John 20:19-23 (ESV)
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. And then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending 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 withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld."
How Should We Read the Text?
Here we see the disciples freaking out. They’re in a locked room, terrified about what might happen when they’re caught. Their Teacher has been executed only days ago, and they’re still reeling from shock and grief. Then, out of nowhere, Jesus simply shows up. He doesn’t knock or wait for the doors to be opened. He walks right through every barrier and greets them with, “Peace be with you.”
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In an instant, the atmosphere flips from trembling fear to overwhelming relief. The very One they’ve been mourning suddenly stands before them, telling them not to be afraid. He even shows them his hands and his side, so they know for sure that it’s really him—the crucified Savior who couldn’t be held by death. His scars aren’t hidden; they’re proof of his suffering and of his resurrection.
The disciples must have realized all at once that what Jesus had said about rising again was actually true. The locked doors didn’t keep him out; their fears didn’t stop him. He meets them exactly where they are—no matter how fortified that place might be.
It’s also powerful that Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” twice. The second time, it feels like more than a standard greeting. It’s as though he’s confirming that they truly do have peace with the Father now. His resurrection has given them forgiveness of sins, and this peace is the cosmic reality of being reconciled to God.
Another crucial point is Jesus breathing on them and saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” It echoes Genesis, where God breathed life into Adam. Here, God in Christ breathes new life into his disciples. It’s a moment that points toward Pentecost—this new creation inaugurated through Jesus’s death and resurrection. The old order is done; there’s a new world dawning, and true life only comes from him.
That’s how we should read this passage: as a transformative moment where Jesus, through his victory over death, begins a new creation in himself.
How Should the Text Read Us?
What does this mean for us, in our everyday struggles with fear and faith?
First, we’re reminded that we often lock the doors of our hearts. We get stuck in anxiety, feeling the world is against us. Yet Jesus slips through every barrier, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. For those who are called by him—those who are truly his—none of our locks can keep him out.
This reality should challenge us. We don’t really get to say, “I’m too scared” or “I’m too busy.” Jesus still shows up and speaks peace into our chaos. The question is whether we’re letting his peace truly change our hearts, or just nodding along while we remain overwhelmed by worry.
When Jesus says, “Peace be with you,” he’s declaring a deep, spiritual truth. The God who conquered death is on our side—so who can be against us? Even if we’re afraid of our circumstances or our relationships, we must remember that we have an eternal hope in Christ. That hope should reframe our anxieties and remind us that real peace with God changes everything.
The final part of this text reminds us we can’t have that peace apart from the Holy Spirit. It’s the Holy Spirit who resurrects our hearts in a spiritual sense, who makes real this new life we have through Christ. Jesus’s resurrection isn’t just a story—it’s a truth that means we are part of a new creation, shaped by his Spirit dwelling in us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for barging into our locked rooms and speaking peace over our restless hearts. Thank you that you don’t abandon us to our fears, but walk with us through them. Help us to soak in your peace so deeply that it shapes our lives and changes how we struggle in this world. May we see that we are part of the new creation you breathed into your disciples, and also into us through the Holy Spirit. Help us to live like the people you’ve sent, making choices and nurturing relationships that show we belong to you. We pray this in your mighty name.Amen.
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