John 20: Preview

The resurrection of Jesus was, from eternity, the culmination and pinnacle
of Jesus’ work in the covenant of redemption. In Psalm 2, we read of God
the Father promising to the Son an eternal people and universal dominion
in exchange for His obedient work; and in that context, He says to Him,
“You are My Son; today I have begotten You.” Although theologians have
long recognized the truth that Jesus, God’s Son, is eternally begotten of
the Father (and not made), this is speaking of something different than that
eternal relationship. It is speaking of a specific event, in which the
economical outworking of the Trinity finds the perfect expression of Its
eternally unchanging, essential relationship. So what is that event? Paul
tells us in Acts 13:33 that Psalm 2 was fulfilled when God raised Jesus
from the dead. The resurrection, then, was the culminating moment of the
divine plan of redemption. It was the moment of history when the eternal
relationship between the Father and the Son came to its fullest expression
in Their working out of Their eternal purpose. When God raised Jesus from
the dead, He was then “declared to be the Son of God in power according
to the Spirit of holiness” (Romans 1:4). Now, He sits in everlasting victory
upon the throne of David, never again to see corruption – for in His
resurrection He has entered into the fruits of His hard-won victory on the
cross (Acts 2:29-36).

The effects of Jesus’ mighty victory do not stop with His own incorruptible
life and eternal dominion; no, the blessed results of His resurrection flow
down from Himself to all of His children. He was not just begotten of God
by His resurrection from the dead, but He was “the firstborn from the dead”
(Revelation 1:5); and moreover, He was the firstborn, so that He might be
“the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29). Just as surely as
Jesus is victorious over death for all eternity, so all who belong to Him will
share in His eternal life and victory. Rejoice! If we have died with Christ,
then we have been raised together with Him; and if we have been raised
together with Him, then our true life is hidden with Him in the heavens, and
we will appear with Him in glory, with the unstoppable power of His own
resurrection life (Colossians 3:1-4). How precious is the crowning truth of
all of history: Christ is risen! If He were not risen, we would be “of all men
most miserable” (1 Corinthians 15:19). But Christ has indeed risen! For in
truth, “Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of them who have
fallen asleep; for since death came through a man, so also has the
resurrection from the dead come through a Man. For even as in Adam all
die, so also in Christ, all shall be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).