Translated by Qwen.
Jn 20:1 On the First Day of the Week, Mary Magdalene Came Early
"But on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came early in the morning, while it was still dark, to the tomb, and saw the stone taken away from the tomb." Here the Resurrection is treated, in which it is shown that the Incarnate Word is the glorifier. Moreover, this section is divided into five parts: in the first of which, the resurrection of Christ is established with regard to the manifestation of truth; in the second, with regard to the conferral of power together with the certainty of the resurrection, where it says [John 20:19]: "When therefore it was late that day," etc.; in the third, again with certification of the resurrection, the manifestation of faith and truth is shown, where it says [John 20:24]: "But Thomas, one of the twelve," etc.; in the fourth, again with proof of the resurrection, the conferral of the office of preaching is shown, where it says [John 21:1]: "After these things, Jesus showed himself again," etc.; in the fifth and final part, with the demonstration of the resurrection, the conferral of pastoral care is manifested, where it says [John 21:15]: "When therefore they had dined, Jesus said to Simon Peter," etc.
The first of these parts is itself divided into two: namely, that it treats first of the devotion of those to whom [the resurrection] is manifested, and second, of the manifestation of truth, where it says [John 20:11]: "But Mary stood," etc. Still further, the first of these is divided into two parts: in the first of which, the diligent and fervent devotion of the women is described; in the second, the announcement made by this same Mary to the Apostles, where it says [John 20:2]: "She ran therefore," etc.
In the first of these, four things are said: namely, the suitability of the time for devoutly anointing; the dignity of the person anointing; the determination of the suitable time; the opportunity of the tomb through the removal of impediments.
He says therefore: "But on the first day of the week"—that is, the first [day] after the Sabbath. For the Hebrews and Greeks use numerical names in place of ordinal names, and therefore "one" among them in the ordering of days signifies "first." Moreover, "Sabbath" among the Hebrews is both the principal day and names the seventh. Hence Luke 18:12: "I fast twice in the sabbath"—that is, in the week. Thus therefore "one of the sabbath" is the first day of the week, which among us is called the Lord's Day [Sunday]. For this is the first [day] after the Sabbath, from which their week began. But for us, this feast has been transformed into the Lord's Day in the joy of the Resurrection, as Isaiah 66:23 says: "And it shall be Sabbath upon Sabbath"; likewise Is 58:13: "You shall be called a delightful Sabbath," because the Lord, anointed with the oil of gladness, rising again, consecrated [this day] by the holiness of His resurrection. Therefore, a time so congruent with such great joy was chosen.
"Mary Magdalene came early in the morning," etc. Mary Magdalene, who, although she came with the other women—as is said in Matthew 28:1, Mark 16:1, Luke 24:1—nevertheless was held more worthy than the others both in devotion of faith and in nobility of lineage and in the strength of love and in solicitude of service and in seeking out the Lord. And therefore she alone is named, the others being passed over. Ruth 1:11: "All the people know that you are a woman of virtue." And this is demonstrated by the name "Mary," which is interpreted as "bitter," because with bitterness and tears she washed away the stains of sin, as Gregory says. Luke 7:38: "She began to water His feet with tears." And as Gregory says: "She touched the footsteps of Him who received her, and ceasing from her wicked ways, thereafter she sat at His feet; she clung to Him living, she sought Him dead." This therefore was one cause of her weeping after the Lord: because He benignly received the penitent. Psalm 30:6: "At evening weeping shall have place, and in the morning gladness." Moreover, "Magdalene" is interpreted as "towered," because she was strong, not fearing the guards. Proverbs 31:10: "Who shall find a valiant woman?" etc. For this reason therefore she is recognized as being of special dignity, to whom the Lord rising again first manifested Himself.
"She came early in the morning, bringing spices prepared from aromatics," as is said in Mark 16:1. Moreover, he determines the time: "while it was still dark, to the tomb." However, the contrary of this seems to be said in Matthew 28:1, where it says: "But in the evening of the Sabbath, which dawns on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb." Therefore it seems that she did not come early in the morning. To this, Augustine responds, saying that if we understand the beginning of night, by synecdoche, for the whole night, then "evening" is put for the night preceding the light of the Lord's Day, and then there is no contradiction. But John indicates the hour of arrival, and Matthew indicates the beginning of the night in which they set out.
Better, however, is the response given by certain others: that they came in the evening because they prepared themselves for coming; but they came in the morning because they then arrived at the tomb. But still an objection is raised concerning what is said: "while it was still dark," because Mark 16:2 says: "And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb, the sun now having risen." But to this Blessed Augustine says, namely, that Mary Magdalene came twice: namely, first in the darkness, and then departed; and when the sun had now risen, she returned. And John touches upon the first coming, and Mark the second.
Thus therefore she came very early to the tomb "while it was still dark," showing the diligence of her seeking and the fervor of her love. Proverbs 8:17: "Those who watch early for me shall find me." Isaiah 26:9: "My soul has desired You in the night; but also with my spirit within me, I will watch early for You at dawn." Psalm 63:2 "O God, my God, to You I watch at dawn" [cf. Douay-Rheims]. Moreover, the hour is congruent with the coming, as Jerome says, so that those who were seeking the dead Lord might come in darkness, which darkness signifies the shadows of their doubt. Genesis 1:2: "Darkness was upon the face of the deep"—that is, of the human heart—not sustained by the light of faith and certainty. That she came to the tomb signifies that she was seeking the Lord as dead. Hence also she was reproved in Luke 24:5 by the angel saying: "Why do you seek the living with the dead?" Moreover, "monument" [tomb] is so called from monendo [warning], because it warns those passing by concerning the dead. Ecclesiasticus 36:23 [Vulgate]: "Remember my judgment, for thus also shall yours be."
"And she saw the stone taken away or rolled back from the tomb." For she quickly perceived this because she desired it. Hence Mark 16:3 says that, anxious about this, she said with the others: "Who will roll back the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" And a little after [v. 4]: "And looking, they saw the stone rolled back—for it was very large, larger than women could lift." Therefore she gladly perceived the rolling back of the stone.
But it is asked: Who rolled back the stone? Did Christ, rising, remove the stone? For this seems [likely] on account of the mystery, because Judges 16:3 says that Samson arose at midnight and seized the gates with their bars and carried them to the top of the mountain. Moreover, those gates signified the entrance of the tomb. Therefore also Christ removed the stone from the entrance of the tomb. But on the contrary: Christ arose in the glory of His body. Therefore, just as He entered to the disciples with the doors closed, so also He departed with the seal of the tomb intact.
The response to this, as Chrysostom says, is that He departed with the stone and seals remaining. Hence, just as He came forth from the virgin's womb with the seals of modesty intact, so also from the tomb with the seals of the tomb intact. For otherwise it would have been thought that the tomb had been broken open by the disciples. But because it was necessary to demonstrate that He had risen, therefore, after the Lord's resurrection, an angel removed the stone before the guards, as is said in Matthew 28:2. And then first Mary Magdalene came.
Jn 20:2 "She ran therefore and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them: 'They have taken the Lord from the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.'"
Here begins the second part of the first part, in which the announcement made by Mary to the Apostles is noted. Moreover, this part is divided into three parts: in the first of which the announcement is made; in the second, the disciples' proof by experience of what she said; in the third, the reason for doubt and ignorance.
He says therefore in the first [part] three things: the speed of the one announcing, and to whom she announced, and what [she announced]. He says therefore: "She ran therefore," hastening lest anything in the meantime could intervene before she consulted the Apostles. For desire commanded the course. Isaiah 40:31: "Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall run and not labor; they shall walk and not faint." Jeremiah 2:23: "A swift courier completing her ways." For she had forgotten feminine gravity from excessive desire of hastening to the counsel of the Apostles as to what seemed to be done in so great a matter.
"And she came to Simon Peter," who was the head of the others, concerning whom the Lord had said in Luke 22:32: "And you, when once you have turned again, confirm your brothers." Therefore she came to Peter for the confirmation of all. "And to the other disciple," namely John, whom Jesus loved, and as a sign of love had offered his breast to recline upon, and to whom He had commended His Mother. For she thought that these especially ought to be consulted. Deuteronomy 32:7 [cf. vv. 5-7]: "Ask your father, and he will announce to you; your elders, and they will tell you."
And note the woman's caution: how she did not announce publicly to a multitude, lest a rumor arise before what ought to be done was determined from the counsel of the elders. For rumor and tumult could greatly harm, because if a rumor had gone out that the body had been lost, immediately there would have been the applause of the Jews, nor would it afterward have been believed that He had risen.
"And she says to them: 'They have taken the Lord,'" etc. And she says with a sad countenance: "They have taken the Lord from the tomb"—that is, they have removed [Him]. But she did not determine who had removed [Him], because she thinks it known to the disciples that those who had attempted all evils against the Lord had also done this evil and had cast His body into some dishonorable place, envying the honor of His burial. And this is: "And we do not know where they have laid Him," as if to say: This is the cause of anguish, that we do not know where we may find Him, so that we may perform for Him the office of burial. Moreover, she says "we do not know" concerning herself and the other women coming with her.
Jn 20:3-9 "Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and they came to the tomb. And they both ran together, and that other disciple ran on faster than Peter, and came first to the tomb. And when he had stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying, yet he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and entered into the tomb, and saw the linen cloths lying, and the face cloth that had been over His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but rolled up in a place by itself. Then therefore that other disciple also entered, who had come first to the tomb, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead."
Here begins the disciples' proof by experience. And four things are said here, of which the first is common to both disciples, namely, the running to prove; the second is proper to John alone, namely, greater speed in arriving; the third, that Peter was first to enter; the fourth, that neither of them was prepared for believing.
Jn 20:3-4 He says therefore: "Peter therefore went forth"—that is, he left the dwelling of the disciples at the woman's announcement—"and that other disciple," namely John, "and they came"—that is, they began to come—"to the tomb," intending to prove the woman's statement, whether the Lord had been taken away or not. "And they both ran together" as regards the beginning of the course. 1 Corinthians 9:24: "So run that you may obtain." Moreover, Blessed Bernard says that they ran beyond others because they loved beyond others.
But if it is asked: Why did the others not run? The cause has already been assigned in what preceded: because it was not announced to them, lest tumult arise among them. And this was guarded against on account of fear of the Jews. Psalm 119:32: "I have run the way of Your commandments, when You enlarged my heart."
"And that other disciple ran on faster than Peter"—that is, John [ran faster] than Peter. The cause of this perhaps was that he was younger and swifter. Nevertheless, Blessed Bernard says that he who loved more ran faster and arrived sooner. Concerning this, however, it has been noted by us in the Prologue of this work that, although perhaps John loved more in the grace of contemplation, nevertheless Peter loved more in the grace of action. And because these beyond others received the grace of love of Christ, therefore beyond others they ran.
"And he came first to the tomb of Christ." And the Gloss gives an allegorical cause of this: that John signifies the synagogue, which ran ahead and nevertheless did not enter into the innermost things of the spirit. But Peter signifies the Church from the Gentiles, which came afterward and penetrated to the innermost things, and at the end Christ will introduce the synagogue. Romans 11:25-26: "Blindness in part has happened in Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles should come in, and so all Israel should be saved."
Jn 20:5 "And when he had stooped down"—namely, into the cave, as regards the side of the stone, he entered so that he might be able to see—"he saw the linen cloths," in which the body of Jesus had been wrapped, "lying"—that is, placed apart from the body and wrapped. For Joseph had purchased a linen cloth in which he had wrapped the body of the Lord Jesus. "Yet he did not go into the tomb," because perhaps he feared the guards.
Jn 20:6-7 "Then Simon Peter came," following him [John], slower in running, "and entered into the tomb," for the sake of examining, not fearing the fear of the guards. "And he saw," just as John, "the linen cloths lying"—that is, placed apart from the body and wrapped—"and the face cloth"—that is, the head-cloth in which the sweat of the face was accustomed to be wiped away, which had been placed over His face and head—"not lying with the linen cloths," as if it had been placed apart from the others by design. And this is what he says: "But rolled up separately into a ball in one place," distinct from the others. And all these things were arguments of the resurrection, because whoever had taken away the body would have taken it away with the cloths. But now He arose in glory; He had no need of cloths, because now the Lord had reigned and had been clothed—"The Lord has been clothed with strength and has girded Himself," namely, with virtue [Psalm 93:1]; Psalm 104:2: "Clothed with light as with a garment."
Jn 20:8 "Then therefore that other disciple also entered," etc. Then therefore, taking courage from Peter, "that other disciple," namely John, also entered. For although contemplation runs ahead of virtue in the speed of consideration—because the word of him who speaks of truth runs swiftly—nevertheless one does not enter into the limpid beatitude of truth and the secrets of God except through the meritorious exercise of virtue. Hence Psalm 84:8: "They shall go from virtue to virtue; the God of gods shall be seen in Sion"—that is, in the contemplation of truth.
Jn 20:8 cont., Jn 20:9 "Who had come first to the tomb." Psalm 100:4: "Enter His gates with confession." "And he saw" that the body of Jesus was not there. "And he believed," just as Magdalene had said, that it had been taken away. "For as yet they did not know"—namely, Peter and John—"the Scripture," that it was necessary for Christ thus to suffer and to rise again from the dead. And this is what follows: "Because it was necessary," for otherwise He would not confer suitable help, "for Christ to rise again from the dead." Luke 24:25-26: "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all things that the prophets have spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so to enter into His glory?"
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