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The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917], at sacred-texts.com


John Chapter 20

John 20:1

joh 20:1

Mary

For order of events on the resurection day, see

(See Scofield) - (Mat 28:1).

John 20:17

joh 20:17

Touch me not

Compare (Mat 28:9); "and they came and held him by the feet." A contradiction has been supposed.

Three views are held:

(1) That Jesus speaks to Mary as the High Priest fulfilling the day of atonement (Leviticus 16). Having accomplished the sacrifice, He was on His way to present the sacred blood in heaven, and that, between the meeting with Mary in the garden and the meeting of (Mat 28:9). He had so ascended and returned: a view in harmony with types.

(2) That Mary Magdalene, knowing as yet only Christ after the flesh (Co2 5:15-17) and having found her Beloved, sought only to hold Him so; while He, about to assume a new relation to His disciples in ascension, gently teaches Mary that now she must not seek to hold Him to the earth, but rather become His messenger of the new joy.

(3) That He merely meant: "Do not detain me now; I am not yet ascended; you will see me again; run rather to my brethren," etc.

Touch me not

Or, do not detain me.

John 20:28

joh 20:28

My Lord and My God

The deity of Jesus Christ is declared in Scripture:

(1) In the intimations and explicit predictions of the Old Testament.

(a) The theophanies intimate the appearance of God in human form, and His ministry thus to man (Gen 16:7-13); (Gen 18:2-23) especially; (Gen 18:17); (Gen 32:28) with; (Hos 12:3-5); (Exo 3:2-14).

(b) The Messiah is expressly declared to be the Son of God (Psa 2:2-9) and God; (Psa 45:6); (Psa 45:7); (Heb 1:8); (Heb 1:9); (Psa 110:1); (Mat 22:44); (Act 2:34); (Heb 1:13); (Psa 110:4); (Heb 5:6); (Heb 6:20); (Heb 7:17-21); (Zac 6:13).

(c) His virgin birth was foretold as the means through which God could be "Immanuel," God with us; (Isa 7:13); (Isa 7:14); (Mat 1:22); (Mat 1:23).

(d) The Messiah is expressly invested with the divine names (Isa 9:6); (Isa 9:7).

(e) In a prophecy of His death He is called Jehovah's "fellow"; (Zac 13:7); (Mat 26:31).

(f) His eternal being is declared; (Mic 5:2); (Mat 2:6); (Joh 7:42).

(2) Christ Himself affirmed His deity.

(a) He applied to Himself the Jehovistic I AM. (The pronoun "he" is not in the Greek;

Compare (Joh 8:24); (Joh 8:56-58). The Jews correctly understood this to be our Lord's claim to full deity. (Joh 8:59).

See also, (Joh 10:33); (Joh 18:4-6) where, also, "he" is not in the original.)

(b) He claimed to be the Adonai of the Old Testament (Mat 22:42-45).

(See Scofield) - (Gen 15:2).

(c) He asserted His identity with the Father; (Mat 28:19); (Mar 14:62); (Joh 10:30); that the Jews so understood Him is shown by; (Joh 10:31); (Joh 10:32); (Joh 14:8); (Joh 14:9); (Joh 14:17); (Joh 14:5).

(d) He exercised the chief prerogative of God; (Mar 2:5-7); (Luk 7:48-50).

(e) He asserted omnipresence; (Mat 18:20); (Joh 3:13) omniscience, (Joh 11:11-14); when Jesus was fifty miles away; (Mar 11:6-8); omnipotence; (Mat 28:18); (Luk 7:14); (Joh 5:21-23); (Joh 6:19); mastery over nature, and creative power; (Luk 9:16); (Luk 9:17); (Joh 2:9); (Joh 10:28).

(f) He received and approved human worship, (Mat 14:33); (Mat 28:9); (Joh 20:28); (Joh 20:29).

(3) The New Testament writers ascribe divine titles to Christ: (Joh 1:1); (Joh 20:28); (Act 20:28); (Rom 1:4); (Rom 9:5); (Th2 1:12); (Ti1 3:16); (Tit 2:13); (Heb 1:8); (Jo1 5:20).

(4) The New Testament writers ascribe divine perfections and attributes to Christ (for example) (Mat 11:28); (Mat 18:20); (Mat 28:20); (Joh 1:2); (Joh 2:23-25); (Joh 3:13); (Joh 5:17); (Joh 21:17); (Heb 1:3); (Heb 1:11); (Heb 1:12); (Heb 13:8); (Rev 1:8); (Rev 1:17); (Rev 1:18); (Rev 2:23); (Rev 11:17); (Rev 22:13).

(5) The New Testament writers ascribe divine works to Christ (Joh 1:3); (Joh 1:10); (Col 1:16); (Col 1:17); (Heb 1:3).

(6) The New Testament writers teach that supreme worship should be paid to Christ (Act 7:59); (Act 7:60); (Co1 1:2); (Co2 13:14); (Phi 2:9); (Phi 2:10); (Heb 1:6); (Rev 1:5); (Rev 1:6); (Rev 5:12); (Rev 5:13).

(7) The holiness and resurrection of Christ prove His deity (Joh 8:46); (Rom 1:4).


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