Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
English Standard Version (ESV)
It's easy to miss that John emphasizes Mary didn't just see the Lord, but that He spoke these things to her specifically. This detail highlights not just her unique encounter, but the personal, intimate message Christ entrusted to her to deliver to the disciples.
Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This verse marks Mary Magdalene's immediate report after encountering the risen Jesus alone in the garden, rushing to tell the disciples she had seen Him and heard His words directly. It highlights her role as the first witness to the resurrection, a profound honor granted to her before any of the male disciples, though the disciples initially struggled to believe her amazing news.
Who gets to be the very first person to see the resurrected Jesus? It wasn't a disciple, or even Mary's mother. It was Mary Magdalene.
It’s striking that the very first person to witness Jesus after His resurrection wasn't one of the twelve, or even one of His closest male followers. The honor was given to Mary Magdalene.
Mary rushed to tell the disciples the most incredible news imaginable. But how did they react?
Mary’s immediate mission was to share the good news: Jesus is alive!
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Understand the original words
mathētēs · Greek Noun
Those who follow the teachings of a leader; in the New Testament, it refers specifically to the followers of Jesus Christ who are committed to His way of life.
kyrios · Greek Noun
A title of deity, sovereign authority, and majesty. It acknowledges Jesus as the supreme ruler and master, a confession that became central to the Christian faith.
The initial disbelief of the disciples, even when hearing directly from Mary Magdalene, highlights the radical nature of the resurrection and their own struggle to grasp such an extraordinary event.
c. AD 30
Jesus Crucified and Buried
Jesus of Nazareth is executed by Roman authorities and placed in a tomb.
c. AD 30, Easter Sunday Morning
Empty Tomb Discovered
Mary Magdalene and other women discover Jesus' tomb is empty, encountering angelic messengers.
c. AD 30, Easter Sunday Morning— this verse
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
Jesus reveals Himself to Mary Magdalene outside the tomb, commissioning her to tell His disciples.
c. AD 30, Easter Sunday
Disciples Doubt Mary's Report
Mary Magdalene relays her encounter with the risen Jesus to the disciples, but they initially disbelieve her, thinking it an 'idle tale'.
c. AD 30, Easter Sunday Evening
Jesus Appears to Disciples
Jesus later appears to His disciples (minus Thomas) in Jerusalem, showing them His wounds and bringing peace.
c. AD 30 - AD 33
Jesus' Post-Resurrection Appearances
Over 40 days, Jesus makes multiple appearances to His followers, confirming His resurrection and teaching them about the Kingdom of God.
This passage describes the same event, highlighting Mary Magdalene's initial announcement of seeing the risen Lord and the disciples' disbelief.
Luke 24:10-11Luke also records Mary Magdalene reporting Jesus' resurrection to the apostles, noting their reaction of finding her words as an 'idle tale'.
Matthew 28:9-10While Matthew mentions women encountering Jesus after his resurrection, this passage focuses on their worship and Jesus' command to tell the brothers, offering a slightly different perspective on the post-resurrection encounters.
John 20:11-17This immediate context shows Jesus' appearance to Mary Magdalene before she even announces it to the disciples, revealing the personal encounter that prompted her message.
vincentJohn 20:18: "Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."
Came and told (ἔρχεται ἀγγέλλουσα)Literally, cometh telling.
cambridgeJohn 20:18: "Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her."
18 . came and told ] Better, cometh and telleth ; literally, cometh telling instead of the more usual ‘having come telleth.’ Thus as Mary’s love seems to have been the first to manifest itself ( John 20:1 ), so the first Manifestation of the Risen Lord is granted to her. It confirms our trust in the Gospel narratives to find this stated. A writer of a fictitious acc…
It's easy to miss that John emphasizes Mary didn't just see the Lord, but that He spoke these things to her specifically. This detail highlights not just her unique encounter, but the personal, intimate message Christ entrusted to her to deliver to the disciples.
This verse marks Mary Magdalene's immediate report after encountering the risen Jesus alone in the garden, rushing to tell the disciples she had seen Him and heard His words directly. It highlights her role as the first witness to the resurrection, a profound honor granted to her before any of the male disciples, though the disciples initially struggled to believe her amazing news.
This verse marks Mary Magdalene's immediate report after encountering the risen Jesus alone in the garden, rushing to tell the disciples she had seen Him and heard His words directly. It highlights her role as the first witness to the resurrection, a profound honor granted to her before any of the male disciples, though the disciples initially struggled to believe her amazing news.
"Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her." — It's easy to miss that John emphasizes Mary didn't just see the Lord, but that He spoke these things to her specifically. This detail highlights not just her unique encounter, but the personal, i…
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Last reviewed October 2026