JANUARY 29, 2026 – PEACE

READ: Jn. 20:19–31: … Peace be with you … Receive the Holy Spirit … if you … are forgiven … are retained … Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed …

Jesus appears in the evening of the day of His resurrection to His fearful disciples. He greets them with the usual greeting: peace. But the meaning is now profound: through His victory over sin and death, and His atonement, this is peace with God, and therefore also peace with one another. Faith in Him as the Prince of Peace is required.

Coming through locked doors and showing His hands and side, they recognize their Lord. Their joy is great. Immediately Jesus attaches a commission to His repeated greeting of peace: they are now to be sent to proclaim the gospel without His physical presence.

Yet He will not leave them alone. The Holy Spirit will strengthen and accompany them. As a pledge, Jesus breathes on them (cf. Gen. 2:7).

They also receive authority that they never previously had: in His name and by His Spirit they are to apply the Word with ministerial authority—including forgiving and retaining sins (cf. Matt. 16:19; 18:18).

Thomas meets Jesus at the next gathering. He had often voiced doubts (cf. Jn. 14:5–7). Now he doubts the testimony of the disciples and wants to see and touch Jesus’ wounds. When Jesus comes, He grants Thomas’ desire but also addresses his unbelief (v.27).

Thomas responds with a wonderful confession, submitting himself to Jesus: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus’ words: “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed,” are meant also for us.

We do not see Him, but by His Spirit we may believe His Word, and thus share in eternal salvation and joy (1 Pet. 1:8–9).

What is the connection with the “breathing” in Gen. 2:7? 

Sing: Ps. 68:8