The Breath of God

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

THE BREATH OF GOD

John 20:19-23

19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"  20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."  22 And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven." 

NIV

There is great doubt with our scholars regarding this appearance of Jesus within this room where the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. There is agreement about the fear of the disciples. When Jesus having been falsely charged by the Jews and conspired to have Pilate crucify Jesus, it would be natural they thought they could be next. The controversy which exists is about the door, whether it was merely shut or shut and locked or locked and barricaded. The reason for this doubt of being lock is the appearance of Jesus. If the door was just closed, then no miraculous appearance would be needed as he would have simply opened the door and entered. The Greek does not give us any clues as to if the door was locked. The Greek word does imply shut up. So it is possible Jesus just opened the door and entered. But we have to consider if the disciples were that fearful of the Jews, simply being in a room behind a closed door which anyone could open did not give them much protection from being found and arrested. These same scholars discount the disappearance from the men he meant on the road to Emmaus when after spending time with them and eating with them and then after he broke the bread, they recognized it was Jesus, he vanished from their sight. In that account which Luke records, but John does not, the Greek words mean to cause to be invisible. Yet those same scholars imply that in the confusion and surprise of these two men, Jesus took the opportunity to get up and leave without their noticing. Why do intelligent men, supposed to be scholars refuse to accept a miracle? The door was locked and maybe double locked. Fear brings out the best effects to hide securely so as to not to be easily apprehended. So we are of the belief Jesus miraculously appeared as he was in the glorified state, able to appear or disappear at will. He was no longer bound in a purely physical body, he is divine, and it was in this glorified body he ascended through the air, as floating upward until disappearing in the clouds as he went back to heaven. So he just appeared in the room with the door still shut and locked and maybe even barricaded. His words are straight forward, “Peace be with you”. This is the peace of Christ that still rests on us. Some churches take the opportunity to call the time of greeting one another, as the time of passing the peace. This is what we should all being doing all the time, is passing the peace of Christ to one another throughout our life. This would then put to rest any other feelings which are of a negative nature toward each other. The truth regarding having the peace of Christ and being able to share his peace with others is seen in what Jesus does to his disciples in this room. He breathed on them and told them to receive the Holy Spirit. He preceded saying that by telling them that as the Father sent him, he was sending them. That also means he is sending us. We would say that was just for the disciples, but we know it is for all believers from many other passages. He may have been sending them out to share the same truth he had been teaching and he was given them the same authority he has through the influence of the Holy Spirit. He was giving them authority to forgive sin. First, we should consider this breathing on them and telling them to receive the Holy Spirit. Is that the time they were given the Spirit rather on the Day of Pentecost? But the point here is that he breathed on them. It is in the same manner God breathed life into Adam. Jesus breathes the life of the Spirit into his disciples and this is what happens to us when we receive the Holy Spirit, which some call being baptized in the Spirit. Jesus breathes the life of the Spirit into our inner being. He is the influence of God within us. This comes back that that Greek word Charis, which is translated as grace. It carries the meaning of the divine influence upon our heart and how that is reflected in our lives. Within the context of this passage, we have to believe Jesus has given us the influence to not just live in peace with each other but to pronounce this peace unto others. To be at peace with God and to be at peace with each other, because Jesus has breathed on us. So then we forgive others, we hold no grudge, we hold no contempt, we hold no bitterness, or ill-feelings at all against anyone, for we forgive them their sin. Jesus said that if we forgive we will be forgiven but is we do not forgive we will not be forgiven.

Matt 6:14-15

14 For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

NIV

It is clear in this context Jesus was saying the same thing, bring peace and forgiveness to all others. That is the authority we have because Jesus has breathed the Spirit within us. We have the breath of God.