Jesus did not remain in the tomb like the rest, philosophers, prophets and sinners in general, but rose leaving death as one would discarded clothes. The Holy One remained sinless. Death had no dominion over him. God’s love never fails.
Christ’s enemies cannot claim that Jesus’ body disintegrated in the tomb, because that was empty. Christ did not flee nor was he abducted, because the chamber of his death was a picture of orderliness. That was witness to John that Jesus had discarded his worldly equipment, not needing it any longer. In the swaddling clothes of the manger he began his life’s journey, and in the grave-clothes he took his leave. So with the resurrection a new phase of his existence began on a heavenly plane. Even though he still retained his human nature.
These thoughts churned round John’s mind, as he returned from the open tomb. Yet he did not boast of this experience, he the first to realize the victory of God’s Son in Resurrection, but confessed that he believed in this miracle belatedly, even though it had been made clear in Scripture. His eyes were closed to what he had read about the representative death and victory of the Servant of God in Isaiah 53, nor did he grasp David’s prophecies on the same theme (Luke 24:44-48; Acts 2:25-32; Psalm 16:8-11).
The morning of the Great Feast witnessed two disciples returning home, troubled yet hopeful, trusting yet questioning and prayers to Jesus, who had left the tomb with his whereabouts unknown.