What are “these things” referred to in verse 1?
Who did Jesus show himself to? Where?
Name the disciples that were together there.
What did Peter tell the other disciples he was going to do? What did they want to do?
How much did they catch that night?
What time of day was it when Jesus arrived at the shore?
Did they recognize Him?
What did Jesus ask them? What was the answer?
What did Jesus ask them to do?
What was the result when they did this?
Who recognized Jesus first? Who went toward Him first?
How did Peter get to Jesus?
How did the other disciples get there?
What did they find on the shore?
Who dragged the net ashore? How many fish were in it? Was the net broken?
What did Jesus tell the disciples? Why didn’t they dare ask who He was?
What did Jesus do for the disciples?
How many times had Jesus appeared to the disciples?

Thought Questions

Why were the disciples together by the Sea of Galilee? (See Matt. 28:7, 10, 16) Why did they decide to go fishing?
Have you ever been through a discouraging time, where you felt like the disciples probably did, making no progress? How does the outcome of their situation give you faith? Did Jesus know that they hadn’t caught any fish? Why do you think He provided so much for them, almost more than they could handle?
What do verses 10 and 11 tell you about our cooperation with God? Do we have work to do with using His blessings as well? Is it hard work sometimes, even just to reel them in?
Read verse 7 and John 20:3-8. What are the differences between the two disciples? Which disciple are you most like? Was one better than the other, or was it just a difference in personality?
Where did the fire of coals come from? What happened by the last fire of coals that we saw in ch. 18:18, 25-27? What does this tell us about God and second chances?

My prayer is:
That I would not be discouraged when waiting for Jesus, knowing from this episode that He has many blessings waiting for us;
That I would be faithful in taking care of the blessings He has given me;
And that I would both recognize and immediately follow after the Lord whenever His presence appears in any situation in my life.

What day was it when the disciples were assembled?
Why were the doors shut?
Where did Jesus arrive?
What did He say? What did He show them?
How did the disciples feel about this?
Who did Jesus say sent Him? Who was Jesus sending?
What did He do after He said that? What did He have the disciples receive?
What commission did He give them along with that?
Which disciple was not with them at that time?
How did Thomas find out the news?
What did Thomas say the conditions were for him to believe?
How long was it before they assembled again?
What happened there?
What did Jesus say specifically to Thomas?
How did Thomas respond?
Who did Jesus say is blessed?
Why does John say that these things were written in this book?
What is the result of having faith in Jesus Christ as the Son of God?

Thought Questions

Why were the disciples gathered together? What do you, and the members of your church, do during difficult times? Have there been times when you have found strength in fellowship with other believers?
Do you think the disciples were justified in shutting the doors? Did Jesus reprimand them for their fears, or try to strengthen their faith when He arrived? How?
How do you understand verse 23? If Jesus only has the power to forgive sins (Matt. 9:2-7), how can His disciples factor in? Can we, as modern-day disciples? Does Matt. 25:40 give you any ideas?
Much has been said about “Doubting Thomas.” Do you identify with Thomas at all? Or should Thomas have known better, after all he had witnessed and heard Jesus teach and prophecy? What would you, honestly, have thought?
Why do you think Jesus let eight days pass before He appeared to them again?
How do you feel about Jesus giving Thomas another chance and allowing him to touch His body and wounds? Have you had times in your life where you wavered in faith, but God gave you more evidence and another chance? Why do you think that was?
How can a person believe without seeing? Have you had a time in your life where you needed to exercise that kind of faith?
Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God? Has the study of John’s writing helped you strengthen that faith? How?

My prayer is:
That, when times are difficult and my faith starts to waver, I would find strength in fellowship with other believers;
That my faith would grow and develop so that I would not need to see everything to believe it, however, I would rejoice and give thanks when God does give me substantial evidence for my faith;
And that I would truly believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that I would have life in His name.

Who went to the tomb early on the first day of the week?
What did she see there?
How did she react? Who did she run to?
What did Mary think had happened?
Who of the two disciples got to the tomb first?
What did he see? How far did he go?
Where did Peter go?
How were the grave cloths arranged?
When the other disciple finally went into the tomb, how did he react?
What did they not yet understand from Scripture?
How was Mary feeling about all of this?
Who did Mary see? Where were they standing?
What question did they ask her? What was her answer?
Who did she see when she had said this? Did she know who He was?
What two questions did Jesus ask?
Who did Mary think He was? What did she tell him?
When Mary recognized Jesus, what did she call Him?
What did Jesus tell Mary not to do? What did He tell her to do?
What did she do?

Thought Questions

Why do you think Mary Magdalene was first at Jesus’ tomb? See Luke 7:47.
How would you have responded if you saw the tomb empty?
What do Peter and the other disciple’s actions when they arrived at the empty tomb tell you about them?
Who was the other disciple “who Jesus loved”? See John 21:20-24
Why do you think Jesus folded his grave cloths? Was He, the creator of the universe, an organized and tidy Person?
Is it likely that, if the tomb was empty as a result of grave robbery, the robbers would fold the cloths so nicely?
What did the other disciple (John) believe (verse 8), and why?
Why didn’t the disciples understand the concept of the Resurrection from the scriptures yet? Would things have been easier for them if they had understood? Are there things you don’t think you understand from the scriptures yet? Why not?
Why don’t you think Mary recognized the two angels or Jesus?
Do you think there are times when angels are around us, but we don’t recognize them? Why not? Have your eyes, and heart, ever been so filled with tears that you didn’t recognize the angels around you?
What do you think caused Mary to recognize Jesus? What could cause us to recognize Him?
What did Mary do after her encounter with Jesus? What does that tell us about witnessing to others?
Have you had an experience that, like Mary, caused you to want to immediately go and tell others how you have encountered Christ?

My prayer is:
That I would have faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead;
That I would be able to recognize those which God has placed around me to help me recognize and understand Him;
And that I, like Mary, would have a yearning to go back and tell others that I have found Him.

Who was carrying Jesus’ cross at this point?
Where did they go?
Who was crucified around Him? Where was Jesus put?
What was the title Pilate wrote on the cross?
How many people were able to read this sign? Why?
What did the chief priests want Pilate to write instead?
What was his response?
Who took Jesus’ clothes?
How many parts did they divide His pieces of clothing into?
Which item could they not divide? How did they solve the problem?
Which prophecy did this fulfill?
Which women were standing by the cross?
Which disciple was also standing by?
Which of the women did Jesus give to the disciple as a “son”?
What did the disciple do as a result?
What were the things that Jesus knew were happening at that time?
What did He say?
What did they find a vessel of nearby? What did they put it on to give to Him?
What did He say after that? What happened?
What day was it?
What was the law about bodies and the Sabbath?
What were they planning to do to make sure the people on crosses were dead?
Whose legs did they break? Whose did they not break? Why?
What did one of the soldiers do to Jesus instead? What happened?
What does John interject here? Why does he write this?
What two Scriptures were fulfilled at this time?
Who asked for Jesus’ body? Who did he ask?
Why was Joseph a disciple in secret?
Who else came to prepare Jesus’ body? What did he bring?
What was the method for preparation?
Where was Jesus’ tomb? Why did they take Him there?

Thought Questions

Why do you think Pilate wrote the title that he did? How do his thoughts compare to the chief priests of the Jews?
Read verse 20. Since so many people saw Jesus on the cross and read the title Pilate had written, try to imagine the people’s reaction when they saw Him. How about the people who had seen Him healing others, or even who had been healed by Him?
What was the purpose of the prophecy in verses 23-24 and its fulfillment? Would it be difficult to fulfill so specific of a prophecy without God’s intervention?
Was Jesus thoughtful and welcoming of women? Did He ever have a degrading word or action toward any woman? What does the presence of these women at the foot of His cross tell you about their relationship with Him?
How do you imagine Jesus treated His mother? What responsibility do we have toward our parents’ welfare?
How do verses 25-27 dispel the myth that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene?
Do you think the first part of verse 28 is related to the second?
Is there significance to the sour wine (vinegar)?
How do you think Jesus died? Was it from the abuse, the cross, or something else?
Again, the Jews were primarily concerned with their ways of keeping the Sabbath–in the situation described in verse 31, what does that tell you?
What do you think is the significance of the blood and water?
Read John’s interjection in verse 35. Do you think his testimony is valid? What is he trying to get across?
Are there instances where it is an advantage to be a disciple of Christ secretly, for fear of authorities? Do you think Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus would have been more or less effective if they had made public their belief in Jesus at that time?
Compare Nicodemus’ offering to Christ and Mary’s in ch. 12:3-8.

My prayer is:
That I would daily spend time looking up at the cross, reading in my mind the sign,”Jesus, King of the Jews,” and be convinced that Jesus is also my King, and that the pain He went through was for my sake.