In the evening of the day of Jesus’ resurrection, the disciples are together, except for Thomas, huddled behind locked doors, hoping they won’t be arrested by the Jewish authorities. (John 20:19ff)
Suddenly Jesus is in the room! And he says, “Peace be with you,” or “Shalom.” But this common greeting takes on a whole new meaning on this night. Not only were the disciples afraid of the religious police, but now they think they have a ghost in the room.
Luke tells the story with a little more detail: “They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.”
And if this wasn’t enough proof of Jesus’ physical presence, he had a bite to eat in front of them. “And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.” (Luke 24:37-43)
The disciples’ fear turned to joy in an instant. Then instead of Jesus giving them advice on how to survive this next phase of their lives, he gives them a job, a big job: “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.”
In other words, “As I was sent by the Father to speak his words and do his works, and to have his life in me, I now send you to speak my words, do my works, and to have my life in you.”
Now this can’t be done by mere human effort. That’s why the Holy Spirit was given. The Greek word for “breathed” here is the same word used in the Greek Old Testament for God breathing life in to Adam, which turned a body made of dirt into a living being. (Genesis 2:7)
But what about this forgiveness and unforgiveness mandate? I think Luke’s account of this scene helps us understand this better, “…and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” (Luke 24:47)
Through their testimony all would learn of their standing with their Creator, and of the free gift of righteousness given through his Son. And the nations’ rightness with God will depend on their acceptance or rejection of their message. That’s a big mandate. But as Jesus later told them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go…” (Matthew 28:18), they had all they needed to fulfill their calling.
Even Thomas, who was absent in this encounter, became convinced a week later when Jesus again appeared and offered his wounds as proof of his resurrection. Thomas later traveled with his commission to southern India where he was martyred, but not before he led many to Christ and planted a Christian community that still exists today.
Jesus takes his followers from fear and salvaging what they had left of their lives to sending them to the world with his authority and life. We have the same mission, and Jesus even calls us more blessed than these men, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
“Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” (v.30)
So what’s the purpose of this whole wonderful story? That we might have life in his name. Life after death? Yes, and more than that. Social change? Yes, more than that. We can have the trans formative life of Jesus now, in this life. Why? Because he gave us the eternal kind of life that begins the instant we accept his call to turn around and follow him.
“He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1John 5:12)
