John 20.19-31
Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia!
The women did their job. They told the disciples that Jesus was not in the tomb, that He had risen. Peter and John raced there to find it just as the women had told them. John stoops down to look inside the tomb. Peter goes inside sees the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself (John 20:6-7), left as a sign that this was not theft or grave robbery. They leave the tomb and later that evening they are with the other disciples—except Thomas. John tells the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews. The Jews knew that Jesus’ body wasn’t in the tomb. Their guards, who had seen the angel roll the stone away and became like dead mean at the sight, related all this to the Sanhedrin, who in turn, paid them handsomely to dishonor themselves and tell people Jesus’ disciples came at night, while they were sleeping, and stole Jesus’ body. Who knew what the Jews would do next to cover the lie. Would they come after Jesus’ disciples next? The disciples, fearing the Jews and what they could do to them, gather together and shut the doors.
Shut doors may deter the Jews. They won’t deter Jesus. Passing through a door is no issue for Him now that He has laid aside the form of a servant—His humility—and already that same day passed through the stone which shut Him in the tomb. He stands in the midst of the disciples, doors still shut, using His divine power freely—yet still for the purpose of encouraging His disciples. He stands in the midst of the ten disciples—one whom publicly denied even knowing Him three times—all of them having deserted Him in the Garden of Gethsemane when they saw He wasn’t going to defend Himself. We aren’t told why Thomas isn’t with them. Judas isn’t there because he’s dead, having hanged himself in despair, unwilling to believe God could forgive Him for betraying Christ. This band of men are roughed up by their sins, by their doubts, and by their fear of the Jews. Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Peace was what they needed. Peace is what Jesus gave them. Though all of them had deserted Jesus in the Garden, He speaks peace to them, not hold their weakness against them, but forgiving their cowardice and lack of faith. Though Peter had publicly denied Him three times, He announces peace to Peter, for having wept bitterly in repentance for His public denial, Jesus wants to him to understand that Jesus lives to forgive sins and justify believers—even him. Though they fear what the Jews might do to them, He speaks peace to them, for by living Jesus proves the Jews’ story to be a lie, so that whatever the Jews rage and plot against them, it’s all in vain. Even if the Jews—or anyone else for that matter—do manage to harm them, even kill them—they have peace that comes from knowing that if Jesus lives, they too, will live with Jesus. Jesus lives to forgive sins, beginning with His disciples. Christ—the Son of the living God—has no wrath against them, but forgives them freely and willingly, for He stands in their midst and tells them, “Peace be with you.” He shows them His hands and His side as proof that it is Him and not some phantasm or apparition, but more so, His wounds are the reason He can speak peace to them. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed” (Is. 53:5). Seeing His hands and feet, that it is really Him, and that He is really alive, they rejoice.
But Jesus gives them more. He tells them again, “Peace to you,” but now adds, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you. And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” With these words Jesus institutes the Holy Ministry—an office which has the duties of forgiving the sins. What Jesus gave to the penitent, fearful disciples, He wants given to all people, because He died for the sins of all mankind. He earned perfect forgiveness by His sufferings and death and the cross and wants all people to enjoy the righteousness, innocence and blessedness He eared for them. So He institutes an office whose duty is it to give out this gift.
But the apostles aren’t to give the gift earned to just anyone. They are to forgive the penitent. The Lord said in Isaiah 66:2, “But on this one will I look: On him who is poor and of a contrite spirit, And who trembles at My word.” He says in Psalm 147:3, “He heals the brokenhearted And binds up their wounds.” In Luke 24:27, at another of His appearances to the disciples between His resurrection and ascension, He will tell them, “Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Just as Christ Himself had preached, “Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1:15), so His apostles and those who follow them in this holy office, are to preach repentance of sin and then pronounce forgiveness on the penitent. When they speak, it will be Christ who is speaking through them, for He had promised them in Luke 10:16, “He who hears you hears Me.” And what do they hear? Forgiveness of every sin and peace with God.
But the office which He gives the apostles also includes the duty of retaining sins of those who do not repent, or whose repentance is hypocritical. Those who aren’t sorry for their sin, those who intend to continue in their sin, those who want to coddle their sin and enjoy both it and the benefits of Christ are to be told, “Your sins are not forgiven, but the wrath of God remains on you until you repent and desire to amend your sinful life. Here there can be no peace spoken because there is still hostility and enmity towards God’s will. Jesus only speaks to peace to those who are sorry they have disrupted that peace, admit it, and want to do better. Even the retaining of sins serves the purpose of showing people the severity of their sins and the need for repentance, so that they might understand this and repent. It is as the Lord tells the exiles in Babylon through the prophet Ezekiel, “Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord GOD. Therefore turn and live!” (Ezek 18:31-32).
This office, which forgives and retains sins, continues on in the church and will continue until Christ returns. For having ascended, He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers (Eph. 4:11) to do the work of the ministry. He gives some to His church as ministers so that all people mighty hear the living voice of the gospel in their ears. Jesus wants to unburden those who are burdened with the guilt of their sin, frustrated at their human weakness, and want to be free of sin and its guilt. Jesus wants the forgiveness of sins—which He earned by His sufferings and death on the cross—to be give to all people. But it is only given to those who hear His gospel, repent of their sins, and believe His promise to forgive the sins of all who flee to Him for mercy and take refuge in His holy wounds. Jesus wants you to hear the living voice of the gospel, so He gives His word of gospel to living men to speak it, so that you do not doubt that by those words, although spoken by a mere man, your sins are forgiven by Christ who sent that man.
But we haven’t talked about Thomas yet. Thomas doesn’t hear this but receives this same office the next week. Jesus overcomes His unbelief by appearing to the disciples once again and showing Thomas His hands and feet, so that He stop unbelieving and believe He is risen instead. Even this is for the encouragement of our faith. Thomas—and all the disciples—needed to see Jesus in order to believe His resurrection. But Jesus pronounces those who believe without seeing to be blessed. Blessed are those who will hear these men’s testimony, their living voice, and the living voice of those whom God gives to the church after them. Blessed are you when you hear and believe that Christ is risen from the dead. Blessed are you when you hear and believe that your sins are forgiven before God in heaven, for the two words are related. Jesus lives, and He lives to reign, and justify believers. Blessed are you, for Christ is alive evermore to speak the peace of forgiveness to you through His ministry. Amen.
May the peace of God which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
