Adam Clarke

Near the cross of Jesus stood His mother and her sister, as well as Mary the wife of Clopas and Mary Magdalene.

“Mary the wife of Cleophas - She is said, in Mat 27:56, (see the note there), and Mar 15:40, to have been the mother of James the Less, and of Joses; and this James her son is said, in Mat 10:3, to have been the…”

After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

“I thirst - The scripture that referred to his drinking the vinegar is Psa 69:21. The fatigue which he had undergone, the grief he had felt, the heat of the day, and the loss of blood, were the natural causes of this thirst.”

A jar of sour wine was sitting there. So they soaked a sponge in the wine, put it on a stalk of hyssop, and lifted it to His mouth.

“A vessel full of vinegar - This was probably that tart small wine which we are assured was the common drink of the Roman soldiers.”

When Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished.” And bowing His head, He yielded up His spirit.

“It is finished - As if he had said: “I have executed the great designs of the Almighty - I have satisfied the demands of his justice - I have accomplished all that was written in the prophets, and suffered the utmost malice of my…”

Instead, one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately blood and water flowed out.

“With a spear pierced his side - The soldier who pierced our Lord’s side has been called by the Roman Catholic writers Longinus, which seems to be a corruption of λογχη, lonche, a spear or dart, the word in the text.”

Nicodemus, who had previously come to Jesus at night, also brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds.

“Nicodemus - See on Joh 3:1 (note), etc. Myrrh and aloes - Which drugs were used to preserve bodies from putrefaction.”

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

“There was a garden - It was an ancient custom for particular families to have burying places in their gardens. See 2Ki 21:18, 2Ki 21:26. New sepulchre - See on Mat 27:60 (note).”

And because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and the tomb was nearby, they placed Jesus there.

“Because of the Jews’ preparation - From this it may be conjectured that they had designed to have put him in a more magnificent tomb; or, that they intended to make one expressly for himself after the passover: or, that they had designed to have…”

So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.

“Then she runneth - This was after the women had seen the angels, who said he was risen from the dead, Luk 24:4.”

The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.

“Outrun Peter - Not because he had a greater desire to see into the truth of these things; but because he was younger, and lighter of foot.”

He bent down and looked in at the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

“Went he not in - Why? Because he was fully satisfied that the body was not there. But why did he not seize upon the linen clothes, and keep them as a most precious relic?”

Simon Peter arrived just after him. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

“Seeth the linen clothes lie - Θεωπει: from θεαομαι, to behold, and ὁραω, to see - to look steadily at any thing, so as to discover what it is, and to be satisfied with viewing it.”

The cloth that had been around Jesus’ head was rolled up, lying separate from the linen cloths.

“Wrapped together in a place by itself - The providence of God ordered these very little matters, so that they became the fullest proofs against the lie of the chief priests, that the body had been stolen away by the disciples.”

Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in. And he saw and believed.

“That other disciple - John. Saw - That the body was not there. And believed - That it had been taken away, as Mary had said; but he did not believe that he was risen from the dead. See what follows.”

For they still did not understand from the Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.

“They knew not the scripture - Viz. Psa 16:9, Psa 16:10: Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell - כי לא תעזב נפשי לשאול ki lo taazob naphshi l'sheol - For thou wilt not abandon my life to the grave, nor suffer thy Holy…”

Then the disciples returned to their homes.

“Unto their own home - Either to their own houses, if they still had any; or to those of their friends, or to those where they had a hired lodging, and where they met together for religious purposes. See Joh 20:19.”

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

“Seeth two angels - See on Joh 20:6 (note). She knew these to be angels by their white and glistening robes. Matthew and Mark mention but one angel - probably that one only that spoke, Joh 20:13.”

When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not recognize that it was Jesus.

“She turned herself back - Or, εστραφη εις τα οπισω, she was turned back, i.e. to go again with the other women to Jerusalem, who had already departed; but she had not as yet gone so far as to be out of the garden.”

“Woman, why are you weeping?” Jesus asked. “Whom are you seeking?” Thinking He was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried Him off, tell me where you have…

“Supposing him to be the gardener - Κηπουρος, the inspector or overseer of the garden, from κηπος, a garden, and ουρος, an inspector - the person who had the charge of the workmen, and the care of the produce of the garden; and who rendered…”

Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

“Mary - This word was no doubt spoken with uncommon emphasis; and the usual sound of Christ’s voice accompanied it, so as immediately to prove that it must be Jesus. What transports of joy must have filled this woman’s heart!”

Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.

“Told the disciples - that he had spoken these things - St. Mark says, Mar 16:11, that the afflicted apostles could not believe what she had said. They seem to have considered it as an effect of her troubled imagination.”

When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

“He breathed on them - Intimating, by this, that they were to be made new men, in order to be properly qualified for the work to which he had called them; for in this breathing he evidently alluded to the first creation of man, when…”

Now Thomas called Didymus, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.

“Thomas - called Didymus - See this name explained, Joh 11:16 (note). Was not with them - And, by absenting himself from the company of the disciples, he lost this precious opportunity of seeing and hearing Christ; and of receiving (at this time) the inestimable…”

Eight days later, His disciples were once again inside with the doors locked, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

“After eight days - It seems likely that this was precisely on that day se’nnight, on which Christ had appeared to them before; and from this we may learn that this was the weekly meeting of the apostles; and, though Thomas was not found at…”

Then Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”

“Then saith he to Thomas - Through his infinite compassion, he addressed him in a particular manner; condescending in this case to accommodate himself to the prejudices of an obstinate, though sincere, disciple. Reach hither thy finger, etc.”