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.” 20 When he had
said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples
were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace
be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are
forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples. In every New
Testament account of his appearance, he commissions his disciples to
carry on the ministry that he began during his time here on earth.
Throughout this age, he continues his work in the world through his
people.
The disciples, and all other Christians, are given a message of peace.
As they have found peace with God, so they must take this message of
peace to other people in the world.
Jesus sends out all of his followers as he had been sent. Just as
Jesus obeyed the Father, so Jesus’ followers are to obey all of his
commands. Jesus was sent from heaven to earth to bring the message of
salvation to men. His followers, though they are no longer a part of
the world in an important sense, are sent back into the world to bring
it the message of salvation. Jesus, the Son of God, had the fullness
of the Holy Spirit resting upon him throughout his ministry.
Likewise, the followers of Jesus are called the children of God, and
they have the Holy Spirit living within them. The picture is one in
which Jesus sends his followers as his representatives to a lost
world.
