John 20:2 · Bible study
John 20:2 Commentary: Mary's Confusion and the Resurrection's Dawn
Greek · 7 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why does Mary report the body taken instead of the resurrection? Unpack the confusion, the running, and the gradual belief in John 20:2.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Mary's urgent report to Peter and John reveals the early confusion about the empty tomb, before the disciples understood the resurrection.
- Key words: trechei (runs, present tense, vivid action); ephilei (was loving, personal affection, distinct from agapaō); ēran (they took away, aorist, a completed action Mary assumes).
- Main debate: Why Mary does not mention the angelic message, whether she dismissed it in distress (Clarke, Gill) or had not yet seen the angels when she ran (chronological sequence in John).
- Theological theme: The resurrection is discovered gradually, through confusion, investigation, and finally personal encounter.
- Best use: Teaching about honest faith in the midst of incomplete understanding; showing that early witnesses did not fabricate a story but came to belief slowly.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb,” she said, “and we do not know where they have put Him!”
WEB World English Bible 2000
Therefore she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have laid him!”
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
She runneth therefore, 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 tomb, and we know not where they have laid him.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
she runneth, therefore, and cometh unto Simon Peter, and unto the other disciple whom Jesus was loving, and saith to them, `They took away the Lord out of the tomb, and we have not known where they laid him.'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
She runs therefore and comes to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, to whom Jesus was attached, and says to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we know not where they have laid him.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
She ran therefore and cometh to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved and saith to them: They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre: and we know not where they have laid him.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces corrió, y vino á Simón Pedro, y al|strong="G4314, G3588" otro discípulo, al|strong="G4314, G3588" cual amaba Jesús, y les dice: Han llevado al Señor del|strong="G1537, G3588" sepulcro, y no sabemos dónde le han puesto.
Correu pois, e veio a Simão Pedro, e ao outro discípulo a quem Jesus amava, e disse-lhes: Tomaram o Senhor do sepulcro, e não sabemos onde o puseram.
Elle courut vers Simon Pierre et vers l’ autre disciple que Jésus aimait, et leur dit: Ils ont enlevé du sépulcre le Seigneur, et nous ne savons où ils l’ ont mis.
Da läuft sie und kommt zu Simon Petrus und zu dem andern Jünger, welchen Jesus liebhatte, und spricht zu ihnen: Sie haben den HERRN weggenommen aus dem Grabe, und wir wissen nicht, wo sie ihn hin gelegt haben.
Zij liep dan, en kwam tot Simon Petrus en tot den anderen discipel, welken Jezus liefhad, en zeide tot hen: Zij hebben den Heere weggenomen uit het graf, en wij weten niet, waar zij Hem gelegd hebben.
Allora corse e venne da Simon Pietro e dall’altro discepolo che Gesù amava, e disse loro: Han tolto il Signore dal sepolcro, e non sappiamo dove l’abbiano posto.
I bieżała, a przyszła do Szymona Piotra i do onego drugiego ucznia, którego miłował Jezus, i rzekła im: Wzięli Pana z grobu, a nie wiemy, gdzie go położyli.
Итак, бежит и приходит к Симону Петру и к другому ученику, которого любил Иисус, и говорит им: унесли Господа из гроба, и не знаем, где положили Его.
就 跑 來 見西門•彼得 和 耶穌 所 愛的 那個 門徒， 對他們 說：「有人把主 從 墳墓 裡挪了去， 我們不 知道 放 在哪裡。」
Then she went running to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple who was loved by Jesus, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the place of the dead and we have no knowledge where they have put him.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Koine Greek)
New Testament · Koine Greek · John 20:2
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Mary Magdalene's report in John 20:2 reflects an urgent, unreflective response to the empty tomb. Adam Clarke notes she mentions nothing of the angels' message 'in her hurry and confusion.' The Cambridge Bible adds that she does not attempt to decide whether friends or foes removed the body. Gill emphasizes she had looked into the tomb and saw the body was gone before she ran. Vincent points out the plural 'we know,' indicating Mary was not alone, other women were with her, as the Synoptics also show. Across traditions, the consensus is that Mary's words are raw grief and misunderstanding, not unbelief. She runs straight to Simon Peter and the beloved disciple, the recognized leaders, even though Peter had recently denied Jesus. This sets the stage for the disciples' slow journey from confusion to faith, culminating in the empty tomb and the Scriptures that finally made sense of it all.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Distress-driven omission: Adam Clarke and Gill: Mary's hurry and confusion caused her to overlook or dismiss the angelic message about the resurrection.
- Chronological distinction: The Cambridge Bible and others note that Mary ran before the angelic appearance recorded later (John 20:12); she did not omit the angels because she had not yet seen them when she delivered this report.
What is clear: Mary's report to Peter and John reflects her genuine belief that the body had been removed, not yet grasping that Jesus had risen.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Identity of 'the other disciple whom Jesus loved' | All Christian traditions identify this disciple as John, the son of Zebedee, author of the Fourth Gospel. | Some interpreters (e.g., Cambridge Bible) note that the verb <em>ephilei</em> (personal affection) is used here, whereas <em>agapaō</em> appears in John 13:23 and 21:7. This might suggest the phrase 'whom Jesus loved' could include Peter as well, though the standard reading remains John. |
| Why Mary omits the angelic message | Mary's report does not include the angels' announcement of the resurrection, showing her initial confusion or fear. | Adam Clarke and Gill argue she was so distressed that she dismissed the angels as an 'illusion of her own fancy.' Others, noting John's chronology, suggest Mary had not yet seen the angels when she ran to Peter, the angelic appearance comes after the disciples leave (John 20:12). |
| Plural 'we know', who was with Mary? | The first-person plural indicates Mary was not alone at the tomb; other women were with her. | The Synoptics name Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Joanna, and others (Luke 24:10). John names only Mary Magdalene, but the plural verb confirms she had companions. Some question whether they all arrived together or Mary ran ahead. |
| Mary's choice to run to Peter, his leadership status | Simon Peter is still regarded as the primary disciple, despite his denial of Jesus, because of his restoration and role among the Twelve. | Some stress that Peter's deep repentance (Cambridge) specifically qualified him to be sought first; others simply note he was the recognized leader, regardless of his fall. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb expecting to anoint Jesus' body (John 20:1). Jewish tombs of the period were typically caves or chambers cut into rock, sealed with a large rolling stone. Mary had seen Jesus buried on Friday evening (John 19:38-42), so the empty tomb was a shock. She did not yet know that an angel had rolled away the stone and that Jesus had risen (Matthew 28:2-4).
The repetition of the preposition 'pros' before both 'Simon Peter' and 'the other disciple' in the Greek suggests that the two were not lodging together but were close by, perhaps in separate houses within Jerusalem. Peter, despite his recent fall, is still the first consulted, a sign of his restored standing among the disciples. The 'other disciple, whom Jesus loved' is universally identified as John the apostle, the writer of this Gospel. The verb for 'loved' here is ephilei (personal affection), whereas John 13:23 and other passages use agapaō for the same relationship. This may soften the exclusivity of the phrase, hinting at a love that Peter also shared (so Cambridge Bible), but John remains the one who records his own identity this way.
Mary's assumption that someone, friends or enemies, had taken the body was a natural conclusion in the chaotic aftermath of the crucifixion. The Jewish leaders had worried about body theft (Matthew 27:62-66), and the disciples were hiding in fear. Her report sets off a race to the tomb that will lead Peter and John to see the linen cloths and begin to believe.
Textual Notes
The supplied sources note no significant textual variants in John 20:2. Gill mentions that some Oriental versions (Syriac, Arabic, Persic, Ethiopic) read 'I know not' instead of 'we know not,' perhaps simplifying the pronoun. This minor variation does not affect the meaning, as the plural 'we know' is well-attested and aligns with the Synoptic accounts of multiple women at the tomb (Luke 24:10). The weight of manuscript evidence supports the plural reading.
Reception History
Throughout church history, John 20:2 has been read as a testament to the women's faithful service and the disciples' slow faith. Early preachers like Augustine used the race of Peter and John to illustrate the contrast between impulsive zeal (Peter) and contemplative love (John). Medieval commentators often saw Mary's confusion as a picture of the soul seeking Christ before full revelation. During the Reformation, both Catholic and Protestant interpreters focused on the historicity of the empty tomb and the reliability of the women's testimony, Mary's report, though incomplete, is not dismissed but investigated. In modern devotional reading, this verse is valued for its raw honesty about spiritual misunderstanding, offering comfort that doubt and confusion are part of the journey toward belief.
Preaching This Verse
Three-Point Outline
- Running in Confusion: Mary's urgent dash to the disciples shows how crisis can cloud our perception. She had seen the empty tomb but not the risen Lord. She acted on incomplete information, yet her action was not wasted, it moved the story forward.
- Seeking the Right People: She goes to Peter and John, the natural leaders. Even after Peter's denial, he is still sought out. The church is built on broken people restored.
- The Slow Unfolding of Faith: The disciples did not believe immediately. Verse 9 tells us they still did not understand Scripture. The resurrection dawned gradually, through investigation and then encounter.
Five-Point Outline
- Mary's Discovery: She sees the empty tomb and assumes the worst.
- The Urgent Report: She runs, not yet aware of the angelic message (or dismissing it in her confusion, per Clarke).
- Peter and John Respond: They do not dismiss her; they run to see for themselves.
- The Race to the Tomb: John outruns Peter but hesitates; Peter enters first, impulsive and bold.
- From Confusion to Belief: The evidence of the empty tomb and orderly grave clothes leads one disciple to believe, even before Scripture fully clicked.
Illustration Hooks
- A child loses a parent in a crowd and runs to a security guard shouting, 'Someone took my mom!', the urgency is real, but the conclusion is wrong. The parent is safe, just out of sight.
- When we get bad news in the middle of the night, we often react before all the facts are in. Mary's midnight-style panic is a mirror of our own fear.
- A team member assumes the project files were deleted, but they were just moved to a backup folder. Panic leads to action, but only investigation reveals the truth.
Questions Your Congregation Is Asking
- Why didn't Mary believe the angels? (John does not record her seeing angels until after the disciples leave, the timing differs from the Synoptics, but the core is her raw humanity.)
- How could the disciples not understand the resurrection after Jesus predicted it? (They had heard the words but not internalized them; see John 20:9.)
- What does this say about my own moments of spiritual confusion, is it okay to not understand right away?
Leading a Discussion
This passage captures a moment of crisis and confusion that every believer experiences. Mary Magdalene had just seen the empty tomb, but instead of joy, she felt panic. Her report to Peter and John sets the stage for the discovery of the risen Lord, but only after a process of investigation and slow belief. As a group, this study invites you to sit with the discomfort of not yet knowing, and to trust that God works even through our misunderstandings.
Discussion Questions
- What do you think Mary expected to find at the tomb? What changed when she saw the open entrance?
- Why does Mary say “they have taken away the Lord” without naming who ‘they’ might be? What does this tell you about her state of mind?
- The Greek uses the plural “we know” (oidamen). What does this suggest about who was with Mary, and why might John focus on her alone?
- Compare Mary's report here with the angels' message in Luke 24:4-7. Why might Mary have omitted the angels' words? Does that mean she didn’t believe them?
- Peter had denied Jesus three days earlier, yet Mary runs to him first. What does this tell you about restoration and leadership in the early church?
- In what situations have you assumed the worst, only to discover later that God was doing something better than you imagined?
- How does the slow progression from confusion to faith in this chapter encourage you when your own understanding is incomplete?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Matthew 27:63 | saying, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’ |
| Matthew 27:64 | Command therefore that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest perhaps his disciples come at night and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He is risen from the dead;’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.” |
| John 13:23 | One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus’ chest. |
| John 19:26 | Therefore when Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” |
| John 20:9 | For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. |
| John 20:13 | They asked her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I don’t know where they have laid him.” |
| John 20:15 | Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?” 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.” |
| John 21:7 | That disciple therefore whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he wrapped his coat around himself (for he was naked), and threw himself into the sea. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that Mary, despite having seen angels who declared Jesus risen, reported only that his body was missing. He suggests her hurry and confusion made her speak incompletely, and she may have dismissed the angelic vision as an illusion of her own imagination.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the phrase "the other disciple whom Jesus loved" may refer to Simon Peter here, because the Greek word for love is the general term philein, not the specific term used elsewhere for John. This reading would
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Then she ranne, and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Iesus loued, and saide vnto them, They haue taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we knowe not where they haue laid him.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill observes that Mary Magdalene reports "they have taken away the Lord," a phrase showing her reverence even in confusion. She does not know who took Him or where, and some ancient versions have her saying "I know not" rather than "we know not," underscoring her personal distress.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange emphasises that Christ's resurrection had to break through not only the tomb's seal and guard but also the disciples' grief and weak faith. The orderly arrangement of the grave-clothes struck John as a sign of calm, ruling presence of mind, producing belief where hopelessness had reigned.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry's focus is that the resurrection was the proof Jesus himself chose as the decisive sign of his Messiahship. He argues that without Christ taking back his life, his ransom would not appear accepted, leaving our debt unpaid and our salvation undone.
Vincent's Word Studies Evangelical 1887
Vincent highlights that the Greek word for "loved" here signifies personal affection, differing from the word used in other passages about the same disciple. He also observes that the plural "we know not" implies Mary was accompanied by others, even though she alone is mentioned coming to the tomb.