The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 469

Vers. 19-23.-Thefirst appearance of Jesu, to his disciples. He meets with them on the evening of the day on which he rose from the dead. l THE DISCIPLES WEnE G..lTHEnED TOGETHER FOB THE MEMORABLE INTERVIEW. 1. Mary's message lUJ.d evidently brought them together. 2. Their new hopefulness must have inclined tl,cm to rcswme their old collective life. 8. The meeting-place may li.ave been in •· tlie "'PJJel' room." (Acts i. 18.) 4. It was a secret assembly, for the doors were shut "for fear of the Jews." The 111mours of our Lord's resurrection, going abroad among the Jew.son that eventful day, suggested the possibility or the fear of an attack upon the disciples. II. TrrE APPEARANCE OF JESUS 'l'O HIS DISCIPLES. II Jesus came and stood in the midst, and saith to them, Peace be unto you!" 1. Bis appearance, while the doors 'IJ!ere sliut, showed that l,e was not now subject to the ol,d comlitioos of material eaiistence. 2. His first words are the blessedly fami1iai· words of his last ·address on the night pre;,. ceding his death. Tbey suggest (1) more than the usual mode of Jewish salutation; (2) that lie had by bis death secured peace for them; and (3) was now come to breathe it into their souls. "He c:ime and preached peace." 3. He gave them visi"ble evidence of l,is identity. ".And when he bad so said, he showed unto them his hands and bis side." (1) He satisfies their senses. It was essentially necessary that the first disciples should be convinced of the fact of his resurrection. (2) His act implies that we are not entitled t.o disregard the evidence of our senses. Therefore we are justified in rejecting the Romish doctrine of transubstantiation : it is quite opposed to the evidence of the senses. 4. The effect of this evidence. "Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord." (1) Their terror is changed into joy. (2) At first" they believed not for joy" (Luke xxiv. 41). But now it is the joy .of settled convietion. (3) There was in their joy all the latitude of the largest hopes that conld gather round the Person of their Lord. III. Oun. LORD'S B.El!lEWAL TO HIS DlSOIPLES OF HIB ORIGllil'AL COMMISSION. "Peace be unto you: as my Father bath sent me, even so send I you.n 1. He a68Wl'es them. of peu~ in co1mection with their future apostolic labouN. The peace of reconciliation which they are to carry to the world must have its reflex in th1ir own hearts. 2. He confers on tl,em tl,e offi~ of minutry as the effect of his d,,ath. 8. .After ronferring the office, he CDnveys the gift. "And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith to them, Becei ve ye the Holy Spirit. Whosesoever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose.soever sins ye retain, they a.re retained.." (1) This bestowal of the Holy Spirit ws.s an earnest of the fuller Pentecostal effusion. (2) The gifts of the Spirit emanate from the Son s.s well as the Father. (8) The powers of remission and retaining sin' do not warrant the Roman claim of absolution in the hands of a priesthood, for the follow_. ing reasons. (a) The powers here given are not given to the apostles only, but to the whole body of the disciples (Luke xriv. 33). (b) The Old Testament priests bad no i,cwcr c.,f abs0lution. They mu.de atonement for sin through sacrifice, but they never cJT. xx. 1-31.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. ,JOHN. 481