‹ Back

John 20:8 "Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed."

 

John waited to allow Peter to go into Jesus' tomb ahead of him, but he had arrived first, and had seen "the linen cloths lying there" (John 20:5), so while he waited for Peter he had that visual to ponder. I like to think that he knew even then, or at least dared to greatly hope. Then when he went into the tomb and saw everything that Peter saw, "the linen cloths lying and the napkin, which had been on his head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up in a place by itself" (John 20:7), he knew. His heart, which was so closely attuned to Jesus', told him, and he believed, even though "as yet they did not know the scripture, that he must rise from the dead." (John 20:9)

 

John believed because his heart told him the truth. In faith, we do the same, even if we do not have proof, or sufficient evidence, to support our belief. We just know what is true, and it fills us with wonder and awe. John's belief also shows that sometimes our faith informs us of things before others are ready to know them. Those times can be consolations to us (they can also be warnings, depending on what is being revealed). Either way, they are for our hearts only, for the time being, at least. This moment is a consolation for John, who had stayed with Jesus at the foot of the Cross. 

 

Even though he believed, John didn't say anything, he again waited. He waited for Jesus to reveal the truth to Peter and the other disciples in His own way and time, but John knew that Jesus had risen nonetheless. He had that consolation before anyone else!

 

The consolation here was all for John, a gift to "the one whom Jesus loved" (John 20:2), meant for his heart only. Jesus gives these consolations and gifts to each of us in different ways. We are often meant to, like Mary, hold them in our hearts, awaiting God's further revelation and action in the world, and savoring them while we wait.