Saturday
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
(John 20:19-23, NIV)
In light of the tumultuous events that followed the quiet evening meal in the Upper Room, during which Jesus describes the necessity and significance of his crucifixion as we noted yesterday, it is not surprising that the disciples hide in fear. Their leader has been betrayed by the treasurer of their close group of twelve, arrested by a mob of Jewish religious leaders and temple guards, charged with false accusations before the High Priest, dragged before the Roman governor Pilate, and cruelly executed by hanging from a cross, a brutal form of execution mostly used for political revolutionaries. Although most of the disciples had fled the Garden of Gethsemane and remained in seclusion, at least one of the twelve (John) saw their leader hanging on the cross (John 19:26). Were these three wasted years? What went wrong with their plans? Why didn’t Jesus exploit the opportunity given to him during the triumphal entry into Jerusalem? Questions like these must have plagued the disciples during the lonely hours of their seclusion.
Today’s verses record Jesus’ exciting first encounter with his disciples after his resurrection. Can you imagine their joy when Mary’s message of his resurrection is confirmed by his remarkable appearance? John tells us that the disciples are “overjoyed,” although Luke observes that they are frightened because they think he is a “ghost” (24:37).
The initial words of Jesus at this historic meeting are much more than casual words of greeting. “Peace be with you,” and then again Jesus repeats these words. After showing his followers his wounds, Jesus breathes on them – symbolizing the Holy Spirit, or the “breath of God.” What he had promised in the Upper Room, Jesus gives to them that night in anticipation of Pentecost, fifty days later when he pours out his Spirit in ways that his disciples never expected. The “Prince of Peace” fulfills the mission to which he was called by God. He secures “the victory” of the cross (I Corinthians 15:54-57) and equips his disciples with the power of the Holy Spirit to be messengers of the gospel of shalom.
Prayer
Almighty God, who offered the gift of your Son’s life for our sins, we praise you. We thank you for the testimony of Jesus’ perfect life and his willingness to die so we can live. Teach us to recognize the enabling power of your Holy Spirit, which equips us to be proclaimers and doers of the good news of Jesus Christ. Amen.