Misinterpretations of John 20:2 often include assuming Mary Magdalene recognized the resurrection immediately, whereas her alarmed report that 'they have taken away the Lord' clearly shows she believed the body was stolen, not risen; others erroneously cite her words to argue the disciples or enemies removed Jesus' body, disregarding the angel's announcement and empty grave clothes that pointed to resurrection; additionally, ignoring the plural 'we' overlooks the collective testimony of the women at the tomb, reducing it to solitary confusion rather than shared bewilderment.
John 20:2
King James Version (1769)
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.
John 20:2 depicts Mary Magdalene's urgent response to discovering the empty tomb, as she runs to tell Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved that the Lord's body has been taken away and its location unknown. This moment highlights the disciples' initial confusion and grief, mistaking the miraculous resurrection for theft, which underscores the transformative shock of the empty sepulchre and sets the stage for the unfolding evidence of Christ's victory over death through subsequent investigations and appearances.