Christ with His Disciples.
19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of
the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace
be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands
and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21
Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent
me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them,
and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye
remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they
are retained.
The infallible proof of Christ's resurrection was his showing himself
alive, Acts i. 3. In these verses, we have an account of his first appearance
to the college of the disciples, on the day on which he rose. He had sent
them the tidings of his resurrection by trusty and credible messengers;
but to show his love to them, and confirm their faith in him, he came himself,
and gave them all the assurances they could desire of the truth of it,
that they might not have it by hearsay only, and at second hand, but might
themselves be eye-witnesses of his being alive, because they must attest
it to the world, and build the church upon that testimony. Now observe
here,
I. When and where this appearance was, v. 19. It was the same day that
he rose, being the first day of the week, the day after the Jewish sabbath,
at a private meeting of the disciples, ten of them, and some more of their
friends with them, Luke xxiv. 33.
There are three secondary ordinances (as I may call them) instituted
by our Lord Jesus, to continue in his church, for the support of it, and
for the due administration of the principal ordinances--the word, sacraments,
and prayer; these are, the Lord's day, solemn assemblies, and standing
ministry. The mind of Christ concerning each of these is plainly intimated
to us in these verses; of the first two, here, in the circumstances of
this appearance, the other v. 21. Christ's kingdom was to be set up among
men, immediately upon his resurrection; and accordingly we find the very
day he arose, though but a day of small things, yet graced with those solemnities
which should help to keep up a face of religion throughout all the ages
of the church.
1. Here is a Christian sabbath observed by the disciples, and owned
by our Lord Jesus. The visit Christ made to his disciples was on the first
day of the week. And the first day of the week is (I think) the only day
of the week, or month, or year, that is ever mentioned by number in all
the New Testament; and this is several times spoken of as a day religiously
observed. Though it was said here expressly (v. 1) that Christ arose on
the first day of the week, and it might have been sufficient to say here
(v. 19), he appeared the same day at evening; yet, to put an honour upon
the day, it is repeated, being the first day of the week; not that the
apostles designed to put honour upon the day (they were yet in doubt concerning
the occasion of it), but God designed to put honour upon it, by ordering
it that they should be altogether, to receive Christ's first visit on that
day. Thus, in effect, he blessed and sanctified that day, because in it
the Redeemer rested.
2. Here is a Christian assembly solemnized by the disciples, and also
owned by the Lord Jesus. Probably the disciples met here for some religious
exercise, to pray together; or, perhaps, they met to compare notes, and
consider whether they had sufficient evidence of their Master's resurrection,
and to consult what was now to be done, whether they should keep together
or scatter; they met to know one another's minds, strengthen one another's
hands, and concert proper measures to be taken in the present critical
juncture. This meeting was private, because they durst not appear publicly,
especially in a body. They met in a house, but they kept the door shut,
that they might not be seen together, and that no one might come among
them but such as they knew; for they feared the Jews, who would prosecute
the disciples as criminals, that they might seem to believe the lie they
would deceive the world with, that his disciples came by night, and stole
him away. Note, (1.) The disciples of Christ, even in difficult times,
must not forsake the assembling of themselves together, Heb. x. 25. Those
sheep of the flock were scattered in the storm; but sheep are sociable,
and will come together again. It is no new thing for the assemblies of
Christ's disciples to be driven into corners, and forced into the wilderness,
Rev. xii. 14; Prov. xxviii. 12. (2.) God's people have been often obliged
to enter into their chambers, and shut their doors, as here, for fear of
the Jews. Persecution is allotted them, and retirement from persecution
is allowed them; and then where shall we look for them but in dens and
caves of the earth. It is a real grief, but no real reproach, to Christ's
disciples, thus to abscond.
II. What was said and done in this visit Christ made to his disciples,
and his interview between them. When they were assembled, Jesus came among
them, in his own likeness, yet drawing a veil over the brightness of his
body, now begun to be glorified, else it would have dazzled their eyes,
as in his transfiguration. Christ came among them, to give them a specimen
of the performance of his promise, that, where two or three are gathered
together in his name, he will be in the midst of them. He came, though
the doors were shut. This does not at all weaken the evidence of his having
a real human body after his resurrection; though the doors were shut, he
knew how to open them without any noise, and come in so that they might
not hear him, as formerly he had walked on the water, and yet had a true
body. It is a comfort to Christ's disciples, when their solemn assemblies
are reduced to privacy, that no doors can shut out Christ's presence from
them. We have five things in this appearance of Christ:--
(1.) His kind and familiar salutation of his disciples: He said, Peace
be unto you. This was not a word of course, though commonly used so at
the meeting of friends, but a solemn, uncommon benediction, conferring
upon them all the blessed fruits and effects of his death and resurrection.
The phrase was common, but the sense was now peculiar. Peace be unto you
is as much as, All good be to you, all peace always by all means. Christ
had left them his peace for their legacy, ch. xiv. 27. By the death of
the testator the testament was become of force, and he was now risen from
the dead, to prove the will, and to be himself the executor of it. Accordingly,
he here makes prompt payment of the legacy: Peace be unto you. His speaking
peace makes peace, creates the fruit of the lips, peace; peace with God,
peace in your own consciences, peace with one another; all this peace be
with you; not peace with the world, but peace in Christ. His sudden appearing
in the midst of them when they were full of doubts concerning him, full
of fears concerning themselves, could not but put them into some disorder
and consternation, the noise of which waves he stills with this word, Peace
be unto you.
(2.) His clear and undeniable manifestation of himself to them, v. 20.
And here observe,
[1.] The method he took to convince them of the truth of his resurrection,
They now saw him alive whom multitudes had seen dead two or three days
before. Now the only doubt was whether this that they saw alive was the
same individual body that had been seen dead; and none could desire a further
proof that it was so than the scars or marks of the wounds in the body.
Now, First, The marks of the wounds, and very deep marks (though without
any pain or soreness), remained in the body of the Lord Jesus even after
his resurrection, that they might be demonstrations of the truth of it.
Conquerors glory in the marks of their wounds. Christ's wounds were to
speak on earth that it was he himself, and therefore he arose with them;
they were to speak in heaven, in the intercession he must ever live to
make, and therefore he ascended with them, and appeared in the midst of
the throne, a Lamb as it had been slain, and bleeding afresh, Rev. v. 6.
Nay, it should seem, he will come again with his scars, that they may look
on him whom they pierced. Secondly, These marks he showed to his disciples,
for their conviction. They had not only the satisfaction of seeing him
look with the same countenance, and hearing him speak with the same voice
they had been so long accustomed to, Sic oculos, sic ille manus, sic ora,
ferebat--Such were his gestures, such his eyes and hands! but they had
the further evidence of these peculiar marks: he opened his hands to them,
that they might see the marks of the wounds on them; he opened his breast,
as the nurse hers to the child, to show them the wound there. Note, The
exalted Redeemer will ever show himself open-handed and open-hearted to
all his faithful friends and followers. When Christ manifests his love
to believers by the comforts of his Spirit, assures them that because he
lives they shall live also, then he shows them his hands and his side.
[2.] The impression it made upon them, and the good it did them. First,
They were convinced that they saw the Lord: so was their faith confirmed.
At first, they thought they saw an apparition only, a phantasm; but now
they knew it was the Lord himself. Thus many true believers, who, while
they were weak, feared their comforts were but imaginary, afterwards find
them, through grace, real and substantial. They ask not, Is it the Lord?
but are assured, it is he. Secondly, Then they were glad; that which strengthened
their faith raised their joy; believing they rejoice. The evangelist seems
to write it with somewhat of transport and triumph. Then! then! were the
disciples glad, when they saw the Lord, If it revived the spirit of Jacob
to hear that Joseph was yet alive, how would it revive the heart of these
disciples to hear that Jesus is again alive? It is life from the dead to
them. Now that word of Christ was fulfilled (ch. xvi. 22), I will see you
again, and your heart shall rejoice. This wiped away all tears from their
eyes. Note, A sight of Christ will gladden the heart of a disciple at any
time; the more we see of Christ, the more we shall rejoice in him; and
our joy will never be perfect till we come where we shall see him as he
is.
(3.) The honourable and ample commission he gave them to be his agents
in the planting of his church, v. 21. Here is,
[1.] The preface to their commission, which was the solemn repetition
of the salutation before: Peace be unto you. This was intended, either,
First, To raise their attention to the commission he was about to give
them. The former salutation was to still the tumult of their fear, that
they might calmly attend to the proofs of his resurrection; this was to
reduce the transport of their joy, that they might sedately hear what he
had further to say to them; or, Secondly, To encourage them to accept of
the commission he was giving them. Though it would involve them in a great
deal of trouble, yet he designed their honour and comfort in it, and, in
the issue, it would be peace to them. Gideon received his commission with
this word, Peace be unto thee, Judg. vi. 22, 23. Christ is our Peace; if
he is with us, peace is to us. Christ was now sending the disciples to
publish peace to the world (Isa. lii. 7), and he here not only confers
it upon them for their own satisfaction, but commits it to them as a trust
to be by them transmitted to all the sons of peace, Luke x. 5, 6.
[2.] The commission itself, which sounds very great: As my Father
hath sent me, even so send I you.
First, It is easy to understand how Christ sent them; he appointed them
to go on with his work upon earth, and to lay out themselves for the spreading
of his gospel, and the setting up of his kingdom, among men. He sent them
authorized with a divine warrant, armed with a divine power,--sent them
as ambassadors to treat of peace, and as heralds to proclaim it,--sent
them as servants to bid to the marriage. Hence they were called apostles--men
sent.
Secondly, But how Christ sent them as the Father sent him is not so
easily understood; certainly their commissions and powers were infinitely
inferior to his; but, 1. Their work was of the same kind with his, and
they were to go on where he left off. They were not sent to be priests
and kings, like him, but only prophets. As he was sent to bear witness
to the truth, so were they; not to be mediators of the reconciliation,
but only preachers and publishers of it. Was he sent, not to be ministered
to, but to minister? not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent
him? not to destroy the law and the prophets, but to fill them up? So were
they. As the Father sent him to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,
so he sent them into all the world. 2. He had a power to send them equal
to that which the Father had to send him. Here the force of the comparison
seems to lie. By the same authority that the Father sent me do I send you.
This proves the Godhead of Christ; the commissions he gave were of equal
authority with those which the Father gave, and as valid and effectual
to all intents and purposes, equal with those he gave to the Old-Testament
prophets in visions. The commissions of Peter and John, by the plain word
of Christ, are as good as those of Isaiah and Ezekiel, by the Lord sitting
on his throne; nay, equal with that which was given to the Mediator himself
for his work. Had he an incontestable authority, and an irresistible ability,
for his work? so had they for theirs. Or thus, As the Father hath sent
me is, as it were, the recital of his power; by virtue of the authority
given him as a Mediator, he gave authority to them, as his ministers, to
act for him, and in his name, with the children of men; so that those who
received them, or rejected them, received or rejected him, and him that
sent him, ch. xiii. 20.
(4.) The qualifying of them for the discharge of the trust reposed in
them by their commission (v. 22): He breathed on them, and said, Receive
ye the Holy Ghost. Observe,
[1.] The sign he used to assure them of, and affect them with, the gift
he was now about to bestow upon them: He breathed on them; not only to
show them, by this breath of life, that he himself was really alive, but
to signify to them the spiritual life and power which they should receive
from him for all the services that lay before them. Probably he breathed
upon them all together, not upon each severally and, though Thomas was
not with them, yet the Spirit of the Lord knew where to find him, as he
did Eldad and Medad, Num. xi. 26. Christ here seems to refer to the creation
of man at first, by the breathing of the breath of life into him (Gen.
ii. 7), and to intimate that he himself was the author of that work, and
that the spiritual life and strength of ministers and Christians are derived
from him, and depend upon him, as much as the natural life of Adam and
his seed. As the breath of the Almighty gave life to man and began the
old world, so the breath of the mighty Saviour gave life to his ministers,
and began a new world, Job xxxiii. 4. Now this intimates to us, First,
That the Spirit is the breath of Christ, proceeding from the Son. The Spirit,
in the Old Testament, is compared to breath (Ezek. xxxvii. 9), Come, O
breath; but the New Testament tells us it is Christ's breath. The breath
of God is put for the power of his wrath (Isa. xi. 4; xxx. 33); but the
breath of Christ signifies the power of his grace; the breathing of threatenings
is changed into the breathings of love by the mediation of Christ. Our
words are uttered by our breath, so the word of Christ is spirit and life.
The word comes from the Spirit, and the Spirit comes along with the word.
Secondly, That the Spirit is the gift of Christ. The apostles communicated
the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands, those hands being first lifted
up in prayer, for they could only beg this blessing, and carry it as messengers;
but Christ conferred the Holy Ghost by breathing, for he is the author
of the gift, and from him it comes originally. Moses could not give his
Spirit, God did it (Num. xi. 17); but Christ did it himself.
[2.] The solemn grant he made, signified by this sign, Receive ye the
Holy Ghost, in part now, as an earnest of what you shall further receive
not many days hence." They now received more of the Holy Ghost than they
had yet received. Thus spiritual blessings are given gradually; to him
that has shall be given. Now that Jesus began to be glorified more of the
Spirit began to be given: see ch. vii. 39. Let us see what is contained
in this grant. First, Christ hereby gives them assurance of the Spirit's
aid in their future work, in the execution of the commission now given
them: "I send you, and you shall have the Spirit to go along with you."
Now the Spirit of the Lord rested upon them to qualify them for all the
services that lay before them. Whom Christ employs he will clothe with
his Spirit, and furnish with all needful powers. Secondly, He hereby gives
them experience of the Spirit's influences in their present case. He had
shown them his hands and his side, to convince them of the truth of his
resurrection; but the plainest evidences will not of themselves work faith,
witness the infidelity of the soldiers, who were the only eye-witnesses
of the resurrection. "Therefore receive ye the Holy Ghost, to work faith
in you, and to open your understandings." They were now in danger of the
Jews: "Therefore receive ye the Holy Ghost, to work courage in you." What
Christ said to them he says to all true believers, Receive ye the Holy
Ghost, Eph. i. 13. What Christ gives we must receive, must submit ourselves
and our whole souls to the quickening, sanctifying, influences of the blessed
Spirit-receive his motions, and comply with them--receive his powers and
make use of them: and those who thus obey this word as a precept shall
have the benefit of it as a promise; they shall receive the Holy Ghost
as the guide of their way and the earnest of their inheritance.
(5.) One particular branch of the power given them by their commission
particularized (v. 23): "Whosesoever sins you remit, in the due execution
of the powers you are entrusted with, they are remitted to them, and they
may take the comfort of it; and whosesoever sins you retain, that is, pronounce
unpardoned and the guilt of them bound on, they are retained, and the sinner
may be sure of it, to his sorrow." Now this follows upon their receiving
the Holy Ghost; for, if they had not had an extraordinary spirit of discerning,
they had not been fit to be entrusted with such an authority; for, in the
strictest sense, this is a special commission to the apostles themselves
and the first preachers of the gospel, who could distinguish who were in
the gall of bitterness and bond of iniquity, and who were not. By virtue
of this power, Peter struck Ananias and Sapphira dead, and Paul struck
Elymas blind. Yet it must be understood as a general charter to the church
and her ministers, not securing an infallibility of judgment to any man
or company of men in the world, but encouraging the faithful stewards of
the mysteries of God to stand to the gospel they were sent to preach, for
that God himself will stand to it. The apostles, in preaching remission,
must begin at Jerusalem, though she had lately brought upon herself the
guilt of Christ's blood: "Yet you may declare their sins remitted upon
gospel terms." And Peter did so, Acts ii. 38; iii. 19. Christ, being risen
for our justification, sends his gospel heralds to proclaim the jubilee
begun, the act of indemnity now passed; and by this rule men shall be judged,
ch. xii. 48; Rom. ii. 16; Jam. ii. 12. God will never alter this rule of
judgment, nor vary from it; those whom the gospel acquits shall be acquitted,
and those whom the gospel condemns shall be condemned, which puts immense
honour upon the ministry, and should put immense courage into ministers.
Two ways the apostles and ministers of Christ remit and retain sin, and
both as having authority:-- [1.] By sound doctrine. They are commissioned
to tell the world that salvation is to be had upon gospel terms, and no
other, and they shall find God will say Amen to it; so shall their doom
be. [2.] By a strict discipline, applying the general rule of the gospel
to particular persons. "Whom you admit into communion with you, according
to the rules of the gospel, God will admit into communion with himself;
and whom you cast out of communion as impenitent, and obstinate in scandalous
and infectious sins, shall be bound over to the righteous judgment of God."
