The Meaning of John 20:6 Explained

John 20:6

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

YLT: Simon Peter, therefore, cometh, following him, and he entered into the tomb, and beholdeth the linen clothes lying,

Darby: Simon Peter therefore comes, following him, and entered into the tomb, and sees the linen cloths lying,

ASV: Simon Peter therefore also cometh, following him, and entered into the tomb; and he beholdeth the linen cloths lying,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does John 20:6 Mean?

Context Summary

John 20:1-10 - The Witness Of The Empty Tomb
In considering John's account of the Resurrection, we should remember that it is largely supplementary to the other narratives. This Gospel having been written long after those were in circulation, the selection of incidents which are recorded is made for spiritual purposes. John's object was to show various instances of faith in the risen Christ, each one being typical and having its own lessons to teach.
Easter morning! What dismay there is in Mary's voice and what consternation in her face! What a mistake also she made, for who can take our Lord away from hearts where He is enshrined! The Greek word used to describe the disposition of the clothes is very remarkable. It conveys the idea that they had fallen together, as if that which they had covered had been suddenly withdrawn.
How much those two disciples missed! Had they only waited, they might have seen the Lord. Do not hurry with wanton haste from the mysteries of our Lord's grave; but learn that on the one hand He was declared to be God's Son, Romans 1:4, and on the other we are taught the victory of faith even over death, John 11:26. [source]

Chapter Summary: John 20

1  Mary comes to the tomb;
3  so do Peter and John, ignorant of the resurrection
11  Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene,
19  and to his disciples
24  The incredulity and confession of Thomas
30  The Scripture is sufficient to salvation

Greek Commentary for John 20:6

Entered and beholdeth [εισηλτεν και τεωρει]
Aorist active and present active indicative. Peter impulsively went on in and beholds (τεωρει — theōrei vivid term again, but of careful notice, τεωρεω — theōreō not a mere glance βλεπω — blepō such as John gave in John 20:5). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for John 20:6

John 20:5 Seeth [βλέπει]
Simple sight. Compare the intent gaze of Peter ( θεωρεῖ ), John 20:6, which discovered the napkin, not seen by John. [source]
John 20:12 Beholdeth [τεωρει]
Vivid historical present again as in John 20:6, John 20:14. Peter and John had not seen the two angels. Westcott suggests an “economy” in such manifestations as the explanations. Better our own ignorance as to the reason why only the women saw them. Angels were commonly believed to be clad in white. See Mark 16:5 (a young man in a white robe), Matthew 28:5 (the angel), Luke 24:4 (two men in dazzling apparel). For other angels in John‘s Gospel see John 1:41; John 12:29; John 20:12. Had lain Imperfect in progressive sense, “had been lying,” though not there now. [source]
John 4:19 Sir [Κυριε]
So still. I perceive “I am beginning to perceive” from what you say, your knowledge of my private life (John 4:29). See John 2:23 for τεωρεω — theōreō which John‘s Gospel has 23 times, of bodily sight (John 20:6, John 20:14), of mental contemplation (John 12:45; John 14:17). See both τεωρεω — theōreō and οπτομαι — optomai in John 1:51; John 16:16. That thou art a prophet “That a prophet art thou” (emphasis on “thou”). She felt that this was the explanation of his knowledge of her life and she wanted to change the subject at once to the outstanding theological dispute. [source]
Acts 10:11 Corners [ἀρχαῖς]
Lit., beginnings; the extremity or corner, marking a beginning of the sheet. “We are to imagine the vessel, looking like a colossal four-cornered linen cloth letting itself down, while the corners attached to heaven to support the whole.” The word is used in this sense by Herodotus, describing the sacrifices of the Scythians. The victim's forefeet are bound with a cord, “and the person who is about to offer, taking his station behind the victim, pulls the end ( ἀρχὴν )of the rope, and thereby throws the animal down” (iv., 60). The suggestion of ropes holding the corners of the sheet (Alford, and, cautiously, Farrar) is unwarranted by the usage of the word. It was the technical expression in medical language for the ends of bandages. The word for sheet in this passage was also the technical term for a bandage, as was the kindred word ὀθόνιον , used of the linen bandages in which the Lord's body was swathed. See Luke 24:12; John 19:40; John 20:5, John 20:6, John 20:7. Mr. Hobart says: “We have thus in this passage a technical medical phrase - the ends of a bandage - used for the ends of a sheet, which hardly any one except a medical man would think of employing” (“Medical Language of St. Luke”). [source]

What do the individual words in John 20:6 mean?

Comes then also Simon Peter following him and he entered into the tomb sees the linen cloths lying [there]
Ἔρχεται οὖν καὶ Σίμων Πέτρος ἀκολουθῶν αὐτῷ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ μνημεῖον θεωρεῖ τὰ ὀθόνια κείμενα

Ἔρχεται  Comes 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Middle or Passive, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἔρχομαι  
Sense: to come.
καὶ  also 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: καί  
Sense: and, also, even, indeed, but.
Σίμων  Simon 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Σίμων  
Sense: Peter was one of the apostles.
Πέτρος  Peter 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: Πέτρος  
Sense: one of the twelve disciples of Jesus.
ἀκολουθῶν  following 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: ἀκολουθέω  
Sense: to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him.
εἰσῆλθεν  he  entered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
μνημεῖον  tomb 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: μνημεῖον  
Sense: any visible object for preserving or recalling the memory of any person or thing.
θεωρεῖ  sees 
Parse: Verb, Present Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: θεωρέω  
Sense: to be a spectator, look at, behold.
ὀθόνια  linen  cloths 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: ὀθόνιον  
Sense: a piece of linen, small linen cloth.
κείμενα  lying  [there] 
Parse: Verb, Present Participle Middle or Passive, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: κεῖμαι  
Sense: to lie.