John 20:9 explains why the disciples at the empty tomb had not yet grasped what had happened: they did not yet understand the Scripture that said Jesus must rise from the dead. The verse is a narrator’s comment inserted by the Gospel writer, John, who is telling the reader something about the disciples’ state of mind at that moment. It is not a speech by Jesus or an angel.
For as yet they didn’t know the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.
John 20:9 (WEB)
What John 20:9 Means
The phrase “for as yet” marks this as a moment in time. The disciples had seen the empty tomb and the folded linen, but the meaning of those things had not yet settled into their understanding. John is not blaming them for ignorance so much as describing a stage in a process that would soon change.
“The Scripture” refers to the Old Testament writings the disciples knew well, though John does not name a specific passage here. The point is that the resurrection was something the sacred writings anticipated, yet the disciples had not connected those writings to what was now before them. The verse says nothing about how or when they would finally understand, only that they had not yet done so.
What the verse does not promise is a neat explanation of exactly which passages John had in mind. Readers who want to trace the prophetic connections will find them discussed elsewhere in the New Testament, but this verse simply records the gap in understanding that existed before the risen Lord made himself known.
The Context of John 20:9
The Gospel of John was written, according to long-standing church tradition, by the apostle John, the disciple whom Jesus loved. It was likely composed late in the first century and addressed to a community that needed to hear that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing in him brings life. John often writes in a way that invites readers to see more than the surface of an event.
Verses 6 through 8 describe Peter entering the tomb and the other disciple following and believing. Verse 9 then pauses to explain that belief had not yet reached full understanding. Verses 10 through 12 show the disciples returning home while Mary Magdalene remains weeping at the tomb and sees angels. Read this way, verse 9 is the hinge between the disciples’ partial faith and Mary’s coming encounter with the risen Jesus.
Key Phrases in John 20:9
Luke 24:45
Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures.
(WEB)
In this passage the risen Jesus opens the minds of his disciples to understand the Scriptures, showing how the Old Testament pointed to his death and resurrection. It shows the very understanding that John 20:9 says was still missing.
1 Corinthians 15:4
That he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…
(WEB)
Paul summarizes the gospel by stating that Christ was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. It confirms that the resurrection was anticipated in God’s written word, as John 20:9 suggests.
A Short Prayer From John 20:9
Lord, you know how slowly I sometimes understand what you are doing in my life, just as the first disciples struggled to grasp the meaning of the empty tomb. Thank you that your plans do not depend on my quick comprehension. Help me to trust your word even when I cannot yet see how it fits together. Open my mind as you opened theirs, and give me patience with the process of coming to understand you more fully. Let my faith grow steadily, until I see the risen Christ clearly. Amen.
