Who Knew The Resurrection In Advance?

Dr. Randy White

We are blessed to live in a time in which almost all spiritual things spiritual have revealed in clarity. Now all that remains is for us to listen, look, and believe!

John 20:1-9 | An Amazing Revelation about Lack of Revelation

At the resurrection account in John 20:1-2, we meet Mary Magdalene, Peter, the disciple whom Jesus loved. These are three people who had first-hand experience with our Lord all through His ministry. I suppose it would be impossible to find a group of three individuals more acquainted with Jesus and His earthly teachings and ministry than these three. Therefore, when it comes to the resurrection, these three can really help us to understood who knew about the resurrection in advance.

Mary, the first of the three at the empty tomb, lamented that They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him (v. 2). This same understanding is repeated in verse 13, when Mary meets “the gardener,” to whom she says, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away (v. 15. Knowing this, do you think it would be possible, using Scripture, to show that Mary Magdalene came to the tomb to celebrate the resurrection?

But what about Peter and the beloved disciple? Surely these two, the leader and the beloved, knew that Jesus was going to die, be buried, and rise again on the third day, and had placed their faith in this…right? In fact, John 20:8 says that when the beloved disciple went into the tomb and saw that the body of Jesus was gone, he immediately saw, and believed. But what did he believe? The only thing in the context is that he believed what Mary had told them in verse 2, that the body was gone. And we know definitively and without doubt that this is what he believed because verse 9 clearly says that as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

Mary remained in the garden and ended up seeing the risen Lord. In fact, she went to the disciples and reported that Jesus had raised from the dead and that she had seen him (v. 18). Did they believe her? Mark 16:11 reports that when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not. Mark then gives news of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who also come to report that Jesus was alive, and neither believed they them (Mark 16:13).

Now let me ask you an important question: “Would it be possible, using the Scripture, to show that those closest to Jesus Christ knew in advance that He was going to be raised from the dead?”

The Flaw of Evangelical Thinking

Sadly, evangelical thinking would rather repeat what they’ve been told than take the word of Scripture. Consider these examples:

<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Answers in Genesis: Thus, saturating all of Scripture, there is a gospel theme that showcases the suffering, Resurrection, and glory of the promised Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the central object of our faith and the fulfillment of all that the faithful who have preceded us down through the ages had believed in. (How Were People Saved Before Jesus Came In The Flesh? https://answersingenesis.org/gospel/salvation/how-were-people-saved-before-jesus-came-in-the-flesh/. Accessed April 1, 2023).

<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>Billy Graham: Both Old Testament believers and New Testament believers were saved by grace through faith on the basis of the shed blood of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament looked forward to the sacrifice of Christ, while the New Testament looks back on that same sacrifice. (Answers, June 1, 2004. https://billygraham.org/answer/were-those-who-believed-in-god-during-old-testament-times-saved-through-christ/. Accessed April 1, 2023).

<![if !supportLists]>o <![endif]>GotQuestions.org - Clearly, Old Testament saints were aware of the promised Redeemer, and they were saved by faith in that Savior, the same way people are saved today. (What Was The Old Testament Way of Salvation? https://www.gotquestions.org/Old-Testament-salvation.html. Accessed April 1, 2023).

What’s Up With That?

Why do evangelicals promote this unbiblical manner of thinking? The reason that evangelical theology insists that those before Christ knew all about Christ is because they refuse to look at Scripture dispensationally. Dispensational theology is really nothing more than reading the Bible literally and accepting the fact that people didn’t know what they knew till they knew it.

From the time of Moses until after the resurrection of Jesus, people did not know Jesus was going to die, be buried, and rise again. And since they did not know it, they could not place their faith in it.

Some may object that the Scriptures (and Jesus Himself) clearly revealed the death, burial, and resurrection, thus they did know it. And this is partially true. Even Paul says that his death and resurrection on the third day were according to the Scriptures (1 Cor. 15:3-4). In fact, in Luke 18:32-33, Jesus said that He would soon be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.

So how could they not know? The answer is in Luke 18:34, which says, they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.

A Dispensational Answer

Understanding the Scripture dispensationally answers so many questions. When we understand that salvation as we know it was not offered as a free gift of faith until the Apostle Paul, then things in the Scripture begin to become crystal clear.

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