John 20:19 (ISV), “It was the evening of the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came and stood among them. He told them, ‘Peace be with you.’”
The power of Jesus’ words in this Scripture is easy to miss if you read too quickly. The disciples had gathered behind closed doors, afraid and uncertain about what was coming next. Jesus appeared in the room, standing among them. His first words are simple: ‘Peace be with you.’
In the culture of the day, those words were an ordinary greeting. What made this moment different was the power behind them. These men had seen Jesus crucified. They were now hiding from the Jewish Sanhedrin, the council of chief priests, elders, and scribes, who had been involved in Jesus’ arrest and death. They were likely murmuring, “Are we next? What should we do?” Then suddenly, Jesus stood before them and spoke a declaration of peace; it was not just a polite hello. He was announcing what had just been accomplished.
Days earlier, at the Last Supper, Jesus had said: “This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you.” (Luke 22:20 HCSB).
This was not ...
