What does John 20 say about Peter and John at the empty tomb and whether they understood the Scriptures?
John 20 records that Peter and John raced to the empty tomb; upon seeing the proof of resurrection, they believed. Yet the next verse states that as yet they did not understand the Scriptures that He should rise from the dead. God can hold prophetic truths secret until His appointed time.
Les explains that the twelve had not fully understood what was happening. They were not waiting at the tomb, and when told He was alive they could not believe it. In John chapter 20, Peter and John race to the empty tomb, and when they saw the proof of resurrection, it says they believed. The next verse says that as yet they understood not the Scriptures, that He should rise from the dead. Les teaches this demonstrates God's prerogative: He can hold things secret, as He did with Daniel and with the twelve. Daniel 12:9 says the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end; God will not reveal these prophetic truths until the end time, when He is ready for men to put it all together.
More Questions
Did Peter and John know from Scripture that Jesus would rise from the dead when they found the empty tomb?
At the empty tomb, Peter and John believed Jesus had risen even though they did not yet know the Scripture that He must rise from the dead.
Did the disciples know Jesus would rise from the dead when they went to the tomb on resurrection morning?
Even after Jesus' crucifixion, on the resurrection morning at the empty tomb, the disciples still did not know what Scripture taught—that Jesus must rise from the dead (John 20:9).
Did the disciples know before the resurrection that Jesus would rise from the dead?
Even after Jesus had been put to death, the disciples still did not know the Scripture that He must rise from the dead; John 20:9 says this plainly.