Several times in the Gospel, John makes a statement or uses a word which can be understood in more than one way. Often times this appears to be purposeful as both meanings are correct. For example when talking to Nicodemus Jesus says a person must be born "ἄνωθεν" which means either above or again and those who become children of God (1:12) are born again from above.

In reporting the events of the resurrection, John states Mary Magdalene got Peter and another disciple (whom Jesus loved ἐφίλει) and they ran to the empty tomb:

> 
> 1Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved (ἐφίλει), and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead  
> 
>  (John 20:1-9 ESV)
> 
> 
> 

The immediate assumption is the disciple whom Jesus loved (ἐφίλει) saw and believed Jesus had risen from the dead. However, the reason he ran to the tomb was Mary Magdalene's report that the body had been removed by others. This disciple is expecting to find an empty tomb because "they" had removed the body of Jesus and taken it somewhere. He finds an empty tomb, discarded linen cloths, and folded face cloth. In other words, the dead body was removed and the burial clothes were left behind, exactly as Mary stated.

The narrative ends with the statement, "For **as yet** they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead." Is John saying the disciple whom Jesus loved (ἐφίλει) believed Mary Magdalene's report the body had been stolen?