Breaking the Word

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.  (Jesus) said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."  And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the holy Spirit.  Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."           (Jn 20:19-23)

 

 

The disciples were afraid of the Jews. They locked themselves in the room. They had fear from within and without. A situation like this could only be saved by Jesus. Jesus appeared before them and wished them peace and the disciples rejoiced at the presence of Jesus. They saw Jesus who was crucified. So the peace comes from Jesus who was crucified.

 

Jesus was sent by the father with a particular mission. The mission was to proclaim the kingdom and establish the kingdom. Jesus completed this mission through his suffering and death. Now Jesus is sending his disciples with the same mission. They are asked to continue the same mission. Indirectly Jesus is telling them to expect the same treatment.

 

Jesus sends them with the Holy Spirit. He breathed on them the spirit. They have not only a model to follow but also the presence of the spirit to accompany them. The spirit will be present with them always while they carry on with their mission. Their mission is to forgive the sins of the people.     

 

 

 

Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved, the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper and had said, "Master, who is the one who will betray you?" When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"  Jesus said to him, "What if I want him to remain until I come? What concern is it of yours? You follow me." So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die. But Jesus had not told him that he would not die, just "What if I want him to remain until I come? (What concern is it of yours?)" It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true. There are also many other things that Jesus did, but if these were to be described individually, I do not think the whole world would contain the books that would be written. (Jn 21:20-25)

 

 

In this passage the author narrates the relationship that exists between Jesus and the other disciple together with that he also speaks of the relationship that Peter had with the other disciple. The other disciple was very close to Jesus ( he reclined upon the chest during the supper and questioned Jesus about the one who was to betray him).

 

Peter was concerned about the other disciple’s end. Since Jesus had told Peter the way he was to have his end Peter was concerned about the other disciple. Jesus plainly tells him not to worry about the other. Following of Jesus is personal and it does not have anything to do with the other followers. So following of Jesus is personal and does not depend on how the other is doing.

 

The author believes that what he has written about Jesus is just what was necessary to communicate who Jesus was. Jesus had done more and all what Jesus had done could not be narrated. Because the activities of Jesus is still continuing and it will continue. So no one could limit the activities of Jesus. It is as big as the world and even more than the world could contain.