JESUS COMMISSIONS HIS DISCIPLES

Passage: John 20:19-23

Key verse: 21

NIV

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders,(A) Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace(B) be with you!”(C) 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.(D) The disciples were overjoyed(E) when they saw the Lord.

21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!(F) As the Father has sent me,(G) I am sending you.”(H) 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.(I) 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”(J)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

19 (A)On the evening (B)of that day, the first day of the week, (C)the doors being locked where the disciples were (D)for fear of the Jews,[a] Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, (E)“Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, (F)he showed them his hands and his side. Then (G)the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As (H)the Father has sent me, (I)even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he (J)breathed on them and said to them, (K)“Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 (L)If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

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Footnotes
  1. John 20:19 Greek Ioudaioi probably refers here to Jewish religious leaders, and others under their influence, in that time
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. Jesus' hands and side (19-20)

After hearing that Jesus' body had been stolen, the disciples were full of fear. They sat together behind locked doors in a small room. They thought that the Jews who had killed Jesus were surely after them. Then, the Risen Jesus came through the locked doors and stood among them. He brought his peace. They could not believe that he was really Jesus. So, he showed them the evidence--his pierced hands and wounded side. 'He was pierced for our transgressions...by his wounds we are healed' (Isa 53:5).

2. As the Father has sent me (21-23)

Jesus had come to plant resurrection faith and real joy in their hearts. He had also come to give them a mission. He said, 'As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.' He was sending them to preach the kingdom of God. He was sending them with the good news of forgiveness of sins. He was sending them to live like little Jesuses in the world. But they would not be alone; his Spirit would be in them and with them.

Prayer: Lord, I believe you died and rose for my sins. Help me to live in the world as your missionary.

One Word: Jesus sends us to love and serve