And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
On the evening of his resurrection day the disciples and others were gathered in the upper chamber with doors shut for fear, telling of his appearances, when he himself suddenly stood in their midst with hands raised in blessing and greeted them with peace. They were startled and frightened as if seeing a spirit, but they knew his voice and countenance, and he proved himself the crucified one risen bodily by showing the wounds in his hands and feet and side and by eating before them. He had that same day ascended to his Father to learn his sacrifice was accepted and to receive power, and his uncorrupted body, empty tomb, exposition of Moses and the prophets, and testimony of risen saints overturn the lie of theft and assure the resurrection of those who sleep in him. His peace is the gospel of salvation, that burdened and fearful sinners have peace with God because he alone has taken away sin, defeated death, and gives remission and sanctification to all who repent, believe, and follow him. As teacher he opened the Scriptures to show himself the promised Messiah, sent them as witnesses of his life, death, resurrection and fulfilled prophecy to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations with the Spirit's power, and he still stands among believers in worship and in Sabbath-keeping homes to turn fear and doubt into faith and joy.
Appearance in Upper Chamber
On the evening of the resurrection day the eleven and others with them were assembled in Jerusalem in the upper chamber house with doors shut and barred for fear, talking over the reports of the resurrection while the two returned from Emmaus told how He had walked with them and opened the Scriptures, and while some still could not believe the women's report that He had risen. He Himself came into that gathering soon after the Emmaus walkers hurried back to tell that they had found Jesus, revealing Himself to them as the risen Christ in a joyful time they hardly believed. He appeared there twice and told them to remain in Jerusalem for a time.
While they thus spake He Himself suddenly stood in the midst of them, though no one heard the door open and no knock or entry was heard and no one could tell how He came. He stood among them raising His hands in blessing and greeting them with peace, and His presence began to replace their doubt and fear with faith and joy and reassurance in their fear and uncertainty. Startled, they were frightened because they thought they saw a spirit.
Every eye turned to the stranger standing before them, and then they heard the familiar, clear and distinct voice of their Master speaking, Peace be unto you. They recognized Him by that voice meeting their fear and confusion, and those who had not seen Him before recognized Him by His divine countenance. They recognized Him also as the account continues by seeing and touching His wounded hands and feet, and some worshiped Him.
Bodily Risen Saviour Proved
The greeting stands as proof that the one in their midst is alive after death, a living Saviour who has broken the bands of death and risen as a triumphant conqueror. He is not a spirit, but the crucified Christ risen bodily, and he removes their fright by showing the wound marks of crucifixion in his hands and feet and side. Those marks are recognized even by those who had not seen him before, for his divine countenance and wounded hands and feet identify him and move some to worship. The proof is completed by food, for he asks for something to eat and then eats bread and honeycomb and drinks before them. His voice also identifies him, familiar and clear amid their fear and confusion in the barred room.
He could invite such close handling because he had already ascended that same day to his Father to learn that his sacrifice was accepted and to receive power, and having ascended and received power he then returned and allowed the disciples to touch him.
That appearance belongs to a day of abundant, certain evidence that his body had not decayed or seen corruption but was alive, seen and talked with. On that same day he had already joined two disciples on the way to Emmaus and opened to them in Moses and all the prophets the things concerning himself. Early on the first day of the week the tomb had been found empty, with the shroud and the head napkin left behind without the body, and the testimony of the risen saints was added to the witness of those who saw and talked with him. This decided triumph contradicts the hired lie that the body was stolen and establishes Christianity on evidence that cannot be overturned or controverted. It makes the witnesses calm and joyful and triumphant in declaring that Christ has risen, and it assures that those who sleep in Jesus will also be raised to glorious immortality.
Peace, Witness and Presence
The greeting of peace belongs to a wonderful chapter showing that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save the sinful race, and it repeats the peace on earth and goodwill announced at the first advent. It marks the gospel as one of peace and salvation through repentance and the Saviour's power for remission of sins. To burdened souls troubled by doubt and fear, the risen one brings peace with God because as Mediator He alone has taken away sin, redeemed and ransomed sinners, and defeated death. When He speaks peace and points to His hands, He means look to Him alone, for salvation rests on His work and not on human effort. Everyone who repents and is converted will receive the gift of salvation made possible because the Saviour suffered the penalty of death, and all who come to the Father through faith, laying hold of the Saviour by faith and following His example, receive assurance of forgiveness and are sanctified through belief of the truth, with true faith shown in a holy life that serves others and uses possessions to help others.
He continued after the resurrection the work He did on earth as educator and teacher, opening to the assembled disciples the Scriptures concerning Himself and binding their hearts with holy, new and sacred hope and joy. He did not seek to awaken faith in Himself as the promised Redeemer by pointing to the mighty works He had done, but went back to Moses and the prophets. That exposition proves the Old Testament to be the sure word of prophecy that alone unlocks the New Testament Scriptures and reveals Jesus Christ of the gospel as the Son of God, the long-expected Messiah. As witnesses of His life of self-sacrifice, His death, His resurrection, and fulfilled prophecy and the harmony of prophecy, the disciples were to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name, beginning at Jerusalem. That message of mercy was committed to them for all nations, tongues and peoples to the farthest part of the habitable globe and to the uttermost part of the earth, with power after the Holy Spirit came upon them, and with His unfailing presence and assurance that He would be with them always even to the end and never forsake them as they labor in faith and confidence, freely receiving all who come confessing sins that all who will may be reconciled to God and have everlasting life.
The same risen one who suddenly stood among the assembled disciples raising His hands in blessing still stands among believers when they meet in worship. When families welcome the Sabbath together in reading and prayer there can come an awareness of Jesus' presence and of God's presence, feeling very near as if He could be touched, with light from heaven's open gates where the ascended Saviour intercedes. By the Holy Spirit that presence softens and subdues hearts and fills the blessing to overflowing. The blessing must be cherished, held fast and pressed forward rather than treated lightly, received by searching the heart and inviting Him into the home with faith. So fear and uncertainty, sorrow and surprise, doubt and unbelief are replaced by reassurance, faith and joy, comfort and gladness.
On the evening of his resurrection day the disciples and others were gathered in the upper chamber with doors shut for fear, telling of his appearances, when he himself suddenly stood in their midst with hands raised in blessing and greeted them with peace. They were startled and frightened as if seeing a spirit, but they knew his voice and countenance, and he proved himself the crucified one risen bodily by showing the wounds in his hands and feet and side and by eating before them. He had that same day ascended to his Father to learn his sacrifice was accepted and to receive power, and his uncorrupted body, empty tomb, exposition of Moses and the prophets, and testimony of risen saints overturn the lie of theft and assure the resurrection of those who sleep in him. His peace is the gospel of salvation, that burdened and fearful sinners have peace with God because he alone has taken away sin, defeated death, and gives remission and sanctification to all who repent, believe, and follow him. As teacher he opened the Scriptures to show himself the promised Messiah, sent them as witnesses of his life, death, resurrection and fulfilled prophecy to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations with the Spirit's power, and he still stands among believers in worship and in Sabbath-keeping homes to turn fear and doubt into faith and joy.
Appearance in Upper Chamber
On the evening of the resurrection day the eleven and others with them were assembled in Jerusalem in the upper chamber house with doors shut and barred for fear, talking over the reports of the resurrection while the two returned from Emmaus told how He had walked with them and opened the Scriptures, and while some still could not believe the women's report that He had risen. He Himself came into that gathering soon after the Emmaus walkers hurried back to tell that they had found Jesus, revealing Himself to them as the risen Christ in a joyful time they hardly believed. He appeared there twice and told them to remain in Jerusalem for a time.
While they thus spake He Himself suddenly stood in the midst of them, though no one heard the door open and no knock or entry was heard and no one could tell how He came. He stood among them raising His hands in blessing and greeting them with peace, and His presence began to replace their doubt and fear with faith and joy and reassurance in their fear and uncertainty. Startled, they were frightened because they thought they saw a spirit.
Every eye turned to the stranger standing before them, and then they heard the familiar, clear and distinct voice of their Master speaking, Peace be unto you. They recognized Him by that voice meeting their fear and confusion, and those who had not seen Him before recognized Him by His divine countenance. They recognized Him also as the account continues by seeing and touching His wounded hands and feet, and some worshiped Him.
Bodily Risen Saviour Proved
The greeting stands as proof that the one in their midst is alive after death, a living Saviour who has broken the bands of death and risen as a triumphant conqueror. He is not a spirit, but the crucified Christ risen bodily, and he removes their fright by showing the wound marks of crucifixion in his hands and feet and side. Those marks are recognized even by those who had not seen him before, for his divine countenance and wounded hands and feet identify him and move some to worship. The proof is completed by food, for he asks for something to eat and then eats bread and honeycomb and drinks before them. His voice also identifies him, familiar and clear amid their fear and confusion in the barred room.
He could invite such close handling because he had already ascended that same day to his Father to learn that his sacrifice was accepted and to receive power, and having ascended and received power he then returned and allowed the disciples to touch him.
That appearance belongs to a day of abundant, certain evidence that his body had not decayed or seen corruption but was alive, seen and talked with. On that same day he had already joined two disciples on the way to Emmaus and opened to them in Moses and all the prophets the things concerning himself. Early on the first day of the week the tomb had been found empty, with the shroud and the head napkin left behind without the body, and the testimony of the risen saints was added to the witness of those who saw and talked with him. This decided triumph contradicts the hired lie that the body was stolen and establishes Christianity on evidence that cannot be overturned or controverted. It makes the witnesses calm and joyful and triumphant in declaring that Christ has risen, and it assures that those who sleep in Jesus will also be raised to glorious immortality.
Peace, Witness and Presence
The greeting of peace belongs to a wonderful chapter showing that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son to save the sinful race, and it repeats the peace on earth and goodwill announced at the first advent. It marks the gospel as one of peace and salvation through repentance and the Saviour's power for remission of sins. To burdened souls troubled by doubt and fear, the risen one brings peace with God because as Mediator He alone has taken away sin, redeemed and ransomed sinners, and defeated death. When He speaks peace and points to His hands, He means look to Him alone, for salvation rests on His work and not on human effort. Everyone who repents and is converted will receive the gift of salvation made possible because the Saviour suffered the penalty of death, and all who come to the Father through faith, laying hold of the Saviour by faith and following His example, receive assurance of forgiveness and are sanctified through belief of the truth, with true faith shown in a holy life that serves others and uses possessions to help others.
He continued after the resurrection the work He did on earth as educator and teacher, opening to the assembled disciples the Scriptures concerning Himself and binding their hearts with holy, new and sacred hope and joy. He did not seek to awaken faith in Himself as the promised Redeemer by pointing to the mighty works He had done, but went back to Moses and the prophets. That exposition proves the Old Testament to be the sure word of prophecy that alone unlocks the New Testament Scriptures and reveals Jesus Christ of the gospel as the Son of God, the long-expected Messiah. As witnesses of His life of self-sacrifice, His death, His resurrection, and fulfilled prophecy and the harmony of prophecy, the disciples were to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name, beginning at Jerusalem. That message of mercy was committed to them for all nations, tongues and peoples to the farthest part of the habitable globe and to the uttermost part of the earth, with power after the Holy Spirit came upon them, and with His unfailing presence and assurance that He would be with them always even to the end and never forsake them as they labor in faith and confidence, freely receiving all who come confessing sins that all who will may be reconciled to God and have everlasting life.
The same risen one who suddenly stood among the assembled disciples raising His hands in blessing still stands among believers when they meet in worship. When families welcome the Sabbath together in reading and prayer there can come an awareness of Jesus' presence and of God's presence, feeling very near as if He could be touched, with light from heaven's open gates where the ascended Saviour intercedes. By the Holy Spirit that presence softens and subdues hearts and fills the blessing to overflowing. The blessing must be cherished, held fast and pressed forward rather than treated lightly, received by searching the heart and inviting Him into the home with faith. So fear and uncertainty, sorrow and surprise, doubt and unbelief are replaced by reassurance, faith and joy, comfort and gladness.