Page 116 - The Gospel of John - Student textbook

presence on earth was temporary; before long, He would ascend to take His place in glory. Second, His
relationship with His followers would then change. Mary’s physical clinging would have to give way to another
kind of bond, a relationship of faith.

Reduced to its bare essence, Jesus’ rebuke consisted of three imperative verbs, three commands. “Stop
clinging…go…say…” (20:17). Her immediate response to His command: obedience. She did exactly as she was
told.

18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He
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had said to her. In the evening of that first day of the week, the disciples were [gathered together] with the
doors locked because of their fear of the Jews. Then Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace
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to you!” Having said this, He showed them His hands and His side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw
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the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” After
saying this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

Once the disciples joy replaced their fear – which fulfilled the Lord’s promise in the upper room (14:27) – He
recommissioned them to fulfill God’s great plan of redemption (17:18). Jesus then reaffirmed His earlier promise
of the Holy Spirit (14:26; 15:26; 16:13; see also Jeremiah 31:31 – 34; Ezekiel 37:14; Joel 2:28 – 32). He illustrated
His promise of the coming Holy Spirit by breathing on the disciples, recalling the act of creation (Genesis 2:7) and
Old Testament image of dry skeletons becoming live people again (Ezekiel 37). This was either a temporary
foretaste of Pentecost (Acts 2) or merely a symbolic gesture.

In God’s economy the church that sends the most wins the most

As a pastor there is one truth that you must never forget! In God’s economy the church that
sends the most wins the most. Our God is a sending God. He sent His best into the world to
save us. Jesus is referred to as “sent” forty – four times in the New Testament. After his
resurrection, Jesus passed on His identity to His disciples: “as the father has sent me, I am
sending you.” Thus, you can’t really call yourself a follower of Jesus if you don’t see yourself as
sent.

23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain [the sins of] any, they are retained.”
24 But one of the Twelve, Thomas (called “Twin”), was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples
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kept telling him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His
hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!” After
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eight days His disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked,
Jesus came and stood among them. He said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here
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and observe My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Don’t be an unbeliever, but a believer.”
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28 Thomas responded to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said, “Because you have seen Me, you have
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believed. Those who believe without seeing are blessed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence
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of His disciples that are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is
the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.

Notice that Thomas’s response to his confrontation with Jesus was, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus did not
rebuke him for honoring Him as Lord and God. Rather He blessed Thomas for his admission. Thomas’s
confession offers strong support for the fact that Jesus was and is God.

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