,

  And for My clothing they cast lots.”

  Therefore the soldiers did these things.

  Behold Your Mother

  25uNow there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of vClopas, and Mary Magdalene.

  26When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and wthe disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, x“Woman, behold your son!”

  27Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her yto his own home.

  It Is Finished

  28After this, Jesus, 5knowing that all things were now accomplished, zthat the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I thirst!”

  29Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and athey filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth.

  30So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, b“It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

  Jesus’ Side Is Pierced

  31cTherefore, because it was the Preparation Day, dthat the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a ehigh day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.

  32Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who was crucified with Him.

  33But when they came to Jesus and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs.

  34But one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately fblood and water came out.

  35And he who has seen has testified, and his testimony is gtrue; and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you may hbelieve.

  36For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, i“Not one of His bones shall be broken.”

  37And again another Scripture says, j“They shall look on Him whom they pierced.”

  Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb

  (Matt. 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; Luke 23:50–56)

  38kAfter this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, lfor fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus.

  39And mNicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of nmyrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds.

  40Then they took the body of Jesus, and obound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury.

  41Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.

  42So pthere they laid Jesus, qbecause of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.

  John 20

  The Empty Tomb

  (Matt. 28:1–10; Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12)

  1Now on the afirst day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the bstone had been taken away from the tomb.

  2Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the cother disciple, dwhom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”

  3ePeter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb.

  4So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

  5And he, stooping down and looking in, saw fthe linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in.

  6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there,

  7and gthe 1handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself.

  8Then the hother disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.

  9For as yet they did not 2know the iScripture, that He must rise again from the dead.

  10Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

  Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord

  11jBut Mary stood outside by the tomb weeping, and as she wept she stooped down and looked into the tomb.

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

  13Then 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.”

  14kNow when she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and ldid not know that it was Jesus.

  15Jesus 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.”

  16Jesus said to her, m“Mary!” She turned and said to 3Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).

  17Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet nascended to My Father; but go to oMy brethren and say to them, p‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and to qMy God and your God.’ ”

  18rMary Magdalene came and told the 4disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that He had spoken these things to her.

  The Apostles Commissioned

  (Luke 24:36–43; 1 Cor. 15:5)

  19sThen, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were 5assembled, for tfear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, u“Peace be with you.”

  20When He had said this, He vshowed them His hands and His side. wThen the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

  21So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! xAs the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

  22And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

  23y“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

  Seeing and Believing

  24Now Thomas, zcalled the Twin, one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

  25The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord.” So he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

  26And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!”

  27Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and areach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be bunbelieving, but believing.”

  28And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

  29Jesus said to him, 6“Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. cBlessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

  That You May Believe

  30And dtruly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;

  31ebut these are written that fyou may believe that Jesus gis the Christ, the Son of God, hand that believing you may have life in His name.

  John 21

  Breakfast by the Sea

  1After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the aSea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself:

  2Simon Peter, bThomas called the Twin, cNathanael of dCana in Galilee, ethe sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together.

  3Simon Peter said to them, “I am
going fishing.” They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and 1immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing.

  4But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples fdid not know that it was Jesus.

  5Then gJesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?” They answered Him, “No.”

  6And He said to them, h“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.

  7Therefore ithat disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he had removed it), and plunged into the sea.

  8But the other disciples came in the little boat (for they were not far from land, but about two hundred cubits), dragging the net with fish.

  9Then, as soon as they had come to land, they saw a fire of coals there, and fish laid on it, and bread.

  10Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish which you have just caught.”

  11Simon Peter went up and dragged the net to land, full of large fish, one hundred and fifty-three; and although there were so many, the net was not broken.

  12Jesus said to them, j“Come and eat breakfast.” Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, “Who are You?”—knowing that it was the Lord.

  13Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish.

  14This is now kthe third time Jesus showed Himself to His disciples after He was raised from the dead.

  Jesus Restores Peter

  15So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of 2Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I 3love You.” He said to him, l“Feed My lambs.”

  16He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of 4Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I 5love You.” mHe said to him, “Tend My nsheep.”

  17He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of 6Jonah, do you 7love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, oYou know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

  18p“Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.”

  19This He spoke, signifying qby what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, r“Follow Me.”

  The Beloved Disciple and His Book

  20Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple swhom Jesus loved following, twho also had leaned on His breast at the supper, and said, “Lord, who is the one who betrays You?”

  21Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, “But Lord, what about this man?”

  22Jesus said to him, “If I 8will that he remain utill I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”

  23Then this saying went out among the brethren that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you?”

  24This is the disciple who vtestifies of these things, and wrote these things; and we know that his testimony is true.

  25wAnd there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, xI suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen.

  John Commentaries

  John 1

  1:1–18 These verses constitute the prologue which introduces many of the major themes that John will treat, especially the main theme that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God” (vv. 12–14, 18; cf. 20:31). Several key words repeated throughout the gospel (e.g., life, light, witness, glory) appear here. The remainder of the gospel develops the theme of the prologue as to how the eternal “Word” of God, Jesus the Messiah and Son of God, became flesh and ministered among men so that all who believe in Him would be saved. Although John wrote the prologue with the simplest vocabulary in the NT, the truths which the prologue conveys are the most profound. Six basic truths about Christ as the Son of God are featured in the prologue: 1) the eternal Christ (vv. 1–3); 2) the incarnate Christ (vv. 4, 5); 3) the forerunner of Christ (vv. 6–8); 4) the unrecognized Christ (vv. 9–11); 5) the omnipotent Christ (vv. 12, 13); and 6) the glorious Christ (vv. 14–18).

  1:1 In the beginning. In contrast to 1 John 1:1 where John used a similar phrase (“from the beginning”) to refer to the starting point of Jesus’ ministry and gospel preaching, this phrase parallels Gen. 1:1 where the same phrase is used. John used the phrase in an absolute sense to refer to the beginning of the time-space-material universe. was. The verb highlights the eternal pre-existence of the Word, i.e., Jesus Christ. Before the universe began, the Second Person of the Trinity always existed; i.e., He always was (cf. 8:58). This word is used in contrast with the verb “was made” (or “were made”) in v. 3 which indicates a beginning in time. Because of John’s theme that Jesus Christ is the eternal God, the Second Person of the Trinity, he did not include a genealogy as Matthew and Luke did. While in terms of Jesus’ humanity, He had a human genealogy; in terms of His deity, He has no genealogy. the Word. John borrowed the use of the term “Word” not only from the vocabulary of the OT but also from Gr. philosophy, in which the term was essentially impersonal, signifying the rational principle of “divine reason,” “mind,” or even “wisdom.” John, however, imbued the term entirely with OT and Christian meaning (e.g., Gen. 1:3 where God’s Word brought the world into being; Pss. 33:6; 107:20; Prov. 8:27 where God’s Word is His powerful self-expression in creation, wisdom, revelation, and salvation) and made it refer to a person, i.e., Jesus Christ. Greek philosophical usage, therefore, is not the exclusive background of John’s thought. Strategically, the term “Word” serves as a bridge-word to reach not only Jews but also the unsaved Greeks. John chose this concept because both Jews and Greeks were familiar with it. the Word was with God. The Word, as the Second Person of the Trinity, was in intimate fellowship with God the Father throughout all eternity. Yet, although the Word enjoyed the splendors of heaven and eternity with the Father (Is. 6:1–13; cf. 12:41; 17:5), He willingly gave up His heavenly status, taking the form of a man, and became subject to the death of the cross (see notes on Phil. 2:6–8). was God. The Gr. construction emphasizes that the Word had all the essence or attributes of deity, i.e., Jesus the Messiah was fully God (cf. Col. 2:9). Even in His incarnation when He emptied Himself, He did not cease to be God but took on a genuine human nature/body and voluntarily refrained from the independent exercise of the attributes of deity.

  1:3 All things were made through Him. Jesus Christ was God the Father’s agent involved in creating everything in the universe (Col. 1:16, 17; Heb. 1:2).

  1:4, 5 life…light…darkness. John introduces the reader to contrastive themes that occur throughout the gospel. “Life” and “light” are qualities of the Word that are shared not only among the Godhead (5:26) but also by those who respond to the gospel message regarding Jesus Christ (8:12; 9:5; 10:28; 11:25; 14:6). John uses the word “life” about 36 times in his gospel, far more than any other NT book. It refers not only in a broad sense to physical and temporal life that the Son imparted to the created world through His involvement as the agent of creation (v. 3), but especially to spiritual and eternal life imparted as a gift through belief in Him (3:15; 17:3; Eph. 2:5). In Scripture “light” and “darkness” are very familiar symbols. Intellectually, “light” refers to biblical truth while “darkness” refers to error or falsehood (cf. Ps. 119:105; Prov. 6:23). Morally, “light” refers to holiness or purity (1 John 1:5) while “darkness” refers to sin or wrongdoing (3:19; 12:35, 46; Rom. 13:11–14; 1 Thess. 5:4–7; 1 John 1:6; 2:8–11). “Darkness” has special significance in relationship to Satan (and his demonic cohorts) who rules the present spiritual
ly dark world (1 John 5:19) as the “prince of the power of the air” promoting spiritual darkness and rebellion against God (Eph. 2:2). John uses the term “darkness” 14 times (8 in the gospel and 6 in 1 John) out of its 17 occurrences in the NT, making it almost an exclusive Johannine word. In John, “light” and “life” have their special significance in relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word (v. 9; 9:5; 1 John 1:5–7; 5:12, 20).

  1:5 comprehend. The better meaning of this term in context is “overcome.” Darkness is not able to overcome or conquer the light. Just as a single candle can overcome a room filled with darkness, so also the powers of darkness are overcome by the person and work of the Son through His death on the cross (cf. 19:11a).

  1:6 sent from God. As forerunner to Jesus, John was to bear witness to Him as the Messiah and Son of God. With John’s ministry, the “400 silent years” between the end of the OT and the beginning of the NT period, during which God had given no revelation, ended. John. The name “John” always refers to John the Baptist in this gospel, never to the Apostle John. The writer of this gospel calls him merely “John” without using the phrase “the Baptist,” unlike the other gospels which use the additional description to identify him (Matt. 3:1; Mark 6:14; Luke 7:20). Moreover, John the apostle (or, son of Zebedee) never identified himself directly by name in the gospel even though he was one of the 3 most intimate associates of Jesus (Matt. 17:1). Such silence argues strongly that John the apostle authored the gospel and that his readers knew full well that he composed the gospel that bears his name. For more on John the Baptist, cf. Matt. 3:1–6; Mark 1:2–6; Luke 1:5–25, 57–80.

  1:7 witness…bear witness. The terms “witness” or “bear witness” receive special attention in this gospel, reflecting the courtroom language of the OT where the truth of a matter was to be established on the basis of multiple witnesses (8:17, 18; cf. Deut. 17:6; 19:15). Not only did John the Baptist witness regarding Jesus as Messiah and Son of God (vv. 19–34; 3:27–30; 5:35), but there were other witnesses: 1) the Samaritan woman (4:29); 2) the works of Jesus (10:25); 3) the Father (5:32–37); 4) the OT (5:39, 40); 5) the crowd (12:17); and 6) the Holy Spirit (15:26, 27). that all through him might believe. “Him” refers not to Christ but to John as the agent who witnessed to Christ. The purpose of his testimony was to produce faith in Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.