The second section describes Jesus' appearances to his disciples, while the final two verses relate why the author wrote this gospel.

[5] The first section can also be subdivided between the examination of the tomb by Peter and the Beloved Disciple and Christ's appearance to Mary.

For the editors of the New American Bible Revised Edition, this chapter "fulfills the basic need for testimony to the resurrection", which it does via "a series of stories".

One source originally contained verses 1 and 11 to 18 and described Mary Magdalene's trip the tomb.

that the crucifixion is the climax of John's narrative and argues that this chapter is written as the dénouement and conclusion.