WINDSOR FULL GOSPEL MISSION CHURCH
GROUP BIBLE DISCUSSION ANSWERS
John 20:1-10 (A)
1.1) Who found the empty tomb of Jesus?(Mark 16:1) 1.2)Why did they go to the tomb? They brought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 1.3) How was their emotional condition? They loved Jesus and wanted to see Him again and to pay their respect. 2.1)What did Mary Magdalene do when she saw the empty tomb? She decided to inform Peter. She still recognized Peter as the senior disciple, even though he was absent at Jesus’ crucifixion and His burial. 2.2) Who is ‘the other disciple, the one Jesus loved’?(v.2, John 13:23) The disciple John 2.3) What does it tell you from the scene of running of Peter toward the tomb? Even though he stumbled his faith out of fear and denied Jesus 3 times, his love for Jesus unchanged and very concerned with Jesus’ body in the tomb. 2.4) How did Peter follow up the procession of Jesus’ crucifixion, although he was not with Jesus? He continued to remain in
2.5) How did Mary Magdalene know the place Peter stayed? The disciples and supporting ladies probably had communication one another even after Jesus’ arrest. 3.1) Couldn’t Jesus get out of the tomb without rolling away the stone blocking its entrance? The resurrected Jesus has a spiritual body which cannot be confined by space. Jesus had no problem to get into the locked room where His disciples gathered for fellowship after the resurrection. 3.2) Why did God allow the stone rolled away? So that all the people in the world can see the empty tomb 3.3) What is sure thing about the empty tomb to the unbelievers? Jesus body was no longer laid in the tomb. 3.4) What are not sure things about the empty tomb to the unbelievers? No body is sure how Jesus’ body has disappeared. 4.1) Can you think about possibilities how Jesus body disappeared? Open questions 4.2) How about the possibility that Jesus pretended dead and escaped from the tomb? It was impossible because Jesus heart was pierced by a spear. Suppose He was alive, He could not remove the stone or escape from the guarding soldiers. 4.3) How about the possibility that Jesus passed out and lost consciousness and later regained and escaped? Impossible. A similar answer of 4.2 4.4) How about the possibility that the disciples stole Jesus body? The disciples were hiding with fear for their arrest. It was impossible to get around the guarding soldiers. It contradicts the story of John 20. In case the disciples stole Jesus’ body, Peter and John did not need to visit the empty tomb in response to the women’s report. 4.5) About what did Pharisees and high priests worry after Jesus’ death?(Matthew 27:62-64) They worried that Jesus might be alive again according to His promise. Then there would be more trouble for them. 4.6) What did Pilate order to prevent Jesus to get out from the tomb? (Matthew 27:65-66) 5.1) Who will oppose to the theory that Jesus escaped by himself or His body was stolen? Pilate, religious leader and Pharisees who knew the tomb was well secured. 5.2) As the result, how did Pharisees, high priest, and Pilate help the belief of Jesus’ resurrection indirectly? They must believe that no other means can bring Jesus’ body taken out of the tomb, except for possibility His resurrection with the spiritual body which is not confined by space. 5.3) How does God use enemies opposing to the Gospel to help the spread of the Gospel? (Philippians 1:12-18) Paul was imprisoned in
6.1) What did Peter and John observe in the empty tomb? 6.2) (1)Where was the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head? (2) How was it placed? (v.7) 6.3) What does this observation tell you? I indicated that Jesus’ body was not stolen. If someone had stolen Jesus body, the body will be taken out together with the strips of linen. Beside, there would be no time to fold the burial cloth placed separately. 6.4) (1) Where was the strips of linen? (2) How was it placed? (v.6) 6.5) What does this observation tell you? Only the resurrection with the spiritual body could be explained. 6.6) What did John believe in verse 8? The absence of Jesus’ body 6.7) Did Peter and John understand the meaning of the observation at that moment? (V.9) Probably not 7.1) Have you heard about “
Open question 7.2) What do you think; it is a real one or a fake one? An individual opinion 7.3) Will the outcome of the proof affect your faith in Jesus? No
Prayer:
1) Placing a heavy stone blocking the entrance of the tomb, so that no person can remove the stone from the inside
2) The tomb was sealed by the authority of Pilate. There would be a death penalty for who broke it. No one dared to break the seal.
(1) Absence of Jesus’ body
(2) The strips of linen that had wrapped Jesus’ body.
(3) The burial cloth which was used to surround Jesus’ head.
(1) It was placed, being separated from the strips of linen.
(2) The cloth was folded up by itself.
(1)The place where the Jesus body had been laid.
(2) It was lying there (as it was), as if the body had been smoked out of it.
Dear heavenly Father. Thank you that Jesus’ body is no longer kept in the dark tomb of death unlike other religious founders, but He is alive with glorified body. Thank you for hope in Jesus that all the Christian’s tombs will be emptied following our resurrection at the second coming of Jesus Christ in air. I pray in the name of Jesus.