What does John 20:9 mean when it says they knew not the Scripture?
John 20:9 means Peter and John did not yet know or understand the Scripture that Christ must rise again from the dead. They had not believed in His resurrection, so they were not expecting it. Because they lacked that understanding, they went home rather than waiting at the tomb.
Les explains that John 20:9 backs up his teaching that Jesus and the Twelve never preached our gospel as we know it. They did not preach death, burial, and resurrection, and they did not even believe it themselves; how could they preach it? When Mary Magdalene found the empty tomb and told Peter and John, they ran and suddenly realized Mary was right and He must have risen. Yet verse 9 says as yet they, Peter and John, knew not the Scripture that He must rise again from the dead. If they had known He would rise, they would have camped out at the tomb that night, and so would all His followers. Instead they all went home and thought it was all over.
For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
More Questions
What does John 20:9 mean that they did not yet know the Scripture that he must rise from the dead?
As yet, at the resurrection morning, Peter, John, Mary, and all the rest of the followers did not know the Scripture that Jesus must rise again from the dead.
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.