Peter and John run to the sepulchre (Notes)

Saint John - Chapter 20

Peter and John run to the sepulchre. J-J Tissot

[3] Exiit ergo Petrus, et ille alius discipulus, et venerunt ad monumentum.
Peter therefore went out, and that other disciple, and they came to the sepulchre.

[4] Currebant autem duo simul, et ille alius discipulus praecucurrit citius Petro, et venit primus ad monumentum.
And they both ran together, and that other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.

So they ran both together. Before the rest, as loving Him above the rest, says S. Gregory.

And he (John) did outrun Peter, as the younger and more active, and moreover as more desirous of seeing that Body which he had just before seen marred on the cross.

[5] Et cum se inclinasset, vidit posita linteamina : non tamen introivit.
And when he stooped down, he saw the linen cloths lying; but yet he went not in.

And he stooping down, to look into the tomb, saw the linen clothes with which the Body of Christ had been wrapped. Yet went he not in, paying deference to Peter, as his senior and more worthy, says Lyranus, or else hindered by fear, or seized with a kind of sacred dread at the Body of Christ which was buried there.

[6] Venit ergo Simon Petrus sequens eum, et introivit in monumentum, et vidit linteamina posita,
Then cometh Simon Peter, following him, and went into the sepulchre, and saw the linen cloths lying,

Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre. Peter (says S. Chrysostom) entered with ardour, and carefully inspected everything. For the soldiers who guarded the tomb, when they saw the angel and the earthquake, ran away through fear. See also S. Jerome, Quæst. vi. ad Hedib. And seeth the linen clothes lie, and the napkin which was about His head (covering His face, as is generally done to the dead, for the sake of seemliness), not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. “This,” says S. Chrysostom, “was a sign of His Resurrection, for if they had removed the body they would not have stripped it, and if they had stolen it, they would not have been so careful to fold up the napkin, and put it aside by itself; for John had said before that He was buried with myrrh, which makes linen clothes cling close to the body, so that no one would be deceived by those who said that It was stolen away; for what thief would trouble himself so much about an unnecessary matter?”

[7] et sudarium, quod fuerat super caput ejus, non cum linteaminibus positum, sed separatim involutum in unum locum.
And the napkin that had been about his head, not lying with the linen cloths, but apart, wrapped up into one place.

[8] Tunc ergo introivit et ille discipulus qui venerat primus ad monumentum : et vidit, et credidit :
Then that other disciple also went in, who came first to the sepulchre: and he saw, and believed.

Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre.

Tropologically, Toletus says that by John are signified all Christians, but by Peter the Pontiffs, Vicars of Christ. Peter then entered the tomb first as the highest in dignity, as the Vicar of Christ; but John came last, because it is possible that he who is first in rank, is behind others in desert and holiness.

And he saw and believed. Both of them, that is, believed that what Mary Magdalene said was true, namely, that the Body of Christ had been taken away. So says S. Augustine, Theophylact, and Jansen. S. Cyril, Chrysostom, Euthymius, and Nyssen add that both believed that Christ had risen. But this word “believed” more clearly and correctly applies only to S. John, who remembered the words of Christ, that He would rise on the third day. But Peter, on account of the strangeness of a Resurrection, and from His earnest desire to see Him alive again, was more slow to believe that Christ had risen. Whence the Angel significantly said to the women, “Go, tell His disciples and Peter.” (Mark 16:7)

[9] nondum enim sciebant Scripturam, quia oportebat eum a mortuis resurgere.
For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.

For as yet they knew not the scriptures, that He must rise again from the dead. For although He had solemnly assured them that He would rise, yet on account of its strange and wonderful nature they believed it not, but thought that He spoke in a figure and parable, as He was wont to do.

[10] Abierunt ergo iterum discipuli ad semetipsos.
The disciples therefore departed again to their home.

Then the disciples went away again unto their own home. Peter wondering, John believing He had risen, the Magdalene alone remaining at the sepulchre, to learn something more certain about the Body of her beloved Christ. See S. Augustine (in loc.) “And hence it came to pass that she alone saw Him, she who remained to seek for Him, for perseverance in a good work is a virtue,” says S. Gregory, Hom. xxv.

From The Life of Our Lord Jesus Christ, by J-J Tissot (1897)

Mary magdalen had no sooner had left the Guest-Chamber before Saint Peter and saint John hurry after her, running to the Sepulchre as fast as they can.  They had little more than half a mile to go to reach the tomb; they had to pass by Herod;s Palace and go out of the town by the Gate of Judgment, then they would find themselves quite close to Calvary and the Holy Sepulchre.  Or they might have left the city by another gate on the south and ascended outside the walls, to the approach the Well of Hezekiah or of Amygdalum, which was near Golgotha.  It was probably the latter route which the Apostles followed, for they would be safer outside the walls and less likely to attract attention by the unusual haste they were in.  In fact, Saints Peter and John ran at the very utmost speed, for they were all eagerness to verify for themselves the agitated account of the Holy Women.

Saint John, younger and more active than his companion, outruns him, but, out of respect for the chief of the Apostles, he will wait for him before actually entering the Sepulchre.  The Church is, in fact, already founded, and Saint Peter has been solemnly named as a rock on which it was built; it is therefore fitting that he should be the first to authenticate the miracle.

Saint Peter then enters the tomb to find the cubiculum empty and to "see the linen clothes lie, and the napkin, that was about the head of the Lord, Not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself." It is very certain, although the sacred text says nothing on the subject, that these precious shrouds were not left in the Sepulchre: they were relics far too valuable to the community of which Saint Peter was the chief.  He must have taken them away, and the Church thus became the owner of the priceless treasures.  The fact of the Resurrection being now beyond a doubt, the account of the Holy Women being confirmed by the sight of the empty Sepulchre, the two Apostles, convinced, as we are told by saint John, of the truth, "went away again on to their own home." 

Totus tuus ego sum 

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:
Ad Jesum per Mariam