4 meanings of ‘Look’(Joh 20:1-8)

4 meanings of ‘Look’(Joh 20:1-8)

1 The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre.

² Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.

³ Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre.

⁴ So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

⁵ And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.

⁶ Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,

⁷ And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

⁸ Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.

⁹ For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

¹⁰ Then the disciples went away again unto their own home.

 

Intro) there is a saying ‘Seeing is believing’ it means A hundred hearings are not worth one seeing. But, seeing does not mean the same for everyone. Although people look at the same object it does not mean they are seeing the same thing. Seeing and understanding are depend on one’s perspective. It could mean something different than how other sees, Such as different ways of describing an object for everyone.

2. There was a sister who has Lim as last name. She made an artwork by Flower arrangement using Persimmon in one of Church temple in Seoul. An artwork Sister Lim made must have had meaning of love and thank towards God’s grace. But, if starving person saw the artwork he will see it as delicious fruit for him to eat. If person who has brilliant perspective in economy would see it and think about how much would it cost to make that artwork maybe about $30, therefore, things look different by who sees it and what perspective is applying.

Today’s bible we read John 20:5, 6, 8 shows word ‘look’ for three times. In Korean bible it simply interpreted word ‘look’ as just look, but in Original bible in Greek those 3 verses of John recorded as different verb of words for each verse. Let’s take a look how ‘look’ and another word ‘look’ in Greek mean different and by looking through the meaning let’s see how and what perspective I am applying in my Christian life. 

Body) First. ‘Look” – βλέπει verse 5.

One of follower bends his waist to look Jesus’ tomb from the outside. Word represents this meaning is ὀπτάνομαι.

In verse 5 word ‘look’ was translated word as βλέπει =he sees. Saint John looked linen that covered Jesus’ corpse. A word ‘look’ in here means looked for short time period or glanced.

The inside of tomb was dark and Saint John was nerves and fear, so he can only look at the linen. Also this means John did not confirm the linen from not inside of the tomb but outside from little far distance.

Today we still have Christians who have eyes of βλέπει. It is like Faith that just Glancing at Jesus. They are begrudging entering the tomb of Jesus and knowing about True meaning of linen. Therefore, meaning of βλέπει can apply in Christians who come to church, but do not want to involve or apply the lesson to their life.

In bible Revelation 19:8 it says

^‘8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.’ Meaning of Saint in the content is who wears Resurrection and Ascension of Jesus’ linen, and spread word of Jesus and lesson/teaching. And live the life that brings good, sacrificing one’s life, and carrying one’s cross instead of Jesus. (Rom 3:14, Gal 3:27)

However, meaning of βλέπει is mind that does not want to get close the Jesus but stay away.

Revelation 19:8 white linen as good behavior of followers, but followers who have βλέπει’s faith seem to have not enough of courage and faith to wear this cloth. Therefore, βλέπει is meaning that surrounds than involving deep in church.

Second, ‘look’ θεωρεῖ=sees. Verse 6

In verse 6 Peter’s action is ‘look’ θεωρεῖ=sees. The meaning of θεωρεῖ=sees is not just looking at the surface, but looking through it for essence and purpose of an object, or taking a very close look.

Peter looked at the linen, but unlike John he was thinking ‘why did Jesus fold the cloth nicely and leave in its place, and where the body disappeared to? If somebody took the body of Jesus he/she would have made a mess…’ when Peter entered the tomb the meaning ‘enter’ in Greek means belong to something, therefore when the bible said chief priest entered meaning based on chief priest entering church therefore, chief priest is belong to God, so Peter is belong to God. Meaning Peter entered as Jesus’ follower with sense of belonging and responsibility. 

At least, Peter had responsibility as a follower. He felt that he should have died with Jesus as his follower than grief at Jesus’ tomb like any others.

Even nowadays there are Christians have eyes of θεωρεῖ. They believe Jesus well and active in church’s activity, but they are still immature to involve in hardship. Although people who have eyes of θεωρεῖ they can run away from Jesus when the hardship comes.

 

Third ‘look’ εἰδῶ =saw. Verse 8

 

In verse 8 word ‘look’ shows as past tense ‘εἰδῶ =saw’ in Greek bible.

Let’s take a look at John 9:1 it says “And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth.” In here it says word saw which means Jesus saw him before him. In this verse saw, θεωρεῖ also has meaning of word know, therefore sometimes it translated as know.

However, it means Jesus in John 9:1 did not just come across to poor blind man, but knew who he is, and what does he need.

This word θεωρεῖ means know the meaning by having understanding. θεωρεῖ is knowing the events and people’s thinking, but it is narrow in range and superficial. So, means cannot know perfectly.

  

We in Faith of θεωρεῖ meaning we know Jesus gave us salvation by sacrificing himself, but not believing emersion of Holy Spirit, Resurrection, and Ascension.

 

Fourth ‘look’ ὁράω.

 

ὁράω is not in today’s verse, but there is a word called ὁράω.

In John 1:18 it says

^‘18 No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.’ In this verse in Greek bible the word ὁράω was use.

ὁράω means realized so clearly know. Not knowing only eyes, but seeing it with mind and experience it so 99% know the meaning of it.  There is a word has a similar meaning in Matthew 5:8 ‘ Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.’ See ὄψονται.

Bible used to say there is no man seen (ὁράω) God in John 1:18, but says Jesus was exception, and says only man who has pure mind (καθαρός) will meet God. Therefore, this ὁράω means at the same time looking at it. It knows exactly what it is. 

Even in English ‘I know has equal meaning to I see, therefore it became ‘seeing is Believing’ correct?

 Here we can look at followers’ aspect. Faith of ὁράω is after when Peter believed Resurrect Jesus, Jesus’ Ascension, and experienced advent of Holy Spirit’s Pentecost.

ὁράω is a perfect faith, change, and commitment. It’s a faith even Martyrdom become immortal.

 

 There are many Christians failed to get to this stage. Therefore, there is no change not commitment is made. They are watching from far.

In Galatians 2:20 we can see ὁράω ‘see or know’ changed Saint Pual’s changed life. He says ‘²⁰ I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.’

Con)

1.      Jesus was in God’s arm and he knew God’s love, creation and operation, plan of salvation, and hope of heaven.

2.      Therefore, Jesus lived in land but lived looking at the heaven. Jesus lived with feet down on the ground, but he did not feel pleasure of land’s richness and enjoyment. He lived in this land and considered receiving crown of thorns from sky was God’s complement. Therefore, Cross was his pleasure and honor. We need ὁράω’s spiritual perspective.

3.      Now, in this world we should be small Jesus. Instead of Jesus we should have eye of understanding other’s situation, eye of Jesus that sees spirit’s compassion, purpose of my life, mission of church. Let’s pray to achieve these goals.

I hope we all can have ὁράω’s faith.

                                                                                                    *TANSLATED BY SUNG HYUN, AHN