Institute for Creation Research

John 20:19

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.

20

And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.

21

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

22

And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:

23

Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

24

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

25

The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.

26

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

27

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing.

28

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

29

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

John 20:20

20:20 his side. The wounds of the crucifixion will always remain in His body, even though it is now not subject to pain or death. Likewise, our own resurrection bodies will still be recognizable (note Philippians 3:21).

John 20:20

20:20 saw the Lord. Some others had already seen Him by now, in addition to Mary Magdalene. These included the women (Matthew 28:9), Peter (I Corinthians 15:5), and the two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).

John 20:21

20:21 so send I you. This is the first outline of Christ’s great commission to evangelize the world. It was later amplified further, probably in the following order: Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-49; Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:4-8.

John 20:22

20:22 the Holy Ghost. Breathing on them was a symbolic act. As in the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit could already have come on the disciples for specific ministries, but Christ had promised He would soon indwell them permanently (John 14:16-17). The command now to “receive ye the Holy Spirit” is imperative and must be carried out at the proper time. However, Christ also told them to tarry in Jerusalem until then (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4,8). The promise was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).

John 20:23

20:23 remitted unto them. Only Christ can remit sins, and He does so on the basis of saving faith in Himself. The disciples, however, were given authority to recognize such faith, and then to give assurance to new believers. The authorization, as evident from the tenses in the Greek, should actually read: “Whose soever sins ye remit, they shall have been remitted unto them.”

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