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John 20.19-23 STUDY GUIDE

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John 20.19-23 STUDY GUIDE THE GOSPEL OF JOHN Small Group Discussion Guide Text: John 20:19-23 Theme/ Big Idea: Fear is turned to joy-filled peace through the power of Jesus' resurrection. Context/ Background Information: Studying all four Gospels, it is clear that the disciples experienced confusion, disbelief, uncertainty, and even doubt after Jesus' death (Mark 16:14; Luke 24:38; John 20:25). This shows the very personal nature and fragile emotions of real people. But it also serves as yet another reminder that Jesus' resurrection is not a man-made story.(1) The Bible is honest and reveals that not even Jesus' own disciples fully grasped or believed what they were being told. John, however, does not focus on the disciple's disbelief and Jesus' rebuke. John will address disbelief when he recounts Jesus' encounter with Thomas, the chief representative of doubt. Instead, in this text, John focuses on the disciple's fearful hearts and the power of Jesus' resurrection to transform fear and chaos into peace, joy, and purpose. In John 20:19-23, we see the disciples huddled together in fear, their encounter with Jesus and his offer of peace and joy, and finally their commissioning to go as Jesus came, proclaiming peace and joy to the world. THE DISCIPLES ARE HUDDLED AND HIDING TOGETHER "On the evening of that day, the first day of the week," the same day John and Peter saw the empty tomb and Mary encountered Jesus, John says the disciples were "locked" in the upper room "for fear of the Jews" (John 20:19). To put this scene in context, at least five witnesses, three of which saw and spoke to Jesus personally, returned to the upper room disciples and shared their personal stories of seeing the empty tomb and encountering Jesus. Though not explicit in the text, the first two witnesses were John and Peter, who returned after seeing the empty tomb (John 20:10). The third witness was Mary, who encountered Jesus personally, was sent by Jesus, and "went and announced to the disciples, 'I have seen the Lord'" (John 20:18). Despite this, Luke says the disciples dismissed Mary's words as "an idle tale" (lit. nonsense), "and they did not believe [her words]" (Lk 24:11). The fourth and fifth witnesses who went to the upper room disciples were the two disciples who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35). Luke says they immediately ran and "found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, 'The Lord has risen indeed'" (Luke 24:33–34). Despite their eye witness encounter, Mark says the upper room disciples still "did not believe them" (Mark 16:13). Therefore, when Jesus appeared to the eleven in the upper room, "he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen" (Mark 16:14). While the other Gospel writers emphasize the disciples' disbelief of the witnesses, John is the only Gospel writer to note that the disciples were locked in a room terrified and gripped by fear of the Jews. John says they were fearful (lit. "phobos"). This means they were panic stricken and terrified. The word John uses can also be used to describe someone who flees in terror, hides, or cowers. In the Old Testament the word was often used to describe someone's trembling encounter with the living God. John wants us to see the disciple's intense fear, the focus of that fear, and in particular, Jesus' resurrection power to replace their fear with peace and joy. Throughout the Gospel of John, "fear of the Jews" means fear of the religious leaders and their persecution of anyone who aligns themselves with Jesus. No doubt Jesus' warnings of persecution, suffering, and possible death were fresh on their minds (John 15:18-19; 16:1-4). Furthermore, they just witnessed what the religious leaders had done to Jesus. Like many in the Gospel of John, the disciples were not immune to fear. At root, however, their fear of the religious leaders is the fear of man. The disciples were hiding, inordinately distracted by what the Jews might do to them as Jesus' followers. Like Mary, who wept where there should have been joy, this is another instance of irony in the Gospel of John. These disciples know, serve, and follow the Savior and Son of God with power over death, sin, Satan, and the world. They saw Jesus heal a paralyzed man, give sight to the blind, cleanse the demon-possessed, raise the dead, walk on water, and feed thousands. These disciples are known by God in the flesh, and yet, they cower in fear, inordinately distracted by what the religious leaders might do to them. In this moment, the horizontal fear of man blinds the disciples from seeing the vertical power of God in Jesus over all things. However, when Jesus appears, fear gives way and is replaced with peace and joy. JESUS COMES NEAR OFFERING PEACE AND JOY In their anxious state of fear and hiding, John says, "Jesus came and stood among them" (John 20:19). The Greek word is "histemi," which means to stand in the midst or to stand near. It is the same word used to describe Jesus standing before Mary (John 20:14). The implication is certainly that Jesus stands there alive. But it also communicates that Jesus has come near to the anxious, brokenhearted, and fearful. Just as Jesus came near to an inconsolable Mary, he has come near to a fearful group of disciples. But Jesus does not simply come near and stand; Jesus comes near to the fearful and brokenhearted, offering the longing of the human heart, peace. Jesus says, "Peace be with you" twice to the disciples (John 20:19 and 20) and a third time to Thomas in John 20:26. No doubt, this is intended to remind the disciples of the assurance and promise Jesus gave in John 14:27, where he said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid." On the surface Jesus’ word of peace seems like an ordinary Jewish greeting of shalom. However, the word Jesus used in John 14:27 and again in John 20:19, 20, and 26 is "eirene." It is not so much a matter of peace between persons but a settled state of being, an inward disposition or identity. It is not world peace but true inward, personal peace. It is peace with God, peace within, and peace towards others. "Peace and rest of soul" are the very heartbeat of the good news Jesus came to proclaim.(2) Eirene is a settled state of quietness, rest, or calm in the context of turbulence, disturbance, or chaos. Therefore, what Jesus offers is a soothing calm and a rock-solid hope in the midst of brokenness, chaos, and inordinate fear. The peace Jesus offers is permanent, secure, and enduring. The Psalmist describes it as a banquet table in the midst of his enemies (Ps 23:5). Paul says it is the peace "that surpasses all understanding" (Phil 4:7). Jesus says it is "his peace" (John 14:27). While the disciples may have wondered in John 14:27 if Jesus could actually provide the quietness, rest, and calm that he promised, in John 20:19-20, there is no question. Why? Because this time, Jesus has conquered the grave and resurrected from the dead. To prove it and give them even more assurance, Jesus "showed them his hands and his side" (John 20:20). Therefore, his offer of peace in John 20:19 carries with it the full assurance that Jesus can do what he says he can do and can give what he promises to give. Jesus promised that the disciples would experience sorrow at his death but that they would be reunited and their sorrow would turn to joy (John 16:20-22). By showing them his hands and side, Jesus confirmed and gave full assurance to the disciples that the person standing in their midst was the resurrected Lord with power over death and the grave. And if he has power over death and the grave, then he has power over our greater enemies of sin and Satan. Therefore, what do they have to fear (Ps. 56:4, 11; 118:6; Rom 8:31; 1 John 4:4)? The result, "when they saw" [lit. perceived and understood] that it was the Lord, was indescribable joy. John simply says the disciples "were glad" (John 20:20). In the original language, the word indicates exceeding and abundant joy. Luke says they were "disbelieving for joy" and "marveling," which means they stood in astonished wonder and amazement (Luke 24:41). Their fear is transformed into joy-filled peace, and the hinge upon which everything changed was Jesus' resurrection power. DISCIPLES ARE SENT IN THE FLESH AND IN POWER, PROCLAIMING PEACE, JOY, AND FORGIVENESS In verse 21, John says, "Jesus said to them again, 'Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so, I am sending you.'" Like Mary, these disciples are being commissioned. Mary's joy was intended to be conveyed and communicated to the world. The peace and joy these disciples experienced are also intended to be conveyed to the world. Just as the disciples receive the same access to the Father that Jesus has (John 20:17), they receive the same commission Jesus was given.
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