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Joh_20:1-2. On the designation of the first day of the week by μία τῶν σαββ ., as well as on the irreconcilable deviation of John,[259] who (“for brevity’s sake!” Hengstenberg, indeed, thinks) makes only Mary Magdalene go to the grave, from the Synoptics, see on Mat_28:1. Of a hastening beforehand on the part of Mary, in advance of the remaining women (Luthardt, Lange, Ewald), there is no trace in the text. But when Luthardt even is of opinion that John, from the point of view of placing over against the consummation of Jesus Himself the perfecting of the disciples’ faith, could not well have mentioned the other women (why not?), this would be a very doubtful consideration in reference to the historical truth of the apostle; just as doubtful, if he left other women without mention only for the reason that he heard the first intelligence from the mouth of the Magdalene (Tholuck). The reason, borrowed from οἴδαμεν , for the supposed plurality of the women is abundantly outweighed by ΟἾΔΑ , Joh_20:13.
ΣΚΟΤΊΑς ἜΤΙ ΟὔΣΗς ] Consequently not first after sunrise, Mar_16:2. See in loc. “Ostenditur mulieris sedulitas,” Grotius.
εἰς τ . μνημ .] to the grave; comp. Joh_11:31; Joh_11:38.
ἐκ τοῦ μνημ .] The stone had filled the opening of the grave outwards.
καὶ πρὸς , κ . τ . λ .] From the repetition of ΠΡΌς , Bengel infers: “non una fuisse utrumque discipulum.” But comp. Joh_20:3, and see, generally, Buttmann, Neut. Gr. p. 293 f. [E. T. p. 3.40 ff.]; comp. also Kuhner, ad Xen. Mem. i. 2. 52, i. 3. 3.
ὃν ἐφίλει ] Comp. Joh_11:3, of Lazarus. Elsewhere of John: ὋΝ ἨΓΆΠΑ , Joh_19:26, Joh_21:7; Joh_21:20. With ἘΦΊΛΕΙ the recollection speaks with more feeling.
ΟἼΔΑΜΕΝ ] The plur. does not presuppose that Mary had gone not alone to the grave, which is opposed to the account of John, but in her excitement she includes also the disciples, with whom she was speaking, and generally those also who stood nearer to the Crucified One, along with herself, although they as yet knew nothing of the removal itself. She speaks with a certain self-forgetfulness, from the consciousness of fellowship, in opposition to the parties to whom she attributes the ᾖραν . Note, further, how the possibility of having arisen remains as yet entirely remote from her mind. Not a word of any angelic communication (Mat_28:2; Mar_16:5; Luk_24:4 ff., Luk_24:23), etc., which some, of course, seek prudently to cover by an intention on John’s part to be concise (see especially Hengstenberg).
The harmonists, who make Mary to have only hastened on before the rest of the women, must lead them to Peter and John by another way than that which she followed. But surely it would have been most natural for her, in the first instance, to run to meet her companions who were following her, with the marvellous news, which, however, with Ewald, who makes the plur. οἴδαμεν indicate this, could only be read between the lines.
[259] In no section of the evangelical history have harmonists, with their artificial mosaic work, been compelled to expend more labour, and with less success, than in the section on the resurrection. The adjustment of the differences between John and the Synoptics, as also between the latter amongst themselves, is impossible, but the grand fact itself and the chief traits of the history stand all the more firmly.